KIA Stinger Reliability by Year
Best & Worst Years, Problems & Recalls โ NHTSA Data
Comparing used KIA Stinger options? We analyzed 6 model years (2018โ2023) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
Model-year trends show patterns. Run a VIN check for the exact KIA Stinger you plan to buy.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the KIA Stinger has 157 owner complaints and 20 safety recalls across model years 2018โ2023. The most reported issue area is ENGINE. 2018 drew the most complaints; 2023 drew the fewest.
- Make
- KIA
- Model
- Stinger
- Model years analyzed
- 2018โ2023 (6 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 157
- Safety recall campaigns
- 20
- Crash-related complaints
- 6
- Fire-related complaints
- 8
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2018 (64 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2023 (5 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Poor
KIA Stinger: Which Years to Avoid & Which to Buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used โ lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record โ lower risk starting points.
โญ NHTSA NCAP Crash Test Ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
PoorThe KIA STINGER has 157 NHTSA complaints and 20 recalls on record. 6 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 157 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 20 federal recall campaigns
- 6 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
๐ NHTSA Safety Recalls
20 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2018โ2023. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
๐ง Most-Reported Problem Areas
Based on component keywords extracted from all 157 NHTSA complaints.
๐ NHTSA Complaint Reports
157 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Upon getting warranty repairs done to vehicle, the car started to glitch out the next day in the cabin with multiple electronics. Driver window switch was turning on and off, when it turned off, multiple electronics glitched out in the car. Brought back to dealership as multiple sources online said the driver's door switch was the reason for the glitches. Upon the dealership removing the door panel, they discovered the door switch short circuits and the plug burnt and melted the connector. Incident is definitely a fire risk as the connector is near cloth inside the panel and could've burnt the car to the ground if not addressed sooner. Multiple reports of this flickering door switch issue online, photos can be provided, dealership confirmed the issue, video evidence of the problem happening. Life was at disk due to drivers door possibly catching on fire trapping occupants inside. Problem was reproduced and diagnosed at dealership. Component failed: 2022-2023 Driver Door Window Master Switch Part number: 93570-J5002 I can provide documentation and photos upon request.
To whom it may concern, I spun out on the highway in slippery conditions and hit the guard rail, probably at 50-60mph and none of the airbags deployed. I contacted KIA and even though the car is located at their dealership they have not even bothered to move this along and get it inspected. The insurance company sent an estimator to check, and I am waiting to see if they would repair or total it, but Kia has not bothered so far to send a team. There were no symptoms before the accident that the car may malfunction at any point. At walked out of this not because the safety mechanisms did their job, it's by the grace of god.
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 visual door ajar warnings illuminated on the dash. This was not just an erroneous alarm of the door ajar alarm; the door came unlatched opening enough to see daylight around the seal. My wife immediately grabbed the door and pulled it shut while driving. After closing the door the audible and visual alarms extinguished. I witnessed the incident from the passenger seat and can verify she did not on purpose or by accident touch the interior door handle to release the latch. This occurred with the vehicle having approximately 6,000 miles on the odometer. Doors should not inadvertently pop open while driving, this puts us at extreme risk of injury or death. If this were to occur while someone was leaning against it the outcome could be fatal.
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 and safety. The interior of my Kia Stinger has been producing an excessively loud and distracting noise since the day of purchase. I have contacted Kia America on numerous occasions to seek assistance and resolution. However, their response has been consistently unsatisfactory and dismissive of my concerns. In their latest communication, which I have attached for your reference, their representative has gone so far as to suggest that the noise is normal and imply that I should trade in my vehicle due to my dissatisfaction. This response is wholly inadequate and fails to address a clear defect in the sunroof and other potentially defective components. I have previously owned vehicles with sunroofs, and none of them exhibited such a disruptive noise. It is evident that there is a manufacturing or design flaw in the sunroof of my Kia Stinger, and Kia America's unwillingness to acknowledge and rectify the issue is deeply concerning. I believe this defect poses a significant safety risk. It is a safety risk because it sounds like the glass is banging against itself, which over time can create fatigue cracks damaging the glass. This may lead to premature wear to the point where the entire glass breaks, flies back and hits someone else or micro pieces may fall into the car and land into someone's eyes. The distracting noise from the sunroof can impair the driver's concentration, potentially leading to accidents or hazardous driving conditions. Furthermore, there has been other documented complaints of people's sunroofs blowing out; I am trying to avoid being the next victim. The defect compromises the overall quality and value of the vehicle.
Sunroof explosion
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that he had initially noticed that the vehicle's A/C unit had failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where they discovered a defect with the main wiring harness. The contact then called an independent mechanic and was informed that there may be recall on the vehicle for the wiring harness. The contact inquired with the dealer about a recall and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure miel409) 896-5050age was approximately 100,000
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.
My 2022 Kia Stinger first went into the dealership because it would not accelerate properly even at full throttle, creating an immediate safety risk in traffic. Over multiple visits, the dealership replaced the ECM, ABS module, brake booster, vacuum pump, and a fuel injector, and confirmed repeated electrical shorts across major systems including throttle control, braking, and fuel delivery. Despite months of repairs, the loss of power, brake assist issues, ABS faults, and electrical failures continued, and the dealership never identified the root cause. The problems were reproduced and documented by the dealer, the vehicle was inspected multiple times on behalf of the manufacturer, and warning lights and drivability symptoms appeared before each failure. The vehicle is currently not in my possession, and all replaced components are available for inspection. The combination of engine hesitation, brake system failures, and repeated electrical shorts makes the vehicle unsafe and unreliable to operate.
The paint on the vehicle is severely damaged, cracking components, fading paint all throughout the vehicle. The hood of the vehicle is showing severe fading, looks cloudy.
The sunroof exploded without impact
Sunroof randomly shattered while driving.
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
Having an issue with my driverโs door switch lighting and the changing of different ambient lighting colors. They seem to be related. About a few months into owning my car (purchased May 2021) I was driving to work at night and the lighting on the driverโs door switches would randomly all flicker off/on. There was no pattern and the duration of how long they were off would be a half second to upwards of a few seconds. Just by chance, I started messing with things in the infotainment screen and noticed my ambient lighting wouldnโt change sometimes and it gave me a body control module error. This has probably happened 7 times total from September 2021 to March 2023 where both the door switch lights and ambient lighting do this together but never have they done it separately. Took the car to VanDevere Kia in November 2021 and they couldnโt reproduce either error and there were no stored codes. They claim to have reset the pin tension on the harness for the switches and packed it with dilectric grease. March 25 2022, had the same issue driving home from work. Restarted the car and that stopped the door switches from flashing. However the infotainment screen said โvehicle system connection is unstable. Please try again laterโ. Ie., I tried to pick default blue option in ambient lighting, that error would pop up, but if I kept trying blue it would eventually select blue. Some colors would throw the error and some wouldnโt. This time there was no BCM error. Dealer replaced my driver door switch module April 27 2022 due to a short. I didnโt have issues with those lights flickering for 7 months then it came back. In March of 2023, (2) separate times at night I had all interior lights, including instrument cluster lighting, flick off then immediately back on. I have videos and dealer work orders. Several others have this issue located here: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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 that the rotors needed to be resurfaced as they were warped. I questioned how a new $70,000 vehicle with low milage could have warped rotors this soon, as I work from home and rarely drive it. I was told by the service manager that this was a design flaw in the Kia Stinger and the vehicle should have been fitted with high performance slotted rotors by the manufacturer. I was charged $425 for the resurfacing because the 12/12 waranty has expired on the exact day the car was brought in for service. I stated that 12/20/23 does not end until midnight and I should not be charged anything for a design flaw in the vehicle, particularly a safety flaw involving the breaking system. The service manager stated that they have had similar issues with the Stinger GT with low milage as well and that I would have to file a compliant with Kia Motors. I do not beleive that I should have been charged anything for this repair and that the vehicle Stingers should be recalled due to being a safety hazard to owners as well as other motorist's on the roads. A high performance vehicle; 6 cylinder twin turbo with 368 HP 3.3 L engine should have appropriate and safe breaking system to stop the vehicle. Aside from the vehicle being unsafe with innapropriate rotors I believe that I was intentionally ripped off by KIA Motors, Greenway KIA or both. I advise all vehicle consumers to consider these facts before purchasing a high performance Stinger, or fo rthat matter any KIA product
I was driving on the highway at approximately 70 mph when I heard the loudest bang Iโve ever heard before. I then heard glass shattering and thought glass was going to fall all over my 9 month old baby and I. I was in shock and I could have wrecked or drove off the highway from how scared I was. It was the loudest sound Iโve ever heard before and my ears are still ringing from it. I immediately took an exit, I was in shock and had no idea what happened because nothing hit my car. No one was behind me and no one was in close proximity of my car in front of me either. I pulled over into a parking lot and my sunroof glass was completely shattered and it looked as if it blew out from the inside of the car rather than the outside. There was no warning, nothing happened prior to this that would indicate there was any type of issue with my sunroof and I rarely use (open/close) my sunroof at all.
