Kia CadenzaYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 218 NHTSA owner complaints across 7 model years, no Kia Cadenza year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2015 and 2017. The Cadenza has 6 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2014 Best years'15 '17Fewest complaints for their age Owner complaints218Top: Engine Safety recalls62014–2020 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Kontinent Media, CC BY 2.0.

Best & worst years

Kia Cadenza years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cadenza median. Tap a year for its full report.

11148 14 33 7 5 0

'14'15'16'17'18'19'20

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

2020Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall 2019Not rated–/1005 complaints · 1 recall 2018Not rated–/1007 complaints · 1 recall 2017Solid55/10033 complaints · 2 recalls 2016Not rated–/10014 complaints · 2 recalls 2015Solid50/10048 complaints · 2 recalls 2014Caution29/100111 complaints · 3 recalls

Complaints by system

Most common Kia Cadenza problems

All model years combined: 218 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

64Engine4 crash/fire/injury

33Electrical system5 crash/fire/injury

25Visibility

24Service brakes, hydraulic

18Steering

12Structure

11Service brakes

10Fuel/propulsion system

8Exterior lighting

5416 other systems6 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Engine	64	4
Electrical system	33	5
Visibility	25	0
Service brakes, hydraulic	24	0
Steering	18	0
Structure	12	2
Service brakes	11	2
Fuel/propulsion system	10	0
Exterior lighting	8	0
16 other systems	54	6

6 recalls

Kia Cadenza recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module23V-652 · 2014–2016 · Sep 25, 2023 · 1,730,192 vehiclesPark outside Visibility: windshield22V-158 · 2014–2016 · Mar 15, 2022 · 30,362 vehicles Electrical system: software22V-022 · 2020 · Jan 21, 2022 · 451 vehicles Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module21V-137 · 2017–2019 · Mar 4, 2021 · 379,931 vehiclesPark outside Vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings17V-190 · 2017 · Mar 16, 2017 · 47 vehicles Wheels14V-289 · 2014 · May 30, 2014 · 3,107 vehicles

1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the Cadenza

Nov 17, 2023
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresAQ23002 · 2014–2021 · still open
Open