Kia Stinger Complaints

171 consumer complaints on file.

#11725409March 18, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
The roof trim panel separates from the vehicle while driving. Depending on the car's speed the metal, plastic and rubber strip is lifted up and off the car and into the slip stream behind the vehicle creating a serious hazard for cars behind us. We examined the strip and determined the plastic clips that hold this panel in place do not function as intended, or fail to adequately hold this large section of trim in place during driving conditions. We brought this to the attention to the Kia dealership and were told "Warranty replacement items are not covered after 12 months". They offered to replace the item but we believe it is material craftsmanship and a design flaw that allows this trim to fall off the car while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724259March 14, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2022 Kia Stinger first went into the dealership because it would not accelerate properly even at full throttle, creating an immediate safety risk in traffic. Over multiple visits, the dealership replaced the ECM, ABS module, brake booster, vacuum pump, and a fuel injector, and confirmed repeated electrical shorts across major systems including throttle control, braking, and fuel delivery. Despite months of repairs, the loss of power, brake assist issues, ABS faults, and electrical failures continued, and the dealership never identified the root cause. The problems were reproduced and documented by the dealer, the vehicle was inspected multiple times on behalf of the manufacturer, and warning lights and drivability symptoms appeared before each failure. The vehicle is currently not in my possession, and all replaced components are available for inspection. The combination of engine hesitation, brake system failures, and repeated electrical shorts makes the vehicle unsafe and unreliable to operate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723740March 12, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The oil pressure light is coming on . Even after doing oil change at dealership it’s not going away. Confirmed that the issue was with the oil pressure switch at dealership, which is a common problem for 3.3L V6 engines . Similar issue was observed in other older models with similar engine and the warranty was extended to cover this issue (WTY026).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722087March 4, 2026
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was driving to work when suddenly my steering wheel gets supper heavy as I was making a turn shook the life out of me my eps went out if you could please do a good will repair or see if there’s any extended warranty please check for a TSPs
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717030February 10, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Oil light comes on and out i do have warranty for the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715301February 3, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My vehicle is experiencing active symptoms consistent with the defects described in recalls SC279 and SC281. These include: - Sputtering and hesitation under acceleration - Severe drop in fuel mileage - Check Engine Light - Fuel‑rail pressure fault code - Black soot at the tailpipe - Loss of power The vehicle is unsafe to drive and may stall. My dealership confirmed that the recall parts are on national backorder and cannot repair the vehicle. Kia Corporate has refused to authorize towing or a loaner vehicle upfront, leaving me without safe transportation. This is a serious safety issue, and Kia is unable to provide a timely remedy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712123January 20, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Transmission light appeared and a loud knocking noise followed by white smoke bellowing out of the exhaust. I took it to a shop and they said it now needs an engine replacement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710322January 12, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Around a two years ago the headlight brights failed and have yet to come back. Kia refuses to fix the issue stating normal wear. This is an incredible hazard to safety in night operation of the vehicle. We are told it is due to a motor in the headlight assembly failing. There are many forum post about this issue and the only known fix is to replace both headlight assemblies at a cost of upward of $1800 a piece. This is a failure that should not be taken lightly and all lighting a safety devices should be of the upmost importance.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699515November 15, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
related malfunction on my 2018 Kia Stinger. My hazard lights are activating on their own, changing flash speeds, and failing to turn off at times. This creates a safety concern while driving.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695926October 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Upon getting warranty repairs done to vehicle, the car started to glitch out the next day in the cabin with multiple electronics. Driver window switch was turning on and off, when it turned off, multiple electronics glitched out in the car. Brought back to dealership as multiple sources online said the driver's door switch was the reason for the glitches. Upon the dealership removing the door panel, they discovered the door switch short circuits and the plug burnt and melted the connector. Incident is definitely a fire risk as the connector is near cloth inside the panel and could've burnt the car to the ground if not addressed sooner. Multiple reports of this flickering door switch issue online, photos can be provided, dealership confirmed the issue, video evidence of the problem happening. Life was at disk due to drivers door possibly catching on fire trapping occupants inside. Problem was reproduced and diagnosed at dealership. Component failed: 2022-2023 Driver Door Window Master Switch Part number: 93570-J5002 I can provide documentation and photos upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694772October 21, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
My oil light came on around 91,000 miles. Kia is known for this issue being an oil pressure sensor issue. Happens around 80,000-100,000 miles. Its a pretty common issue and the labor for a $80 part costs up to $2,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692396October 9, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Wiring harness has been severed, chewed through, or burnt. Multiple times. If my phone listed down below does not work call [XXX] 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
#11690875October 1, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
Since April I have been having the same issue. Sometimes when I am stopped and the autostop is supposed to shut down the engine, the engine just sputters and if I hit the gas nothing happens. I have to put the car in park and shut it down then restart it. I try to shut the auto stop off when I get in the car but sometimes I forget. It has happened at over 20 times that I have documented over the last couple of thousand miles, many times in dangerous locations, in the middle of interactions or waiting for a light. The engine light has also gone on and off over the last couple of months. The car is now at the dealership and they say the high pressure fuel pump is leaking. I see there has been a recall in specific Kia Stingers, should my car be involved in this recall? The issue began around 45000 miles and continues at 52000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688866September 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The issue involves the high-pressure fuel pump covered under Recall 23V634000 (Kia SC281). When the recall was marked as “completed” at the dealership, only a software update was performed. The required inspection of the fuel pump and potential replacement were never carried out. Two years later, the vehicle began experiencing problems consistent with the recall defect, including loss of power and engine performance issues. This indicates the recall remedy was not properly completed, and the defective fuel pump was left in place. The safety risk is that the vehicle may lose motive power while driving, increasing the likelihood of a crash. This problem could potentially affect other owners if recalls are being closed without full inspection or replacement. The symptoms have been observed during regular driving and can be reproduced. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Kia for the current issue beyond the original recall visit. Warning lights and drivability issues began appearing recently, which align with the defect described in the recall notice. The high-pressure fuel pump is available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688030September 18, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving my car as normal, but noticed a clicking noise but with NO dashboard lights on. Went to my dad who was formerly a mechanic to check it out. He put a few fluids in it, told me to drive it for a few miles. Went no more than 5 miles before the car just shut off and into neutral on me whilst driving. No dashboard lights came on until this moment, so not sure if all of the sensors were broken or not prior, but this opened my eyes to that possibility. Have not been able to get the car repaired/fully diagnosed quite yet.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685758September 8, 2025
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked abnormally while accelerating. The check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V634000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683444August 27, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V169000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the left turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle received the turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,270.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678569August 5, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
At certain times when I am braking the brake "skips" it's like i am unable to brake so I end up braking late. It's become a safety hazard since there are times when I have almost hit another car. Also, the other is the silver trim on the exterior looks completely faded probably from the sun but I've seen multiple stingers with this issue and should be replaced and yes the car is dirty but that is not dirt.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678350August 4, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION
I was driving to work and the steering wheel just looked up and got really stiff and hard to control which was really dangerous. Prior to the I could just be sitting idle and the steering wheel would just start moving by itself out of nowhere.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675791July 24, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump recall came back but Kia wouldn’t take it back without the recall being open
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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