Kia EV9 owners face nine-month waits for battery replacements amid reliability concerns
UK and US customers report significant range loss and charging irregularities, with repair timelines extending up to nine months while the manufacturer lacks a specific technical bulletin for the flagship SUV.
Owners of the Kia EV9 in the United Kingdom and the United States are reporting widespread high-voltage battery failures, characterised by reduced driving range and charging irregularities. The manufacturer’s battery replacement program has resulted in wait times of up to nine months, exacerbating frustration among customers and highlighting broader reliability concerns for Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle portfolio.
One owner documented a significant loss of capacity, finding their EV9 held only 71kWh of usable energy out of a 99.8kWh total capacity, representing a 25 percent reduction. Other customers have experienced total battery failure or range drops to as low as 30 miles, rendering vehicles unusable. In some instances, the battery failure has affected other systems, including the crash avoidance system, leading dealers to deem the vehicles unsafe to drive.
Hyundai issued a technical service bulletin in early 2025 instructing dealers to replace battery packs showing specific trouble codes related to cell failures. However, Kia has not yet released a similar bulletin for the EV9, leaving dealers struggling to identify obvious error codes for these specific battery issues. This lack of a unified directive has contributed to diagnostic delays and extended repair timelines for EV9 owners.
The issues echo previous reliability challenges for Hyundai Motor Group, particularly regarding Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failures affecting models such as the Ioniq 5 and EV6. Consumer Reports highlighted in February that up to 10 percent of Hyundai and Kia EV owners experienced ICCU-related issues. Hyundai and Kia have previously issued warranty extensions globally for these failures, but the current battery problems remain largely unaddressed by official recall mechanisms.
Kia UK PR initially responded to inquiries in late March but subsequently ignored repeated requests for comment. Meanwhile, owners are navigating the eight-year warranty cover for EV batteries in the UK, though the lengthy wait times for replacements have led to significant inconvenience. Some customers have received loaner vehicles, including an EV3, which has also been subject to ICCU issues, further complicating their experience with the brand.
