Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 2 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

2 total · 2 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 26V545000 · Aug 2026

A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 26V046000 · Jan 2026

An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

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.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

24 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

sudden stalling 1electrical shorts 1unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: The car was being parked in a shopping lot. As the drive was pulling into the parking spot, the car lurched forward on its own and hit the wall. The gas pedal was not pressed. No collision sensors…
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The car was being parked in a shopping lot. As the drive was pulling into the parking spot, the car lurched forward on its own and hit the wall. The gas pedal was not pressed. No collision sensors were triggered either. Unclear if related but the car was taken in for maintenance and recall updates the week prior to this accident.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11757172 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
10

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 5electrical shorts 1
A recent report: 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…
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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.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11748295 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
5

Most reports here involve other issues. Of these, 1 mention an injury.

other issues 5
A recent report: So I called KIA about this, but I wanted my report to appear here too. Back in February, my right foot was run over by my car. It was an accident. I had gotten out of the driver's passenger side to…
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So I called KIA about this, but I wanted my report to appear here too. Back in February, my right foot was run over by my car. It was an accident. I had gotten out of the driver's passenger side to check on something that was making noises. The person who ran my foot over didn't realize I was out of the car, and there was no warning; there was no noise indicating my door was open. Then the back driver-side tire ran over my foot. My foot was broken in a few places, and I was in a shoe boot for quite a while. It is very dangerous to think there was no alert; I can't imagine if this happened to a child. I was pretty thorough in telling them what happened, and nobody ever tried to compensate me or do anything about my situation. It is a major hazard to have your foot run over because the car is super heavy because of the battery. I'm lucky my foot healed, and I didn't need any further treatment.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763764 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
1

Most reports here involve airbags deploying unexpectedly. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

airbags deploying unexpectedly 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2026 Kia EV9. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH and accelerating through a four-way intersection after a complete stop, the vehicle was T-boned on the front passenger’s…
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The contact owns a 2026 Kia EV9. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH and accelerating through a four-way intersection after a complete stop, the vehicle was T-boned on the front passenger’s side by another vehicle that had ran the stop sign. The passenger’s side air bags deployed as expected, and the driver’s side air bag also deployed, causing a fractured right humerus. The contact required emergency surgery. The contact was pregnant at the time and remained hospitalized for two days. The doctors established a post-surgical recovery plan. The contact’s minor child, who was seated in a car seat on the rear passenger’s side, was not hurt. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The insurance company had not yet determined if the vehicle was a total loss. The dealer was notified of the failure and directed the contact to an online crash test video suggesting that the front driver’s side air bag should not have deployed in the crash. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,200.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761029 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
5

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 5
A recent report: I was sold a vehicle with a manufacturer defect. At purchase there was a loud wind noise coming from sunroof. I was promised a swift service department visit to realign the sunroof. At service visit…
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I was sold a vehicle with a manufacturer defect. At purchase there was a loud wind noise coming from sunroof. I was promised a swift service department visit to realign the sunroof. At service visit ten days later the dealership replaced sunroof and threw electrical error codes B271100. After a specialist over rode the error the dealership claimed fixed and had me pick up the vehicle. The loud wind noise was still present. When I attempted to return the vehicle the dealership said I would no longer be serviced by their dealership. Kia Customer Care sent me to a second dealership. Second dealership brought in techline specialist that ordered Kia Warranty repair would replace the entire roof. The vehicle is at a third party auto body repair shop.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763485 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 24 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2026 and 2026, roughly 24 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2026 has 24 complaints on file, more than the 2025 (12). Of the 3 model years of the Kia EV9 we cover, the 2024 has the most (207). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.