Kia EV9 Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.

3
Total Recalls
186
Total Complaints
0
Total Crashes
0
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths
2024
Worst Year
2025
Best Year
55
Fair
Overall Reliability Score (0–100)
Accelerating +2757%
Complaint Trend
200 last 24mo vs 7 prior 24mo
Oct & Sep
Peak Complaint Months
47% of complaints in these months

Recent Safety Incidents — Last 5 Model Years

2
Fires Reported
1
Crash Reported
4
Injuries Reported

Own a Kia EV9? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.

Kia EV9 — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison

YearVerdictRecallsComplaintsCrashesInjuriesDeathsTop Issue
2026Excellent18Electrical SystemFull report →
2025BestExcellent14SeatsFull report →
2024WorstAvoid1174Electrical SystemFull report →

3 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.

Most Common Kia EV9 Problems

Electrical System
55
Unknown Or Other
17
Forward Collision Avoidance
16
Lane Departure
16
Suspension
11
Seats
9
Vehicle Speed Control
9
Steering
8
Wheels
8
Visibility/Wiper
7
Fuel/Propulsion System
6
Exterior Lighting
4

Based on 186 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.

Recent Safety Recalls — Kia EV9 (20242026)

#24V2710002024
16/04/2024
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Niro EV and 2024 EV9 vehicles. The differential gear bolts in the gear drive unit may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of drive power or cause the differential to lock up.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the gear drive unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC308.

#24V3380002024
14/05/2024
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 EV9 vehicles. The front passenger seat belt retractor cover may not be secured properly, which can cause the front passenger seat belt automatic locking retractor (ALR) and emergency locking retractor (ELR) to not operate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC312.

#24V4000002024
04/06/2024
STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:CEILING

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 EV9 vehicles. The headliner may not adequately protect passengers from impact in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 201, "Occupant Protection In Interior Impact."

Remedy: Dealers will replace the impact absorbing plates mounted on the headliner, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC317.

#24V6930002024
17/09/2024
PARKING BRAKE:ELECTRICAL:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 EV9 vehicles. A software error may cause the remote smart parking assist feature, which allows the operator to remotely move the vehicle, to miscalculate stopping distances.

Remedy: Dealers will update the integrated electronic brake software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 4, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC324.

#24V7570002024
10/10/2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 EV9 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."

Remedy: The instrument cluster software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2024. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC326.

#24V9620002024
20/12/2024
SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 EV9 vehicles. The second- and third-row seat mounting bolts may be missing.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and install mounting bolts as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC329.

#25V1150002025
24/02/2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 EV9 vehicles. The rear gear drive unit (GDU) motor shaft may have been improperly welded and become damaged, causing a loss of drive power.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear GDU, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC337.

#26V0460002026
27/01/2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."

Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.

Showing 8 recalls from 20242026 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.

Recent Owner Complaints

Direct reports filed with NHTSA by Kia EV9 owners — 20242026 model years.

Seats03/31/2026

The front drivers seat slightly shifts during tight turns. There is a slight click in the lumbar towards the center of the car.

Seats03/18/2026

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.

Tires03/17/2026

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.

Electrical System03/08/2026

BPM warning in the KIA app. Apparently, ICCU and battery failures are t known issues with the KIA EV9s.

Power Train /Electrical System /Forward Collision Avoidance02/26/2026

[XXX] Message says warning "check ev system". they then sent a letter saying it had to go to the dealer, or the car would need A tow potentially. I can't get an appointment as they are way too busy to do anything other than tell me they will get back to me, repeatedly stating they will do so in one business day. it has been a week. My wife is scared to drive the car. I think it is bogus as no recall has been issued. I have had the car for 19 months with no such warning. Two days after it shows up on the screen in the car i receive the letter. This is fishy. it is either a recall, or it isn't. if it is why is it not in your data base? The vagueness of the message is inappropriate, and it implies danger. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Visibility/Wiper02/25/2026

This car is unusual because the wipers are located in a crevice far below the top of the hood where it meets the windshield. The first time we had an issue, it had snowed and snow collected in the crevice area. The wipers were turned on, but the drivers side one didn't move in sync with the passenger side one. They eventually "tangled" and we stopped them. The car was taken for service and supposedly repaired by replacing one of the wiper arms that had bent. It has snowed again. Before the snow fell, the crevice was mostly covered with a shield to keep snow from falling into it. The wipers were put into the "snow position" but when used again today, the wipers have again failed to operate in sync. The drivers side wiper doesn't move fully and the passenger side wiper does. Car wipers should work when it snows, but especially when precautions have been taken. This is extremely unexpected and atypical.

Visibility/Wiper02/06/2026

Windshield wipers stopped working in middle of bad snow storm. I had to pull over, wait for the weather to improve before proceeding. I have a minor child and safety is a concern to me. Thought it was the wiper so I went to AutoZone to replace it and was told the problem is the wiper motor and that I needed to take to the dealership for repair

Suspension01/28/2026

The contact owns a 2024 Kia EV9. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, there was an abnormal slapping sound coming from the rear passenger’s side of the vehicle. While observing the tires, the contact became aware that the rear tires were bald, and the steel belts were coming from the inside of the tires. The contact used Fix a Flat inside the tires and was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The following day, the vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the dealer that it was a known issue with the original tires on the vehicle. The contact was informed that the failure was caused by the battery, causing the vehicle to be too heavy for the vehicle. The inclination, tilt, or angle of suspension components with the shocks, struts, or control arms, known as the CANT, caused the tires to tilt outward approximately 2 or more inches. The dealer diagnosed that the suspension could have failed. The cant, suspension, and tires were replaced, and the wheels were aligned. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 12,668.

