- The problem
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019-2020 K900, and 2018-2023 Stinger vehicles equipped with a 3.3-liter turbo gasoline direct injection engine. The left turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly may deteriorate and leak oil.
- The risk
- An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire while driving.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the left turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 26, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC300.
Vehicle safety record
2020 Kia Stinger Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 2020 Kia Stinger with NHTSA, most often about the fuel system (7) and the electrical system (6). Those complaints describe 1 crash. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in March 2024 for the hoses / plumbing. For comparison, the 2019 has 0 and the 2021 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Stinger year, for its age
#140 most complained-about 2020 vehicle
- Complaints
- 16
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2020 Kia Stinger problems
Share of all 16 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2020 Kia Stinger recalls 6
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles. The fuel control valve plunger may stick inside the high pressure fuel pump, causing over-pressurization and loss of drive power.
- The risk
- A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will update the engine control unit software, inspect, and replace the fuel pump as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC281.
- The problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Stinger vehicles. A software error in the instrument cluster may cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading.
- The risk
- An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 10, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC219.
- The problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Stinger vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.
- The risk
- Insufficient fuel supply to the engine can result in a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel pump and replace the jet nozzle housing assembly, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC198.
Park outside
- The problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) recalled certain 2019 Stinger vehicles equipped with 3.3L T-GDI engines on August 27, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Kia expanded the recall population and added certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles. While driving, an engine compartment fire may occur in the area where the Anti-lock Brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) is located.
- The risk
- An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
- The fix
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuse kit in the electrical junction box, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC196.
- The problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Stinger vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Turbo-GDI engine. A component within the Rack Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) Assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, possibly resulting in the steering locking or becoming difficult while driving.
- The risk
- A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the MDPS Assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC193.
What owners say
Be the first Stinger owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
16 complaints about the 2020 Kia Stinger
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Was wondering why this vehicle isn't included in the fuel pump recall .There is hesitation, starves for fuel. All the symptoms, per mechanic, saying that is should be included!
I am reporting a Failure of the Remedy for NHTSA Recall 23V634000 (Kia Recall SC281). The original recall attempted to "fix" a High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) issue via a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU). This remedy has failed. My vehicle is currently experiencing the exact safety hazard described in the recall: loss of motive power and stalling at various speeds due to HPFP failure. Despite the software "patch" performed in 2024, the physical hardware (HPFP) has now suffered a mechanical failure,...
Read the full complaint
rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive. Description of the Incident: On or about March 15, 2026, the vehicle began lose power and stuttered while in motion, posing a significant risk of a rear-end collision. Diagnostic scans (OBD-II) confirmed code [Insert Code if known, e.g., P0087 for Low Fuel Rail Pressure]. A secondary diagnosis at Courtesy Kia (Mesa, AZ) on March 18, 2026, confirmed the HPFP has failed. Failure of Manufacturer to Act: The manufacturer (Kia America, Case #[redacted]) is currently refusing to replace the failed component under the recall mandate. They are categorizing the repair as "Goodwill" because the recall was "closed" by the unsuccessful software update. The manufacturer's refusal to remediate a known mechanical defect that causes stalling in traffic is a direct violation of the spirit and legal requirement of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Current Location of Vehicle: Courtesy [redacted]. The vehicle is grounded as it is unsafe to operate.
I was driving to work when suddenly my steering wheel gets supper heavy as I was making a turn shook the life out of me my eps went out if you could please do a good will repair or see if there's any extended warranty please check for a TSPs
Transmission light appeared and a loud knocking noise followed by white smoke bellowing out of the exhaust. I took it to a shop and they said it now needs an engine replacement.
I was driving to work and the steering wheel just looked up and got really stiff and hard to control which was really dangerous. Prior to the I could just be sitting idle and the steering wheel would just start moving by itself out of nowhere.
