This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My car will not turn on, there was no warning light or maintenance required message. Also the two passenger seats recline back but will not go back to forward position.
Driving to the store and l smell smoke. Pull up to Walmart entrance because l seen a fireman going in. So, l got out to ask him to come help me l smell smoke by time l got back to the car fire started. He was able to put it out but my vent in my second row is burn, side my driver seat a burn a little and rug on the floor. And now my engine stop working mechanics said it a recall on these vehicles.
KIA and HYUNDAI - all of their cars are unsafe. I have attached a letter to the NJ State Attorney General to explain some of the issues. These cars are absolutely unsafe and we have no peace of mind. They are killing us, literally. Please do all you can to immediately stop them. I cannot explain how upsetting this is. Please may you help our families. Our children drive these cars. Our brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, neighbors, parents and all of us are in jeopardy of losing our lives. Thank you.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" Infotainment screen and back up camera, it is available for Kia at anytime they choose. A complaint has been filed with kia and they have yet to respond. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Failure of the system causes Safety issues for passengers as well as anyone outside of the vehicle while operating said vehicle. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? It is unclear whether or not they have made a Legitimate attempt To reproduce the issues. The Dealership that it was purchased at refused to make any attempt to acknowledge the issue. Kia requested that it Be serviced at a dealership, they had it for 27 days consecutively in 2022 and 91 days in 2023 and made no attempt to reproduce the issue. multiple recordings have been provided to Kia. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes. Kia has had possession of the vehicle 27 consecutive days on 2022 and 91 consecutive days in 2023 Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" No. Screen malfunctions during use. Flash black Last date of malfunction 11.21.2023. There was a heavy rain $11.20 to 11.21
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" Infotainment center and back up camera failure as well as multiple other system failures that have been ongoing since 2020 after water damage when ac drain hose backed up. Kia has been contacted multiple times since April 2021 regarding this issue after it caused an accident while backing up in April 2021. Kia did not inspect the vehicle until March 2022 due to failure to arrange appropriate appointments and transportation. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The ongoing failures are a safety issue because they make it impossible to safely drive and not be distracted. The screen failures when backing up make it unsafe regarding backover protection and the sensors also fail for back up and blind spot. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Unknown. The manufacturer has been provided with multiple videos of the issue and has had the vehicle for over 100 days total. Kia states they have the right to manufacture vehicles with features and that they should not be relied upon for safety, under oath and recorded. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Manufacturer has had access to the vehicle. They are not sharing what occured when they had it. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" Failure is not consistent or anticipated. It does occur more often when it has rained.
- Monroe, MI, USA
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Unknown, heard a pop when starting the vehicle, got out to look under the hood, and found smoke and then fire coming from under the hood. Fire report was filed and insurance claim was made. Insurance company deemed it a total loss.
My vehicle has the leaking oil pressure sensor. I have brought my car to Kia multiple times since either 65-89k based on loosing too much oil between oil changes with NO check oil light. I lost an extreme amount of oil between 113k and 115k after they changed my filter and checked my oil levels. Always told there is no leak. Now at 115k and 120k miles I am told that not only is the oil pressure sender leaking but it has been leaking on my wire harness which can create a fire. The oil presser sender has a recall of the 3.3 up until March of 2018, my car has a manufacture date of June of 2018.
