KIA Complaints

The windows will NOT stay up, front passenger window has come completely loose from its track and has fallen down in such away, that it slams against the inside door panel, the only part of the window you can see is the triangle shaped edge that would normally fit in the corner of the window. I'm [XXX], with kids and this is my only transportation. Winter is here and the only window that stays up is the drivers side, and it's about to go too, it wobbles when rolling it up or down. My dad was a mechanic all his life, but he's [XXX]. I use to help him work on cars every day.. I have a torn rotator cuff from turning my now deceased husband in the month long hospital stay, been with him since I was 17, I'm now [XXX] , and can not do a lot of things I once did.. I do NOT have the money to fix this car as my husband died 2 months ago being flown in a helicopter twice to the hospital, is more expensive than ANY vehicle around here costs, i cant work due to my torn rotator cuff. No one in their right mind would buy my car with the windows.. I've done some research and my Kia optima is just one of thousands with this same issue. The only option I have is to walk the 5 miles into town to get what me and what's left of my family's essentials. I've never had a Kia before, and I'll never get another one. My car also burns oil, I know this because I was raised to know how to check to see if it's burning oil, I took it into dardanelle tire and auto, I know the lead mechanic. I was informed that in fact it was burning oil, and I knew that meant I would have to be checking the oil every other day. The exhaust pipe has SO much black burnt oil all over the entire end of the pipe.. check engine light came on 2 weeks after I bought it, something about the catalyst. The small dealership owner told me everything was perfect on this car, he lied, they have ways of turning the check engine light off, I've seen my dad do it. I think it's time for a recall already. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)

I have trim pieces around side windows falling off my new vehicle or in process of falling off my vehicle. This seems to be possible safety hazard to other vehicles on the road.

Intermittently, the forward collision system engages (including self-braking) inappropriately when car is moving and there are no objects that should engage system. Happens at lower cruise control speeds most often. I started noticing after an update was installed to my vehicle in late Aug 2024. I went to Jeff Wyler Fairfield Kia, 5815 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, OH 45014. They refused to fix issue for unknown reasons. Obviously, a car braking suddenly without warning when moving is a serious issue that can result in serious injury, death.

The steering is making a clunking noise when backing up and going forward at low speed. There is a TSB by Kia about the steering motor rubber gear spacer that simply disintegrates over time but Kia is only performing repairs on vehicles in warm humid areas up to South Carolina. Why up to South Carolina? Being we live on the Eastern End of Long Island in Southampton Town in New York : we are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the South and Long Island Sound to the North. On Long Island, the temperature frequently approaches 100 degrees in the summer and is very humid also. I would say we qualify for a recall based on what the TSB says. There should be a recall for every Kia Optima along the Coastal United States that has this issue as it could become quite dangerous. From what I have heard and seen on line , it is a multi hour repair for several hundred dollars. The NTSB should get a recall done not a TSB.

Description of Incident: 1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The high-voltage battery system and charging system in my 2024 Kia EV6 malfunctioned. Despite showing 40 miles of range remaining, the battery suddenly dropped to 5 miles before the car became completely unresponsive and failed to charge. Additionally, the vehicle could not be shifted into neutral or powered on. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The sudden loss of battery range left me stranded at a Shell Recharge station in Elkridge, MD, at [XXX] on[XXX]. Being stranded at this hour posed a personal safety risk, especially in an unfamiliar area, as I was unable to move the vehicle. Moreover, the malfunction could endanger drivers if such a failure occurred while driving. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed, but I previously reported symptoms of 12-volt battery issues to the dealership on November 12, 2024, one day after receiving the vehicle. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or any other representatives. I am awaiting guidance on next steps from Kia and the dealership. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, I noticed warning signs related to the 12-volt battery on November 12, 2024, shortly after receiving the vehicle on November 11, 2024. However, no specific warning lamps or error messages appeared at the time of the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On November 25, 2024, the dash and infotainment screen went blank while at the traffic light. A few seconds later the car stalled shutting completely off while making a left turn onto Cox Rd in Evans, GA. We were able to coast out of traffic and came to a complete stop on the side of the road. We attempted to restart the vehicle and multiple warnings appeared on the dash such as check forward safety system, two cars colliding, check blind spot safety system, traction?, ABS, lane departure, seat belts, Auto Hold, and other symbols not understood. On the second attempt, the vehicle restarted and more warning symbols appeared as soon as it was put in drive. The vehicle was shut off and restarted again with no warnings. We proceeded and drove it to Kia of Evans for service. The service Rep reported that the vehicle was driven 5 miles and they were not able to duplicate this issues. The infotainment screen has blanked out several times since purchase and this is the second time the vehicle has stalled at a traffic light. On this incident, this could have been a traffic situation turning left and losing power into oncoming traffic.

My car horn won’t work consistently. Works sometimes and other times not at all. Please help and let me know if there’s a recall for the horns because there should be always been like this. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owned a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight on his driveway, caught on fire, and exploded in the early morning. The fire started from the engine bay. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. The fire originated from the front engine bay, and soon after engulfed the entire vehicle. The vehicle was totaled, the side of the house was damaged, a motorcycle was destroyed and parts of the contacts shop were damaged. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. A police department report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. No warning lights were illuminated prior. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000. The contact stated that they believed NHTSA campaign number 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) was responsible for the failure of the vehicle.

After 30K miles the self-leveling rear suspension had become very hard causing the vehicle to jolt and not absorb bumps which causes a distraction to the driver causing an unsafe condition.

While driving on the highway, the engine suddenly stopped working without warning. I was unable to accelerate using the gas pedal. Fortunately, the highway was empty at the time, and I managed to safely pull over to the right side of the road. After waiting for approximately 30 minutes for the engine to cool down, I attempted to drive again. However, the car began shaking severely whenever I pressed the gas pedal or attempted to increase the speed beyond 2 RPM. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by a certified Kia service center, where the issue was diagnosed as a failure of the piston ring and cylinder 1, resulting in insufficient compression. The service center confirmed that the vehicle was well-maintained, with no external damage or user-related issues contributing to the failure. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms appeared prior to the failure. The engine issue was sudden and unexpected, posing a significant safety risk, especially as it occurred while driving at highway speeds. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.