2024 KIA EV9 electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #11740875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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

NHTSA complaint #11722786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

[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)

NHTSA complaint #11720691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #11712208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I would also like to highlight the serious safety concern due to cell deviation (imbalance) along with SOC (State of Charge) mismatch as per my car's BMS (Battery management system) which is present in my vehicle and shared with Kia corporate. In an electric vehicle, the high-voltage battery cells, the Battery Management System, and the battery coolant system function as a single integrated safety-critical system. When battery cells are imbalanced and there is a significant mismatch between the state of charge displayed to the driver and the lower usable energy calculated by the Battery Management System, the weakest cell can reach its safe operating limit under normal driving load even though the dashboard indicates sufficient charge. If this condition is combined with a battery coolant system fault, such as low coolant level or air in the cooling circuit, battery temperatures can rise unevenly and further reduce safe operating margins. To protect the battery and prevent thermal or electrical damage, the system must immediately limit propulsion or enter a reduced-power (“turtle”) mode without driver input. Because these protective actions can occur suddenly and without advance warning, they can restrict acceleration or vehicle speed during ordinary driving conditions such as merging or maintaining highway speed, creating an unexpected loss-of-propulsion safety risk rather than a mere inconvenience. This is equivalent to a faulty fuel gauge for a gasoline car but with more immediate and severe consequences Sudden Power Cutoffs: If a single battery cell's voltage drops below a safe threshold, the Battery Management System (BMS) will shut down the entire pack to prevent permanent damage. This can happen even if the dashboard shows 25% or more remaining, potentially leaving you without power while driving. Loss of Vehicle Control: A sudden shutdown can lead to a loss of power steering and braking assistance, which is hazardous in high-speed or heavytraffic situatio

NHTSA complaint #11707768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The dashboard and control panel of my vehicle have repeatedly blacked out since shortly after purchase. These blackouts cause the entire instrument cluster and control systems, including critical safety features, to become non-functional or obstructed intermittently while driving. This creates a dangerous situation where I lose access to important information such as speed, warning indicators, and climate controls, severely compromising my ability to operate the vehicle safely. The issue has occurred multiple times, including once while driving on a highway, which put me and other drivers at significant risk. The problem has been reported to authorized dealerships, where the vehicle was inspected and software updates were attempted, but the issue persists. Despite multiple repair attempts, the blackouts continue to happen unpredictably. There have been no specific warning lamps or messages prior to the blackouts; the system simply fails without notice. The malfunction affects the vehicle’s safety system by obstructing the driver’s view of critical controls and information, increasing the risk of accidents. Customer service from the dealerships has been unsatisfactory, with long wait times for repairs, lack of loaner vehicles, and repeated failure to resolve the problem. This ongoing safety concern remains unresolved despite numerous visits and repair attempts.

NHTSA complaint #11693832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The DC charger plug won’t release after charge was completed. Waiting 3.5 for the tech to forcefully unplug and broke the charger pins. This is a known issue with Kia vehicles and costly repairs.

NHTSA complaint #11693978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Battery Management System - Critical EV Battery Warning This vehicle has been back to the dealership for repairs multiple times. Including needing to swap battery cells and wires around.

NHTSA complaint #11688930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The vehicle was being driven on a highway when it became unresponsive to input from the accelerator pedal and the car's dashboard indicated an electrical system failure. There were no indications of problems with the car before the electrical system failure warning appeared. The car coasted to a stop on the side of the highway, where it was disabled (i.e., it would not shift into drive or reverse). The car was towed to a Kia dealership, where it has been for more than five weeks. The dealership replaced the ICCU but that did not resolve the problem and the car remains non-functional. The Kia dealership is waiting for the delivery of additional backordered electrical system parts to see if they resolve the problems.

NHTSA complaint #11685863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Received the following warning on 8/16 with 6987 miles on the car: Critical EV Battery Warning Your EV Battery has a critical issue. Contact Roadside Assistance as soon as possible. Car has been in the dealership for a week with "no estimated repair timeline" due to the battery cells failing. Car will not fully charge and is at risk of suddenly losing power and stopping, per the dealer.

NHTSA complaint #11683737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power and could not accelerate normally. The speed dropped and got stuck around 12–25 mph even when pressing the accelerator. This happened multiple times, usually during hot daytime conditions. It created a serious safety risk, and one time another car almost hit me from behind because my vehicle slowed down so suddenly. The dealer has inspected the car several times but said they could not reproduce the problem. Warning messages such as “Power Limited” appeared on the dashboard when the failure occurred. I also recorded multiple videos of the problem when it happened.

