Eight recalls in two years — blank cluster, missing seat bolts, power loss. Repeated dealer visits may qualify for a California buyback. Free case review.
The Kia EV9 arrived as a flagship three-row electric SUV — roomy, technologically ambitious, and priced to match. Within its first year on the road, it had accumulated eight federal safety recalls. That is not a typo. Seat mounting bolts that were never installed at the factory. A remote parking system that could not reliably stop the vehicle. And — most alarming for everyday driving — a digital instrument cluster that goes completely dark while the car is in motion, taking the speedometer, turn signal indicators, and safety warning lights with it. That last defect has now appeared in two separate recall campaigns (24V757 and 26V046) spanning three model years of EV9 production, suggesting it is a systemic software problem that Kia has not yet fully resolved. On top of those confirmed recalls, EV9 owners on shared-platform forums and in Tier-2 media coverage have reported a pattern familiar to Kia EV6 owners: the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) — a component already subject to two federal recalls on the EV6 — may be failing in the EV9 as well. No EV9-specific NHTSA recall has been issued for ICCU failure as of this writing; the EV6 recall (24V200/SC302) explicitly excludes the EV9. However, both vehicles share the E-GMP platform and the same ICCU architecture, and owners report the same progressive 12V drain and loss of power sequence. These reports remain owner-alleged and should be hedged accordingly. California's Song-Beverly Act applies to defects covered by a manufacturer's warranty — not only to defects with a federal recall — which means EV9 owners with repeated ICCU-type warranty repairs may still have a viable claim.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Digital gauge cluster suddenly goes dark at startup or while driving; speedometer, odometer, turn signal indicators, and warning lights disappear; screen may return after restart.
Rear seats feel loose or rattle; seats may shift during normal driving; discovery often occurs at dealer inspection rather than by owner.
Vehicle does not stop properly when using remote parking assist at low speed; extended stopping distance during RSPA maneuver; no obvious driver-visible warning before incident.
Wipers stop moving completely when any snow, slush, or ice builds up at the base of the windshield; may fail mid-drive in winter conditions; visibility lost without warning.
Vehicle will not start after being parked; 12V battery dead; no obvious cause; may occur after normal parking with no accessories left on.
12V battery slowly drains while driving; 'check charging system' or 12V battery warning lights; progressive power reduction; vehicle enters limp mode; eventual complete loss of drive power; inability to charge via AC Level 2.
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Digital gauge cluster suddenly goes dark at startup or while driving; speedometer, odometer, turn signal indicators, and warning lights disappear; screen may return after restart.
Safety-critical display loss; repeated OTA patches for the same class of defect across three model years strengthens a substantial-impairment argument. Multiple repair attempts (OTA + dealer) count toward California lemon-law repair thresholds.
OTA software update or dealer reflash; no hardware replacement required.
Rear seats feel loose or rattle; seats may shift during normal driving; discovery often occurs at dealer inspection rather than by owner.
Latent safety defect present at delivery. If vehicle was repurchased or exchanged and new unit also affected, demonstrates systemic manufacturing failure. Safety hazard in crash scenario supports substantial-impairment claim.
Dealer inspects and installs any missing seat mounting bolts; also verifies torque on all seat fasteners.
Vehicle does not stop properly when using remote parking assist at low speed; extended stopping distance during RSPA maneuver; no obvious driver-visible warning before incident.
Crash risk from inadequate brake pressure in a semi-autonomous maneuver. ADAS-related safety recall strengthens substantial-impairment claim, especially if owner used RSPA regularly.
Dealer updates IEB software with improved braking logic at no charge.
Wipers stop moving completely when any snow, slush, or ice builds up at the base of the windshield; may fail mid-drive in winter conditions; visibility lost without warning.
Safety-critical visibility failure in foreseeable winter driving conditions. PE25004 could escalate to recall affecting ~26,862 vehicles. Documented by NHTSA-submitted video strengthens credibility. Relevant to California lemon-law if owner resides in mountain/high-elevation climate.
No remedy issued as of date accessed; under NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE25004 opened May 2025.
Vehicle will not start after being parked; 12V battery dead; no obvious cause; may occur after normal parking with no accessories left on.
Repeated no-start events are a substantial impairment of use. If owner required multiple jump-starts or tow services before TSB was applied, each incident is a repair attempt.
Software update to WPC discharge logic via OTA or dealer (SA618).
12V battery slowly drains while driving; 'check charging system' or 12V battery warning lights; progressive power reduction; vehicle enters limp mode; eventual complete loss of drive power; inability to charge via AC Level 2.
No EV9-specific NHTSA recall issued as of date accessed — the EV6 ICCU recall (24V200/SC302) explicitly excludes EV9. However, shared E-GMP ICCU architecture and growing complaint pattern create a strong basis for warranty claims. Progressive power loss while driving is a safety hazard. Multiple repair attempts for the same root cause support a lemon-law claim.
ICCU software update and/or hardware replacement under warranty. Kia 8-year/100,000-mile EV battery warranty covers related components; repair wait times reported to be weeks due to parts supply constraints.
