2025 Kia EV9

On April 29, 2025, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE25004) to investigate inoperative windshield wipers in model year (MY) 2024-2025 Kia EV9 vehicles. The complaints report windshield wipers that malfunction while driving, when snow and/or ice accumulates on or at the bottom of the windshield or in the cowl. ODI further received videos and photographs that depict relatively small amounts of snow and/or ice accumulation that leads to the wipers’ malfunction. Inoperative windshield wipers could reduce driver visibility during inclement weather and increase the risk of a crash. ODI identified 7 Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQs) related to this investigation. Five VOQs describe inoperative windshield wipers due to snow and/or ice accumulation. Two other VOQs describe other malfunctioning windshield wipers including snow build-up on the blades and an odor of overheating. The wipers are equipped with thermal overload protection designed to limit overheating of the wiper motor. Further, consumers describe windshield wipers that temporarily stop working when they are not able to clear the windshield. This may happen when the wipers stop before the parked position in the cowl at the bottom of the windshield. In January 2026, Kia informed ODI that it will conduct a Product Improvement Campaign with owner notification for approximately 47,000 MY 2024-2026EV9 vehicles.The campaign includes a hardware change to the passenger-side wiper arm and an Owner’s Manual revision. The replacement wiper arm will be a different shape and angle that increase the space/clearance between the cowl and the wiper. The Owner’s Manual revision will emphasize the importance of snow removal prior to driving, and it will recommend that drivers place the wipers in service mode when the vehicle is parked outdoors, and snow is forecasted. In addition, Kia is planning to develop pop-up cluster warnings that will be temperature-dependent, and they will remind owners to clear snow/ice pre-drive and to place the wipers in service mode post-drive. In view of Kia’s field action, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. ODI will take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

My 205 EV9 Wind with 24500 Miles left me stranded, the standard battery simbol that in ICE cards refers to the alternator, came on, I tried to get to the dealer about 20 miles in the way home, less that 3 miles after that the car lost power with just enough to move to the shoulder, I stopped, power the car off and tried turning it back on, no success, but this time I had enough power to park in a safer position. I took the vehicle on a tow truck that was called by the Kia Assistance.

NHTSA ID

11768404

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

Three of four original-equipment Kumho Crugen HP71 EV tires, size 255/60R19, on my 2025 Kia EV9 (VIN [XXX], 12,786 miles at failure) are out of round - a manufacturing defect present since the tires left the factory. On [XXX], Lee Johnson Kia in Kirkland, WA measured the rear-passenger tire at 37 lbs of road force against a 7-lb spec - more than five times the allowable limit. After dismount and remount it still measured 23 lbs. The technician documented the tire as out of round and requiring replacement (front tread 5/32 in, rear 7/32 in at 12,786 miles). Discount Tire in Redmond, WA separately confirmed 3 of 4 tires are out of round. For months the vehicle shook violently at highway speeds with my family in the vehicle. A tire at 5x the road-force spec degrades handling, damages suspension, and risks sudden tread separation or blowout at highway speed. I filed a warranty claim with Kumho Tire USA on 2026-09-26 with the dealer's written diagnosis attached. Kumho offered only a prorated $467.05 credit and refused full replacement, applying a treadwear formula to a materials/workmanship defect - a tire does not become out of round from normal driving. Kumho confirmed the decision in writing on 2026-09-30 and again 2026-10-01, and declined to advise whether continued operation is safe. The defective tires remain on the vehicle until scheduled replacement 2026-10-03. The DOT tire identification numbers are stamped on the sidewalls; I can provide them on request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11768293

Incident

Sep 25, 2026

The infotainment screen, including backup camera views, randomly glitches and then goes completely dark with no ability to view anything on the screen. The screen has been reset and software reloaded, but the glitch continues. Next, the screen was replaced but the glitch continues. This has been occurring since the beginning of June 2026.

NHTSA ID

11754793

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a serious incident involving my 2025 Kia EV9. The vehicle was serviced on March 1 at World Kia in Joliet, Illinois. On April 4, only four days after that service, the vehicle experienced a sudden and unexpected ICCU failure while I was driving. During my normal travel, in active traffic and at speed, the vehicle abruptly entered limp mode and displayed multiple system warnings. This caused an immediate and significant reduction in power, creating a hazardous situation for myself and surrounding drivers. I was forced to maneuver the vehicle out of traffic while it was rapidly losing propulsion capability. The vehicle is currently at Berwyn Kia in Berwyn, Illinois for diagnosis and repair. I am reporting this incident due to the clear safety implications of a sudden loss of power during highway driving operation. A failure of this nature poses a risk of collision, especially in high‑speed or congested traffic conditions. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue as part of its ongoing monitoring of Kia/Hyundai/Genesis Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failures and related safety concerns. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NHTSA ID

11729945

Incident

Apr 5, 2026

Seats allow drivers to save seating positions for different drivers. Seats automatically return to the last used saved position when the vehicle is turned on. This seat movement cannot be stopped or overridden without finding and activating the seat position controls on the left side of the seat base. If the driver does not find these controls in time, they can become crushed against the steering wheel or other surfaces. Seats do not respond to resistance and motors continue increasing torque until the controls are activated or the final saved position is reached. Problem is easily reproduced and may be related to recent fatality in Hyundai Palisade which likely shares components from Hyundai Motor Group.

