KIA Complaints

Driving towards town on freeway car suddenly die at high rate of speed and lost power at the wheel had to sway to side of road opened up hood of the car and smoke came out had recker pick me up and drove it to the house and started to find the issue and the starter module burn up . the gas line was near started . replace starter and now the car doesn’t crank so is used wrench to trunk motor and now more seized up remove spark plugs and tried manually turn motor nothing lookup recalls on the matter and it said it was recall on the main bearing of the car are premature and Kia won’t honor the recall due to no oil change records I have all items bought and tow truck expense

While driving, the engine warning light suddenly turned on and the vehicle began shaking violently. I was forced to pull over, and the car had to be towed. The dealership diagnosed engine failure caused by excessive oil consumption. Despite routine maintenance, the manufacturer refuses to cover repairs under warranty. This creates a serious safety hazard, as engine components like spark plugs can fail without warning, potentially leaving drivers stranded or causing accidents.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal to merge onto the highway, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store, where it was scanned, and DTC: P1326; was retrieved. The contact stated that the code indicated a Knock Sensor Detection system failure. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where the contact was informed that the manufacturer had advised the dealer not to diagnose the vehicle due to an incomplete oil change history. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

Only owner of a 2020 Kia Telluride SX Prestige that just crossed 60,000 miles. We don't use the sunroof but yesterday 7/30/25 we opened it, the wind deflector arms had broke which caused the sunroof glass to come off the track. Now it won't close at all. This can put my family at risk due to excessive heat in Texas, fumes that should not be getting inside the vehicle and rain water. This has been reproduced and inspected by the Kia dealership. Since I'm over 60,000 miles this is not covered under warranty. No warning lamps or notifications since it's the sunroof. We just wanted to cool down the car quicker by letting the heat out - so totally normal operation that ended up with a sunroof being stuck open. Very frustrating!

I went to the Kia dealership in Laredo Texas and was told that they cannot fix the fault, that my vehicle has had an aftermarket parts, that they are not going to fix the HECU. That they don't fix vehicle with aftermarket parts.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 97,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 167,000.

Excessive oil consumption started at 61,000 miles, causing engine misfires and dangerous power loss on the road. Engine codes 1326 and P0304 were frequent. Despite numerous services, including sensor replacements, spark plugs and oil top-offs, the problem worsened. At 97,769 miles, the dealer said a full engine replacement is needed along with other pertinent repairs related to the engine are needed. The situation was life-threatening each time as they occurred while driving and I now no working vehicle after my husband's recent death. Kia dealerships acknowledged the defect but refused to replace the engine and advised that Kia Corporate was refusing, although no claim information was ever provided that they indeed contacted the corporate office. I am seeking NHTSA support in holding Kia accountable.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the failure occurred while traveling across two States. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who advised the contact to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the residence of the contact's brother while waiting for a scheduled appointment with the dealer. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact was informed that the second unknown software update was part of an unknown special program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

While driving, the engine suddenly shut off without warning. The car coasted to a stop and would not restart. When attempting to start it again, the starter smoked, and the engine would not crank or turn over. This is a serious safety hazard as the engine failure occurred with no warning and matches the symptoms of the known Kia Theta II engine recall for bearing and seizure issues. My VIN is not currently listed as part of the recall, but it experienced the exact same failure. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate and pressure Kia to include my VIN in the recall campaign, as this is a sudden engine seizure defect that could cause a crash if it happens at speed.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle stalled and failed to respond as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to respond as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an inspection station, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 150,000.