NHTSA complaint #11682293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The instrument display panel goes black and you can’t see speedometer or hear turn signals etc.

NHTSA complaint #11677670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving and the car suddenly gave a number of error messages, and I could not drive above 40 miles an hour on the freeway. This was very unsafe. I had it towed to the dealership and they replaced the ICCU Unit, which appears to be a very common problem with Hyundai/Kia electric vehicles. The ICCU unit does not power the car. It should not have affected the car's performance.

NHTSA complaint #11676269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The car battery cells are defective and would not charge above 60%. After faulting on electrical vehicle alarm instrument panel sometimes may show false battery state of charge.

NHTSA complaint #11676306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving around 60-65 mph on the highway when suddenly a warning alarm went off and the warning light read “stop vehicle and check brake system”. I took my foot off the accelerator and car continued to maintain speed. The power brakes did not work. I put the car into neutral hoping that would slow it down, but it continued to maintain speed. I went into the right lane and put on my hazards. When I had the opportunity to pull into the breakdown lane, I did so and was able to push the brake pedal manually and get the car to stop, and turn it off. When I turned the car back on again, I got the same warnings and alarms. After 5-10 minutes, when I turned the car on, everything seemed to have cleared. I still had the car towed to KIA to investigate the issue.

NHTSA complaint #11669841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2024 Kia EV9. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the instrument panel went blank. The vehicle was restarted, and the instrument panel returned to normal functionality. The contact stated while charging the vehicle at the residence, the notification “Connected” was displayed and then the “Disconnected” notification was displayed on the Kia App on the contact’s cellphone. While the contact was driving the vehicle, the same notifications were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the message "There may be problem with the Battery Management System - If the following occurs; Please contact your nearest service center or designated maintenance center". The contact also received notifications through the Kia App for NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V757000 (Electrical System) and 24V962000 (Seats) recalls. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that the vehicle needed to stay overnight to be diagnosed and to perform the recall repairs. The contact then received an email the next day that the dealer failed to diagnose the failure and that the failure would be escalated to a technician provided by the manufacturer. The contact then called the dealer where the information was confirmed. The contact was informed that the vehicle would remain with the dealer for three to four months. The dealer was unable to provide a loaner vehicle due to a shortage of available vehicles. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA complaint #11667417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Battery keeps dying despite full charge and multiple jumps. Battery has already been replaced and continues to die even after jumping and leaving on. Car just dies despite it running after a jump.

NHTSA complaint #11662809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1. Repair History and Days Out of Service The vehicle has been at CMA Colonial Kia dealership since [insert drop-off date], totaling 49 days (and counting) out of service as of 05/13/2025. The sole but critical issue is a failed high-voltage battery, which the dealership and Kia confirmed must be fully replaced. This is the first repair attempt, but the car has remained unusable for over a month. 2. Substantial Impairment to Use, Value, and Safety The failure of the high-voltage battery in an electric vehicle renders it completely inoperable, with no capability to drive, charge, or function. This significantly impairs the use, safety, and value of the vehicle: Use: The car cannot be driven at all. Safety: Battery failure in an EV represents a major system defect with fire and high-voltage risks. Value: A brand-new EV with major battery failure has diminished resale value and buyer confidence. 3. Eligibility Under Virginia Lemon Law Under the Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act (Lemon Law): A vehicle qualifies if it is out of service for 30 or more calendar days for warranty repairs within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles. My EV9 has been out of service for 49+ days, meets mileage and time limits, and involves a major system failure. Therefore, my vehicle qualifies for relief under the statute. 4. Issues for the Arbitrator to Address The vehicle meets Virginia Lemon Law criteria due to prolonged inoperability for a substantial defect. Kia has not provided a comparable loaner or timely resolution. The vehicle poses safety concerns due to failed propulsion battery. 5. Desired Resolution I am requesting a full repurchase (buyback) of the vehicle, including: Full reimbursement of the purchase price (down payment, monthly payments made, taxes, fees). Any towing or rental expenses incurred. Cancellation of the finance agreement if applicable.

