2022 Kia EV6 Complaints

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 10/04/2026

On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the vehicle lost drive power while I was operating it. At the same time, steering became extremely difficult and the brakes required extraordinary physical force to apply. I had to use all of my strength to safely bring the vehicle to a stop. At that point we were stranded in the #2 lane of travel. This was not a minor inconvenience or an isolated warning light; it was a serious roadway safety event. Had my wife been driving, I do not believe she would have had the physical ability to safely control and stop the vehicle under those conditions.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 06/18/2026

Component that failed: Vehicle headlight/running light has water penetration and the running lights do not stay on. Additionally there is yellowing of the LED running lights, which is a known defect in the Kia EV6. Safety issue: Running lights reduced night time illumination and made it more difficult to see road. Running lights yellowing are a sign of premature failure. Dealer inspection: Dealer identified problem during a state inspection (light turned off after a few seconds). Vehicle headlights have three issues: 1. Yellowing of LED running lights, 2. Failure of seals allowing water into the headlight unit, 3. Malfunction of the running lights (turns on briefly and then goes out) Manufacturer included replaceable desiccant packets in the headlight, which indicates they understood the potential for water penetration/condensation.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 08/04/2026

The ICCU, or integrated charge control unit, continually fails on this car. When it fails, the 12V battery rapidly drains and the car goes into turtle mode (25mph max) until the 12 battery drains completely. This has happened 4 times on this car, twice since I purchased it 'certified pre-owned" from a Kia dealership in February 2026. Luckily for me the two times it has failed on me, I was in town and close to home. I purchased this car to use for road trips, and out in remote areas of wilderness that do not have cell reception. It is my opinion that the lack of a permanent fix from Kia is a safety issue, as this problem can strand a driver like myself in the middle of nowhere without cell service or any way to get back. Kia has increased warranty coverage on this component, but has not rolled out a permanent fix. My car has been sitting at a dealership service department for 4 weeks now, waiting for Kia to approve the warranty work. This is a known issue, Kia has increased warranty coverage on this part, but they are refusing to allow the dealership to perform the work to fix it.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 08/11/2026

I began to drive. The dashboard display read "Check low voltage supply" or something like that and on the opposite side of the display there was a small image that looks like a 12V battery. A moment later the dashboard display changed to read "DO NOT DRIVE." The car was towed to a dealer who reported a "failed ICCU and High Voltage Fuse." The vehicle was towed to a dealership where it is being repaired under warranty. The same parts were replaced on December 26, 2024, that time because the electric vehicle would no longer accept a charge from a 240VAC source, although it continued accept a charge from a high voltage DC source. At that time there was also a software update that was said to correct the defect.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 04/25/2025

The taillight came loose and every time i take it in to get checked or fixed at the dealer they ignore me, so i went in and tightened my self. there were 4 nuts already off and inside my trunk and there was no loctite on the bolts holding the light on. now the lamp is leaking water into the trunk and the tail light has water inside of it.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 03/23/2026

Vehicle Safety Complaint My Kia experienced an ICCU (Integrated Charging Control Unit) failure and was at the dealership for approximately two months while awaiting repairs. The ICCU and related components were replaced, and I was told the vehicle had been repaired. However, immediately after I received the vehicle back, the “Check Electric Vehicle System” warning illuminated again. Since that time, the vehicle has continued to experience serious electrical issues. The vehicle has unexpectedly shut off while stopped at red lights and has failed to restart on multiple occasions, leaving me stranded. This creates a significant safety hazard because the vehicle can lose the ability to move while in traffic, placing me and other motorists at risk. I have returned the vehicle to the dealership twice since the ICCU replacement, but the problem has not been resolved. The dealership has been unable to identify or permanently repair the defect. I have been without my vehicle for nearly three months this calendar year due to this issue. More importantly, I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle because I cannot trust that it will remain operational in traffic. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this represents a serious safety defect involving the vehicle’s electrical system and propulsion system. I request that NHTSA investigate this issue to determine whether other Kia owners are experiencing similar failures and whether additional action is warranted to protect consumers.