Suspension /Structure01/28/2026

I recently purchase my 2024 EV9 from Carvana with 9578 miles listed on 12/12/25. Doing my 7 days to purchase this SUV. I had some concerns about the violent wobble when I drove over a bump. With some concerns about this SUV, I google to see if anyone else had this same issue. To my surprise I founded a lot of complaints and ways to resolved the issue. One consumer stated he had his EV9 aligned and reduce some of the wobble but not completely. I drove to Courage KIA in Gastonia NC. When I drove their system performed a per inspection on your vehicle. The alignment was way out of alignment. Had the alignment taken care of however it still a wobble. On 12/24/26 doing the snow and ice storm here in Charlotte, I attempted to make a trip to the store. The roads were wet but no snow or ice was on the roads. However when I hit a bump the rear end violently wobble and the rear end moved to the left and right farther it did before. I thought I was going to spin out of control.Now that I think about the very low mileage on this SUV. This perhaps is why they sold it. ly wobble

Electrical System /Unknown Or Other01/24/2026

Component: Electrical System / Instrument Panel Speed at time of failure: [Insert typical speed, e.g., 65 mph] Description of Incident: My vehicle is suffering from an intermittent but total loss of the instrument cluster functionality while in motion. The display goes dark and is replaced by a "No Signal" message. This results in the immediate loss of all critical safety information, including speed, battery range, and warning telltales. This is a direct violation of FMVSS No. 101 (Controls and Displays). Specific Recalls/Campaigns Not Addressed: I brought my vehicle to Fiesta KIA (Dealer Code 53232) to address the following open safety campaigns which they failed to remediate: NHTSA Recall #24V-757 (KIA SC326): "Instrument Cluster Screen May Fail." This is exactly the failure I am experiencing. NHTSA Recall #24V-443 (KIA SC302): ICCU Software Logic failure, which poses an immediate risk of loss of motive power while driving. Service Action SA563: Specific logic improvement for HUD and Cluster stability. Dealer Conduct (Safety Related): Despite the vehicle presenting with a "No Signal" instrument panel—a catastrophic safety failure—the Service Manager (Anthony) refused to provide the previously promised loaner vehicle. He suggested that because the vehicle was not purchased at his specific dealership, his obligation to facilitate this critical safety repair was diminished. This resulted in the vehicle remaining on the road with unresolved, safety-critical defects.

FirerelatedFIRE01/20/2026

The contact owns a 2024 Kia EV9. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, a burning odor was detected. The contact pressed the recirculate air button, but the burning odor intensified. No warning light was illuminated. The contact noticed flames coming from underneath the front driver's seat. The contact's husband pulled over and parked the vehicle. The contact, her husband, and their child were able to safely exit the vehicle. A vehilcle who had been driving behind stopped to assist, and since it was cold weather conditions, the contact and family waited for the Fire Department inside that owner's vehicle. There was no medical attention was received. When firefighters and police arrived, the fire had been self-extinguished. The contact was unaware of any reports filed by police or the fire department; however, the fire department informed the contact that there was no evidence of the lithium battery catching fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, but it had not yet been declared totaled by the insurance company. The contact stated that upon inspection, the wire beneath the front driver's seat had melted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Electrical System01/20/2026

My vehicle popped up a red vehicle warning to check the electric vehicle system. It would no longer charge, was taken to the dealership where the emergency notification was sent :suspected condition with your EV9's Battery Management System has been detected and charging has been limited. A full system check is recommended. Please schedule an appointment with your local Kia dealership as soon as possible. And another CRITICAL EV WARNING your EV battery has a critical issue contact roadside assistance. This is a 2024 and has a total battery failure.

207 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 20242026. For older model years, see individual year pages.

EV9 Years to Avoid

2024 EV9
174 complaints · 1 recalls
Details →
2026 EV9
8 complaints · 1 recalls
Details →
2025 EV9
4 complaints · 1 recalls
Details →

Ranked by combined complaints, recalls, crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Best EV9 Years to Buy

2025 EV9
4 complaints · 1 recalls
Details →
2026 EV9
8 complaints · 1 recalls
Details →

Years with fewest complaints and recalls.

Kia EV9 Problems by Year

Select a year to see detailed complaints, recall notices, and safety incident data.

Frequently Asked Questions — Kia EV9 Reliability

What year EV9 has the most problems?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2024 Kia EV9 had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 174 complaints and 1 safety recalls. See the full 2024 report for specific defects.

Is the Kia EV9 reliable?

The Kia EV9 has accumulated 186 owner-filed complaints and 3 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. The 2025 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used EV9.

What are the most common EV9 problems?

The most frequently cited problem areas are: Electrical System (55 reports), Unknown Or Other (17 reports), Forward Collision Avoidance (16 reports), Lane Departure (16 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.

How do I check if my EV9 has an open recall?

Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.

Check a Specific Kia EV9 VIN

Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.

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