Charging session stops without user input while plugged into a Tesla Supercharger (NACS adapter); vehicle shows charging complete or error despite battery not full; must unplug and re-initiate session.
Charging network compatibility is material to EV utility. Repeated interrupted sessions at the largest public DC fast-charging network may support impairment-of-use argument if owner relies on Supercharger network for regular charging.
MCU-R software upgrade (SA601/ELE369) via OTA or dealer KDS reflash.
airbag warning light illuminates; seat belt reminder chime sounds with no front passenger present; often no visible warning
Occupant-protection noncompliance present from delivery. Owner letters do not mail until October 20 2026, so owners experiencing the airbag warning light or phantom seat belt chime before then are building a documented record of an unresolved safety defect that the recall itself validates.
Dealer inspection and, as necessary, replacement of the ODS mat, bladder tube, and seat cover assembly under recall 26V545, free of charge.
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The ODS mat bladder tube under the front passenger seat cushion may be pinched due to improper routing by the supplier; repeated seat height/tilt adjustment can damage the tube, leaving the system unable to suppress the front passenger airbag for a child in a child restraint, violating FMVSS 208.
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Excessive signal noise from the instrument cluster power management circuit causes the cluster to enter overheat protection mode and go blank while driving, violating FMVSS 101.
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A supplier welding error may have improperly welded the rear GDU motor shaft, causing it to become damaged and resulting in reduced acceleration and loss of drive power. Drivers may observe abnormal driveline noise and a 'Check AWD/4WD' message.
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An assembly worker error at the manufacturing plant resulted in missing seat mounting bolts for second and third row seats on some units.
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A software logic error — introduced by a faulty OTA update — causes the instrument cluster screen to go intermittently blank at startup, preventing display of speedometer, odometer, and safety indicator telltales. Violates FMVSS 101.
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An IEB software error causes insufficient brake pressure during repeated RSPA low-speed stops, resulting in extended stopping distances.
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The headliner impact absorbing plates may not meet the required impact absorption standard, leaving occupant heads inadequately protected in a crash.
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The front passenger seat belt retractor cover may not be secured properly, causing the ALR and ELR retractor functions to not operate as intended.
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Differential gear bolts in the front or rear Gear Drive Unit may not have been properly torqued by the supplier, causing the bolts to loosen and damage the GDU housing and/or reduction gear.
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act — the lemon law — applies to defects covered by a manufacturer warranty, whether or not a federal recall has been issued. For EV9 owners with ICCU-type failures being repaired under Kia's 8-year/100,000-mile EV battery warranty, the absence of a dedicated NHTSA recall does not bar a lemon-law claim. The law presumes a vehicle is a lemon if: a safety defect has had two or more unsuccessful repair attempts; any other substantial defect has had four or more attempts; or the car has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period. For EV9 owners, the instrument cluster recall (two campaigns, same root class of failure, three model years) is particularly strong — a blank speedometer while driving is a safety defect. Seat bolt defects present at delivery, ICCU-type warranty repairs with documented dealer visits, and extended parts-wait times all contribute. If you prevail, Kia pays your attorney fees, making many California lemon law cases free to the owner. The above is general legal information only, not legal advice; every case depends on its specific facts and repair history.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
The EV9's instrument cluster blanking is intermittent — it may not be present when the dealer turns the car on in the service bay. ICCU-type 12V drain issues are even more sporadic. Here is how to protect your repair record: 1. Document the cluster failure on video if it is safe to do so, or immediately after pulling over. Date, time, mileage, and whether you had recently received an OTA software update are all relevant. Recall 24V757 was triggered by a faulty OTA push — knowing which software version you were on when the failure occurred helps the dealer confirm the recall applies. 2. Confirm your recall status before every service visit. Two separate recall campaigns cover the cluster issue (24V757 for 2024-2025 MY; 26V046 for 2026 MY). A dealer who does not check both may perform an incomplete repair. 3. For ICCU-type 12V drain: ask the dealer to pull all stored and historical DTCs, not just live codes. On E-GMP platform vehicles, DTC P1A9096 (DC/DC Converter Input Voltage Sensor Fault) is the key code for ICCU damage even when the system has partially recovered. Request the freeze-frame data in writing. 4. For seat bolt issues: if your EV9 is a 2024 or 2025 model and you have not had the seat mounting bolts verified under recall 24V962, request that inspection specifically. The defect is silent — there may be no symptom until a crash. 5. Keep every repair order, including visits where the dealer writes 'no trouble found.' Under California law, a UTD visit is still a repair attempt and counts toward the lemon-law threshold.
Eight recalls in the EV9's first year of production, two cluster recall campaigns spanning three model years, a class of ICCU failure that has already triggered two federal recalls on the platform- sharing EV6, and 22,883 vehicles sold with missing seat bolts. The EV9 is a sophisticated vehicle being built at a pace that has outrun Kia's quality controls. If your EV9 has been back to the dealer more than once for any of these issues — or has spent weeks waiting for parts — pull your repair orders and get a free case evaluation. The window to act under California's lemon law is tied to the vehicle's warranty period, so do not wait.
