[eddarrah]

So far the only problem we've had with our 2017 Niro EX (purchased in July) was a door handle breaking off, part of the door handle recall. All fixed all is good. Until this evening. I have not read about this problem anywhere as of yet. Tonight after dinner I was going to make a quick run to the store. The Niro had been running fine all day. This trip, when I get in and start the Niro, I have - - - flashing instead of the miles remaining display, the gas pump icon is lit up, and the gas gauge has NO little boxes, not even one, indicating it's EMPTY. There's also a lighted icon displaying a vehicle parked in front of a gas pump, AND the engine light is ON. This thing wants gas!! Well, I gassed up to a full tank on Saturday, 3 days ago, and only put on 25 miles, so it's NOT empty!! The engine WAS running. When it turned off and went into full electric (EV) mode, I forced the engine back on by turning the heat to HIGH, engine came right back on, sounded fine. It was about 30 degrees out. I thought perhaps it was a ill fitted gas cap, or perhaps worse yet a gas theft,,,,,,,pressed the gas door open button, got out and checked, removed the gas cap just in case and re-seated snugly, ONE click, got back in, turned the car OFF, waited a min., turned car back ON, and same problem. Obviously NO signs of forced entry into the gas door so I'm assuming I'm near FULL on gas. Hybrid battery power was good. I decided to proceed on my short trip to the store. Everything ran fine, seemed to stay in EV a bit more than usual as it was 30 degrees out and I lowered the heat to 72, defrost is on, heated seat is on, rear defrost/heated mirrors are on............everything drives normally.......... I again switch the heat to max thinking it's in EV mode a bit more than usual for a COLD start up and heat set at 72,,,,,engine comes right back on, this thing was running quite normally, smooth, no other obvious problems........ my MPG stayed about where it last was prior to this problem and shutting the car OFF earlier in the day...................after my in/out at the store I decide to top off the gas, it only got up to $2.08, so I was down less than a gallon, but my thinking here was that it might trip the gas sensor back to normal..............I had decided, and still feel, that this must be a gas sensor issue,,,,,,,,,,,, OR possibly a software issue,,,,,,,,,maybe needing a "reset"............Also I have my Niro EX set to RESET the MPG on each refill, so my topping off the gas should have reset the MPG display, it did NOT, it always has reset in the past. I do not believe it's current state is so critical that it' can't be driven short distances..............I plan to drive to work tomorrow, VERY short trip, call the dealer as soon as they open, and hopefully get an appointment for tomorrow sometime, and leave right from my office straight to the dealer (only 2 miles). I have approx. 3,400 miles on the car, purchased in July, yes, LOW use LOW mileage. I'm still a fan of this car but after reading about the severe "jerkiness" some have experienced at 6,000 miles and some had full vehicle replacements, I'm wondering what other oddities are going to pop up with this vehicle. I know it's a 1st generation, and there are bugs,,,,,,,,,,, but..............hoping for the best,,,,,,,,,,the true test is how quickly the problem is resolved. Our local dealer was GREAT about our broken door handle. It happened in early fall, heavy rain was forecast, and knowing lots of water would have gotten inside the door, our dealer took a door handle off an unsold LOT Niro, NEW, same color, and left it installed on our Niro until the recalled replacement door handles came in, can't ask for better service than that!! I will update as this progresses.

 

[PAULRIDES]

Sounds like a good dealer.

Sounds like a weird problem (my guess obvious sensor, wiring, or computer failure).

There have been some other sensor failures reported on this FORUM (not the same a yours -- one I remember was engine light on and nothing found wrong with the engine).

As many glitches as we see with home computers, internet, and other electronic gadgets -- amazes me we don't have more with these Electronic Controlled Cars.

 

[realto]

eddarrah- when you say you filled, and "topped off" your gas, do you fill it past the click, or all the way up the filler neck? If so, that could be a source of the problem.

 

[yticolev]

I fill mine all the way to the cap and have experienced no problems and while I know about the theoretical problems, anecdotally I've been doing this for forty years without an issue, and have not read of real issues by others with the same practice. A well designed vapor capture will not be affected by topping off and since engineers are designing them, I can only imagine that they take into account this common consumer practice. It would be unprofessional not to.

As a dedicated "topper", I love the Niro. I'm quite good and patient about topping off, but the Niro makes is easier than any prior car to fill up without a single drop of spillage. And it only takes about a half gallon after most pumps first shutoff, my last car took almost three gallons! And then I can go 570 miles before another fill. Expecting to get over 600 miles when the weather warms up.

 

[badyellowvette]

This is probably not at all related but I have this problem with my Corvette. Fuel gauge will go to empty, low fuel warning light on the dash, when I know it's full. As it turns out with the Corvette the float in the fuel tank sticks causing all the problems. To keep it from happening I have to add Textron fuel additive to the tank every 3000 miles. Never happens as long as I add the Tectron.
I know the Corvette is not as complicated a system as the Niro but it could be something that simple.

 

[extech67]

Our 2010 Kia Soul throws me a check engine light maybe four times a year. Runs fine, as always. It usually happens when climbing or descending a hill. At home I remove the battery negative cable for 15 seconds then put it back. Afterward there won't be any check engine light for several months.

