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.

  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - Tomball, TX

    My 2015 Kia Optima has always had issues with the passenger side window getting stuck. Apparently there was a technical service bulletin, and recalls for the 2016 model but not 2015. My son was driving the vehicle the window got stuck and then shattered into 3 pieces. This is a HUGE safety issue and KIA does not want to take any accountability for this. A recall needs to be issued immediately to protect people from shattering glass!!!!! I did open up a case with KIA and so far NOTHING case#[XXX]. Meanwhile my car has been sitting at Beck and Masten Kia in Tomball waiting to be repaired. Why must we pay for this when I complained for months it was a problem and my warranty just expired!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is NOT safe. Please issue recall and investigate immediately! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2017 KIA SEDONA
    - Albuquerque, NM

    The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sedona. The contact noticed a green puddle underneath the vehicle with the low coolant message displayed. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that either the head gasket or the entire engine needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to the dealer for further assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the contact was informed that leak was caused by stripped bolts inside the engine which caused coolant to leak. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The engine was replaced by the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls or warranties associated with the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the driver’s side sliding door intermittently failed to close as needed. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the door ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where an estimate for the repair was provided; however, the dealer could not guarantee that the repair would fix the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 85,012.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2021 KIA FORTE
    - Gainesville, GA

    The issue I’m having was confirmed by the dealership so when I drive on the highway, there’s a specific patch of highway that zigzags the car will follow that zigzag after getting off of the highway onto regular road. The car computer system will start a down shift erratically and feel like the car is pulling backwards. Also there is a lack of acceleration and it feels like the transmission is slipping, but I have confirmed with the dealership that the transmission was not slipping that the computer was shifting erratically. They would reset the computer and the car would would begin driving in a more normal state shifting correctly. I get on the highway again. The car once again will start shifting erratic. When you let go of the gas, the car downshift so many times that the car almost comes to a complete stop without hitting the brakes. The dealership has the car once again trying to figure out what’s going on with the car and why when I go on the highway the computer starts shifting erratically on that specific patch of highway. The car will pull left and right the entire time once you get off the highway the erratic shifting happens the dealership let me borrow a car which is a 2025 Kia Sorrento went on the highway with the car and had the same exact issue. The car they let me borrow is also downshifting erratically and feels like the transmission is slipping. The dealership did confirm that the car was not driving as intended, and they were confused as to why it was happening. They’ve also confirmed that the test that they’ve done on the car itself. had not passed prior to them resetting the computer.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
    - CARY, NC

    Oil filter housing started leaking and had to be replaced. Although the part is part of the engine, it is not included in Kia's powertrain warranty. This is unacceptable/unreasonable and should last longer than a couple years from new. This part should be recalled and I should be reimbursed for it's replacement.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2011 KIA FORTE
    - Olathe, KS

    The NECU system failed and blew the engine and caused a fire no longer available for inspection. No move running. No warning lamps at all of any sort.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2024 KIA EV9
    - Midlothian, VA

    On Oct 11th the vehicle failed to fully charge, stopping at 69%. I heard loud and repeated clicking from the undercarriage. On Oct 12th I received an email / system notification “ A suspected condition with your BuddyNine’s Battery Management System has been detected. Charging has been limited. A full system check is recommended. Please schedule an appointment at your Kia dealership as soon as possible.” On Oct 12th I received a critical warning in the Kia app: “ Your EV Battery has a critical issue. Contact Roadside Assistance (844-886-9411) as soon as possible.” I took the car into a Kia dealership on Monday Oct 14th and they have had it for 23 straight days. I have received conflicting information about the underlying cause and have not received an estimate for when it will be repaired.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2009 KIA BORREGO
    - San Antonio, TX

    I have owned this car since it was new. Anchors Kia hung up on me 3x as I tried to get 2 recall items addressed. I then called the Kia hotline and got hung up on. All I want is my recalled item taken care of…

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2024 KIA EV6
    - Ft Lauderdale, FL

    The exterior rear-view mirrors on my car do not have detents to hold them in place in the deployed position. All side-view mirrors have such detents. The mirror assembly is held in place such that the mirrors remain aimed where the driver sets them. If the mirror experiences a significant force from, say a person walking into them, the detent releases and the mirror folds back against the car, avoiding damage. On my car and other affected cars, these detents are not present and the force of closing the car doors, wind from high-speed driving, or even a bumpy road can cause the mirrors to move from their intended position, causing the driver to misjudge the position of other vehicles, an obvious safety hazard. Posts on online forums dating back to 2022 report this issue, and by simply examining mirrors on a reasonable-sized sample of Kia Ev6s, it's obvious that this is a widespread issue. Online posters have reported that Kia dealers have denied the existence of the issue by claiming that "it's designed to be this way." My own dealer also made such a claim. I was unable to find a single vehicle, Kia or otherwise, other than 8 samples of EV6s that exhibited this behavior. This defect appears to only affect EV6s that do not have electrically-folding mirrors.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2023 KIA TELLURIDE
    - Jackson, NE

    The rear panoramic sunroof shattered without reason. It left about a golf ball-size hole in the middle and shattered the rest into small pieces that remained intact in the sunroof. The shade was open. The vehicle was parked and not disturbed when the incident occurred. If the vehicle were moving when this happened, the glass almost definitely would have shattered into the vehicle and landed on the passengers in the 2nd row. Kia dealership personnel inspected it and suggested a rock must have hit it but there is no evidence to suggest this happened.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2018 KIA SEDONA
    - Catawba, NC

    Engine failed. Replacement is required. Currently at dealership where auto was purchased. Dropped off 30 JUL '24. Waitng for replacement.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE