2023 Kia EV6: sudden loss of power

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Electrical · WA · fire

My 2023 Kia EV6 was subject to recall SC327 (the federal safety agency 24V‑867, ICCU); the recall remedy on Nov 19, 2024 was an inspection and software update only. After the remedy, the car repeatedly lost all 12-volt power (Feb 2025 and Apr 2025). Each time, the dealer said it could not find the cause — its hands were tied, it said, because Kia corporate required a diagnostic code and some codes did not yet exist for a car this new — and it repeatedly replaced parts, including the 12V battery twice and the battery sensor, to "hope for the best." On May 12, 2026, while driving about 25 mph, I heard a loud pop/bang from under the car, an electrical warning appeared, the vehicle lost power and stopped in traffic, and would not shift out of Park or move. The dealer found the high-voltage box exploded, all high-voltage fuses blown including the 500-amp fuse, the power relay assembly shorted, and connectors damaged by heat; about $16,324 of high-voltage components were replaced under warranty. The dealer and Kia engineering could not determine the cause; the service advisor wrote on July 22, 2026: "We do not have a smoking gun as to what caused all of this… anything is all a guess." On Oct 17, 2026 I found the car completely dead again at the dealership, and it has continued to show electrical faults. After I retrieved the car on Oct 26, 2026, it developed further electrical faults, which I reported to the dealership in writing, including the mirror and remote start failing, false door-unlocked warnings while driving, and two occasions when the car stalled and then recovered. On Nov 2, 2026, the car displayed a charging fault and would not charge at all; the dealership's general manager advised me in writing to discontinue charging attempts until the vehicle is evaluated. The dealership has repeatedly declined to state that the vehicle is safe to drive. I am concerned the vehicle is unsafe and that the recall remedy has not corrected the defect.

Filed Aug 14, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · FL

While driving southbound on the [XXX] in a rented 2023 Kia EV6 from The Hertz Corporation, picked up in [XXX] on XXX, the vehicle entered "Power Limited" mode without warning. The vehicle lost normal propulsion and decelerated from highway speed to a crawl, forcing 4-5 emergency stops onto the highway shoulder over several miles while semi-trucks passed at 70+ mph in live traffic, with two minor children in the vehicle. The vehicle was ultimately abandoned at a highway rest stop on Hertz Roadside Assistance's instruction and towed. This vehicle was subject to three the federal safety agency recall campaigns for the ICCU defect that produces exactly this failure mode: 24V057000 (SC295, driveshaft, notice mailed XXX), 24V200000 (SC302, ICCU 12V charging failure/Power Limited mode, notice mailed XXX), and 24V867000 (SC327, expanded ICCU remedy superseding SC302, notice mailed XXX) — all mailed well before this vehicle was rented to me on XXX. Under 49 U.S.C. §30120(i), a rental company may not rent a covered rental vehicle subject to an unremedied safety recall. I am requesting the federal safety agency use its inspection authority under 49 U.S.C. §30166 to determine whether Hertz completed the required SC327 remedy on this vehicle before renting it to me, and to review Hertz's fleet-wide recall compliance for its Kia EV6 inventory. This does not appear to be an isolated incident: the federal safety agency complaint ODI XXX, filed XXX, describes a near-identical failure — a rented 2023 Kia EV6 (Dollar Rent A Car, a Hertz-owned brand) losing power and shutting down multiple times on the freeway during a single trip, also towed. Two renters, two Hertz-family rentals, same defect signature, five months apart. Hertz has been on written and verbal notice of this incident since XXX, and I sent a formal written demand on XXX with a response deadline of XXX. As of this filing, Hertz has not responded. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 29, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · WA

While driving a rented 2023 Kia EV6 on the freeway, the vehicle lost power and shut down completely, without warning, on multiple separate occasions during a single trip. This occurred at highway speed in live traffic, creating a serious risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was a rental (Dollar Rent A Car); no external damage or collision was involved. The vehicle has since been towed.

