Kia K4 2025: Retiros, Quejas y Ley de Limón de California

KIA K4 WITH 500 MILES ON IT. EXPERIENCED POPPING NOISE FROM THE WINDSHIELD AS IF A STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHEN CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION. SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE AC IS ON AND THE SUN IS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE AT LEAST 8 SMALL CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD AS A RESULT. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN ANYWHERE THAT HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF ROCKS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS DAMAGE. IT'S HAPPENED TWICE AT THE SAME EXACT RED LIGHT AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY. I DID REPORT TO KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ASSIGNED A CASE #25559045. THE INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER SERVICE DEPT SO THEY CAN SEE THE ISSUES AND HEAR THE NOISE.

NHTSA #11689913

There is a defect with the WINDSHIELD glass. The windshield glass gives off an audible "SNAP" or "POP" noise when the inside of the windshield glass experiences a stress crack. This is not a crack that can be felt from the inside, or the outside. It is actually inside the glass and it can only be seen when the sun hits the windshield a certain way. Eventually failure of the windshield is imminent. The windshield glass internally fractures under normal driving conditions. It happens commonly, and intermittently, probably at least once per week.

NHTSA #11684281

Bought car in Nov 24. Noticed a popping sound as if a rock was hitting windshield. Nothing hit windshield. The popping sound was intermittent but went on for months. Finally in August 2025, I noticed a crack in upper side of drivers windshield. Next day crack got bigger. Called safelite to replace. Had to park car with cover over windshield since I couldn’t get an appointment right away. Had to rent a car. Windshield replaced. Popping continues, less frequently but it still pops. Took it to Burlington Kia and explained my issue. They could not replicate the popping sound.

NHTSA #11706672

As I entered onto i4 reaching the speed of 60 miles an hour my vehicle began to make a high pitched whining noise that got louder as I pressed on the gas pedal, noise dissipated when I let off the gas pedal. Vehicle began to slow down on its own , even when applying pressure to the gas pedal, I had no choice but to pull over on i4, error message displayed “RED CAUTION EMBLEM” error message “Transmission Control Unit” Kia k4 app displayed Diagnostic Alert AT PO72200

NHTSA #11729395

Engine Failure, Engine cooling and lost power

NHTSA #11719127

Sluggish acceleration, after I got an oil change a few weeks ago. No warning lights whatsoever, I’m thinking it’s the transmission , taking awhile to speed up especially on highway

NHTSA #11685834

The digital instrument panel (including infotainment screen) has occasionally turned off and back on. An article showed Kia and Hyundai were going to have a recall at the end of March for this problem, but noted only 2025 K4 vehicles built after Aug 4, 2025 were involved, while the door frame shows my vehicle built 7/2025. Please include my vehicle VIN in the planned software update for the problem to correct the instrument panel screen occasionally turning off and back on. (vehicle recently bought Jan. 2026)

NHTSA #11715310

High mounted rare brake (pulse)

NHTSA #11706751

The contact's daughter owns a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the dashboard. Additionally, the contact stated that while his daughter was driving to the dealer, the speedometer displayed 70 MPH; however, the driver was pulled over by the Police and informed the driver that the vehicle was driving 90 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the body domain controller was replaced. The contact stated that while the owner was driving, a week later, the instrument panel and the infotainment system screen turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the owner was informed that the vehicle was test-driven every other day to determine the cause of the failure. The owner was provided with vehicle rental assistance. The contact stated that the dealer contacted the owner after 6 weeks and advised that the cause of the failure could not be determined; however, the owner was able to verify through the Mobile App that the dealer had only driven the vehicle twice, and the vehicle failed to exceed 38 MPH while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted for buy-back assistance, but the request was denied. The contact stated that a local Kia sales advisor stated that a consumer who owned the same vehicle had experienced a similar failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50.

NHTSA #11703067

I was hit on the driver side of the car infront of the driver door side of the hood and it took out my wheel and the car is totaled with how hard the hit was made my car bounce but the air bags never deployed and the fireman and the police officer said with as hard as I was hit it should have deployed

Reportado presuntamente: 2 lesiones (según lo reportado a NHTSA). NHTSA #11733814

After having my information panel replaced apx. a month later the airbag for passenger seat illuminated and has not gone off.

NHTSA #11721339

The contact owns a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the vehicle downshifted upon depression of the accelerator pedal, with heavy white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light was illuminated prior to the failure. The contact pulled off the highway and drove into a store parking lot as the engine made an abnormal knocking sound. The contact requested assistance from a bystander, who advised the contact that the head gasket appeared to have blown. The contact checked and noticed that the coolant and oil levels were low. The contact added both oil and water to the vehicle and drove to the residence. The contact made a diagnosis appointment with a local dealer. Upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the contact decided to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to sludge. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had experienced various electrical failures, as the trunk, power door, and power windows buttons were inoperable. The contact also stated that the rearview camera image remained displayed while in drive(D) for an extended period. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair, and the vehicle remained in the dealer's possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA #11743732

Vehicle's forward collision warnings did not sound. Airbags did not deploy. Vehicle in front end collision at 40mph

Reportado presuntamente: 1 lesión (según lo reportado a NHTSA). NHTSA #11738950

The warnings on the car all failed and I was lead off the road while going on a roundabout. This has trigged my car to completely lose all control and even though I was attentive to my steering wheel I still didn’t stop the car from leading me to that curb and off road onto grass etc.

Reportado presuntamente: 1 lesión (según lo reportado a NHTSA). NHTSA #11739853

To whom this may concern, I was using my cruise control on my way to work. I usually set it to 80 because police are okay with that speed on I-75. I braked before my automatic brakes hit after I got cut off. I pressed resume in the cruise control and it accelerated pretty quick. I’ve experienced that quite a bit, but there’s been a few times that the car exceeded the set cruising speed while trying to resume. I forget it happens because it’s happened about 4 times since purchasing the vehicle. I noticed an officer on the shoulder leaving the shoulder as I got closer, and he got right behind me and cut his lights on, I look down and the cruise control shows 80 above the speedometer (photo attached taken while pulled over), BUT the arm was past the tick for 90. The officer clocked me at 92 apparently. This is the only time this issue has occurred, and I informed the officer that this happens. I have a court date set for July 9th now. I Googled to see if other owners have this problem. There are others who expressed experiencing this in their K4s and K5s. The AI tool explained the following • "Resume" Behavior: When you press the resume button, the car attempts to get back to 80 mph as quickly as possible. This aggressive acceleration can cause it to temporarily overshoot the target speed before settling down. • Settings Sensitivity: The acceleration strength and reaction speed can be set to "Fast" in your infotainment system, causing more aggressive throttle input.

NHTSA #11737989

When parked and cutting the car on check driver assistance system come on, check and, and esc comes on. The parking brake does not go off and malfunction. When trying to move the car sometimes it still drives and sometimes the parking brake will not allow you to move until the system resets its self. There are 6 codes that appear. Started in December 2025 have taken car to the dealership 3 times and they report back because the codes are no longer present they can not fix it.

NHTSA #11718311

The insurance claim agent called on behalf of their insured driver, who rented a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated that while their insured driver was attempting to reverse, the reverse sensor became inoperable with no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the reverse sensor failed to function properly. The contact stated that due to the failure, the rear of the vehicle crashed into a barrier. The driver did not suffer any injuries, and no medical attention was required. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy during the incident. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The rental company was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was not available.

NHTSA #11717827

I am reporting a serious safety defect involving the brake pedal area of my newly leased Kia K4 GT-Line. There is a metal bracket/component located directly above the brake pedal that interferes with foot placement. My foot becomes caught on this bracket when attempting to apply the brake, which delays or prevents proper brake application. On [XXX], while exiting the roadway and attempting to stop at a stop sign, my foot became stuck on this bracket as I applied the brake. This caused a delay in braking and nearly resulted in an accident. I was shocked and frightened, as this situation could have resulted in a life-threatening collision. I took the vehicle to the dealership, Kia Beavercreek in Dayton, Ohio, for inspection. The dealership reviewed the vehicle and stated that they were unable to fix the issue. I was told there was “nothing wrong” with the vehicle and that I simply did not know how to drive it. Despite this, the obstruction remains and continues to interfere with safe braking. Because this defect directly affects my ability to safely apply the brakes, I do not feel safe operating this vehicle. This is a critical safety issue involving brake operation that poses a risk of serious injury or death. The vehicle has extremely low mileage, and the dealership has acknowledged the concern but stated it cannot be corrected. Photos of the brake pedal area are available and clearly show the metal bracket near the brake pedal that causes the obstruction I can not put life and others life in danger driving this car. Please assist INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11711102

Location: Intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] Lakeville, MN Date/Time: [XXX], at approximately [XXX] Vehicle: 2025 Kia K4 (911 call placed at 10:08 am) On [XXX], while traveling toward the roundabout at [XXX] and [XXX], my vehicle experienced a sudden and violent unintended acceleration. Despite having my foot completely off the gas pedal, the engine began to accelerate the vehicle rapidly on its own. I immediately attempted to regain control by pumping the brake pedal repeatedly with significant force. These efforts had no effect; the vehicle continued to accelerate faster and faster. As the speed increased, the vehicle began to swerve, and I realized I was losing control while rapidly closing the distance between myself, the roundabout, and the vehicles ahead of me. Fortunately, the right lane was clear. Because the vehicle was already veering in that direction and the brakes were failing to slow the car, I made a split-second decision to steer into a large snowbank to avoid a high-speed rear-end collision. The force of the impact with the snowbank was substantial, resulting in the front body panel and a lower front component being torn off the vehicle. The Lakeville Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene and were required to dig the vehicle out of the snow pile. I have attached the official police report to this statement. Had I not maintained a safe following distance or made the decision to steer off the road, the result would have been a catastrophic multi-vehicle collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11708024

When I drive over 65 mph, I feel the car lose stability, and sometimes I feel those movements in the steering wheel. Also, it doesn't show the actual tire tread depth. In addition. And there is a burning smell.

NHTSA #11714428

I am reporting ongoing safety issues with my Kia K4 LXS involving driver assistance systems and steering control. While driving in heavy rain with reduced visibility, the vehicle disabled multiple sensors and displayed a “camera obscured” message along with inattentive driving warnings, despite both of my hands being on the steering wheel and my full attention on the road. The loss of driver assistance features during hazardous weather conditions created a distracting and dangerous situation. This issue occurs frequently. I regularly receive false inattentive driving and hands-on-wheel warnings even when I am driving properly. These alerts are distracting and interfere with safe vehicle operation. I am also experiencing lane control and steering interference. The steering wheel will sometimes pull the vehicle in a direction that does not match the road, even when lane assist is turned off. This is especially dangerous in construction zones with temporary lanes marked by reflectors, including when driving next to large trucks. I have experienced multiple near-miss incidents and have had to physically override the steering wheel to remain in my lane. These problems now occur almost every time I drive and have caused me to feel unsafe operating the vehicle. I believe this represents a serious safety defect.

NHTSA #11707033

While driving my 2025 Kia K4, the steering system failed and became unresponsive. I was unable to steer the vehicle as intended. The exact cause of the steering failure is UNKNOWN at this time. The vehicle and steering components are available for inspection upon request. The loss of steering control put my safety and passengers riding at serious risk because I could not properly control the direction of the vehicle. Steering is essential for avoiding hazards, staying in the lane, and maintaining control. The failure resulted in a single‑vehicle accident and could have caused serious injury or involved other motorists if traffic conditions had been different. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a Kia dealership or an independent service center. At the time of this report, the vehicle has not been inspected by Kia or another repair facility. Police and/or insurance involvement may have occurred due to the accident, but no mechanical inspection of the steering system has been completed yet. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts prior to the steering failure. The problem occurred suddenly and without warning while the vehicle was being driven. I did not notice any clear symptoms before losing steering control. The exact cause of the steering failure is UNKNOWN. Based on my personal experience, the failure was sudden and unexpected and occurred during normal driving conditions. I had no prior indication that there was a problem with the steering system before the accident occurred.

NHTSA #11729402

There are times my vehicle keeps accelerating even though I’m hitting the brakes. Once stopped, it then doesn’t want to accelerate. I’ve reported to the dealership and they try to tell me it’s the type of transmission it has and that it’s normal. Continuing to accelerate while braking is extremely unsafe. My engine is also making a ticking noise that it never used to make. I bought my car brand new in October of 2025. I left the dealership with 9 miles on it, I now have 25k miles on it and I don’t feel safe driving it. The lane assist and emergency braking system is also extremely inaccurate and over corrects when it shouldn’t especially in bad weather. Emergency braking is detecting stuff in front of me that isn’t actually there, same with in reverse it sees things extremely far away and prevents you from moving, although it’s safe to do so.

NHTSA #11711366

The 2025 Kia K4 sensors failed to go off resulting in the rear bumper to hit a barrell. The operator of the Kia K4 was reversing at 1mph

NHTSA #11716251

While driving on the freeway in the left lane on a two-lane highway, the lane departure and steer ahead feature incorrectly adjusted steering and pulled vehicle into the right lane. Is incorrect adjustment due to lane departure has happened numerous times. Each time this occurred I was not using copilot features. The lane departure cannot be turned off.

NHTSA #11689961

Blind spot and front collision features inactive. Seat belt didn't unlock after crash. Airbags deployed no passenger didn't work on driver airbag b1652 dtc codes on recall for another vehicle

Reportado presuntamente: 1 lesión (según lo reportado a NHTSA). NHTSA #11699024

THIS SAME INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED 6 TIMES PRIOR TO MY BEING ABLE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF MY DASHBOARD. THE CRUISE CONTROL CHANGES ON ITS OWN TO 90 OR 110 MPH AND THE ACCELERATION BEGINS ON ITS OWN VERY AGGRESIVELY. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SPEED LIMIT AS YOU WILL SEE ON THE PICTURE, THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65 AND I HAD ALREADY STEPPED ON MY BRAKE TO WHERE MY SPEED WAS THEN 59. I HAVE TAKEN IT FOR SERVICE AT ED MORSE KIA IN SIERRA VISTA, AZ AND THE PROBLEM COULDN'T BE DUPLICATED OR FIXED. I HAVE TOLD THE SALES MGR. AND SERVICE MGR. ABOUT THIS AND LEFT MESSAGES FOR CALL BACK AND HAVE NOT BEEN ACCOMODATED. I AM NOT SAFE IN THIS SITUATION. THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR OTHER KIA VEHICLES AND THERE IS A GOOGLE SEARCH THAT SHOWS THE SAME CONCERNS (WHICH I HAVE A PICTURE OF AS WELL). AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM (NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE INITIAL SAFETY ISSUE, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT ON MY DASHBOARD HAS CHANGED TO 90 WHEN THE ACTUAL LIMIT IS 45 ETC. MY MAIN CONCERN OF COURSE IS THE SELF ACCELERATION.

NHTSA #11688136

Transmission failure 4 times since purchasing it new in December 2024 I was almost killed multiple times on the highway because car won’t accelerate. Car is jumping when driving and choking Air conditioning shuts off while driving Car gets stuck in park and nothing will work

NHTSA #11683919

The airbags failed to go off. I think the vehicle is still available it was towed to Carroll's in Winslow Maine. By the airbags not going off it made the risk of injury much greater. Also lost control of the steering all together. Tried to swerve to miss an animal and the steering assist took over. Yes we have a police report stating that the airbags didn't go off. I am sure budget had their people go look at the car. No warning lights present.

NHTSA #11684275

Bought my Kia k4 2025 in February at DTLA Kia and the experience has been [XXX]. The first day driving I went up near dodgers stadium , immediately had a burnt smell. I disregarded it thinking maybe its fresh paint burning , WRONG. Till this day 4 months later my tail pipe throws a musty smell. Issue number 2 , the hesitant gas pedal. Who knows what it is maybe fuel system , transmission but daily and I mean DAILY my accelaration is poor,jerky, struggling and overall doesn't work. It has its good mornings but once I'm on the road for more than 10 minutes its back to the struggle. I've had my K4 serviced twice at Dtla service, they never once test drove the car because I was tracking the GPS almost all day for the three days they had it. Once I got my car back it tooks about 45 minutes the service advisor Jeffery Montoya was so lost on where my car was, I had to ask and ask and ask finally the guys who are out front welcoming you helped me and brought my car. That was my decision to never go back to DTLA service. Next took it to Van Nuys Kia waited to weeks from my appointment because they are moving. Finally they kept it for three days they still werent able to diagnose the issue and repair it. Modesto the advisor there said " we can't duplicate the issue''. Some how they made me pay $82 because they supposedly found plastic bags stuck to my exhuast. [XXX] I even told him I don't want it cleaned and he said oh well you authorized the diag so you have to. He reported that info to kia Corp which got my case closed and said the car works fine. NO it does not work fine. Never going. Now today [XXX] I was parking arriving somewhere the k4 said engine off shift to P while ringing the alarm from the dash. I have it on film. Second driving down [XXX] and boom car engine shuts off while car are behind me. I had to shift to p then turn the car off. Turned it back on while getting honked at and that was that. $700 a month for a lack of urgency to help me. Boo Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11667842

The contact owns a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated that after driving for approximately 40 minutes at speeds between 55-75 MPH, the TPMS warning light started flashing, with the message "Check Tire Pressure" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer three times. On the first visit, the dealer was unable to duplicate the issue. On the second visit, the dealer diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical system failure and reprogrammed the TPMS; however, the failure persisted. On the third visit, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure, and the vehicle remained unrepaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 800.

NHTSA #11683077

I own a 2025 Kia K4 that has experienced multiple serious defects since purchase, raising ongoing safety concerns. Within the first four months, my windshield has failed or cracked four times, with one replacement denied by Kia and paid out-of-pocket. The windshield continues to make loud cracking noises, suggesting a structural defect that has not been resolved. In addition, the sunroof does not open or close properly, and while Kia acknowledged the defect, they only offered a potential software adjustment that does not address the root cause. The vehicle also makes loud, unpredictable popping noises from the dashboard, a problem that multiple other Kia owners at the same dealership have reported. The dealer confirmed that Kia does not have a fix and only offered to temporarily “push in the dashboard.” Furthermore, the seat cooling system has stopped working entirely without repair options provided. These defects compromise the safety and reliability of the vehicle, creating risks of reduced visibility, potential structural failure, and driver distraction. All issues have been reported and documented at Courtesy Kia of Brandon, FL, and confirmed by the dealer, but Kia has failed to provide adequate remedies. No warning lights or error messages appeared prior to these failures. I have also filed reports with the Better Business Bureau Auto Line, the Florida Attorney General’s Office, and Kia Customer Care, but no meaningful resolution has been provided. These ongoing unresolved defects indicate systemic safety issues with the Kia K4.

NHTSA #11681852

The contact owned a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was pulling to the left unintendedly. The contact stated that upon disengaging the Lane Keep Assist, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to Discount Tire, where the tire pressure was adjusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an alignment was performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while exiting the expressway and driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle veered to the left unintendedly, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a ditch, and the vehicle faced oncoming traffic. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The air bags did not deploy. The contact hit the middle of her forehead against the steering wheel and sustained a bruise. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The contact was able to exit the vehicle. No police report was filed. There was no property damage. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was then towed to a second dealer autobody repair shop, Glassman Collision Center (22250 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, MI 48033), where the contact was informed that the driver's side of the vehicle and the transmission were damaged. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that a complaint had been sent to the dealer, and that she would be contacted by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 1,300.

Reportado presuntamente: 1 lesión (según lo reportado a NHTSA). NHTSA #11645914