NHTSA ID

11725127

Incident

Mar 16, 2026

These Hankook iON Evo tires started vibrating wildly at the first service that I took the car to for a rotation. We took it back to the dealership (Ourisman Kia in Fairfax VA) three times where they kept the car for several days to diagnose. After opening the tires up, they state that the inner sound insulating foam on all four tires has separated. The tires were at 7/32 and now 5/32 and the car only has 18,200 miles on it. The tires have a 50k treadwear warranty, but this isn't covered as part of the warranty. The inner foam separation on a Kia EV9 is a known issue and widely discussed on the internet. For an $80k vehicle with OEM tires that cost over $1500 to replace, it's ridiculous that they aren't covered by the dealership or by Hankook.

NHTSA ID

11724871

Incident

Feb 2, 2026

This car is unusual because the wipers are located in a crevice far below the top of the hood where it meets the windshield. The first time we had an issue, it had snowed and snow collected in the crevice area. The wipers were turned on, but the drivers side one didn't move in sync with the passenger side one. They eventually "tangled" and we stopped them. The car was taken for service and supposedly repaired by replacing one of the wiper arms that had bent. It has snowed again. Before the snow fell, the crevice was mostly covered with a shield to keep snow from falling into it. The wipers were put into the "snow position" but when used again today, the wipers have again failed to operate in sync. The drivers side wiper doesn't move fully and the passenger side wiper does. Car wipers should work when it snows, but especially when precautions have been taken. This is extremely unexpected and atypical.

NHTSA ID

11720527

Incident

Feb 25, 2026

Component: Electrical System / Instrument Panel Speed at time of failure: [Insert typical speed, e.g., 65 mph] Description of Incident: My vehicle is suffering from an intermittent but total loss of the instrument cluster functionality while in motion. The display goes dark and is replaced by a "No Signal" message. This results in the immediate loss of all critical safety information, including speed, battery range, and warning telltales. This is a direct violation of FMVSS No. 101 (Controls and Displays). Specific Recalls/Campaigns Not Addressed: I brought my vehicle to Fiesta KIA (Dealer Code 53232) to address the following open safety campaigns which they failed to remediate: NHTSA Recall #24V-757 (KIA SC326): "Instrument Cluster Screen May Fail." This is exactly the failure I am experiencing. NHTSA Recall #24V-443 (KIA SC302): ICCU Software Logic failure, which poses an immediate risk of loss of motive power while driving. Service Action SA563: Specific logic improvement for HUD and Cluster stability. Dealer Conduct (Safety Related): Despite the vehicle presenting with a "No Signal" instrument panel—a catastrophic safety failure—the Service Manager (Anthony) refused to provide the previously promised loaner vehicle. He suggested that because the vehicle was not purchased at his specific dealership, his obligation to facilitate this critical safety repair was diminished. This resulted in the vehicle remaining on the road with unresolved, safety-critical defects.

NHTSA ID

11713139

Incident

Jan 7, 2026

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: 3RD ROW SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT (PI2604) - This bulletin provides information to replace both third-row seat belt retractor assemblies with enhanced components on certain 2024-2026MY EV9 (MV, MVa) vehicles, as listed in the table below. To improve usability of the third-row seat belts in the subject vehicles, Kia has developed seat belt retractor assemblies with enhanced components. The enhanced seat belt retractor assemblies feature modified seat belt webbing stiffness and retraction speed to reduce twisting at the D-ring under certain usage conditions.

RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR V2X ENHANCEMENT - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Vehicle Charging Management System (VCMS), Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), and Communication Control Unit (CCU) logic of certain 2025 -2026 EV9 and EV6 vehicles. This update is designed to enable your vehicle to be Vehicle to Everything (V2X) ready. V2X provides the ability to use your EV as an energy storage system for properly equipped homes. A compatible bi-directional charger (sold separately) is required. V2X can only be used after activating the feature in the Kia Connect store. When discharging your vehicle’s battery using the V2X feature, you must use the V2X charger specified on the Kia Owner’s website. Using any other equipment for V2X discharge may significantly affect your vehicle’s durability and may result in a repair not being covered by the warranty.

RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR BODY DOMAIN CONTROLLER (PI2601B) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Body Domain Controller (BDC) logic of certain 2024 - 2026 EV9 vehicles. Enhanced warning messages in the instrument cluster display upon detection of an obstruction in the windshield wiper area such as snow or ice, and new reminders to clear snow/ice when winter weather conditions are possible. Before operating your vehicle in low temperature conditions, clear snow from the vehicle's roof/windshield wiper area and defrost the windshield. If winter conditions are forecasted and the vehicle is parked outside, place the wipers in Service Mode for easier access to the windshield cowl area when clearing snow or ice before next use. ※ This enhancement requires completion of three software updates; this BDC OTA update, the Cluster (CLU) OTA update and the ccNC OTA update.

This Pitstop provides information related to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging on 2024 - 2026MY EV9 (MV1, MV1a) vehicles. In some cases, high-voltage charging performance may be limited or inoperative and accompanied by an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with DTC P343A98 stored. This condition may occur if the Electric Water Pump #1 (Power Electronics) E65 connector and Electric Water Pump #2 (High-Voltage Battery) E66 connector being inadvertently swapped.

PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER'S MANUAL INSERT LEAFLET (PI2601B) - This document is the PI2601B Owner's Manual Insert Leaflet that contains revised information for wipers. Vehicle owners are advised to keep this leaflet with the Owner's Manual.

PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (PI2601B) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign on all 2024-2025 MY and certain 2026 MY EV9 vehicles to install enhanced windshield wiper software that provides drivers with additional reminders related to the use of the windshield wipers during winter conditions.