KIA Complaints

The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, she observed black smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and switch the vehicle off. After a visual inspection, she observed flames within the engine compartment emanating from a source unknown to the contact. Local emergency service arrived and was able to extinguish the fire, later attributing the fire to an unspecified equipment failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 149,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that the dealer was performing an oil consumption test. In addition, the contact was advised by the dealer that further diagnostic testing was needed to diagnose the failure, which could result in the engine being disassembled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the valve cover gasket was replaced. In addition, the oil housing was replaced two times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 161,000.

On June 5, 2025, Kia replaced a recalled part on my vehicle related to the engine — specifically tied to the known piston oil ring defect. Before this recall repair, my vehicle was running smoothly with no issues. Immediately after the recall service was performed, the vehicle began shutting off while I was driving, and I also noticed a strange engine noise. I returned to the Kia dealership, and they informed me that the engine is now consuming oil — a known symptom directly linked to the same recall issue involving oil ring failure. The recall letter explicitly stated that if these symptoms were present — including excessive oil consumption or engine stalling — Kia would replace the engine at no cost to the customer. Despite this, Kia is now refusing to uphold that promise and is not replacing the engine, even though the vehicle now displays all the symptoms outlined in their own recall documentation. This is both a serious safety concern and a failure by Kia to comply with recall obligations. The vehicle is unsafe to drive and could potentially cause a serious accident due to unexpected engine shutdowns at speed. I am requesting an immediate investigation into Kia’s handling of this recall and their failure to fulfill the engine replacement they promised in writing as part of the recall terms.

The engine in my 2020 Kia Optima S (2.4L GDI Theta II) has been experiencing excessive oil consumption, engine knocking, and loss of power, consistent with known issues in earlier model years of this engine. This component is still in my vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. The issue puts my safety at risk due to unpredictable power loss while driving and the potential for engine seizure or fire, especially during high-speed travel. I’ve had to top off oil multiple times between regular oil changes, and the vehicle showed signs of low oil without any dashboard warning. No KSDS (Knock Sensor Detection System) software was ever installed on the vehicle. I have not yet had a full diagnosis from the dealer, but I have opened a case with Kia Consumer Affairs, who informed me that I do not qualify for recall repair based on the vehicle’s manufacture date — despite the engine matching those in previous lawsuits and recalls. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the dealer, manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, I can provide receipts for oil purchases and logs documenting how often I’ve had to refill the oil. I am also filing a claim with my third-party powertrain warranty provider. Symptoms first appeared at approximately 85000 miles Engine knocking/ticking noise Oil light flashing briefly or low oil found without warning Needing to add 1–2 quarts of oil between oil changes Rough acceleration or loss of power This issue is widespread, has been previously acknowledged in other model years, and should be formally investigated in the 2020 Optima as well. I am concerned for the long-term safety and reliability of this vehicle

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The fuel odor was also outside the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. An appointment with the dealer was scheduled for the vehicle to be inspected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

While driving my 2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line AWD the instrument panel went black for 3-5 seconds and appeared to be "re-booting/resetting". The first time this occurred was approximately March 2025 (odometer reading approximately 6000 miles) and the issue has re-occurred numerous times (30+) since then (current odometer reading is 12,410). There was no warning prior to this happening and there were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of any problems with the vehicle. I took the car into my local Kia dealer to have them check the instrument panel issue under warranty and to perform the recommended 8000 mile service. During the service visit they addressed the SC322 - Hybrid Control Unit Software upgrade recall. With regards to the instrument panel issue, the Service department told me that they could not fix the issue under warranty unless they could reproduce the issue. Therefore any work that they would perform to address the issue would have to be paid for by me. They suggested that I try to capture the issue on video as evidence of the issue. Given that the event only happens over a 3-5 second period, there is no way for me to safely videotape the issue while I am driving the vehicle and I have no idea when it will happen again. This issue has continued to occur randomly multiple times since that service visit with the last event happening three days ago. When the instrument panel goes black it is very distracting to the driver and draws your attention from the road to the instrument screen which puts the occupants of the vehicle at risk as well as others driving/walking around your vehicle. I have read online of others having this same issue with no clear consistent resolution from Kia. I strongly believe that this is a serious safety issue for many Kia drivers and needs to be addressed via a recall or voluntary dealer campaign to avoid unnecessary crashes/injuries.

Engine stared clattering at the end of a 2 hour drive home. Engine died entering a round about 1-1/2 miles from home. It restarted and limped to my home. Arranged to have it towed to mechanic shop. They informed me there is issues with rod bearings and that Kia has a class action suite but Kia is telling me that my vin is not involved.

While driving on [XXX] the check engine light came on and engine started shaking and making abnormal noise. I was afraid to keep driving so requested a tow to Bramlett Kia in Decatur, AL. I told the service dept the issue as well as the issue listed below that I've been experiencing, and they told me it would be 3 weeks before they could even assess it as they are extremely backed up. I'm hoping the dealer service dept. can reproduce the issue once they assess it. It has not been inspected by anyone else. I looked up my VIN # to make sure I had not missed a recall but there is no recall on my VIN #. Another issue I'm having is while using the Lane Keeping Assistance the vehicle responds with the Forward Collision Warning and brakes automatically when there is nothing in front of the vehicle. If this were to happen when a vehicle was behind me this would put all of our safety at risk. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

OEM Pirelli tire blew out going 55mph. The car has 6500 miles on it. The sidewall of the tire blew. There were no punctures in the tire or reasoning for this to happen.

When using the blinker, the headlights turn off completely or temporarily. I’ve seen this as a normal thing on Reddit and other sites