— The Margarian Law team
Has your Kia EV9 had a blank instrument cluster, been in for the seat bolt recall, or experienced repeated 12V battery warnings and power loss? If the dealer has seen it more than once — or if your car has been out of service for weeks — your repair history may already meet California's lemon law threshold. The consultation is free. Find out whether you qualify for a buyback.
Yes — and it has been recalled twice. NHTSA recall 24V757 (issued October 2024, Kia campaign SC326) covered 14,163 EV9 vehicles from the 2024-2025 model years after a faulty over-the-air software update introduced a logic error that caused the digital gauge cluster to go intermittently blank. When the cluster blanks, the speedometer, odometer, turn signal indicators, and safety telltales all disappear — a violation of federal safety standard FMVSS 101. A second recall, 26V046 (January 2026), covered 318 additional 2026 MY EV9 units for a related power management circuit fault that triggers the same overheat-protection blank-screen behavior. If your EV9 cluster has gone blank and you have not yet had the recall service, confirm your VIN's status at nhtsa.gov and schedule a dealer visit. If the cluster has gone blank again after a prior software fix, document each occurrence — repeated failures for the same defect may support a California lemon law claim.
NHTSA recall 24V962 (December 2024, Kia campaign SC329) covers 22,883 Kia EV9 vehicles from the 2024-2025 model years. A factory assembly error at Kia's Gwangmyeong plant resulted in missing mounting bolts on the second and third row seats in some vehicles. Seats without all bolts installed may not properly restrain occupants in a crash. Owner notification letters were mailed in January 2025. The fix is straightforward: a dealer inspection and installation of any missing bolts. Because the defect is silent — there may be no obvious symptom until a collision — checking your recall status at nhtsa.gov is especially important. If your EV9 was in the manufacturing window and you have not yet had this inspection, schedule it promptly.
No EV9-specific NHTSA recall for ICCU failure has been issued as of this writing. The Kia EV6 ICCU recalls (24V200 and 24V867) explicitly cover 2022-2024 EV6 vehicles and do not include the EV9. That said, the EV6 and EV9 share the E-GMP platform and the same ICCU architecture. Tier-2 automotive media has reported owner accounts of EV9s experiencing the same 12V battery drain and progressive power-loss sequence documented in the EV6 recall — 12V warning lights, limp mode, and eventual loss of drive. These accounts are owner-reported and have not yet resulted in a Tier-1 regulatory action specifically for the EV9. If your EV9 has experienced repeated 12V warnings or power-loss events and Kia has repaired it under warranty more than once, those visits may still support a California lemon law claim — the Song-Beverly Act applies to warranty repairs, not only to federal recalls.
A confirmed software defect in the Wireless Power Charger (WPC) module can cause this. Kia TSB SA618 (NHTSA document MC-11020592, July 2025) documents that on certain 2024 EV9 vehicles, the wireless phone charging pad remains temporarily active after the vehicle is parked. That keeps drawing current from the 12-volt auxiliary battery until it discharges completely — leaving you with a car that will not start despite a full high-voltage pack. The fix is a software update to the WPC discharge logic, available via OTA or at the dealer. If your EV9 has had this happen more than once — especially if you had to jump-start or tow the vehicle before the TSB was applied — each of those incidents is a dealer repair attempt. Repeated no-start events for the same root cause contribute to a California lemon law repair-attempt record.
It may, depending on which defects your vehicle has experienced and how many repair attempts are documented. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act presumes a vehicle is a lemon if: a safety defect has had two or more unsuccessful repair attempts; any substantial defect has had four or more attempts; or the car has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period. For the EV9, the most likely qualifying patterns are: an instrument cluster that has gone blank more than once (recall 24V757 and/or 26V046), repeated 12V drain or power-loss events repaired under Kia's EV battery warranty, or extended parts-wait time for any of the recall repairs. The seat bolt defect (24V962), if present at delivery and requiring a return visit, can also contribute to the count. The Song-Beverly Act applies to warranty repairs regardless of whether a federal recall exists for the specific defect — so EV9 owners with ICCU-type warranty repairs are not automatically excluded simply because no EV9-specific recall has been issued. A free case evaluation with a California lemon law attorney is the best way to assess your repair history against the legal threshold.
As of early 2026, the Kia EV9 has been subject to eight NHTSA safety recalls within its first two model years: (1) 24V271 — Gear Drive Unit differential bolt torque (4 units, April 2024); (2) 24V338 — front passenger seat belt retractor (4 units, May 2024); (3) 24V400 — headliner impact absorbing plates (2,401 units, June 2024); (4) 24V693 — Remote Smart Parking Assist brake pressure software (approximately 12,400 units, September 2024); (5) 24V757 — instrument cluster screen software / blank display (14,163 units, October 2024); (6) 24V962 — missing second and third row seat mounting bolts (22,883 units, December 2024); (7) 25V115 — rear Gear Drive Unit motor shaft weld defect (1,243 units, February 2025); (8) 26V046 — instrument cluster power management circuit / blank display (318 units, January 2026). You can verify which recalls apply to your specific vehicle by entering your VIN at nhtsa.gov.
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