By year
Owner complaints about Kia vehicles peaked at 4,052 in 2024
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 1995 to 2026. 2026 runs through October.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints and recalls files. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Make
Kia
The complete NHTSA record for Kia vehicles: owner complaints, recall campaigns, defect investigations and manufacturer communications, for every model and model year on file.
Most Kia recalls are filed by Kia, part of Hyundai Motor Group.
Owner complaints in the last five years19,16843,865 on file in all, across 42 models
Recall campaigns21391 in five years
Severity index10.6Crash, fire, injury or death per 100 complaints
Investigations673,879 service bulletins
Components
Engine and cooling draws the most owner complaints about Kia vehicles, 27% of them
Share of all owner complaints on file, by component.
Source: NHTSA ODI.
Models
The Sorento has the most complaints of any Kia model
Every Kia model with complaints or recalls on file, by complaints. Counts are not rates: NHTSA publishes no sales volumes.
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Severity index | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorento | 2003 to 2026 | 10,174 | 7.5 | 79 | 62 |
| Optima | 2001 to 2020 | 7,509 | 9.8 | 59 | 62 |
| Soul | 2010 to 2025 | 5,542 | 10.7 | 34 | 27 |
| Sportage | 1995 to 2027 | 4,696 | 11.7 | 87 | 63 |
| Forte | 2009 to 2024 | 2,544 | 14.7 | 34 | 18 |
| Sedona | 2002 to 2021 | 2,409 | 11.6 | 69 | 14 |
| Telluride | 2020 to 2027 | 2,022 | 4.1 | 35 | 1 |
| Sephia | 1986 to 2003 | 1,705 | 16.7 | 16 | 37 |
| RIO | 2000 to 2023 | 1,290 | 20.4 | 27 | 18 |
| Spectra | 1998 to 2009 | 906 | 23.1 | 5 | 8 |
| Seltos | 2021 to 2026 | 553 | 7.2 | 7 | 3 |
| EV6 | 2022 to 2026 | 543 | 4.8 | 11 | 2 |
| K5 | 2021 to 2026 | 497 | 10.3 | 20 | 1 |
| Carnival | 1998 to 2026 | 414 | 13.8 | 15 | 1 |
| Niro | 2017 to 2026 | 350 | 13.7 | 15 | 5 |
| Rondo | 2007 to 2011 | 297 | 12.1 | 11 | 6 |
| Optima Hybrid | 2011 to 2020 | 275 | 9.8 | 12 | 42 |
| EV9 | 2024 to 2026 | 254 | 2.4 | 13 | 2 |
| Amanti | 2004 to 2009 | 247 | 11.3 | 4 | 0 |
| Cadenza | 2014 to 2021 | 216 | 8.3 | 12 | 8 |
| Stinger | 2018 to 2023 | 169 | 7.7 | 20 | 1 |
| Sportage Hybrid | 2023 to 2027 | 140 | 6.4 | 2 | 0 |
| Sedona EX | 2002 to 2004 | 121 | 23.1 | 3 | 6 |
| Sorento Hybrid | 2021 to 2026 | 113 | 2.7 | 11 | 3 |
| Borrego | 2008 to 2019 | 92 | 8.7 | 18 | 10 |
| Niro EV | 2019 to 2026 | 90 | 10.0 | 11 | 4 |
| Carnival Hybrid | 2025 to 2026 | 86 | 8.1 | 1 | 0 |
| K900 | 2014 to 2021 | 68 | 2.9 | 11 | 4 |
| Niro PHEV | 2017 to 2026 | 68 | 4.4 | 9 | 5 |
| K4 | 2025 to 2026 | 58 | 29.3 | 3 | 0 |
| Forte Koup | 2010 to 2017 | 52 | 5.8 | 16 | 17 |
| Sorento PHEV | 2021 to 2026 | 44 | 4.5 | 11 | 2 |
| SPECTRA5 | 2006 to 2008 | 44 | 18.2 | 0 | 0 |
| RIO Cinco | 2001 to 2004 | 41 | 22.0 | 4 | 0 |
| Soul EV | 2014 to 2020 | 39 | 20.5 | 18 | 15 |
| Sportage PHEV | 2023 to 2027 | 35 | 11.4 | 5 | 0 |
| Optima PHEV | 2016 to 2020 | 33 | 9.1 | 4 | 11 |
| KIA | 1994 to 2003 | 29 | 20.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Niro Hybrid | 2017 to 2023 | 19 | 10.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Telluride Hybrid | 2027 | 11 | 9.1 | 2 | 0 |
| LD Spectra | 2004 to 2005 | 7 | 28.6 | 2 | 0 |
| RIO5 | 2008 to 2009 | 5 | 40.0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Recall counts add campaigns across model years, so a campaign covering three years counts three times.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns listing a Kia product
- 26V-545 Aug 21, 2026
Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat
Airbags · 21k vehicles - 26V-431 Jul 2, 2026
High voltage battery cells may contain misaligned electrodes, which can lead to a fire while parked or driving
Electrical system · 8 vehicles - 26V-430 Jul 2, 2026
Front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while…
Seats · 463k vehicles - 26V-356 Jun 2, 2026
Driver seat belt emergency locking retractor may lock, causing the seat belt strap not to extend
Seat belts · 6,264 vehicles - 26V-232 Apr 10, 2026
Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail
Fuel system · 141k vehicles - 26V-173 Mar 20, 2026
Second-row power seats may fail to detect a person
Seats · 568 vehicles - 26V-135 Mar 6, 2026
Rear center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2026 K4 and the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2027 Telluride may not latch properly
Seat belts · 15k vehicles - 26V-105 Feb 23, 2026
Due to a manufacturing error, the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies may fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash
Seats · 86k vehicles - 26V-046 Jan 26, 2026
Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail
Electrical system · 43k vehicles - 25V-874 Dec 17, 2025
Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail
Electrical system · 5,046 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.