Filed Apr 12, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · IL

Repeated failed attempts to repair ICCU culminating in ICCU failure. May 15, 2024 – Initial repair attempt (ICCU-related recall/service). September 5, 2024 – VCMS logic recall performed. December 19, 2024 –second repair attempt for ICCU-related issue. October 16, 2025 – Limp-home logic recall performed. March 11, 2026- Vehicle experienced a complete loss of power and was rendered undrivable. Repeated attempts to avoid ICCU failure still resulted in said ICCU failure and a loss of propulsion event while vehicle was on the road.

Filed Mar 6, 2026 · Electrical · MA

The ICCU fuse blew. As I was driving, the car began to lose power. Fortunately I was able to pull into a parking lot before I lost all power. It's the same issue as the recall SC327Y1 from the federal safety agency, which occurred although the software update had already been performed previously. The dealer is replacing the ICCU and ICCU fuse under SC327Y1 after inspecting it. I did receive a warning as I was driving that the car was low on power.

Filed Mar 4, 2026 · Electrical · MD

The component that is seeming to fail in most KIA EV6's is the ICCU assembly. This is the component that failed in my KIA EV6 GT. Part# 364-1XFA0AQQK Also the ICCU Fuse, Part#375F2-GI040QQK FUSE-HIGH VOLTAGE. My safety and everyone around me was put at risk when the vehicle loss power due to this ICCU failure. As I entered the highway the vehicle starts loosing power. The vehicle gradually lost power more and more over time. I was able to make it to an exit driving at approximately 20-30 mph, and was able to drive it back to my house where it was then towed to a dealership. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. I have the invoice to prove the repair of the ICCU. Yes there were warning messages on the screen when the ICCU failed. First, there was an audible "POP" which was the fuse blowing first. Once the fuse blows, it slowly kills the 12v battery and the car then looses power and you're no longer able to drive the vehicle. At that point, the ICCU is blown. The error message showing on the screen was: "CHECK ELECTRIC VEHICLE SYSTEM". Then the display starts blinking red and displays "STOP VEHICLE AND CHECK POWER SUPPLY". I have all the screenshots of the error messages the vehicle displays. The text message that is attached to this complaint is the service tech informing me that the 12v battery that they charged me $366.66 for, DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. Yet they still charged me for the battery. This dealerships service department had my car from January 21, 2026 to March 4, 2026. A total of 42 days. At the time of the text message, it had already been past one month. I would like to be reimbursed for this cost.

Filed Jan 16, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · VA

While driving at normal speed, my Kia EV6 experienced a sudden and complete failure of the ICCU system with zero warning. The vehicle instantly lost all propulsion power and all 12V electrical power, rendering the car uncontrollable and unsafe. I was unable to accelerate, unable to place the vehicle in gear, and unable to activate hazard lights. This occurred despite the vehicle being at approximately 99% battery charge. This failure created an immediate and severe safety hazard, as the vehicle effectively became a dead object in traffic without warning to surrounding drivers. There was no prior alert, no dashboard warning, and no indication of impending failure. This defect is well-documented and pervasive across the Hyundai–Kia–Genesis E-GMP electric vehicle platform and has persisted despite multiple recalls spanning several model years. Kia has acknowledged the issue through recalls but does not have a reliable or permanent fix. Even newer model year vehicles that are claimed to address the issue have experienced the same failure. If this defect occurred in an internal combustion engine vehicle — for example, a random, complete engine shutdown or fuel system failure while driving — it is highly unlikely that regulators would permit the issue to persist across multiple model years without resolution. The fact that this is occurring in an electric vehicle should not lower the safety standard. A sudden total loss of propulsion and electrical power is equally dangerous regardless of drivetrain. Critically, there is no assurance that this failure will not recur, even after replacement of the ICCU or related components. Owners are effectively being returned vehicles that can lose all power again at any time, without warning. It is deeply concerning that this issue remains unresolved after multiple recalls and multiple model years. Continued operation of these vehicles without a verified, permanent fix places the public at ongoing risk.

Filed Jan 2, 2026 · Electrical · CO

My Kia EV6’s ICCU failed while I was driving, leading the car to completely lose power while on a busy street.

