Not even aware that was a feature on the Niro. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's not a feature?

 

I was told by a saleman that this feature existed, but I haven't seen it since I've had the car (2 1/2 weeks) nor have I seen a setting for it.

 

The only auto lock I have seen on the '18 EX is when you shift into drive, or achieve a certain speed. Parking and walking away won't auto lock anything!

 

I just got the car a few days ago... and I swear it was auto locking when I walked a certain distance from it.... I heard the door lock click every single time... I even tested it out the other night to make sure... I walked away, heard the click, placed the key on the ground, and walked towards the car... and sure enough, it was locked. However, now it stopped doing it.

 

Maybe you pocket locked it?

 

I thought this was a feature also, so used to having this feature on all my previous cars. Is it only the top of the line Grand Touring package that does this? I have the EX Tech package.

 

I have the EX with the Premium Package (essentially the Touring with 16 inch wheels) and I don't have it either.

My 2014 Mazda3 had it but it only worked about 85-90% of the time.

 

Let's face it, some salesmen don't have a clue what they are selling, but will say anything to make the sale! Caveat Emptor!

 

Figured it out!

I know what it was.. The factory alarm from the dealership had a proximity autolock. After I complained to them about a blinking blue light that wouldn't stop, they disabled the alarm.... which also disabled the proximity autolock

 

I know what it was.. The factory alarm from the dealership had a proximity autolock.

Oh it was an aftermarket alarm system the dealer installed that was auto-locking it? That explains it I guess.

 

Umm...pretty sure there's no factory alarm for the Niro.

 

Try this: keep a window open, lock the car, take the key fob 20 feet away, and open the door that has the window open. Factory alarm will sound.

You can also sit in the car and use the key fob to lock the doors. Now open a door manually and the alarm will sound, at least mine does. A bit odd as the car can sense the key fob is inside the car.

 

Kia Niro theft-alarm

See Theft-Alarm System in your owner's manual.

 

As another data point, I have EX w/Tech package as well, and it definitely does not auto-lock.

 

2017 Niro EX............... will be ONE year old in two weeks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,NEVER AUTO LOCKED.............EVER

 

Check settings. I believe you can set car to auto lock every time you leave it. Of course there cannot be key inside car and you have to have your key in your pocket.

 

Yes, many dealers (perhaps most) operate in very shady ways.

Note that many dealers install a SECOND alarm (in addition to the factory alarm) as standard practice for that dealership - usually (but not always) it is a cheap knock-off of LoJack which only lasts about 2 to 3 years, and often the dealer does not disclose this alarm was installed except as one line buried deep in the installment sale contract's "(optional) theft deterrent devices" section. Usually, this is done in order to more easily facilitate the bank's future repo efforts - so if the dealership is adding an actual alarm you can turn on and off, they're installing the alarm for your benefit, and if it is a non-disclosed GPS tracker, it is installed for the bank's benefit.

Also note that despite the 10/100 powertrain warranty and the 5/60 bumper-to-bumper, all electronics in the car including the stereo and everything installed in the dash are only covered for 3/36.

 

I noticed something interesting here! My 2017 Niro EX does NOT lock the doors automatically IF you were driving, PARK, shut the car off and get out, (I walked far away from it) and it did NOT lock the doors, BUT if you approach the car, unlock it and open the door to get something out of the car, if you close the door and walk away, it DOES re-lock the doors............



Yes there are settings for auto locking in the setup menu but nothing to auto lock the doors upon exit of the vehicle.

 

I guess I noticed this unconsciously and got used to pressing the door lock button. I wonder if it has any connection to the locking charge door and the way it locks and opens with the doors? When I get home, my habit is to open the charge door and plug in the cable and then lock the door (and charge cable locks automatically when I do this). If the car and charge door auto locked when I walked away then it would be frustrating to have to unlock the car to charge and lock it again. Unless of course it could just have both proximity unlock and lock..

 

Found some interesting info here at the kniro.net site. I just registered so can't include links so do what you have to in order for the following to make sense...

Kia Niro : Description and operation : Keyless Entry And Burglar Alarm
www dot kniro dot net slash description_and_operation-1763 dot html

Seems to detail different car lock and alarm modes including an auto lock mode, but probably not applicable to US model cars. Maybe I'm missing something but I didn't see the instructions on how to activate the different modes.

 

The first Kia dealership that I visited had an amazing bit of technology: their sales people had magic key fobs that could unlock the doors of any car on the lot. I found that a little disconcerting, so I read up on it and came up with an article (thetruthaboutcars.com slash 2016/08/never-buy-car-alarm-dealership/) that suggests that some dealers install after-market systems to protect themselves and also make things more convenient for their sales organization, and then they try to resell it to customers at a huge markup. Personally, I don't care for the idea of purchasing a "new" car that has already had the wiring harness cut into by the dealer. Glad I wound up purchasing my Niro PHEV from a different dealer that didn't do that.


As for the autolocking thing, I'm still trying to figure that out too. I programmed my mirrors to fold when I leave the car and lock the door. It's a nice feature in that it gives me a visual indication of whether the doors are locked or not. If I lock the doors with the key fob, the mirrors fold. I walk away and come back a while later and once I get close to the car with the key fob in my pocket, the mirrors unfold and the door will unlock if I push the button on the door handle. If I walk away instead of pushing the button, the mirrors fold up again as soon as the key fob is about 10 feet away. But if I don't deliberately lock the doors with the key fob, then it doesn't lock and mirrors don't fold. There's probably a programming option somewhere that tweaks this behavior, but I haven't found it yet.

 

 

If you go to shark racing (google it) they sell a module that will add this feature (and some other really nifty features) but only shows for a Kona. I would reach out to them and see if it would work for the Niro as well.