Unknown Shortly after purchasing this (6 to 8 weeks) rainwater began collecting and falling into the cabin from the dash area when turning. Not long after this started occuring I began to have issues with the infotainment center or other electrical items in the car sporadically restarting while driving. There was one incident in July 2020 where I called the dealership I purchased this at because we were at the beach in Wisconsin and the car was off. The key was out. The doors were open and the radio would not turn off and the ac was on. I got no response from them. When I had mentioned the issues about things restarting they just said that if it was not happening at that moment they couldn't do anything. Then it started where the screens were restarting and glitching when I was backing up. As a result there was an incident where this occured. My screen (where the back up camera works) went black and the blind spot warning was not working either. I hit a pole trying to get out of a spot I was blocked in at a gas station. It all happened very quickly. Kia was contacted. It took almost 11 months for them to actually take possession of the vehicle at a dealership due to them not having loaner/rental cars or appointments available. They had the vehicle for I believe 28 days. I have documents from the dealership. Per kia I was to take it there so a tech could evaluate it. When I picked it up they said Kia just told them to make sure that the back up camera works. I have provided multiple videos from various incidents over the last 3 years. This is truly becoming a safety issue. I travel 44 miles of major expressway in Michigan daily each way to/from work in Ann Arbor. Having everything turn off/restart/being unable to control/or just not work at all is worse than texting and driving. I never know when something is going to happen https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kRD0RehofbZ818V-GCUhykoeOeL23LeT
2019 Kia sorento caught on fire while driving. Drivers behind my wife saw flames coming from under motor. They signaled her to pull over and she got out just in time before entire car went up in flames. We believe the fuel pump was faulty as entire motor was on fire.
Car lost power while drving and a semi truck almost ran into me. Have taken car to Kia dealership and throttle body was replaced and week later same problem exist. I have taken the car there 3 times for the same problem haven't had the car 3 months have had this problem since I purchased the car.
I began smelling burnt plastic and my battery light came on in my dashboard. Shortly after, all the warning lights came on in my dashboard (engine, ABS, traction control, etc). My vehichle wound up dying completely on the side of the road. I brought it to the Kia dealership. They informed me that all of the internal wiring was burnt beyond recognition. They were unable to tell where the problem started or ended. They also mentioned that I was fortunate that the vehicle died when it did because some of the burnt wire was an inch away from my fuel line and could have caused my vehicle to explode if it was running any longer. The end result of damages that needed to be repaired include a new alternator, battery, engine harness, O2 sensor to name a few. Ultimately they claimed warranty didn't cover an "act of god" so my insurance was forced to cover the cost of the damage.
The power windows are a safety hazard. They are all on an automatic feature, so when you touch the button they will either go down or go up all the way, and you cannot stop them. It's impossible to put the window down or up part of the way. My child's finger got caught in the window when I tried to raise it up half way. I took the car to a Kia dealership, and the service advisor told me that's the way Kia designed it, nothing can be done. Then I saw there is a class action lawsuit being handled by a law firm based on Kia and Hyundai models from 2016-2020. I have never had a car that had this ridiculous and dangerous problem. Kia needs to be prosecuted. Https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/auto-news/vehicle-safety-defect-class-action-lawsuit-investigation/
Left side steering wheel control buttons for radio volume, muting, changing stations, changing radio modes, phone and phone hang up intermittently fail to function. Problem occurs almost daily and last anywhere from a few seconds to 15-20 minutes. The dealer service advisor has seen the issue at least 3 times but but the time it gets to the mechanic the problem resolves itself. Dealership has replace the affected buttons and the steering wheel clock spring. Problem continues but now with another twist. Now when trying to change the radio volume from steering wheel controls and when the button fails to perform the function intended the system activates my phone and calls the last number dialed. I cannot hang up from the steering wheel controls and have to find the hang up control on the center screen. This distraction has almost cost me an accident. Intermittant malfunction has been happening since the car was new in Nov 2019 and continues to date now May 2020 with 14000 miles on vehicle. It does not make any difference if the vehicle is stopped or in motion for the problem to occur.
On 3 separate occasions (2 of which occurred 3/1/20). After stopping my vehicle, I lost all electrical power when I attempted to restart. No displays, no lights and of course the vehicle wouldn't start. After exiting and entering the vehicle multiple times everything comes back on. The battery and alternator test fine and the keyfob battery is good, the vehicle was not in motion when the incidents occurred.
