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U.S. public vehicle records

Kia CADENZA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

216 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

41,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2014 to 2020 model years. Data snapshot: . 87 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 63 of 216 complaints (29.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior3717.1%
Steering behavior2310.6%
Electrical and battery issues167.4%
Engine operation146.5%
Transmission and shifting52.3%
Fuel system concerns52.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
63
Electrical System
33
Unknown Or Other
33
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
24
Steering
17
Visibility
13
Service Brakes
11
Fuel/Propulsion System
10
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine63
Electrical System33
Unknown Or Other33
Service Brakes, Hydraulic24
Steering17
Visibility13
Service Brakes11
Fuel/Propulsion System10

Engine: 63; Electrical System: 33; Unknown Or Other: 33; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 24; Steering: 17; Visibility: 13; Service Brakes: 11; Fuel/Propulsion System: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
31
25,000 to 49,999
18
50,000 to 74,999
17
75,000 to 99,999
6
100,000 to 149,999
12
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00031
25,000 to 49,99918
50,000 to 74,99917
75,000 to 99,9996
100,000 to 149,99912
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 31; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 129 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2014
6
2015
8
2016
8
2017
4
2018
13
2019
18
2020
6
2021
19
2022
23
2023
38
2024
41
2025
18
2026
14
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20146
20158
20168
20174
201813
201918
20206
202119
202223
202338
202441
202518
202614

2014: 6; 2015: 8; 2016: 8; 2017: 4; 2018: 13; 2019: 18; 2020: 6; 2021: 19; 2022: 23; 2023: 38; 2024: 41; 2025: 18; 2026: 14

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10822133 · 2016-01-25 (January 25, 2016)

THE SPEED CONTROL BRAKES WERE TRIGGERED BY A LOADED BNSF CONTAINER TRAIN ABOUT 50 YARDS TO THE LEFT OF AND PARRALELLING THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AHEAD OF OR BEHIND OUR CAR AS WE CAUGHT UP WITH THIS TRAIN AND THEN THERE WERE RAPID BEEPS FROM THE DASH AREA AND THE BRAKES WERE FIRMLY APPLIED AS THEY WOULD BE IF WE WERE APPROACHING A SLOWED VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. THIS REPEATED UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE TRAIN LATER GOT AHEAD OF US AND WHEN WE CAUGHT UP WITH IT THE PROCESS REPEATED. NO OTHER TRAIN HAD THIS EFFECT NOT HA…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10822133 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10876999 · 2016-06-27 (June 27, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA CADENZA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DOWNHILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL UNTIL IT REACHED A FLAT SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAI…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,860 miles reported. Look up ODI 10876999 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10663249 · 2014-12-09 (December 9, 2014)

ON SATURDAY - NOVEMBER 22, 2014 AROUND 6:30 PM THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED AND CAR ROLLED FOR FEW FEET AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. ALSO STEERING JAMMED AND DIDN'T MOVE. IT WAS STOPPED AND DIDN'T START BACK ON AND STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO CRANK IT. THE BATTERY WAS RUNNING FINE. DUE TO ELECTRICAL AND/OR MECHANICAL FAILURE WE WERE EXPOSED TO THE UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT ON THE BUSY STREET/FREEWAY OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE BEEN ENDED UP IN MAJOR SAFETY INCIDENT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, WE COULDN'T MANEUVER THE STEERING RES…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10663249 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11170199 · 2019-01-15 (January 15, 2019)

I WAS TRAVELING ON CITY STREET AT 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ENGINE HAS STALLED SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD MOVING BY INERTIA. I WAS VERY LUCKY THERE WAS NO CAR BEHIND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. IF THERE WOULD BE OTHER TRAFFIC SITUATION, SUCH PROBLEM WITH THE CAR COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN FATAL ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO GROSSINGER KIA DEALER IN LINCOLNWOOD, IL

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11170199 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11062161 · 2018-01-11 (January 11, 2018)

THE FRONT GLASS ROOF PANEL/SUNROOF EXPLODED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OUTSIDE FORCE OR FACTOR. CAR IS A 2014 KIA CADENZA PURCHASED USED IN 2017 WITH 10,000 MILES. MILEAGE AT TIME OF INCIDENT WAS 17,629. NO RELEVANT MAINTENANCE HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN RIDGELAND, MS SOUTHBOUND ON A FRONTAGE ROAD OFF OF I-55 AT 6:20 PM CST AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR IN DRIVE AS THE VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT HAD BEEN AN OVERCAST DAY AND AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT IT WAS NOT RAINING AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,629 miles reported. Look up ODI 11062161 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11100459 · 2018-06-07 (June 7, 2018)

WHEN TRAVELING ABOVE 25 MPH , WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL IN ANTICIPATION OF AN UPCOMING RED TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 55 OR SO AND SEEING TRAFFIC COMING TO A HALT AHEAD, FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL ENGINE KEEPS GOING, WILL NOT THROTTLE DOWN TO NEAR IDLE. ,ITS AS IF THE GAS PEDAL IS STUCK . AT THIS POINT I HAVE TO REALLY BRAKE HARD TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN, IT IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS..EVENTUALLY AS THE CAR SLOWS TO A CRAWL THE TACHOMETER EVENTUALLY SHOWS THE ENGINE IS DOWN TO IDLE SPEED., AND THE ENGINE STOPS PU…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11100459 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10595211 · 2014-05-30 (May 30, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA CADENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AS IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IPS FILTER FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,300, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595211 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10926287 · 2016-11-15 (November 15, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA CADENZA. WHILE DRIVING DIFFERENT SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED A THIRD TIME, IT WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAIL…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,416 miles reported. Look up ODI 10926287 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2014
3
2015
2
2016
2
2017
2
2018
1
2019
1
2020
1
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20143
20152
20162
20172
20181
20191
20201

2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1

Year-by-year records

Kia CADENZA model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
20141103Not available
2015482-1
20161420
20173220
201871-1
2019510
2020010