KIA Complaints

Transmission caught between gears at speeds below 25mph. Engine revs without acceleration: Drivers report pressing the accelerator, and the engine's RPMs increase, but the vehicle does not speed up as expected. Driver returned the vehicle to Dealership and reported the incident. Dealership reported, malfunction could not be replicated. No indicator or warning lights present. The same incident occurred the following day for second time. Both incidents occurred around [XXX].on [XXX] at low operating speeds. Sudden loss of power places you and those around you in harm's Way when traveling at/below posted speed limits. Other Drivers around you don't know that your car is unable to move. This is a safety hazard. Clearly the transmission is failing in malfunctioning. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I WAS DRIVING FOR LESS THAN TEN MINUTES ON AN EXPRESSWAY WHEN MY KIA SOUL SHUT DOWN. I HAD JUST CHANGED LANES. FORTUNATELY, I HAD MOVED TO THE FAR LEFT WHICH WAS ADJACENT TO THE EMERGENCY LANE PRIOR TO THE SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THAT AREA AND BRAKE. THE CAR HAD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN OUT OF THE BLUE. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THANK GOD THE BRAKES AND STEERING WERE STILL WORKING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I TRIED TO START THE CAR. IT TURNED ON QUICKLY. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE NEAREST EXIT. THE CAR SEEMED TO WORK FINE. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A KIA DEALER. I WAS INFORMED THAT CERTAIN 2014 KIA'S MAY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SHUTTING OFF. MY CAR IS IN THEIR HANDS. I AM TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH KIA. IF THEY SAY MY CAR ISN'T ONE OF THE "CERTAIN" 2014 KIA'S THAT WERE RECALLED AND DON'T PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, I WILL BE VERY UPSET. THIS IS NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR. A CAR SHOULDN'T JUST COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE WITH THIS CAR.

On August 25th around 7:00 PM, the vehicle suddenly caught fire while parked after a short test drive. The car had just been purchased a few days prior and was taken to a mechanic for a precautionary inspection. During the test drive, the mechanic parked the vehicle in a residential driveway. After backing in, smoke was observed coming from the engine bay. When the hood was lifted, the engine area was already on fire. The fire department was called immediately and was able to extinguish the flames before the fire spread to surrounding property. The fire completely destroyed the vehicle. The vehicle had no warning lights, unusual performance issues, or prior signs of trouble, and it appeared to be in good condition prior to the incident. This fire posed a serious safety hazard and could have resulted in injury or property damage. Component or system that failed: The engine area, likely associated with the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) fuse/fire risk. The vehicle may or may not be available for inspection, as it is severely burned. Safety risk: The fire posed a serious hazard to the mechanic, surrounding property, and anyone nearby. Rapid ignition could have caused injury or significant property damage. Problem confirmation: The fire was observed firsthand by the mechanic. The open recall related to the HECU fuse/fire risk indicates a known defect consistent with the incident. Inspections: The fire department responded and documented the incident. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or insurance representatives, but the recall status is verifiable through official records. Warning signs: There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. This incident appears consistent with the conditions described in the open recall for the HECU fuse/fire risk, suggesting a possible link between the recall defect and the fire.

I took my car to the KiaOfLynchburg dealership for get the recalls done and diagnostic test on my engine as it was knocking and they had it since may 06, 2025. The dealership said at first I had a code to get the engine replaced no cost. Now got a phone call on June 19, 2025 saying how my car was on fire but the fire department made it on time to put it out. So did the claim on it they denied me saying it’s due to a aftermarket but tell me it cause of oil leak. And I do not have no aftermarket hook up in the vehicle. Now they won’t take responsibility for the damage they did to my car

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. There was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally stalled and was restarted after pulling over to the side of the road. Whenever the vehicle failed to restart immediately, the contact would disconnect the battery and wait approximately 5-10 minutes before reconnecting the battery and restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally stalls while driving uphill. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle had several pending recall repairs. The dealer informed the contact that since the vehicle made the knocking sound, the knock sensors and O2 sensors needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the mileage was above the approved mileage for the repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure progressively worsened. The contact recently received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V877000 (ENGINE). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 205,000.

My 2014 Kia Sportage experienced sudden and complete engine failure while I was driving on the highway at 75 mph. The engine locked up instantly, with no warning lights or alerts of any kind. The only prior issue was that the vehicle constantly burned oil and needed to be topped off frequently, but there was never any indication that the engine was about to fail. This sudden failure left me stranded in a dangerous situation. Thankfully, I was able to maneuver safely, but I am terrified of what could have happened to my daughter and grandson who were in the car or others on the road. Afterward, I learned that this defect was part of a recall. However, I was never notified in time. Kia Customer Service told me a notice had been sent in 2018, but my own research shows the recall was not actually issued until 2022. Because of this, I was denied the chance to have the recall repair performed before the failure. Now, Kia has refused goodwill assistance, leaving me with an $8,000+ repair bill. I am a single mother, a teacher, and caregiver to my daughter and grandson. This Sportage is the vehicle my daughter depends on to get my grandson to and from school safely. Safety Concern: This defect poses a severe safety risk. An engine seizing at highway speeds without warning could easily cause crashes, injuries, or deaths. I am deeply concerned that if Kia failed to notify me properly, other Kia owners may also be driving unsafe vehicles without realizing it. Requested Action: I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate Kia’s recall notification practices and ensure Kia is held accountable for leaving customers unprotected against such a serious safety hazard.

Kia initially refused to honor engine-related safety recalls on my vehicle (including Recall No. 21V259). Only after I filed a complaint with higher authorities did Kia agree to replace my engine. After completing this recall repair, Kia suddenly claimed my vehicle’s ignition “needs replacement” and is attempting to charge me $1,200. This is deeply concerning because: •Kia ran multiple diagnostic tests before the recall repair and never reported any ignition issues. •There was no ignition damage when Kia received my vehicle. •I believe this claim is either false or the result of tampering, and may be retaliation for my prior complaint. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate Kia’s handling of this matter and ensure consumers are protected from false charges and retaliation when exercising their right to safe recall repairs. Thank you for your attention. Please let me know if you need additional documentation.

Sunroof has failed to close. A sunroof that does not close 1. Could allow for build up of moisture within the the vehicle causing mold which could cause respiratory issues. 2. An open sunroof could lead to theft of the vehicle The dealer has stated that sun roof fell off the track and will need to replaced. The Kia dealer completed a diagnostic review. There were no warnings

In January my husband was driving the Kia and it broke down. We took it to the mechanic and they said it was completely out of oil. Spent $5,000 on getting it fixed in a couple weeks later find out there's a recall. Took the Kia to the dealership in Ocala. They and told us there was nothing wrong with it and that they fixed it. It also makes noises when you turn the car on. to this day we still have to put oil in it almost every day. And it still makes a weird farting noise when you turn it on. I even asked mechanic in Ocala if it made that noise. He looked at me like a was stupid haha. And then I asked him what would happen if we still had to keep putting oil in it. He said we shouldn't have to.

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that during a routine oil change, the mechanic added an unknown oil additive to the vehicle. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle lost motive power and drove sluggishly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for an oil change, and the mechanic observed metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, but it had not yet been diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.