Days previous to event was getting warning alerts on different problems. Called dealership when warning alerts continued happening. On day of event was driving on major route, when power steering became difficult as I pulled over the entire car shut down. No lights, no braking, no hazard lights to engage all systems down.
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact took the vehicle to atlanta West Kia (1301 thornton rd, lithia springs, ga 30122) because the check engine warning indicator was illuminated. The dealer determined that the knock sensor needed to be replaced and ordered the part. When the contact returned for the vehicle, she was informed that the wiring harness to the engine needed to be replaced due to rodent damage because the insulation was soy bean based. The repairs were not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,166.
While driving on highway, radio on and only connected via bluetooth. The radio screen was flickering and then shut down as if I manually turned off. As this happened the dashboard lights and my headlights shut off. I had to safely pull over and by the time that I did, I couldn't record it for evidence as it rebooted itself. I called right away and had to wait 2 days for appt. This is the 3rd time and rick case Kia in sunrise fl keeps giving me the run around. My battery and alternator is fine. I honestly think they stop caring and just give me excuses and tell me they have to wait for mfg decision on my issue. My issue seems to happen when I am driving and cannot be on my phone recording as they want some kind of video as proof. So disgusted with their service and wished I wouldnt have gone with a Kia.
[xxx] I have some records from (lev Kia) I am going to share with you as soon as I get them together, in the meantime I am going to drive this 2019 Kia Sorento and hope on the highway it does not decide to down shift at 60 or 70 mph like it was doing, especially if a large tractor trailer is behind me. I think it would be a mess when they find out that a (serious electric problem that the manager Warren rios at lev Kia told me that the vehicle has) caused the transmission to down shift, I will send those papers soon. Also if there was nothing wrong with the transmission, why did they replace the first one. They told me because of a moisture problem was the cause of the internal shifting modulator valve to act up, after the transmission was replaced I had the same problem I called and was told to bring it back and leave it they had to do a program update for the transmission to correct the modulator valve. How do you correct a moisture problem in an internal modulator valve with an update? we will see what your answer to this is, there were other problems with the #1 E-brake light coming on by itself #2 the right front head lamp lower lamp going out 2 times, they had it in the shop for three days and went through the wire harness cleaned all the connectors to the lamp. I told [xxx] that a lot of this happened after a heavy rain storm that something was getting wet and causing either a short or a surge or a bad ground connection, I have pictures of the E-brake light being on and the headlamp lower light out only on the right side. That's it for now I will sent the paper work soon. I am also sending a copy of this note to the attorney general's office and to Kia corporate headquarters, and the better business bureau information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I sent this to [xxx]<[xxx]> I have some records from (lev Kia) I am going to share with you as soon as I get them together, in the meantime I am going to drive this 2019 Kia Sorento and hope on the highway it does not decide to down shift at 60 or 70 mph like it was doing, especially if a large tractor trailer is behind me. I think it would be a mess when they find out that a (serious electric problem that the manager [xxx] at lev Kia told me that the vehicle has) caused the transmission to down shift, I will send those papers soon. Also if there was nothing wrong with the transmission, why did they replace the first one. They told me because of a moisture problem was the cause of the internal shifting modulator valve to act up, after the transmission was replaced I had the same problem I called and was told to bring it back and leave it they had to do a program update for the transmission to correct the modulator valve. How do you correct a moisture problem in an internal modulator valve with an update? we will see what your answer to this is, there were other problems with the #1 E-brake light coming on by itself #2 the right front head lamp lower lamp going out 2 times, they had it in the shop for three days and went through the wire harness cleaned all the connectors to the lamp. I told Warren rios that a lot of this happened after a heavy rain storm that something was getting wet and causing either a short or a surge or a bad ground connection, I have pictures of the E-brake light being on and the headlamp lower light out only on the right side. That's it for now I will sent the paper work soon. I am also sending a copy of this note to the attorney general's office and to Kia corporate headquarters, and the better business bureau information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Anaheim, CA, USA