Owners have filed 158 complaints on the Kia Stinger, covering 2018–2023. The system named most often is Electrical System (28 reports). Worst years by volume: 2018, 2019, 2021; cleanest: 2023, 2020, 2022. 6 reports describe a crash, 8 a fire, 1 a death. On average the car was 3.0 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Kia Stinger
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 158 Stinger complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Electrical System 28 Read
On may 14th at approximately 2:50pm, I was in the car for roughly three minutes getting onto 33 east in maryville ohio. I smelled smoke coming from the rear and pulled over to see where the smoke was coming from. I opened the hatchback of the car and saw the rear fuse panel in the hatchback was melted out and flames…
I started my car and realized that the entire instrument panel was flashing and indicated "check my blind spot for a collision". I was pulling out onto a secondary road and there were no other cars in the near vicinity. I thought everything would correct itself once I started down the road. I turned onto the main road…
Vehicle was in park with the engine not running. Came out of big deal convenient store located on rte 9 chesterfield, nh to find smoke coming out of the engine compartment. Called 911 and used a store fire extinguisher to try to put out the flames. Waited for the fire dept to arrive, they put the engine compartment…
Service Brakes 25 Read
The contact owns a 2018 kia stinger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the tire pressure warning light had illuminated. He also stated that a burning odor would emit from the vehicle while driving at highway speeds. The contact then received a notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V518000…
I brought my 2022 Kia Stinger GT -2 in to Greenway Kia, West Palm Beach FL on 02/20/2023 for routine maintenenace, check front end alignment and brake check as there was significant vibration while applying breaks and choppy breaking. The mileage is 4000 and driven primarily city/low speeds. Later that day I was told…
My HECU failed which is common in Kia cars, got too hot caused it to burn out. Ended up destroying my bembro, rotor and brake calipers and had to pay 4500 to fix them and replace my ABS. Almost killed me driving on the Hampton roads bridge tunnel
Engine 20 Read
The contact owns a 2019 kia stinger. The contact stated while stationary at a stop sign, when he notice smoke entering the cab of the vehicle. The contact stated the tire gauge and brake warning light were illuminated. The contact stated he reversed into a parking lot and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated he…
I have a vehicle that has a safety recall for the oil feed line that can leak and catch fire and Kia is refusing to perform the recall because my VIN is not in there system. I have the recall notice and the fact my car dies in fact need the recall work and have proved that to them and they still refuse to help
Just purchased a 2021 kia stinger gt AWD new about a month ago. Just over 1000 miles on it now and encountered a concerning issue. Sitting at a stoplight with the auto start/stop off, traction control off and in sports mode, I pressed the gas pedal and there was a slight hesitation followed by a pretty forceful lurch…
Power Train 11 Read
My transmission/engine and brake system failed. I was slowing down to probably 5 mph to make a right hand turn into my driveway from the street when the engine started racing. I heard a loud whine and the car started to speed up. I jammed my foot onto the brake to slow down but did not have the time to try to put the…
Transmission light appeared and a loud knocking noise followed by white smoke bellowing out of the exhaust. I took it to a shop and they said it now needs an engine replacement
I am reporting a Failure of the Remedy for NHTSA Recall 23V634000 (Kia Recall SC281). The original recall attempted to "fix" a High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) issue via a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU). This remedy has failed. My vehicle is currently experiencing the exact safety hazard described in…
Fuel/propulsion System 10 Read
My car started skipping or stalling when I'd press the accelerator. Then the check engine light came on. I took it to an Independent mechanic and it showed high pressure fuel pump or system. The spark plugs were changed, but the problem remained. I checked and noticed that there was a recall for that particular…
Dealer stated that the GDI pump has failed and that is not a common issue. My car started shuddering as I was driving in the interstate I5 north at 70mph, then the car stalled in the middle of the freeway, gas pedal was useless, if it was not because my speed was 70mph and the force of the speed keep my car moving for…
My car shut off while driving down the road, it would not restart, there were no warning lights or check engine lights on. I had it towed to a repair shop and they replaced the fuel pump. Later I found out the fuel pump was recalled for the car and submitted the work receipt for reimbursement on 12/18/2024. I was…
Fuel System 9 Read
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Stinger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to his nearby residence. The contact stated upon driving the…
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk and hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. One day while at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled upon depression of the accelerator…
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, several messages appeared on the instrument panel that instructed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for service. The contact called the dealer and was informed that a diagnostic test would be performed to determine the…
Structure 8 Read
Sunroof explosion
Kia America is failing to address a significant defect in the sunroof of my Kia Stinger. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this issue with the company directly and using the BBB AUTO line I have received dismissive and unhelpful responses. Kia America is demonstrating a complete disregard for customer satisfaction…
After driving on the highway for approximately 20 miles with no warning lights illuminated or any signs of issue, the driver's door opened while driving at highway speeds. We were in a right hand turn on a highway exchange ramp at approximately 65 mph, when the door popped open an audible warning began to sound and…
Exterior Lighting 8 Read
BIG safety issue. Headlights low visibility- doesn't shine far enough ahead to avoid any possible collision w/ pedestrian/vehicle. Headlights seem to shine down more and not far enough up ahead. I've avoided driving at night all together due to this safety issue. I do NOT have vision issues- it is the vehicle itself.…
Headlights cannot be adjusted side-2-side. Currently both driver and passenger side headlights point off center to the left, blinding on-coming traffic. This is also a massachusetts vehicle safety violation which could result in a rejection when the vehicle is due for inspection
Condensation" inside" the head light assembly continually appears and hinders the veiw. Once after washing the vehicle and several times after a short drive then returning to the vehicle to drive it again. Where and when it occurs is random and often. After this cycle continues the inside lens leaves a residual film…
Stinger years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Air Bags | 1 | — | |
| 2022 | Electrical System | — | — | |
| 2021 | Electrical System | 1 | — | |
| 2020 | Electrical System | 1 | — | |
| 2019 | Electrical System | 1 | 3 | |
| 2018 | Electrical System | 2 | 5 |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 108 |
| Average complaints per series | 1.5 |
| Worst single series | 6 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 3.0 years |
A model average of 1.5 hides a worst series at 6. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Stinger?
By complaint volume, 2018, 2019, 2021 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which Stinger years are the cleanest?
2023, 2020, 2022 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Kia Stinger have?
158 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 2018–2023. Of those, 6 describe a crash and 8 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.