NHTSA complaint #11660694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My car started to not charge for more than 10mn at a time. It also showed an error message about the electrical system. I have dropped off my car at the dealership on march 3rd. No information since

NHTSA complaint #11653675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicles battery has somehow malfunctioned and will charge to 100% but only has ~40 miles of range. This lead to my family being almost stranded in the middle of the night without range to get home with the un expected decrease. Vehicle is currently still at the dealership and has been there for over a month. They believe they have identified a problem with the battery pack but have to send out a specialist to look at it and have been waiting for that person for over three weeks and there is still no one assigned

NHTSA complaint #11649386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The windshield wipers could not complete full return to starting position due to wet snow. This caused a shuddering noise as the mechanism driving the wipers continued to try to complete its motion. Then an electrical burning smell emanated through the car.

NHTSA complaint #11649387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

We heard a grinding sound from rear of vehicle while driving into a park lot. Checked road and vehicle to see if there was any damage or objects hit, there were not. Shortly after driving a few miles a BMS warning was showing and we called Kia roadside assistance. They insisted on towing the car but we waited until next day so we could secure a rental. The short drive to the rental agency now gave us 4 more errors regarding “check 4WD/AWD” and the code was given as “MCU_R” to check the rear motor control units. All were listed as “P1Axxxx” errors. During this time, electronics in the car did not work well, vehicle did not want to shift into gears and acceleration was noticeably degraded. Car is at dealership being worked on now.

NHTSA complaint #11649234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

All of a sudden the EV battery management system warning light is on and it suggest I do not drive it until fixed. This was after my entire screen went out, where I could not see the speed I was going or use turn signals. Very unsafe

NHTSA complaint #11648576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Battery cell in electric vehicle failed after 6 months of ownership.

NHTSA complaint #11648445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car would not charge on a fast charger and died on us while on a trip. We got the car towed to a dealership and two days later was told the car was fixed and ready to go. On the way home, we stopped to charge the car and the car still wouldn’t connect to charger. The car would connect to our home charger though. I took to the car to the dealership in our town where they had trouble getting it to connect to their fast charger along with the car not communicating to back of car. The car also completely died even with a full battery and had to get it towed to dealership

NHTSA complaint #11647715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Battery Management System light came on 1/22 , battery wouldn’t charge past 80% - took into Kia Burlington NJ for service- they diagnosed vehicle and put it on charger and was told issue was resolved. I am noticing that my battery pack is having issues- battery pack is 99kw when it goes down to 10 % in can charge it all the way to 100% but only 50kw is dispensed. Meaning that there is 40kw of battery that is unaccounted for. My max range is extremely limited to 120mi on a full charge. I understand winter can affect range but with the constant charging- i haven’t been able to dispense the full 90ish kw of charge. Concerned about my safety and a potentially defective battery pack.

NHTSA complaint #11645456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The blank screen software recall has not fixed the screen that goes blank. It is still happening. This was after a dealership visit to address the recalls.

NHTSA complaint #11642401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The 12-volt battery for the vehicle was depleted, so the vehicle had to be jump-started to run. I work for a repair facility (it was here for collision repairs, as far as I know unrelated to this issue) and since I was unfamiliar with the vehicle, I inadvertently turned it off before shifting into park. When I took my foot off the brake, the vehicle began to roll forward. I am not sure if the vehicle was in park, neutral, or even reverse (the gear I was in when I turned the vehicle off), but whatever gear it was, the vehicle kept rolling after it was turned off. I tried turning the vehicle back on to shift to park, but was unable to do so due to the depleted 12-volt battery. I tried hitting the park button anyway, and this did nothing. I then tried to engage the electronic parking brake, but this was also inoperative due to the lack of power. With each attempt, I tried briefly taking my foot off the brake, but each time it continued to roll forward. I then called my manager and asked him to jump start the vehicle so I could put it in park and engage the parking brake. No damage was done in this incident, nor was anyone hurt, but this lack of fail-safes to prevent the vehicle from moving after a loss of power is a significant design flaw and safety hazard. If I had not noticed the issue in time and gotten out, the vehicle could have rolled away and caused property damage or bodily injury to me or a bystander. To my knowledge, this is the only such incident with this vehicle, and I do not know whether it is specific to this particular vehicle or replicable in others of the same year make and model. There were no warning lights.

NHTSA complaint #11639368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Main gauge cluster display blank. No speed info, charge info, etc. no blindspot warning or turn signal sound or anything

NHTSA complaint #11638603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am told my car did have the software update for the instrument display but I still experienced issue where I turn on the car and the display in the middle is completely black except it shows D for the gear I am in. Can’t see the speed can’t see if the blinkers are on!

NHTSA complaint #11635659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.