STRUCTURE — Filed 06/07/2026

The front lower air dam and felt underguard detached while driving at highway speed on an interstate. The panel dropped and dragged on the pavement. I secured it with duct tape and zip ties at the roadside in order to drive home. There was no collision and no impact with road debris. The bumper fascia directly above the panel is undamaged, with no deformation and no paint transfer, which is not consistent with an impact and is consistent with failure of the panel's mounting fasteners. The panel shows longitudinal drag scoring on the underside and outward flex-fracture of the mounting clips. The right side detached first and the left side remained held by a single screw. The component is available for inspection on request. There were no warning lamps or messages before the failure. I brought the vehicle to a Kia dealer in [XXX] on XXX, at approximately 40,000 miles and within the 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty. The dealer's technician identified multiple fractured mounting clips, of which only two remain intact. The dealer declined to submit a warranty claim, citing evidence of impact, and reattached the panel using added screws. The fractured clips were not replaced. The dealer's paperwork records the vehicle as repaired, but the technician verbally advised me to drive carefully because the underlying fastener failure was not corrected and the panel is not held by its designed fasteners. I opened a case with the manufacturer's consumer assistance center on June 9, 2026 (case number XXX) and submitted photographs as requested. I have received no substantive response in six weeks. A body panel that detaches at highway speed and drags on the roadway is a hazard to the vehicle behind it and to my control of the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 06/17/2026

1. Severe Safety Concerns (Battery Thermal Risk & Component Interdependency) The PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater in my vehicle has failed. This component failure has completely disabled my vehicle’s air conditioning (AC) system. In the Kia EV6 architecture, the AC compressor loop is not merely a cabin comfort feature; it is intrinsically linked to the vehicle's thermal management system responsible for cooling the high-voltage traction battery pack. California temperatures are projected to hit 110°F immediately. Without a functioning AC system, the vehicle cannot execute critical battery cooling procedures. Yesterday, when plugging the vehicle into a charger, the high-voltage battery became alarmingly hot. Forcing a lithium-ion battery pack to accept high-current DC fast charging without operational coolant loop heat rejection poses an immediate, catastrophic risk of thermal runaway and vehicle fire. I am terrified to operate, park, or charge this vehicle in upcoming extreme summer conditions. 2. Predatory Maintenance Plan Tie-In Offer Yesterday, the dealership called and acknowledged the issue. They offered to cover 70% of the diagnostic and repair labor costs under corporate goodwill, as I am technically out of the standard warranty period. However, they applied an unfair and coercive condition: I am only eligible for this safety assistance if I purchase a mandatory 2-year maintenance contract costing $120 per month (totaling $2,880 over 24 months). Because the EV6 is a fully electric vehicle, its routine maintenance profile is virtually nonexistent. The dealership explicitly stated that this contract would exclusively cover tire rotations. Charging nearly $3,000 for tire rotations as a gatekeeping mechanism to fix a dangerous battery cooling defect is highly exploitative. The cost of this forced maintenance plan essentially equals or exceeds paying for the entire repair out-of-pocket, rendering the "70% goodwill coverage" an empty gesture.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 05/21/2026

ICCU failure caused charger circuit breaker to trip due to sudden fault current situation

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/31/2022

The contact owns a 2022 Kia EV6. The contact stated that while driving approximately 6-7 MPH in the left-turn lane, the vehicle made an abnormal popping sound and stalled. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road with assistance. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failure. The ICCU was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred several times. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the messages "Check ABS", "Check ESC", "Check Electronic Parking Brake" and "Pull Over Safely" were displayed, and alarms sounded on several occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted several times, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 06/26/2026

On the night of [XXX], the vehicle was plugged in to AC charge at my home charging at 7.5kw (32 amps/240 volts). The next morning, the dedicated breaker to the EVSE was tripped, and the EVSE was damaged and unusable upon resetting the breaker. The car had charged approximately 20% before cutting off. A new EVSE was ordered and arrived by that night, however the car would not accept a charge, and displayed a "charging failure" message, despite the new EVSE working on two other electric vehicles. Additionally, the vehicle to load (V2L) functionality was compromised, and the vehicle displayed an error message when attempting to use the V2L. The vehicle was taken into Kia service center located in Mission, KS on 6/29, and diagnosed with a broken ICCU, which is scheduled for service on 7/1/2026. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 05/30/2026

ICCU electrical system failed while driving (~1mi from house). Warning messages popped up and caused me to pull over and drive back to house under reduced speed. Kia told me car was not safe to drive and to tow car for repair under warranty. ICCU failure was confirmed by service provider and repaired after 2 weeks (diagnosis, part order, and replacement).