The remote start will not work and they cannot figure out how to fix it.
Driving on the Freeway, heard a loud banging noise above my head, Saw glass flying behind me in the rear view Mirror. The sun roof exploded leaving approximately 40 to 45% of the window on the road
Sunroof glass shattered on freeway with no warning and no hit or cause to it. Kia still made me drive it when it was broken.
In March of 2021 We purchased a 2022 Stringer after driving vehicle me and family members noticed car had STRONG GAS SMELL that DID NOT go away as a matter fact SMELL got STRONGER to the point we started getting HEADACHES every time we rode in this vehicle. I contacted Sale Person who sold us the vehicle advised him car smells of STRONG GASES who informed me to contact Service Department and let Service Department know the problem Iโm having with my new purchase 2022 Stringer which I did. After reaching out to service department! phone was given to Service Manger who informed me all new vehicle have a coding which makes cars smell of gas however, smell should go away after 2,000 continue driving miles. Per Service Management continue driving vehicle if smell doesnโt go away He will check vehicle out. SMELL DID NOT GO AWAY we felt like we weโre going to DIE smell was so strong that is when I contacted Dealership spoke with several people letting them know this car is going to blow up at least it smells like it. Once I spoke with financial Department Management informed him of problem we were having with vehicle and TOLD HIM IโM NOT DRIVING VEHICLE ANYMORE IT IS GOING TO BLOW UP GAS IS SO STRONG per the financing Manager he DID NOT BLAME ME HE ALSO suggested We not DRIVE Vehicle. I had it towed in to dealership for several days hear from no one about car was told per service manger car was being checked out by KIAโs top mechanic itโs ok to drive now it is dry there is no moisture we can drive it. Unknown to me what is wrong with this car but something is TERRIBLY WRONG with this car No I donโt feel safe to drive this car with me nor my family we felt like we were going to DIE in the car SMELL was that STRONG.
Was wondering why this vehicle isn't included in the fuel pump recall .There is hesitation, starves for fuel. All the symptoms, per mechanic, saying that is should be included!
Showing 20 of 157 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Before You Buy, Check the Exact KIA Stinger
These pages show model-year patterns across 6years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
๐ Understanding This Data
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is โ but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The KIA Stinger has 157 complaints on record across 6 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The KIA Stinger has 20 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 6 of the KIA Stinger's 157 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions โ a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable โ simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all KIA Stinger vehicles on the road โ not any specific car. Two KIA Stinger vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage โ NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The KIA Stinger has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
Buyers Also Compare
How does the KIA Stinger stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
๐ Check a KIA Stinger by State
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used KIA Stinger.
KIA Stinger reliability โ frequently asked questions
Is the KIA Stinger reliable?
Poor. The KIA Stinger has 157 NHTSA owner complaints and 20 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which KIA Stinger years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2018 (64 complaints), 2019 (42 complaints), 2020 (16 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common KIA Stinger problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (44 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (31 complaints); SERVICE BRAKES (30 complaints).
Does the KIA Stinger have recalls?
Yes โ 20 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the KIA Stinger. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.