EV9 (2026)
Reliability Score
Complaints by Engine Code
Kia EV9 Unidentified Engine
View details
Complaint Breakdown
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Battery Electric (BEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2026 Kia EV9
Too few field reports to rate this generation against peers yet. Most recently launched models accumulate complaints over the first 2-3 years.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 9 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.
Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.
Charge port, cable, mobile connector, or session failures.
Sample complaint excerpts
Electric Propulsion
- [2026] I was driving down the freeway driving at the speed of traffic. My vehicle started beeping aggressively, a red indicator started flashing over the frunk area of the vehicle representation in the dash and my vehicle entered red turtle mode. This red turtle mode severely reduced the vehicle's speed and ability to maneuver on the freeway. I was almost struck by numerous vehicles while attempting to g
- [2026] ICCU failure. Total and sudden loss of power. No acceleration. "Limp mode" activated for 5 miles before total shut down.
- [2026] On March 19, 2026, at approximately 1003 hours, I was traveling north on the [XXX] located in [XXX] . I was traveling in the number two lane and my speed was approximately 78 MPH when all of a sudden I had a loss acceleration power and my Kia EV9 began to decelerate rapidly and my dashboard began to flash a loss of power warning. I had no control over my accelerator and could not speed up. Due to
12V Auxiliary Battery
- [2026] ICCU failure with 12v battery drainage resulting in inability to drive car.
- [2026] I own a Kia 2026 EV9. We charged the car to 80% (we have reduced the limit to only 80%). The next morning there was no power to the car. The interior lights would not come on door handles would not work. I could not start the vehicle. I read on line of the 12v battery dying and ICCU failures. I charged the battery for 1.5 hours and was able to get the car to start. I immediately drove it to
High-Voltage Battery
- [2026] Vehicle would not accept a charge requiring it be towed 120 miles to nearest Kia dealer. Vehicle had no warning lights or messages, just would not accept a recharge of the drive battery. Dealer found 3 error messages in the ICCU, but no idea why it occurred. Messages removed and vehicle then accepted a charge.
- [2026] vehicle would not accelerate pass 25 mph, battery light came on, stop vehicle and check power supply message also came on. had to towed to dealer. KIA app showing ICCU code P1A9096
Charging System
- [2026] EV car won't charge.
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Battery: Kia EV9 99.8 kWh (E-GMP)
Pack overview
Known issues
How this pack ages (industry context)
Industry fleet aggregates: 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs / 21 models (Geotab, 2026), and 95% range retention at 5 years on average across 30,000+ vehicles (Recurrent, 2026).
OEM warranty floor on this pack: 10 yr / 100k mi to 70% capacity.
Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models. Individual results vary materially with climate, charging behavior, and DC fast-charge frequency.
Battery: Kia EV9 Light 76.1 kWh (E-GMP)
Pack overview
Known issues
How this pack ages (industry context)
Industry fleet aggregates: 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs / 21 models (Geotab, 2026), and 95% range retention at 5 years on average across 30,000+ vehicles (Recurrent, 2026).
OEM warranty floor on this pack: 10 yr / 100k mi to 70% capacity.
Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models. Individual results vary materially with climate, charging behavior, and DC fast-charge frequency.
Owner Complaints by System
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Kia EV9, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.
Recalls (2)
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings
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Alternatives in Full-Size SUV
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2026-2026 Kia EV9 complaints?
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026-2026 Kia EV9. The systems they name most often are the electrical system, the wheels and tires and the steering.
Is the 2026-2026 Kia EV9 a good used car?
That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026-2026 Kia EV9. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2026-2026 Kia EV9 have?
NHTSA has 26 owner complaints on file for the 2026-2026 Kia EV9 as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
What recalls affect the 2026-2026 Kia EV9?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls covering some 2026-2026 Kia EV9 vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.
What should I check before buying a used Kia EV9?
Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the electrical system, the wheels and tires and the steering, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.
What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the EV9?
The 2026 Kia EV9 received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 4 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 4 stars (10.9% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: No. Lane Departure Warning: No. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 26 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: low. Last updated: 2026-10-12.