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 12/27/2025

Most vehicles with ABS experience what I call “ABS shudder/jutter” when applying brakes across a road seam where the road surface is uneven or a rut in the road. In this particular case while applying the brakes across a long rut in the road, the “ABS shudder/jutter” was much worse. NOT SPEEDING and having plenty of distance to stop. With brake pedal to the floor several times, the vehicle continued to move forward. The last few feet before colliding with a pickup truck, although the road was completely dry, the vehicle was driving forward yet sliding forward slowly. Felt no different than being on ice. Collision aversion system did nothing to help avoid. There is also only electronic parking brake and not an emergency brake to pull a handle on to assist in stopping. Dealership wasn’t able to find anything simply by driving around and slamming on the brakes and not finding any error codes. Regional technician currently scheduled to be here the 27th of Jan. Several people online have expressed similar concerns, just haven’t hit anything. I feel that the issue lies with the ABS system specifically braking over uneven road seams or ruts in the road and my experience is being discounted.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 09/25/2025

Prior to midnight on 9/25/2025 I stopped at a Sheetz in Stephen"s City , Va to charge my 2022 Kia EV6. Upon pulling into the charging area I discovered construction fencing around the area with the chargers removed. I then drove to the other side of the store and parked next to the building to take advantage of the lighting as I scanned my phone app for alternative chargers in the area. SUDDENLY, within the blink of an eye, my car lunged forward at MAXIMUM speed. It came to a sudden stop , prior to hitting the glass and brick wall of the building. I was stunned. My first reaction was to try to go into reverse to back away from the building and then I noticed people coming toward me. I rolled the window down and heard them ask if I was ok , if I needed help calling 911, and then they began to insist that I climb down out of the car as they feared it would catch on fire. I did not understand what they meant initially, until I realized I was LOOKING DOWN at them. With assistance, I got out of my car and realized it was impaled upon the metal barrier post located in the middle , front of the parking space. The local sheriff dept responded and after putting me through all the DUI tests/exercises realized that I , indeed , was sober and not responsible for the incident. The deputy called Clem's Garage/Towing who arrived 30-45 min latter with a standard tow truck - I tried to explain that tugging at my car from the rear would not release it from the pole ( the rear of the car pointed toward the pavement while the front pointed toward the sky) and that continuing to tug would only do more damage (I wanted to prevent my car further damage). He eventually called another company who arrived with a large crane-like vehicle that lifted my car off the pole. The top portion of the pole was missing and apparently stuck in my car . My car was then towed to Clem's holding yard.

AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 12/12/2024

I was involved in a fatal head-on collision with a pedestrian while driving my Kia EV6. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist : The FCA system appears to have completely failed. It did not detect the pedestrian, did not provide any audible or visual warnings, and did not initiate automatic emergency braking prior to the collision. Airbag System: The system failed to deploy despite a severe head-on collision. Regarding availability for inspection: The car was impounded by the SDPD and was inspected by both the police and State Farm before being sold to SF after being rendered a total loss. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My Safety: The failure of the airbags to deploy put me at significant risk of serious injury or death in the severe head-on collision. The Safety of Others: While the primary consequence of the FCA failure was the tragic impact with the pedestrian, the malfunction of a safety system designed to prevent or mitigate collisions inherently puts all potential road users at risk. Had the FCA functioned correctly, the collision might have been avoided entirely or the impact speed significantly reduced, potentially altering the outcome for the pedestrian. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No not to my knowledge. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? As mentioned above, the car was impounded by the SDPD and was fully inspected by both the police and State Farm. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? None.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 02/22/2025

On [XXX], I pulled into a parking space, and the car suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb, and hit the building. This is the second time this happened. It happened when I was parking in May 2022; the car suddenly accelerated and struck a fence. In all my time driving this car, I have never had an issue breaking or parking. There was an immediate surge in both cases, and I am confident that my foot was on the break. In both cases, I did not get any collision warning from the car or emergency braking. I know from experience driving this car that when the vehicle /system determined I was too close to something of danger, I would get a collision warning and an immediate breaking by the vehicle. I reported the issue to the KIA dealership for the first time and wrote a report; they said they had not heard of the problem but would note it. If there had been a person walking when this happened, I am sure serious, if not fatal injuries would be occur. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

STRUCTURE — Filed 12/01/2024

Liftgate/Back Hatch consistently immediately automatically closes after opening, and has hit both drivers on the head before able to move out of the way. More detail: to open the back, one pushes a button, the rear hatch beeps, and then it automatically opens. During this, the user often leans inside once the opening is open enough. HOWEVER, recently when the door reaches its apex, it beeps again and immediately automatically starts closing, oftentimes hitting people on the head (thus, a safety issue, and it HURTS). Sometimes one has to re-open the door 3 or more times before it will stay open. Have contacted dealer, and the dealer literally said "the manual says sometimes it won't work when it's cold out." So it's a safety issue (since it has hurt two drivers) but Kia refuses to do anything about it.

