KIA Complaints
View complaints related to KIA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.
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2026 KIA K5- Austin, TX
The display is shows a "Check Oil Level" error. It comes on then goes off regularly. I have verified that the oil level is OK. Took it into the dealer and he said that this is a common issue and a software fix is coming. The car only has less than 2K miles. I depend on the engine displaying error messages, but they need to be real ones. Online complaints indicate that this is a common error and there seems to be no fix.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2021 KIA NIRO- Reynoldsburg, OH
I own a 2021 Kia Niro. The rear backup camera intermittently fails to operate. When shifting into reverse, the display screen will either go completely black or the camera will not activate at all. This issue occurs unpredictably and without warning. As a result, I am unable to see behind the vehicle when reversing, which creates a significant safety concern. The lack of rear visibility increases the risk of a collision, especially in areas with pedestrians, children, or low-visibility obstacles. I am aware that similar rearview camera failures have led to recalls for certain Kia Niro EV models; however, my vehicle is not included in those recalls. Despite this, my vehicle is experiencing the same or a very similar issue. The problem has occurred multiple times from 2023-now and does not appear to be related to specific weather, lighting, or driving conditions. This defect poses a serious safety risk and should be investigated for potential inclusion in a broader recall.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2016 KIA SEDONA- Houston, TX
Since the day a bought the car I have had to constantly deal with oil leaks and burning up oil. We had to check the vehicle every Sunday for oil replacement. The vehicle on one day just stopped in the middle of the street. It had a complete engine failure. I had to pay thousands of dollars. I contacted Kia with out help. They claim my vehicle was not part of their class action settlement of engine failure. And I can’t sell the car because all mechanics know the engine is trash and the vehicle is worth nothing. And Kia won’t help at all.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2021 KIA SORENTO- Santa Clarita, CA
The system that failed is the high-pressure fuel pump and the intake fuel pump. The fuel system pressure is too low, and the cold start fuel pressure is too high. This is defective because I purchased the car used in November 2023. The car is a safety risk as it stalled immediately yesterday while I was driving with my children and it began smelling like gas fumes from exhaust. The vehicle has been diagnosed by a certified mechanic at Mike and Nick's Tires and Services in Canyon Country, California No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the failure. The engine light came on as soon as the car began to stall and shake/lose power.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2023 KIA SPORTAGE- Sparks, NV
I was driving and heard a loud pop like a gunshot and then the sound of glass breaking. When I inspected, the sunroof had just shattered for no reason. All the edges of the sunroof have a shatter line along them with no damage in the middle of the glass
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
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2013 KIA OPTIMA- Warner Robins, GA
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the turbocharger had failed, and the engine and turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received a letter from the dealer that the vehicle was covered under a manufacturer settlement for engine replacement; however, the dealer advised the contact that there was an out-of-pocket cost to replace the turbocharger. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
2013 KIA SOUL- Catawba, SC
I was on vacation driving the vehicle when the engine caught fire..There was kids in the car there was nothing wrong with the vehicle all of a sudden it just went boom and caught fire We were slowing down to get off the exit. I have no idea what all was effected I don't know much about cars to know what did or did not catch fire..
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2020 KIA TELLURIDE- Bryan, TX
Oil leak that I’ve put so much effort in getting fixed or replaced and nothing is working. The seat belts suck. The seats are ripped.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2017 KIA SEDONA- Fountain, CO
My vehicle would not start, after jumping and idling for a few moments, all dash lights started flashing and vehicle wouldnt go into gear. I shut it off as it started making a hum and smelled like something wasnt right. A mobile mechanic who came to my rescue after breaking down did a diagnostic of my engine. I was told I had low to no oil. I asked how was this possible as I had only driven around 2,000 miles since my recent oil change at the KIA dealer ( Wesley Chapel, FL). He said the tech may not have put recommended oil amount or the engine is consuming the oil. I told him I would contact the dealer regarding this matter. Long story, short I broke down to needing a new battery and alternator. I don't know if this was the exact cause of the latter 2 needing to be repaired. However, since speaking to others this is common with some models. I even had 1 individual state there were recalls and engines were being replaced as the engine could potentially lock up or fail. I am not finding a recall. Is this an issue that has been reported and I am missing something. Also, there was a recall on the sliding doors at 1 point. I am still having issues with the drivers side yet tge dealerships want to charge me a diagnostic fee. How do I go about seeing if this is an ongoing issue.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2022 KIA SELTOS- Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Engine issue - unknown excessive oil consumption. I started the car to drive to work and immediately it had a very rough idle. I turned the car off and checked the oil level. The car was on a level surface and the oil level was below the acceptable range on the dipstick. It has been about 4000 miles since my last oil change (around 82000 miles) and I noticed the engine was consuming oil about 2500 miles after that oil change. I added a quart of oil to bring the level back within the dipstick’s acceptable range. Throughout all of this, there have been no puddles to indicate a leak, no smoke to indicate oil burning, and no “Low Oil” warning light. I took the car to a Kia dealership in August 2025 for a piston ring recall inspection, and I was told there was nothing wrong with my car. At the time, there was nothing noticeably wrong with my car. I now wonder if the inspection properly assessed the issue. After looking on the Internet, high oil consumption seems like a common issue with my engine that persists even after Kia’s recall inspection. There was no immediate threat to my safety this morning, but I am concerned that this excessive oil consumption could cause catastrophic engine failure before an owner has a reasonable expectation to check the oil level between service intervals.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE