2023 Kia EV6 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2023 Kia EV6, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical10052.4%
- Fuel system2915.2%
- Powertrain (other)2513.1%
- Engine136.8%
- Driver assistance84.2%
- Brakes63.1%
- Tires & wheels31.6%
- Visibility21.0%
- Other / unspecified21.0%
- Exterior lighting10.5%
- Body & structure10.5%
- Steering10.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving a rented 2023 Kia EV6 on the freeway, the vehicle lost power and shut down completely, without warning, on multiple separate occasions during a single trip. This occurred at highway speed in live traffic, creating a serious risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was a rental (Dollar Rent A Car); no external damage or collision was involved. The vehicle has since been towed.
ICCU failed and replaced under warranty
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
First ICCU the power completely went out on 2/23/26. Power went out again April, 2026. Currently car is immobile and unreliable and not safe for driving due to power failures. Towed car to Kia Cerritos. Car supposedly "fixed" (with other issues I've reported to KIA of America & CA BAR/DMV) Currently 12V battery is not holding charge as of 4/27/26, 4/28/26, and 5/2/26. I received a letter from KIA stating ICCU and inability to charge, Keep this Letter in your Glove Box for a free diagnosis and possible no cost servicing. As an older American this is inherently unsafe, as I travel for work and cannot be stuck on the road. The vehicle suddenly loses power in traffic. It simply stops running. This is my 5th attempt to file this very complaint between April and 6/14/26.
ICCU failure, a well known issue with these cars.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving a rented 2023 Kia EV6 on the freeway, the vehicle lost power and shut down completely, without warning, on multiple separate occasions during a single trip. This occurred at highway speed in live traffic, creating a serious risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was a rental (Dollar Rent A Car); no external damage or collision was involved. The vehicle has since been towed.
First ICCU the power completely went out on 2/23/26. Power went out again April, 2026. Currently car is immobile and unreliable and not safe for driving due to power failures. Towed car to Kia Cerritos. Car supposedly "fixed" (with other issues I've reported to KIA of America & CA BAR/DMV) Currently 12V battery is not holding charge as of 4/27/26, 4/28/26, and 5/2/26. I received a letter from KIA stating ICCU and inability to charge, Keep this Letter in your Glove Box for a free diagnosis and possible no cost servicing. As an older American this is inherently unsafe, as I travel for work and cannot be stuck on the road. The vehicle suddenly loses power in traffic. It simply stops running. This is my 5th attempt to file this very complaint between April and 6/14/26.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Iccu failure with Kia ev6. Unreal that this car has not had a recall yet. It is totally unacceptable that this car can at any time fail. Car will not start and shut down while I was driving. Luckily I was beginning to park when it happened
*ICCU assembly and ICCU fuse fault (a kia recall SC327( NHTSA ID: 24V867000) for ICCU was performed months early but does't help AND iccu crash) *yes - cars stop workind in the midle of nower at 317 mile away from home with 5 persons in) *yes ( kia already performed recall SC327 for our car but doest help and the ICCU crash) *yes *yes-vehicle broke down while driving.Had to be towed to closest Kia dealer(the incidend hapened 317 miles away from our home Dacula GA 30019)
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving 40mph and received a yellow error message along the lines of "electrical system issue, please check" and my speed was limited to 25mph. After trying to get the car to a safe location (as I was on a narrow two-lane road), the error changed to a blinking red error and my speed was further limited to 12mph. I was unable to get the car one mile to the dealer for service, so I stopped the car in a parking lot and had it towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the problem and replaced the ICCU (2nd time on this car) and the 12 volt battery.
On January 27th I was driving home on I-495 in the far left lane going about 70MPH when the electrical warning light came on. Telling me to stop the car and take to the dealership. While I was trying to get over into my far right lane, the car went from 70mph to 25 mph in about 40 seconds! Cars were flying all around me! It was terrifying and incredibly dangerous! The dealership discovered my ICCU had failed. This vehicle has a fatal flaw that is going to get someone killed.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving on a residential street at fairly slow speeds, like 25 mph. There was a stop sign so I engaged the brakes and the car did not smoothly slow down but instead it felt like the back tires locked up and a skid started and I actually went into the intersection before coming to a stop. There was no ice, no sand, just the road surface and the skid in the rear of the vehicle.
My 2023 Kia EV6 experienced a sudden ICCU and 12-volt system failure while traveling approximately 50 mph. Without warning, the vehicle instantly lost propulsion and all electrical power. This included loss of steering assist, braking assist, hazard lights, shift capability (unable to shift into Park), and even the ability to lock the doors. The failure effectively “bricked” the vehicle in motion. I was only able to get the vehicle off the roadway because the road happened to slope downward into a nearby lot. Steering required significant physical effort, the brake pedal went completely hard (“dead”), and the vehicle offered no functional parking brake or Park engagement once stopped. Because I was on a hill, we had to allow the car to roll to the bottom until it met a curb to prevent movement. After power loss, the doors could not be locked at all. This type of unrecoverable electrical failure creates an extreme safety hazard for the driver, passengers, and surrounding traffic. There is no pre-warning and no diagnostic indicator. The ICCU fuse appears to fail spontaneously and renders the vehicle uncontrollable in several critical respects. This is not an isolated issue. ICCU failures have been occurring across the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5/6 platforms for more than three years, including on brand-new 2025 models. The persistence of this defect across multiple model years indicates that the underlying design or component defect has not been resolved by the manufacturer. Given the suddenness of the failure, the total loss of vehicle control systems, and the long history of similar incidents reported by other owners, I am now hesitant to drive the vehicle due to the unpredictable and dangerous nature of the defect.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving my Kia EV6 2023 on I-110 in California when the driver rear tire suffered an instantaneous deflation. I was driving at or slightly below the 65mph speed limit, there was traffic in front and to the rear of me, the road surface was excellent. The tires had 11556 miles of use and were operating at the correct pressures as the vehicle has a tire monitoring system. The ambient air temperature was circa 76F. I was able to exit the freeway with some difficulty. The tire was a Continental Cross Contact 255-45 R20. I have been driving for nearly 60 years, had a wide range of cars and tires and never experienced an incident like that described which has all the indications of a product defect.
Car vibrated to degree it was hard to control. Initial tire balancing did not fix the issue. The tire was removed from the rim and a separated balled-up foam tire liner was found and removed. My concern is if this happens again in one of the other tires and causes an accident.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Heating system fails to generate sufficient heat to defrost windshield or prevent ice buildup in the winter, also impacts the temperature of the cabin. No error codes are generated but it appears the PTC heater is not functioning as expected.
A small amount of snow / ice is sufficient to prevent the windshield wipers from returning all the way to the original starting position low on the windshield. For some reason this prevents them from functioning entirely - they just get stuck in a loop trying to go all the way down. I am able to lift them up manually but they won't do so under wiper motor power / while driving. I have a video that clearly shows the failure mechanics that this system won't allow me to upload.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I want to disclose this is the 2nd time this has happened. I was on the highway when the system failed. Immediately and drastically forced my car down to 25mph on [XXX] going to Philadelphia in the far left lane with no warning. I had to make it across 3 rows of traffic and ride on the shoulder of the highway until I could find a safe place. One ruining the sport tires on the car and probably messing up suspension since these cars are very sensitive and the highway does have those perforated shoulders. While cars zip past me I am having to figure out how to pull over with no force. None of the functions were working. It was traumatizing. Especially to do it again after 6 months ago the same thing happened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The EV-6 GT auto experienced a loud clunking grinding noise while steering 180 degrees when turning right and then left. The car skidded on the pavement this happened over a period of 3 months when the temperature was below freezing. After 2 service appointments Bridgewater NJ KIA dealership failed to diagnose the problem . On the 3rd visit they confirmed that the noise emanated from the summer performance tires that caused the tires to skid and caused the noise. Their solution was that storm tires would need to be replace the existing “summer tires”The existing tires are Good Year 255/40R 21. Not only that Good Year does not make snow tires of this size but when I first leased the car I was not told that the car would need snow tires to prevent skidding from snow or icy road conditions. There failure to notify car owners in the northeast of this hazard puts drivers at risk and potential for accidents in cold weather temperatures. Since I have not driven the leased car in below freezing temperatures and risk safety and hazards from driving on these summer tires I believe KIA should be held responsible for failure to notify drivers of this condition. I plan to terminate early the 3 year lease and also withhold payment until KIA acknowledges that they failed to identify this safety hazards and then did not offer to replace these tires to prevent future accidents. These “summer tires” were also Not clearly defined as racing tires with inability to provide adequate tread on icy and snowy road conditions. I am submitting this claim to prevent potential car accidents in driving the car in the northeast were weather conditions are periodic snow and icy conditions.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The brake lights illuminate too early and often under [even very] gentle deceleration. My '23 EV6 GT is driven primarily in Level 1 (minimal) regenerative braking mode and the threshold for brake light activation clearly is far too low. The appearance of "riding the brakes" is dangerous because those who follow are not alerted when the driver transitions from [essentially] coasting to actually hitting the brakes. Also, at least in my mid-Atlantic suburban area, even the appearance of "brake checking" other drivers incites road rage, which I experience most days, especially when using cruise control, unless driving with regenerative braking disabled (Level 0). SC273 was necessary and prudent because the brake lights failed to illuminate under significant deceleration, confusing those who follow. SA541 was necessary and prudent because the brake lights illuminated inconsistently on uneven road surfaces, confusing those who follow. Another VCU software logic upgrade is necessary and prudent because the brake lights fail to distinguish between [essentially] coasting vs. significant deceleration, confusing those who follow, and potentially (demonstrably!) inciting road rage. Other owners agree: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The trunk continues to rattle after multiple trips to the dealership, it has been verified to not be the license plate or any loose components by the dealership. The noise sounds like the trunk latch striking repeatedly during regular driving. The sister model Hyundai Ioniq-5 has had numerous TSBs to fix this issue while Kia EV6 has had none published. And example of the TSB listed is [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2023 Kia EV6 experienced a sudden ICCU and 12-volt system failure while traveling approximately 50 mph. Without warning, the vehicle instantly lost propulsion and all electrical power. This included loss of steering assist, braking assist, hazard lights, shift capability (unable to shift into Park), and even the ability to lock the doors. The failure effectively “bricked” the vehicle in motion. I was only able to get the vehicle off the roadway because the road happened to slope downward into a nearby lot. Steering required significant physical effort, the brake pedal went completely hard (“dead”), and the vehicle offered no functional parking brake or Park engagement once stopped. Because I was on a hill, we had to allow the car to roll to the bottom until it met a curb to prevent movement. After power loss, the doors could not be locked at all. This type of unrecoverable electrical failure creates an extreme safety hazard for the driver, passengers, and surrounding traffic. There is no pre-warning and no diagnostic indicator. The ICCU fuse appears to fail spontaneously and renders the vehicle uncontrollable in several critical respects. This is not an isolated issue. ICCU failures have been occurring across the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5/6 platforms for more than three years, including on brand-new 2025 models. The persistence of this defect across multiple model years indicates that the underlying design or component defect has not been resolved by the manufacturer. Given the suddenness of the failure, the total loss of vehicle control systems, and the long history of similar incidents reported by other owners, I am now hesitant to drive the vehicle due to the unpredictable and dangerous nature of the defect.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .