I brought the car used and i checked for recalls. The dealer said that the recall for the windshield had been taken care of. I tried to get the dealership to address the issue to no avail. The windshield is still partial unattached and the car has leaks everytime it rains and when i touched the glass it was moving.
The worst 2014 Kia Cadenza problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine29
- Brakes23
- Visibility16
- Electrical13
- Steering12
- Body8
- Transmission7
- Fuel system5
- Wheels4
- Acceleration3
- Airbags3
- Driver assistance3
- Lights3
- Seat belts1
- Suspension1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2014 Kia Cadenza
Sunroof shattered 11Engine failure 9Knocking 8Fire or smoke 8Check engine light 6ABS 5Stalling 5
Recalls 3
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
- What is wrong
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Risk
- An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Recall number 23V652000 · Recall details
Visibility: windshield
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling all 2014-2016 Cadenza vehicles. During manufacturing, the front windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach.
- Risk
- A front windshield that detaches from a vehicle can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the front windshield glass. If necessary, the windshield will be removed and reinstalled. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC232.
Recall number 22V158000 · Recall details
Wheels
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadenza vehicles manufactured February 1, 2013, through August 27, 2013, and equipped with 19" non-chrome aluminum wheels. The wheels on the affected vehicles may fracture from impacts such as large, deep potholes.
- Risk
- A wheel fracture could cause the circular rim to separate, resulting in a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wheels with new wheels, free of charge. The recall began in June 2014. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC107.
Recall number 14V289000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2014 Kia Cadenza
Defect investigations
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V‑520, 20V‑543, 21V‑161, 21V‑160, 21V‑303, 22V‑056, 22V‑810, and 23V‑651. Kia recalls 16V‑815, 20V‑518, 20V‑519, 21V‑137, 21V‑331, 22V‑051, 22V‑800, and 23V‑652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.
AQ23002
Technical service bulletins for the 2014 Kia Cadenza 117
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Engine sub assembly: inspection/replacement (WTY039)
- Engine sub assembly inspection/replacement (WTY039)
- Engine sub assembly inspection/replacement (WTY039)
- Owner notification (WTY039)
- Dealer principal memo (WTY039)
- Dealer parts and service manager memo (WTY039)
- Question and answer
- Request for reimbursement form (WTY039)
- Oil pressure switch (OPS) replacement (WTY026 revision 2)
- Engine sub assembly inspection/replacement (WTY039 - revision 7)
2014 Kia Cadenza fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6‑cyl | FWD | 19 | 28 | 22 |
What 2014 Kia Cadenza owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
my car caught on fire while driving, i was never notified of the recall
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that while driving through a car wash, there was water entering the vehicle through the front windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the windshield bonding agent. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V158000 (Visibility); the VIN was included, but the vehicle was previously repaired in 2022. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 129,000.
I was driving down the highway at 65 mph when suddenly the sunroof exploded in an outward fashion causing me to pull over. I believe there is a defect in the sunroofs of 2011 to 2014 models. I've contacted Kia. They refused to cover it. Nothing hit the windshield. It just spontaneously exploded.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently went into LIMP Mode and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel. The contact was able to coast the vehicle over to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that there was no oil in the engine. A diagnostic test was performed; however, no oil leaks or failures were discovered. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer for service. The mechanic added oil to the engine and the contact drove to the local dealer. The contact was informed that an oil change was needed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 177,000.
Interior door handle chrome has delaminated. Both my wife and my hand have been sliced open on it.
The engine started smoking and knocking really bad. Took it to the kia dealership and was told a piston o ring and gasket went bad because of heavy oil consumption that caused antifreeze to leak inside the motor while sitting still and this was causing the burning smell because the cylinder had gone bad because of this. The dealership states this was a known issue with all kias from this year and should be under recall. So I called kia because the car only has 80k miles and they informed me it's not apart of the open recall because it's a cadenza. What if I hadn't went back outside and seen the smoke and the car caught fire and burned my home down. It seems like kia knows all of these motors are bad and trying to keep it secret
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact that parts were on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that the windshield was inspected under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V158000 (Visibility), and it was determined that the windshield had not detached so the windshield was not replaced. The contact stated that after the windshield was inspected, the contact noticed that the windshield was detaching on the driver's side lower corner, causing water to leak into the vehicle. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who confirmed the failure, and that the windshield needed to be replaced; however, the VIN was no longer included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a recall 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. After the repair was completed, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was shifted into reverse and then driven before accelerating as intended. Additionally, the sunroof was leaking. The vehicle was taken to SAFELITE Auto Glass, and the contact was informed that there was no adhesive glue on the top of the windshield from the driver to the passenger’s side, causing a slight detachment. The contact was also informed that the sunroof had severe rusting around the seal due to rain being able to leak from the lack of adhesive. The rust caused the handle for the sunroof to detach. The windshield had been replaced by SAFELITE Auto Glass. The failure persisted and the vehicle was returned to SAFELITE Auto Glass, and the windshield was replaced a second time 3 years later. The contact stated that due to the water leak, the dashboard started bubbling and eventually burst resulting in a hole being formed. The windshield had been replaced. The contact learned the VIN was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V158000 (Visibility). The vehicle had been taken to the dealer who had replaced the dashboard and removed the cup attached to the windshield and installed a defrosting sensor. The contact stated that the leak persisted. The contact had learned that the windshield should have been replaced instead of just the sensor. The vehicle had begun to display a message asking for the driver to comply however, it was unclear exactly what the vehicle was referencing. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that after retrieving the vehicle, the contact became aware that the dealer had only driven the vehicle 1 mile, and the contact believed it was not long e
Compare the 2014 Kia Cadenza
Other model years
Questions about the 2014 Kia Cadenza
Is the 2014 Kia Cadenza reliable?
Owners have filed 111 complaints about the 2014 Kia Cadenza, 3.4 times a typical Cadenza model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2014 Kia Cadenza year score?
The 2014 Kia Cadenza scores 30 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Kia Cadenza: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Kia Cadenza?
Engine and cooling, with 29 complaints, typically around 56,002 miles. Next is brakes (23).
How many recalls does the 2014 Kia Cadenza have?
3 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic, visibility and wheels.
What year does the Kia Cadenza have bad engine?
The Kia Cadenza model years with the most engine complaints are 2014 (29 complaints), 2015 (13 complaints) and 2017 (12 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2014 Kia Cadenza get?
Official estimates for the 2014 Kia Cadenza range from 22 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.3L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 19 city and 28 highway.
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