Filed Dec 27, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · CT

I am submitting this as a supplemental statement to my existing the federal safety agency safety complaint regarding my electric vehicle, KIA EV6, 2023 model. Since my original filing, the vehicle has now experienced loss of power / loss of propulsion a total of three times. These incidents occur without warning, are unpredictable, and render the vehicle unsafe to operate. The vehicle can suddenly lose motive power, creating a serious risk of collision, particularly in traffic or at speed. The manufacturer and authorized dealership have been unable to identify the root cause or permanently repair the defect. Dealer documentation reflects that the issue “cannot be replicated,” and no corrective action beyond temporary battery charging or system reset has been performed. No explanation has been provided as to why the power loss occurred or how it will be prevented from recurring. Because the defect is intermittent and safety-critical, I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle and have stopped operating it entirely. A reasonable consumer would consider repeated, unexplained loss of propulsion to present an unreasonable risk to safety. I am submitting this update so the federal safety agency is aware that: The defect is recurrent (three incidents) The condition remains unresolved The vehicle is unsafe for continued use I respectfully request that the federal safety agency review this matter for potential investigation, as loss of propulsion in an electric vehicle poses a serious safety hazard to the driver and others on the road. Thank you for your attention to this safety concern. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Dec 8, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · VA

My 2023 Kia EV6 experienced a sudden ICCU and 12-volt system failure while traveling approximately 50 mph. Without warning, the vehicle instantly lost propulsion and all electrical power. This included loss of steering assist, braking assist, hazard lights, shift capability (unable to shift into Park), and even the ability to lock the doors. The failure effectively “bricked” the vehicle in motion. I was only able to get the vehicle off the roadway because the road happened to slope downward into a nearby lot. Steering required significant physical effort, the brake pedal went completely hard (“dead”), and the vehicle offered no functional parking brake or Park engagement once stopped. Because I was on a hill, we had to allow the car to roll to the bottom until it met a curb to prevent movement. After power loss, the doors could not be locked at all. This type of unrecoverable electrical failure creates an extreme safety hazard for the driver, passengers, and surrounding traffic. There is no pre-warning and no diagnostic indicator. The ICCU fuse appears to fail spontaneously and renders the vehicle uncontrollable in several critical respects. This is not an isolated issue. ICCU failures have been occurring across the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5/6 platforms for more than three years, including on brand-new 2025 models. The persistence of this defect across multiple model years indicates that the underlying design or component defect has not been resolved by the manufacturer. Given the suddenness of the failure, the total loss of vehicle control systems, and the long history of similar incidents reported by other owners, I am now hesitant to drive the vehicle due to the unpredictable and dangerous nature of the defect.

Filed Sep 10, 2025 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

On several occasions, when traveling over 55mph, once the battery hits a certain threshold (35% or 55% so far) the “power is limited” warning will appear on the dash and the vehicle will lose power. This has not occurred at lower speeds but only at higher speeds, and not every time. This vehicle was purchased so my husband could do his freeway commute, but it is on a remote highway where there is often no shoulder, so it especially dangerous to suddenly lose power with limited ability to safely pull over. On one such occasion, he drove the vehicle straight to Kia for inspection. They said the soonest available appointment was in 2 weeks and because they had no technicians available, they could not run the diagnostic that would allow us to get a rental car in the meantime. They suggested going to a different Kia dealership. We called ahead and they said they could try to see it that day or the next, but when we arrived (with, again, the power failing on the drive to the next dealership), they said we were misinformed and they would have to hold the vehicle for at least a week with no rental option. We have since been unable to use the vehicle for commuting due to its unreliability and incredibly dangerous power failure.

Filed Mar 26, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · CA

On January 23 2025, while driving on the highway, the car lost power an had limited control. The car was towed to a dealer and it was determined that the ICCU failed. The car was at the dealer three weeks earlier for a recall related to the ICCU (ICCU (SC273A VCU SW LOGIC UPGRADE (VSC) • SC273A and ICCU INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT • SC302 ). Obviously, the recalls did not prevent the ICCU failure.