What 204 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 Kia Ev9 Bev

When driving between 20-40 mph and hitting a rough patch of road, pothole, expansion joint, or uneven pavement, the vehicle sometimes heavily sways left to right. It takes one to two seconds to stabilize after the swaying. My wife and I both experience it at different times - we say it "feels like a wheel is falling off" because it's so disorienting and concerning. It often happens unexpectedly with road surface that doesn't actually appear to be all that bad. The rear end feels particularly unstable, like the suspension can't control the vehicle's weight when it's swaying. It's not a small vibration - it's a pronounced side-to-side oscillation. Sometimes I need to make steering corrections just to keep the vehicle centered in the lane. This unpredictable swaying makes us nervous about driving in adverse weather conditions. We can't trust how the vehicle will react when hitting unavoidable bumps and road imperfections. We have noticed it over 50mph at times but it is much more rare at this speed -- though when it happens at this speed it is obviously much more concerning. At higher speeds the swaying does not seem as pronounced / dangerous as at lower speeds, thankfully. After researching online, I discovered many other EV9 owners reporting identical suspension problems. Multiple complaints describe the same lateral swaying, porpoising, and bump-steer behavior that we are experiencing. This appears to be particularly common among GT-Line models. The consistency of these reports suggests this is a systemic defect affecting multiple vehicles, not an isolated incident with our particular vehicle. We have 11k miles on the vehicle now and this has been consistently happening since 200-300 miles brand new. We've mentioned to a dealer but it is very difficult to reproduce as it seems to happen randomly, even over the same stretch of rough road.

NHTSA ODI 11693716

Vehicle loses accelerator control unless under 30mph. Dealer says they cannot replicate and corporate have decided the vehicle works as designed. I have a video of vehicle losing power and it doesn't help. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11690450

We were rear ended on the freeway by a vehicle going 75 mph. The impact pushed us into the vehicle in front of us.The airbags were deployed but the front and rear passenger seat belts did not lock. My husband flew forward onto the dashboard and cracked the windshield. My daughter who was behind him flew forward into the back of the passenger seat. They both suffered injuries as a result. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by our insurance company..We have some pictures and video. As of now the vehicle is in the ownership of the insurance company on their storage lot.

NHTSA ODI 11689557

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 ODI 11688930

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 ODI 11685863

1. When I go over bumps, the car behaves as if it's about to lose control. It porpoises and at one point it feels like you're about to lose control of the vehicle. 2. We have taken the vehicle to the dealer 3+ times now for the same issue. They claim that it's a glitch in the suspension but there is no know fix. At 55+MPH the vehicle starts vibrating and is completely different than issue number 1 above. They've tried balancing the tires but it has not been Successful. We're hoping to claim the car and Lemon through WI.

NHTSA ODI 11684238

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 ODI 11683737

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 ODI 11682293

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

NHTSA ODI 11677670

The contact owns a 2024 Kia EV9. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side seat detached from the frame. Due to the failure, the contact was unable to reach the brake pedal, and almost lost control of the vehicle. In addition, the contact’s mother and minor children were also occupants of the vehicle at the time of the failure. The contact was now concerned about the safety of the vehicle and was afraid to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that all the seats inside the vehicle had detached from the frame due to fractured bolts. The contact was informed that the bolts needed to be torqued. The vehicle was repaired. The failure first occurred immediately after the vehicle was purchased. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 6.

NHTSA ODI 11676249

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 ODI 11676269

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 ODI 11676306

When traveling at highway speeds the rear suspension is not capable of handling road imperfections. When a pot hole or other disturbance occurs, the rear end of the vehicle violently porpoises and swing back and forth. This is made even more obvious when taking a long sweeping curves at 55 plus. It causes the entire chassis to become very upset. I have never had a car do this.

NHTSA ODI 11671190

The contact owned a 2024 Kia EV9. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed rear inverter. The contact was informed that the rear inverter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed rear inverter again. The contact was informed that the rear inverter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. In addition, the contact noticed smoke exiting from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The local fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. The contact was unofficially informed that the fire seemed to have started from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the replacement of the rear inverted was performed three times prior to the fire. The last replacement of the rear inverter was performed just a few days prior to the fire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. In addition, the contact stated that prior to the vehicle fire, the contact was in negotiations regarding the vehicle's back. The failure mileage was approximately 10,600.

NHTSA ODI 11670218

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 ODI 11669841

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 ODI 11667417

when driving this car at highway speeds, if you hit any sort of obstacle, you are going to experience an extreme amount of sloshing in the back of your car. This same experience occurs when you are going down a hill, around a bend, and hit a pothole or any sort of irregularities in the road surface. When this sloshing occurs, it feels as though the back end of the car is going to whip around, causing you go to into an uncontrolled spin. To put this into perspective, I had to replace my rear tires after 10,000 miles because of how much wear this sloshing introduced to the tires - my front tiers were still at 7/32nds for reference. And we don't drive this think like a bat out of hell... At 10k miles, the alignment was also way out of whack (which the dealer admitted shouldn't have happened with so few miles on it), because of the extreme movements of the car from side to side. This phenomenon is well documented among the KIA owners forums and my dealer refuses to believe it's an issue.

NHTSA ODI 11667057

Vehicle experiences steering vibration when at highway speeds (above 65mph). I have brought the vehicle in for service four times and the issue still returned after multiple alignments, rotations, and road force balances. The local service techs are working with Kia, but it has currently been in the shop for 24 days with no resolution. According to the service advisor, tires have been inspected and even swapped with new ones but the problem is still present. I am concerned with the safety of the vehicle because it creates issues with control at high speeds which could result in an accident. Even at low speeds, the rear end fishtails over small bumps creating a temporary loss of control. I am unsure if the two are related. I can provide Kia service order numbers and Kia customer care case number upon request. Multiple other owners have experienced the same concerns and have posted a growing number of instances where the vehicle was purchased back by Kia as a result.

NHTSA ODI 11665467

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 ODI 11662809

Vehicle suddenly slowed, with the same force at regenerative braking, to 30mph. Vehicle would not go any faster, changing drive modes, pedal to the floor, anything I tried did not work. Was in the middle of a 55mph road and was suddenly moving much slower than traffic with nowhere to pull off the road No warnings, no lights, nothing to indicate that I saw to show there was an issue. Dealership could not replicate and found no error codes.

NHTSA ODI 11662440

At least one cell of the ev battery is defective and the battery will not charge. The dealer determined that it is unsafe to drive. We are pending repairs and under warranty for over 40 days now and Kia can provide de no estimate for when the car will be repaired.

NHTSA ODI 11660845

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 ODI 11660694

What happened? While driving at highway speeds (approximately 60-75 mph), the vehicle exhibits a pronounced up-and-down motion at the rear, commonly referred to as “porpoising.” This motion is especially noticeable when traversing uneven road surfaces or expansion joints. This issue compromises vehicle stability and passenger comfort, posing a potential safety risk during high-speed travel. The problem has been consistently reproducible under similar driving conditions. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer or independent service center for this specific issue. No warning lights or error messages have appeared on the dashboard in relation to this problem. Component suspected: Rear suspension system (exact cause UNKNOWN). I am willing to have the vehicle inspected upon request.

NHTSA ODI 11660473

Steering and hand rest console vibrates above 70 mph, no resolution kia with 6 times visits to dealership

NHTSA ODI 11657667

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 ODI 11653675