Kia EV6 problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 4 model years (2022–2025), NHTSA has logged 544 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls for the Kia EV6. That averages 37.8 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 0.94 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Electric vehicles segment it ranks #6 of 10 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 50.8.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2024 models run 72% below the 2022 models (23 early complaints per model year versus 87).
The 2022 model year has the highest rate (58.1 complaints per year) and the 2024 model year the lowest (27.2). The 2022 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 37.8 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (56.4% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (15.3%) and Engine (7.4%). Electrical complaints are 3.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 22 complaints (4.0%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 9 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 287 complaints versus 89 in the previous 12 months — up 222%. The 2022 model year generated the most recent reports (112). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 26 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 5 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2024 (3), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 2 NHTSA investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Loss of Motive Power” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2023-07-03, closed 2024-04-17).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Chevrolet Bolt EV, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X and Ford Mustang Mach-E, but fewer than Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 ▲50%+ | 278 | 58.1 | 1.44 | 112 | 4 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2023 | 137 | 36.2 | 0.9 | 67 | 4 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 Fewest complaints | 76 | 27.2 | 0.67 | 58 | 3 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 53 | 29.6 | 0.73 | 50 | 0 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 287 · Previous 12 months: 89 Rising
Problem areas
Electrical ›
307 · 56.4% · 3.59 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Transmission / powertrain ›
83 · 15.3% · 1.31 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Engine ›
40 · 7.4% · 0.33 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Unspecified or other
31 · 5.7% · 0.63 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Fuel system
20 · 3.7% · 0.85 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes
19 · 3.5% · 0.58 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Body & structure
13 · 2.4% · 0.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
8 · 1.5% · 0.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
7 · 1.3% · 0.51 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
6 · 1.1% · 0.71 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
6 · 1.1% · 0.29 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
3 · 0.6% · 0.3 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
1 · 0.2% · 0.03 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 26 months
What owners report
I was driving my car on the highway, then I got the message çheck your electrical system'for around a minute. Then there was a rumble or bang as if I hit something with the back, but the road was clean.
The contact owned a 2024 Kia EV6 and stated that while driving at 40 MPH, an elk suddenly appeared in front of the vehicle, resulting in a head-on collision that completely crushed the front end of the vehicle with no air bags deployed.
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.
Dear Kia Customer Care, I am writing to formally report a serious and recurring safety issue with my Kia vehicle. I have repeatedly experienced a "Power Limited" error while driving, often accompanied by a turtle icon and a "Check Electric Vehicle System"…
The ICCU on the car died in the middle of the street, car would not shift out of park. Car completely died after a few minutes.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Electric vehicles
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Bolt EV | 544 | 14.8 | 0.37 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 13 | Electrical |
| 2 | Tesla Model S | 723 | 16.1 | 0.4 | Worsening | Falling | 31 | Unspecified or other |
| 3 | Tesla Model X | 752 | 17.1 | 0.42 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 33 | Unspecified or other |
| 4 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | 678 | 24.8 | 0.61 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 0 | Electrical |
| 5 | Ford F-150 Lightning | 551 | 33.4 | 0.83 | Improving | Falling | 2 | Electrical |
| 6 | Kia EV6 | 544 | 37.8 | 0.94 | Improving | Rising | 5 | Electrical |
| 7 | Volkswagen ID.4 | 1,011 | 48.3 | 1.2 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Electrical |
| 8 | Tesla Model 3 | 4,327 | 91.6 | 2.27 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 36 | Driver-assist systems |
| 9 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 1,359 | 93.8 | 2.32 | Improving | Rising | 15 | Electrical |
| 10 | Tesla Model Y | 3,850 | 112.3 | 2.78 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 43 | Driver-assist systems |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 5
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Investigations
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
On July 3, 2023, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened PE23012 to investigate allegations of loss of motor power on model year (MY) 2022 Kia EV6 vehicles. Some consumers reported loss of motor power immediately after warning lamp illumination or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. This investigation found that the Integrated Charing Unit (ICCU) may become damaged o…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…