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE — Filed 10/28/2024

On [XXX] I was driving in the City of Tampa. Stopped the vehicle to make a left turn, waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. Without any warning the vehicle sped off at a high speed at crashed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 11/16/2024

While braking in parking lot with low speed and turning the steering wheel, all of sudden the vehicle reving up by itself and then accelerate forward uncontrollably.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 01/20/2023

Car has a unresolved ICCU failure, which means the battery cannot be charged. Car is stuck in dealer for 6 months with the same issue. Meanwhile, I pay car payments.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 02/06/2023

The contact owns a 2022 Kia EV6. The contact stated while stopped for a traffic signal, and with her foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle lunged forward while the traffic signal was still "red." The contact stated she did not notice any warning lights or chimes. The contact stated she crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front. The contact stated that her front grill, lights, and bumper were all damaged. The contact stated that the radiator was damaged and coolant had pooled under her vehicle. The contact stated that the rear end lift gate and rear bumper of the other vehicle had sustained heavy denting and crush damage. None of the drivers were injured, only the contact's vehicle was towed due to the damaged radiator. The contact stated that she went to a chiropractor's office a day after the accident for neck pain, headache, and upper back pain. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where it was still being diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000. The contact stated that the manufacturer was unable to provide them with recordings from the EDR and that the drive records from that day has zero drives on it. The company claims that the telematics show that it was a driver error but have not provided proof of that.

LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 10/14/2022

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH THE LANE KEEP ASSIST AND ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED.THE SYSTEM WORKED FINE FOR A WHILE BUT WHEN I TOOK MY EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR A QUICK MINUTE TO GRAB SOMETHING FROM THE BACK SEAT, THE SYSTEM EITHER DISENGAGED WITHOUT A WARANING OR DECIDED TO STEER TO THE LEFT OUTOF THE LANE, BECAUSE IN THAT SHORT TIME, IT MOVED TWO LANES TO THE LEFT AND HIT THE ROAD BARRIER DEPLOYING THE AIRBAGS AND CAUSING INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THERE WERE NO WARNINGSS BEFORE OR DURING THE INCIDENT TO INDICATE ANY KIND OF ISSUE. I BELIEVE THE HDA SOFTWARE ON THE EV6 IS QUITE BUGGY AS A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS PRIOR WHEN THE CAR RANDOMLY DECIDED TO TAKE AN EVASIVE ACTION TO THE RIGHT WHEN THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. IN THAT INSTANCE I WAS HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY EYES ON THE ROAD SO I WAS ABLE TO APPLY IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT A MISHAP

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 04/26/2022

The contact owns a 2022 Kia EV6. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on a hill, it rolled and crashed into a handicapped sign. The forward collision sensor became inoperable. While at the charging station utilizing the radio, the battery and collision warning indicator lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where they were unable to identify the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. While driving, an unknown vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle and a quarter panel. There was no reported injuries, fire, or police report. The vehicle was taken to another dealer (Kia of Irvine 45 Oldfield, Irvine, CA 92618,) where the vehicle failed to start and it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 05/17/2022

This vehicle is equipped with Semi Autonomous Driving. While using Semi Autonomous Driving with Navigation and all other Safety Items active, the vehicle swerved out of its lane and side swiped a Semi before driver could react and move vehicle back into lane. Multiple items failed. Semi Autonomous Driving - Lane Assist - Lane Keep - Emergency Breaking - Blind Spot Warning. No warning lights / sounds activated. (We have a video of this happening a 2nd time but we avoided the accident). Damages to car is roughly $14k and luckily it was not worse as loss of life could have happened. KIA has been notified and the claim is 14832390. Current status is they want the dealership to review the vehicle once the Body Work has been fixed. KIA wants to see if they can recreate the incident. Vehicle is still being fixed and expected to be available to me on 8/26/2022. Afterwards, I will provide the vehicle to the Dealership. (Hoping they will not perform updates to fix the problem and inform me they could not reproduce the issue) FYI - I am not able to download the video to this complaint. Your system will not allow my video format. Also, for final damages, the price is higher than attached documents as Collision Center has added to the claim.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 07/23/2022

In Sport mode: - Dial shift was turned from Drive to Reverse, but did not engage or was delayed. - Vehicle went forward instead of reverse, after dial was turned to Reverse. - Issue has not been reproduced or confirmed by service center. - It has not been inspected yet. - No warnings or messages that we can recall prior to incident.