Kia EV9 Complaints

258 consumer complaints on file.

#11748295July 4, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, STEERING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I was driving down the freeway driving at the speed of traffic. My vehicle started beeping aggressively, a red indicator started flashing over the frunk area of the vehicle representation in the dash and my vehicle entered red turtle mode. This red turtle mode severely reduced the vehicle's speed and ability to maneuver on the freeway. I was almost struck by numerous vehicles while attempting to get to the side of the road. I had been driving in the number 3 lane of a 5 lane freeway where lane 1 was an exit only offramp. Once I got to the side of the road, I power cycled the vehicle. when that didn't revolve the red turtle issue. I pressed the frunk open button. I heard the opening mechanism actuate. I then reseated the frunk latch and closed the frunk. Once the vehicle was turned back on, all issues were resolved and the vehicle behaved as normal.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746361June 25, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The vehicle's front windshield glass failed catastrophically from minimal, routine roadway debris on two separate occasions within a single week.While driving at normal highway speeds, a microscopic stone or pebble impacted the windshield. Instead of causing a minor, isolated cosmetic chip, the acoustic laminated glass immediately developed an expansive linear stress fracture that rapidly spread across the driver's direct line of sight within minutes. This identical failure occurred twice in the span of 20 days, indicating a severe structural vulnerability, manufacturing defect, or excessive frame tension that makes the glass highly fragile under normal driving conditions.Component Availability: The vehicle and the cracked windshield component are currently intact and available for inspection upon request.Safety Risk: The rapid propagation of the cracks across the driver's field of view creates an immediate visibility hazard while navigating at highway speeds. Furthermore, the brittle nature of the glass compromises the structural integrity of the windshield, which is a critical safety component for roof crush protection and proper passenger airbag deployment in the event of a collision.Dealer/Independent Confirmation: The vehicle is being scheduled for an inspection and full windshield replacement at an authorized automotive glass repair facility to address the structural failure.Inspections: The damage is currently being documented and inspected by my comprehensive auto insurance provider as part of the replacement claim process.Warning Symptoms: There were absolutely no warning lamps, messages, or prior symptoms. The failure occurs instantly upon the smallest impact due to what appears to be extreme built-in structural tension.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744641June 16, 2026
TIRES
For several weeks the car has felt out of balance and I had it in the shop once to be balanced. The balance felt it lasted a very short time. I took the car in today to be checked out and the passenger rear tire couldn’t hold a balance. Mechanic removed tire and the interior sound deadening foam had detached on greater than 50% of the diameter of the tire. This has been widely commented on as a common failure mode for these Hankook tires on EV9 vehicles. I wanted the remaining tires inspected but as they would hold a balance the dealer had no reason to put in the labor of removing and inspecting the foam. 285/45 R21
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743840June 13, 2026
SEATS
When making left turn or going over bumps, driver seat pops and feel shifted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740877May 29, 2026
SEATS
In October 2025, my drivers seat began to move forward and fold on its own. I was sitting in the seat and crushed. I was able to free myself. I might have photos. I did call Kia. For a second time maybe a month ago, I was undoing my son's car seat from the latch and the seat began to fold up and pinned my neck and arm. I thought I was going to die. This was a rear passenger seat.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740875May 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SUSPENSION, WHEELS
We were driving in the middle lane, going straight approximately 25 MPH. The car lurched and almost flipped. We were able to pull over, the wheel was no longer spinning with the car and the tie rod snapped at a weld point. We could have been killed had we been going faster. My son was thankfully not in the car. I am desperately trying to get the car inspected but the dealership will not unless we pay. There were no warnings, but a whining sound began yesterday and we were on the way to the dealership this morning. Now there are warnings. There have been so many safety issues with this car. I will be filing 2 other reports for the seats.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740769May 29, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) failed to detect or warn of any tire pressure abnormality before or after the blowout. Following the blowout, the vehicle’s diagnostics screen displayed “All Systems OK” while the instrument cluster simultaneously showed a “Low Tire Pressure” warning. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A tire blowout at 65 MPH on a highway created an immediate risk of loss of vehicle control, collision, or rollover. Two minor children were passengers in the vehicle at the time. The simultaneous TPMS failure provided no advance warning, eliminating any opportunity to safely reduce speed or pull over before the blowout occurred. The vehicle had been in my possession for approximately four hours at the time of the incident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? UNKNOWN Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?UNKNOWN Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740767May 29, 2026
WHEELS
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Two components failed simultaneously: (1) the rear passenger side tire experienced a catastrophic blowout while traveling at 65 MPH on the highway, and (2) the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) failed to detect or warn of any tire pressure abnormality before or after the blowout. Following the blowout, the vehicle’s diagnostics screen displayed “All Systems OK” while the instrument cluster simultaneously showed a “Low Tire Pressure” warning — indicating a TPMS malfunction. The original blown tire has been retained and is available for inspection upon request. All four tires have since been replaced. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A tire blowout at 65 MPH on a highway created an immediate risk, I briefly lost control of the vehicle as it became wobbly and unstable to steer, we were at at risk of collision, or rollover. Two minor children were passengers in the vehicle at the time. The simultaneous TPMS failure provided no advance warning, eliminating any opportunity to safely reduce speed or pull over before the blowout occurred. The vehicle had been in my possession for approximately two-three hours at the time of the incident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? UNKNOWN Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? UNKNOWN Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms appeared prior to the tire blowout. The TPMS provided zero advance warning. After the blowout had already occurred and the vehicle was stopped on the roadside, the instrument cluster displayed a “Low Tire Pressure” warning. However, simultaneously, the Vehicle Diagnostics screen displayed “All Systems OK” with a green check-mark.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739411May 21, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ICCU failure. Total and sudden loss of power. No acceleration. "Limp mode" activated for 5 miles before total shut down.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734782April 30, 2026
