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.

  • 2022 KIA SORENTO
    - Old Town, ME

    My 2022 Kia Sorrento’s engine seized while stopped at a stop light. It is my understanding that this is a common issue with Kia vehicles. Kia is denying this being an issue with their engines despite the documented history of this problem. Since my engine has seized the problem can’t be reproduced on my specific vehicle. It is currently at a local dealership.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2016 KIA SORENTO
    - LIBERTY, IN

    My wife was taking my granddaughter to her dance recital on 06/14/2025 she went to pass a car and the Sorento started missing out then died. She had to get to the side of the road and call for help. Once I arrived, I noticed oil on the ground under the vehicle. After I had my mechanic look at the car it was determined that it threw a rod out bottom of motor and the car was towed home. This is a 2016 kia sorento LX with the 3.3 motor. We have had no issues with this car and it has had regular maintenance perforemd since we purchased it at 27000 mikes. It now has 11000 miles warranty ran out at 100000

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2019 KIA SORENTO
    - RIVERSIDE, CA

    Upon starting my vehicle after going to the grocery store, the ABS, ESC, Check Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist System, and Auto Hold warning lights illuminated. The cruise control was then inadvertently deactivated. When vehicle is started the Check Forward Collision error comes on. After a few months when entering the freeway and accelerating I received an error regarding unknown engine issue. Took vehicle to Kia dealership and was who diagnosed that the hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU) needed to be replaced. Manufacturer being notified, vehicle not repaired at dealer due to cost.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA SORENTO
    - Athol, ID

    What's driving home from work doing 65 mph postal speed limit car begin to overheat and then went in the complete engine failure engine light flashing

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA SORENTO
    - Athol, ID

    Driving the 2015 Kia Sorento coming back from work The car overheated and complete engine failure check engine light with flashing

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2024 KIA TELLURIDE
    - WATERTOWN, WI

    The vehicle was parked(placed in park on gear shift) in a friends driveway, facing upward on approx. 15Deg incline with the engine idling. My wife exited the vehicle and walked around the front of the vehicle to the houses front entrance where she spoke briefly with the owner inside the front door. On leaving the house the car was gone from where it was left parked. My wife found that it had rolled up the driveway incline until it hit a couple of pine trees at the top end of the drive and stopped. She opened the door and found the gear shift still in the parked position at which point she entered the car, placed it in reverse and backed out of the tree branches and took photos. The incident was immediately reported to KIA America and the dealer. The vehicle has been at the dealer for 3 weeks now with no resolution, undergoing "testing". They say it is not operating the way it should be, but they have not been able to identify or correct the issue. KIA America has told me the issue has been elevated to KIA factory tech support. Other than scratches there appears to be no major damage. Photos show driveway, trees that stopped the vehicle and debris and scratches.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2016 KIA SEDONA
    - Arp, TX

    There was a sudden loss of power while in the middle of the highway. Further inspection resulted in low oil and metal flakes in the oil filter. At the time of initial loss of power there was absolutely zero warning or indication of any issues at all.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2025 KIA CARNIVAL
    - Mt Juliet, TN

    While I was driving on a highway, my vehicles "check engine" and "batter" lights were illuminated and a warning came across the car screen that said something along the lines of "Battery Management System Failure" and then "Powertrain failure". The car was not able to accelerate by pressing the gas pedal, and the heating/cooling features within the car stopped working. I quickly changed lanes to get to the far left shoulder of the highway, putting other cars at risk of my car that was slowing down to 50mph as I was getting over. When I would press on the gas pedal, nothing would happen. The car did remain on. When the dealership received the car the next morning they conducted what they referred to as a recall, but KIA refers to it as a "Service Action" - SA617 MCU DTC Logic Improvement. This requires a simply software update, which the dealership conducted, and the car was then working just fine, with no issues that I had indicated above. The dealership was Greenway KIA of Rivergate, 1526 Gallatin Rd North, Madison, TN 37115. The warning lights in the car illuminated about 5 seconds before the car was no longer able to accelerate due to the powertrain failure. In talking about the problem with a KIA representative, it was communicated that KIA has looked into this and it didn't pose any serious problems, so they left it as a "Service Action" item, not a recall.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2021 KIA TELLURIDE
    - Duncansville, PA

    On [XXX] my vehicle had a collision warning signal, then tire pressure, then brake lights and entire dash instrument panel. I parked the vehicle, then later in the evening test drove it again and the panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display, so I immediately drove it to Courtesy Kia in Altoona, PA. On 4/18/25 Wendy Giordano of Courtesy Kia confirmed vehicle intake Courtesy Kia reset codes and was unable to replicate or diagnose a repair. The vehicle was returned on 4/23/25 despite my expressed concerns over safety. On [XXX] the vehicle again displayed the collision warning and the instrument panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display. I got off the highway and limped the vehicle closer to my home, stopped for a brief time, and proceeded the three miles to the dealership. In this time I lost power steering, and eventually brake lights and turn signals within 1,000 feet of the dealership and was nearly collided with in front of the dealershipOn 5/12 I continued to ask status and request a loaner with no adequate follow up. I was bounced between JT, Tyler and Wendy Giordano my service advisor. Around 5/22 I called in requesting an update and was put on the phone with the service tech to describe my issues On 6/6/25 John from courtesy ford left a 2 minute long rambling voicemail, 6/3 he said he received a fax. He said he spoke to service department and I could drive the car, that I could be driving the car now. "he wasn't sure what was going on with it" They've driven it and can't find anything. Kia is looking at video, service rep there on Tuesday and find nothing wrong. I think, how long and haven't had it long. Suggest you "just drive it, I don't know" In addition I've followed up with numerous emails and calls to determine course of action and repair and haven't had a productive repair plan. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2021 KIA SOUL
    - Umatilla, FL

    I took my 2021 Kia Soul to Kia of Leesburg here in Florida, and dropped it off yesterday June 17th, per service department request and was told that they were going try to repair the multiple recalls on this vehicle. They told me that it was going to be 24-48 hours before I was going to be able to get it back when I called, regarding my safety critical recall. So, I dropped it off last night as instructed, the KIA of Leesburg service department called me today stating that due to sludge in the engine, they're refusing to fix the recalls, and stated that I owe them $200 before I am able to pick up my vehicle

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE