2026 Kia EV9 problems & reliability
19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2026 Kia EV9, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 11 | 58% |
| Unknown OR Other | 4 | 21% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 16% |
| Steering | 3 | 16% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 11% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 11% |
| Wheels | 2 | 11% |
| Engine | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
| Visibility | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
What owners report
“The OEM Hankook iON tires (285/45R21) on my 2026 Kia EV9 GT Line experienced acoustic foam delamination — the sound-dampening foam bonded to the interior liner of the tire separated and is moving freely inside the tire at highway speeds. At speeds above 55mph the steering wheel and car start to vibrate. At 70mph the…”
Wheels · filed Jul 28, 2026
“Beginning at approximately 104 miles (shortly after delivery at 75 miles), this vehicle exhibits a persistent vibration felt through the steering wheel, seat, and floorboard at highway speeds — specifically beginning around 55 mph, again at 61–63 mph, and most noticeably between 68–74 mph. A second defect involves…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jul 25, 2026
“Since taking delivery on June 20, 2025, this vehicle has exhibited a vibration at highway speeds, most severe at approximately 72 mph. The steering wheel visibly shakes and the vibration is felt through the steering column. It is fatiguing over long drives and I have become unwilling to use the vehicle for family…”
Steering · filed Jul 14, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
32 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2026 Kia EV9. The 10 most recent:
RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR DATA CONNECTIVITY (ELE413 Revision 2) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) logic of certain 2025 - 2026MY…
OTA_ELE413_NOTES_R2 · Over The Air · issued Jun 18, 2026
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT SEAT SLIDE MOTOR NOISE (CA2603) - This bulletin provides information to remove the seat slide motor tube from the power front seats on certain 2026MY EV9 (MV1a) vehicles produced from…
TSB_BOD355 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the…
TSB_ELE422 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 28, 2026
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: FRONT SEAT SLIDE MOTOR NOISE (SA647) - This bulletin provides information to remove the seat slide motor tube from the power front seats on certain 2026MY EV9 (MV1a) vehicles…
TSB_BOD354 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (PI2601A) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign on 2024-2026 MY EV9 vehicles to replace the…
PI2601A_OWNR · Other · issued May 1, 2026
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: PASSENGER SIDE WIPER ARM REPLACEMENT (PI2601A) - This bulletin provides the service procedure to replace the passenger-side (RH) windshield wiper arm on certain…
PI2601A_TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2026
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (PI2601A) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Product Improvement Campaign PI2601A.
PI2601A_QA · Other · issued Apr 29, 2026
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (PI2601A) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service managers advising that Kia is conducting a a Product Improvement Campaign…
PI2601A_DPSM · Other · issued Apr 29, 2026
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (PI2601A) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is conducting a a Product Improvement Campaign on 2024-2026 MY EV9 vehicles…
PI2601A_DP · Other · issued Apr 29, 2026
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia…
TSB_ELE417 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 14, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2026 Kia EV9 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2026 Kia EV9?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.