 

[fredct]

Good luck with the dealer. The only one note I can add is that the mpg only resets after a fill up if you add more than 6 liters (~1.5 gallons) according to the manual. So that part is normal.

The rest, of course, is not!

 

[Chief_10Beers]

That's has a Bad "Fuel Level Sensor" written all over it. They are not all that complicated and I don't see why it would be any different in a HEV or a open/ connector came lose in the Fuel Level wiring.....................

 

[eddarrah]

No I never fill past the click. Well brace yourselves for the answer. The back seat was removed, they called me into the service to see this (by the way I have a picture posted on here somewhere of the hybrid battery case. Seeing it in person, wow is that thing HUGH!!). Ok back to the problem. The tech showed me the wiring harness to the fuel pump and the connector block. All wires in that block except two were chewed by a rodent. Two peanuts sat on top of the fuel pump. The area is small so I suspect it's my friend Mr. Chipmunk that I've seen running down the wooden fence for the past few days where I park in our apartment building parking lot. Not covered under warranty of course. They were going to try to repair it for labor charge only but the wires are damaged too close to the block. Harness replacement total cost including labor $1,920.15 plus tax. Should be ready to pickup Friday. Fortunately it looks like my auto insurance comprehensive coverage will cover this with me paying a $50 deductible. Whew! Now the bad news for ALL of us. It was told to me by both the Kia technician as well as the insurance adjuster who used to work for a Toyota dealership that many new car manufacturers are coating their wires with soybean material that's biodegradable instead of plastics and rubber. They're sweet and rodents love eating them. Also, the insurance adjuster told me that even older Prius models with regular wiring were targets of rodents for nesting because the hybrid battery stays warm and is far away from under the hood where it's more noisy etc. The Kia tech told me that Hyundai and Kia started this soy trend to be more eco friendly but now Honda Toyota and several others are using soy also. I found an article on Forbes magazine site tonight that details this growing national problem. They even mention that there are class action lawsuits against some car manufacturers over this issue. I will try to link to the article here. Fortunately I reworked my auto insurance policy last July when purchasing the Niro and ended up with tons better coverage all around, new car replacement coverage, and a reduction in comprehensive deductible from $500 reduced to $50. I'm not sure if we're allowed to mention company names here?? But glad I stuck with this company for 25+ years. They even told me they appreciate the loyalty. They're one of the big well known insurers. I plan on parking on the opposite end of our parking lot away from the Chipmunks and squirrels and am looking at using my portable 12v jumper that's also a power supply to run one of those ultrasonic rodent repellants in the car for the next several months. I've used them to rid mice in walls over the years and they work great. I also read that coyote urine can be purchased on Amazon and spraying it on the ground is a safe and effective rodent repellant. Poisoning is not an option and against my beliefs however I have unfriended Mr. Chipmunk on Facebook as well as his buddies and that squirrel gang he hangs out with. Strange ending to this story indeed. The car wasn't put on a lift but I'm calling them tomorrow to have them double look over everything for signs of other mischief before the insurance adjuster gets there in the afternoon. If anything I'm upset with all manufacturers that have chosen to use food based materials like this. Apparently rodents have even gotten into people's garages and then their vehicles because of this. I know this isn't a new problem but from what Kia and the insurance rep told me today and all that I've read tonight this is a skyrocketing problem. I'll try to post the link to the article in my next post.

 

[eddarrah]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeldunne/2017/02/19/rats-new-cars-soy-coated-wires-give-rodents-plenty-to-chew-on/#26b3bc74780a

 

[yticolev]

Well that is a pretty wild story. Seems to me that the manufacturing process of wire insulation could include a rodent deterrent. Hopefully the class action lawsuits will provide a push in that direction. Even much older cars are subject to rodent damage. I paid $900 (all labor) to fix reverse lights and rear washer connection that had rodent damage on a 2001 car. 8 hours of labor to get to it.

 

[badyellowvette]

I have heard of this problem before and I worry about it here in the country. I trap at lease one or two mice a week in my garage. Fill tailpipes with steel wool on the bike and Corvette in the winter to keep thee mice out. Chipmunks and squirrels everywhere in my yard. I didn't know about the wring in the Niro but was concerned it might be soy base covered. I better take more steps to prevent a problem.

 

[eddarrah]

It seems to be most ALL manufacturers but here' s a direct google search result for KIA specifically........... nowhere is the NIRO mentioned, however since the vehicle is still so new that may be the reason................

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=csq1WqD_L4LCzwKWuJ_YCw&q=kia+soy+based+wiring&oq=KIA+SOY+&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l2j0i22i30k1j0i22i10i30k1.20540.22434.0.25780.8.8.0.0.0.0.112.746.6j2.8.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.8.742...46j0i131k1j0i46k1j0i10k1.0.fCQItp0G6Ho

 

[CB Bob]

WOW .... both informative and funny. Not so funny if it happens to your vehicle.

How can this NOT be a manufacturers defect, inviting rodents to dinner!
I'm going to have to leash the cat to the car when not in use. OH MY!!