KIA Complaints

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle was driving sluggishly, and the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated before stalling. The vehicle was towed to the local Service Center and was diagnosed with piston rings failure. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and metal shavings were found inside the engine oil, and the camshaft and the timing were not operating properly. The cause of the failure was not yet determined by the dealer. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (ENGINE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.

The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband noticed a cloud of smoke in the rearview mirror, but the contact stated that the smoke was coming from the engine compartment. The contact's husband pulled over, and she, her husband, and daughter all exited the vehicle safely. Before the vehicle was engulfed in flames, the contact checked underneath the hood and discovered a piece of plastic on fire. The contact dialed 911, and police and firefighters arrived on the scene. The firefighters extinguished the fire. The contact was unaware whether a police or fire department report had been filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, and the insurance company was made aware of the fire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

I have a Kia Seltos 2021 AWD EX 24,700 mi. that was recalled and new engine put in on April 12th 2025 to fix grinding noise that occurred 4 times the end of March starting on the 17th 2025. On Dec. 12th 2025 Grinding noise started again. Couldn't find anything wrong and told them to try harder. Said needed software update back to what it was before engine put in. My problem: I don't have the 5 year extended warranty that I thought I had. Never got papers about warranty of new engine which I don't think it is. No papers saying if they ever checked to see if parts affected by grinding had shown wear. Neither dealer where it was serviced had done this to my knowledge and won't give written proof. I never had a copy of any of the paper work I signed in front of me the 3 ½ hours in office. He would go over and tell me to initial or sign. Then didn't want to give me a paper copy but put on zip drive. I insisted on paper and about a ½ hour late he came with 28 pages of mostly size 6 font. I just wanted out. They have known this car has had issues since the day I bought it. I have called customer service dealer and corporate. According to paperwork Im not allowed to ask for a jury trial, go to arbitration or join a class action suit nor get reimbursed for repairs caused by defects. I went to Sr. vs. Crime and they tried to call to get paperwork and they didn't return calls. What options do I have left as the ods of needing repairs seem obvious. My car is worth nothing - bad reputation, and I don't feel safe driving it.

My vehicle was leaking oil an oil change. My vehicle started having a knocking sound. I am a single parent of a [XXX] child. The car would suddenly stop while I was driving which put me and my daughter's safety at risk. I took if to Southern Kia Greenbriar dealership to have a diagnostic test on Jan 17, 2026. [XXX] from the dealership confirmed my vehicle needs a new engine. It could be covered under the recall, however I would need to show receipts of every oil change from 2017 to 2026. The dealership has had my vehicle for over 2 1/2 months. My vehicle or component has been inspected by the Kia dealership, but not inspected by the police, insurance representatives or others. I noticed my oil on my drive way Jan 10th and put additional oil in my vehicle. Shortly after I began to noticed the car suddenly stopping for no reason, then heard a knocking sound when driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving my 2025 Kia K4, the steering system failed and became unresponsive. I was unable to steer the vehicle as intended. The exact cause of the steering failure is UNKNOWN at this time. The vehicle and steering components are available for inspection upon request. The loss of steering control put my safety and passengers riding at serious risk because I could not properly control the direction of the vehicle. Steering is essential for avoiding hazards, staying in the lane, and maintaining control. The failure resulted in a single-vehicle accident and could have caused serious injury or involved other motorists if traffic conditions had been different. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a Kia dealership or an independent service center. At the time of this report, the vehicle has not been inspected by Kia or another repair facility. Police and/or insurance involvement may have occurred due to the accident, but no mechanical inspection of the steering system has been completed yet. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts prior to the steering failure. The problem occurred suddenly and without warning while the vehicle was being driven. I did not notice any clear symptoms before losing steering control. The exact cause of the steering failure is UNKNOWN. Based on my personal experience, the failure was sudden and unexpected and occurred during normal driving conditions. I had no prior indication that there was a problem with the steering system before the accident occurred.

As I entered onto i4 reaching the speed of 60 miles an hour my vehicle began to make a high pitched whining noise that got louder as I pressed on the gas pedal, noise dissipated when I let off the gas pedal. Vehicle began to slow down on its own , even when applying pressure to the gas pedal, I had no choice but to pull over on i4, error message displayed “RED CAUTION EMBLEM” error message “Transmission Control Unit” Kia k4 app displayed Diagnostic Alert AT PO72200

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the radiator was leaking. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the dealer stated that a rock or road debris had caused the puncture in the radiator. The contact was advised by the dealer that it was a known failure and that there was no radiator debris shield to protect the radiator from damage. The contact was informed by the dealer that the repair was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the contact that repair was not covered. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 23,417.

Known ICCU issue by manufacturer. While driving get alert on screen the check electrical system. Had to pull over and call tow truck for safety reasons. Charging system is not working properly and 12v battery can die at anytime.

Catastrophic fire started in fast food restaurant drive through, but able to drive to the parking lot before it became engulfed in flames.

My brand new 2024 Kia K5 has been at Kia of temple hills since February 23, 2026. The dealership has stated they do not know how to diagnose or repair the issue and indicated they needed a special diagnostic tool from the manufacturer. The vehicle has now been out of service for an extended period with no repair timeline provided and no communication from them at all. I also have not been provided a loaner or rental vehicle during this timeframe. While driving with my toddler child the steering wheel gets tight the speedometer isn’t reading correctly. Dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree with almost all warning lights on and messages to check every system: from tire pressure to forward collision to RearCross-TrafficSafety and the list goes on