KIA Complaints

Kia radio goes out randomly, will cut off and fails to turn on when the vehicle turns on. It will make a loud noise like an old car being scratched and then it turns off. The radio will freeze up and it affects my digital speed control. I have reported multiple times to my dealership with no help. It has been happening since I purchased the vehicle in 2023.

My vehicle stalled (104000mi) bought in 2024 looked up online was known between 2023-2024 engine recall I wasn't told or shown on Car Fax anything about this So [XXX] worked on engine 2. Mths no charge was to get new motor they replaced alternator.Told Done Engine light was on I went to drive it jerked and over dash said engine problems return to dealer ( 5 min) I did .They had it2 more weeks said Transmission box lied I found diagnostics in my dash says engine control problems.Theysaid I had to return loaner and take my vehicle It's not the transmission They are lying. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On three different occasions this car’s engine shuts off on me sometimes at highway speeds. It is terrifying being in the left lane and losing all propulsion and power steering. I have to quickly put the car in park (in the middle of the highway) and then restart the car to go again. When it starts failing it keeps shutting off when we come to a stop in stop and go traffic. It’s like the auto shutoff option shuts off the car abut won’t turn it back on. I took it to DCH Kia of Temecula to get to the bottom of this issue. They are saying because there are no check engine lights and they cannot replicate the problem they can’t do anything and want to return the car to us. We fought that and they started a techline report for engineering to help troubleshooting. Kia customer care was involved, but I was told I had 48 hours to pick my car up as is. Driving this car on long trips is now terrifying for me and my family, if you look online, nationwide Kia tellurides are having this same issue I’ve seen from the 2020 models to 2026. I am not the only person having this issue with a Kia telluride. Something needs to be done NATION WIDE before loss of life happens. I would venture to use the fall of the “Saturn” car company as an example of knowing there’s an issue and not fixing it. I want a solution to this issue and I do not feel that “just trade it in” is an acceptable answer.

When driving my Kia Sportage on the highway, the screen panel goes completely dark while using the GPS. No warning lights what so ever. This is a major issue for me because I'm depending on the GPS to safely get to where I want to go. I have gotten lost 3 or 4 times in areas that I'm not familiar with because I don't know what exit to take. The moment the screen blacks out on me, it causes me to be so confused and stressed out to the point that I become terrified of causing an accident where people could die, including myself. Kia has recalled 2026 Kia Sportage cars for the same panel blackouts. My Kia Sportage was not. I had taken the vehicle twice to the dealership complaining about the problem (04/01/26 and 04/29/26) and they tell me that there is no issues with the screen panel because they can't replicate the problem at the shop. So far, only the dealership has checked the car. I don't know what else to do. These panel blackouts are happening quite often now. At this moment, I don't trust the screen panel anymore. There is something wrong with it. I have friends in my car when the screen panel blacks out. Upon request, the car will be available for inspection.

I bought this used with 113,000 miles on it. Within the first year, I had to fix AC,oil leak and alternator. I also had to replace the transmission which gave out completely. Then about 14 months into owning this vehicle, the engine light came on, and I suddenly could not maintain speed. I was lucky I was not on the main highway where I would have been hit from cars behind me. KIA refuses to fix/replace the engine because it is out of warranty. I believe this is too many things that have gone wrong to not be considered defective. I now have to cut my losses and get a different car.

I had my most recent oil change on 2/20/26, and on 5/2/26 , the check engine light came on and I heard a knocking sound. I checked the dipstick and it was below the “low” mark. I hadn’t driven 3k miles yet!! I had to purchase 2 quarts of SAE 5w 30 oil to put into it. My vehicle is consuming more than 1 quart per 1000 miles.

sudden reduced acceleration / limp mode while driving P1326 knock code potential engine failure / loss of power

Was driving down the interstate and the engine lost some power and the engine blew and parts of the connecting rod was on the outside of motor which blew a hole in the block and oil went into the intake manifold and pieces of the piston ring was in there and engine shut off, and seen that this has been a problem with these cars

The vehicle is experiencing sudden engine stalling while in motion, a known safety hazard. Despite a documented maintenance history with no issues, the dealer (Bayside Kia) is attempting to deny a Theta II Settlement claim by shifting the narrative to 'engine sludge,' which only appeared as a symptom in June 2025( Walmart oil change) alongside engine performance issues. The vehicle has active codes P0014 and P0017, which are secondary symptoms of the internal bearing wear and metallic debris contaminating the oiling system. KDS Diagnostic tests showed Cylinder 1 at 0.16mm (approaching the 0.20mm failure limit). This clearance proves the connecting rod bearings are worn and reaching the failure threshold; this mechanical wear is the root cause of the engine's inability to operate safely. The presence of metallic debris in the oil is the definitive signature of the Theta II manufacturing defect. Furthermore, the dealer acted in bad faith by attempting to charge for Airbag repairs (Codes B1346/B1481) that are covered under the 15-year Clock Spring Warranty Extension (CS1102). The dealer has dismissed my qualifying maintenance documents, claiming they are 'not official,' which is a direct violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. A manufacturer cannot deny a warranty claim because services were performed at third-party facilities, nor can they deny a claim without proving 'exceptional neglect.' I am reporting a refusal to honor a court-ordered safety settlement and an attempt to return an unsafe, stalling vehicle to the road.There is no evidence of engine abandonment or exceptional neglect. I’m considered "in compliance" if I can show I didn't go more than 14 months without servicing or a certain mileage between oil changes.The dealer's dismissal of verified third-party receipts and bank statements is a bad-faith attempt to ignore an inherent manufacturing defect documented by a 0.16mm BCT result and metallic debris.

I was driving on the freeway and a system warning came up “check hybrid system” and the car went limp. Thankfully I was able to get off safely from the momentum this time, but it has stopped in the middle of the street before. This is the second time it’s shut down this year. I took it in last year for the same problem. I took it to the Kia dealership and they stated there’s nothing no wrong with it.