TIRES
Purchased new all four tires (P 285 / 45 R 21 113V XL) in Dec, 2025 after confirming fits my vehicle. Warranty 60,000 miles. About 4 months later and about 1,800 miles of use, both rear tires have lost most of their tread and steel belts are showing per auto dealer. Front tires have also los quite a bit of tread. Vehicle had 4 wheel alignment before these tires were installed. Dealer & vehicle manufacturer representative confirmed no issue with vehicle. Also noted on 4/29/2026 that tire manufacturer web site states that these tires are no longer available for my vehicle. This is a significant safety hazard in its present state and worse yet subject to sudden tire failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729945April 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a serious incident involving my 2025 Kia EV9. The vehicle was serviced on March 1 at World Kia in Joliet, Illinois. On April 4, only four days after that service, the vehicle experienced a sudden and unexpected ICCU failure while I was driving. During my normal travel, in active traffic and at speed, the vehicle abruptly entered limp mode and displayed multiple system warnings. This caused an immediate and significant reduction in power, creating a hazardous situation for myself and surrounding drivers. I was forced to maneuver the vehicle out of traffic while it was rapidly losing propulsion capability. The vehicle is currently at Berwyn Kia in Berwyn, Illinois for diagnosis and repair. I am reporting this incident due to the clear safety implications of a sudden loss of power during highway driving operation. A failure of this nature poses a risk of collision, especially in high‑speed or congested traffic conditions. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue as part of its ongoing monitoring of Kia/Hyundai/Genesis Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failures and related safety concerns. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728939April 2, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While making a left turn at a four-way intersection, the passenger side front door opened the latch failed. This vehicle is equipped with motorized door handles that retract/flush when the vehicle is in drive indicating that the doors are locked. The door handles were retracted while driving the vehicle and making the slight left turn. During the turn, the passenger side front door opened and was a jar that could be indicated on the dashboard as well. This would put anybody at risk sitting in the passenger seat or causing an accident from the malfunction and alarm of the door. The vehicle was examined by a service department of a Kia dealership and parts of the door latch and or handle were replaced according to the repair order.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728578April 1, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ICCU failure, code P1A9096.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728258March 31, 2026
SEATS
The front drivers seat slightly shifts during tight turns. There is a slight click in the lumbar towards the center of the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725929March 20, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
At 4,000 miles the car had an electrical warning failure that required Kia to replace the gear reduction unit.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725811March 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On March 19, 2026, at approximately 1003 hours, I was traveling north on the [XXX] located in [XXX] . I was traveling in the number two lane and my speed was approximately 78 MPH when all of a sudden I had a loss acceleration power and my Kia EV9 began to decelerate rapidly and my dashboard began to flash a loss of power warning. I had no control over my accelerator and could not speed up. Due to the rapid deceleration I had to take evasive action as northbound highway traffic was flowing smoothly. My clearest path was to move to the lefthand shoulder, which required me to cross the number one lane and the carpool lane. During this time, my Kia EV9 continued to decelerate. Once I got my vehicle onto the shoulder I placed my vehicle in park at which time my dashboard highlighted the front storage compartment of my vehicle in red. I assumed that meant my frunk was open. I exited my vehicle and checked my frunk and indeed found that my frunk was open and the first stage of the two-stage latch system was disengaged. Had the second stage of the latch system been disengaged it could have resulted in catastrophic consequences due to me traveling at highway speeds on a multilane highway. To be clear, I did not touch the interior compartment frunk release button and my keys were sitting in my left cargo short pocket located on the side of my left leg. I had also been traveling for approximately five to seven minutes and had entered the highway via the northbound [XXX] . I came to a stop at approximately the [XXX] area, which is approximately two miles north of [XXX] . I am aware that electric model Kia vehicles have a safety measure in which if the frunk or trunk is open the vehicle computer system does not allow the vehicle to engage in drive or reverse mode. Since I do have an electric vehicle, a diagnostic of my vehicle computer could reveal the cause. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725127March 18, 2026
SEATS
Seats allow drivers to save seating positions for different drivers. Seats automatically return to the last used saved position when the vehicle is turned on. This seat movement cannot be stopped or overridden without finding and activating the seat position controls on the left side of the seat base. If the driver does not find these controls in time, they can become crushed against the steering wheel or other surfaces. Seats do not respond to resistance and motors continue increasing torque until the controls are activated or the final saved position is reached. Problem is easily reproduced and may be related to recent fatality in Hyundai Palisade which likely shares components from Hyundai Motor Group.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724871March 17, 2026
TIRES
These Hankook iON Evo tires started vibrating wildly at the first service that I took the car to for a rotation. We took it back to the dealership (Ourisman Kia in Fairfax VA) three times where they kept the car for several days to diagnose. After opening the tires up, they state that the inner sound insulating foam on all four tires has separated. The tires were at 7/32 and now 5/32 and the car only has 18,200 miles on it. The tires have a 50k treadwear warranty, but this isn't covered as part of the warranty. The inner foam separation on a Kia EV9 is a known issue and widely discussed on the internet. For an $80k vehicle with OEM tires that cost over $1500 to replace, it's ridiculous that they aren't covered by the dealership or by Hankook.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724016March 13, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The first time I drove on a highway in this brand new car the windshield chipped. There are facebook group posts of other drivers experiencing numerous chips and cracks in the windshield. I'm not sure how this compares with other cars, but I've been driving for about 20 years and have had little rocks/pebbles hit the car windshield and never have had an issue with a chip in the windshield. I'm not sure how unsafe this is-- if the entire thing could break-- the dealership I go to is patching it for me-- but this may be a consumer issue and possibly a safety issue too.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722812March 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ICCU failure with 12v battery drainage resulting in inability to drive car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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