My car shut off while driving down the road, it would not restart, there were no warning lights or check engine lights on. I had it towed to a repair shop and they replaced the fuel pump. Later I found out the fuel pump was recalled for the car and submitted the work receipt for reimbursement on 12/18/2024. I was never notified of the recall to have it replaced. It has been 11 weeks today and I have not been reimbursed for the $1100 I paid to have the fuel pump replaced. I could have been severely injured when my car engine shut down while driving.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Stinger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V169000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled several times for recall repair. The...
Read the full complaint
contact stated that upon taken the vehicle to the dealer, the dealer advised the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to a second dealer, Clay Cooley (1247 E Airport Fwy, Irving, TX 75062), where the contact was informed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The vehicle will shut off without reason from time to time. I'll be sitting at a light, stop sign, or intersection, and the car just shuts off. All electronics inside the car turn off, the engine turns off, and it's as if I've shut the car off to get out. Usually, I'm able to restart the car after a few moments and go about my day, but in doing some research on this issue, there have been others that have had the same issue. When others take their car in to have it investigated, the dealership is unable to...
Read the full complaint
locate the issue as it's extremely difficult to replicate. A person's safety is definitely in question considering if the car shuts off while driving, it could lock the steering wheel as a few others have seen. The only symptom that I have experienced is the music from the radio goes weird prior to the car shutting down.
I was sitting at a red light with my foot on the brake. When I took my foot off the brake when the light turned green, my car would not drive forward!! I checked to make sure my car was not in Park. All of the lights on the dash were on and the engine was no longer running. Not to mention something similar happened November 18, 2023 where I was driving and the engine suddenly lost power And cut off, and it would not crank back up for longer than 3 secs w/o losing power. my car could no longer run. I ended up having...
Read the full complaint
to get it towed to a local Kia dealership On Covington Pike in Memphis, TN (the location on Mt Moriah informed me that if I took it to to their location, I would be charged $175 plus tax for them to run diagnostic on it, and it would be best to take it to the location that I purchased the car from - THAT IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE & ridiculous!!!) and all they did was replace the high pressure fuel pump. They did not hook my car up to do a diagnostic, they just went off of the code reader my friend had. The code showed P0088- fuel rail/system pressure- too high. Nothing else was checked to see if it was defective. That particular kia rep told me that there wasn't anything they could do unless there was a check engine light lit up on the dash. Now fast forward to today, a similar situation happened, but luckily my car was able to start back up. I've been waiting on them to perform 1 of the recalls for over 3years now and it's always the same story, they don't have the part, they would have to get that ordered & contact me when it comes in & when it comes in, they don't contact me!! I really want to know what's going on with my car for it to still be fairly new and to have these issues when I keep the maintenance up. I can't afford to be stranded or put myself or the lives of other motorists on the road in danger because my vehicle will randomly lose power out of nowhere. That's unacceptable and dangerous!
1st safety related incident discovered December 27th, 2021, rear window defroster stopped working. Checked rear fuse block as the owner's manual had listed that the fuse would be located there. Visual observation of fuse block showed rear heater fuse had blown and the area around the fuse discolored and melted. Remedy was dealership replacing rear fuse block and given back with no explanation why the fuse heated up to cause fuse and fuse block to start to melt. 2nd same safety related incident discovered June...
Read the full complaint
18th, 2023, when checking rear fuse block to see if the previous repair fixed the possible electrical fire related concern. It was noticed again that the same fuse had similar discoloration and plastic melting around the fuse. Fuse was removed and alternate dealership contacted about this concern. Vehicle was left at dealership on July 28th, 2023 and loaner vehicle was given to use until remedy could be completed. As of October 14th, 2023 this vehicle is still at the dealership with no remedy or cause determined why the rear fuse block has started melting again after being replaced the first time. Pictures of the fuses and the melted fuse block have been secured by this writer. Neither the fuse blocks nor the fuses are in my possession. Current miles on the vehicle is 47,922. This unsafe condition has the potential to cause a fire and could either cause serious physical injury and or death.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk and hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. One day while at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where he was informed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact purchased the spark plugs from the dealer but had an independent mechanic perform the...
Read the full complaint
repair. Despite the repair, the failure occurred a second time. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where another diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was notified that both the spark plugs, and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V560000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) which he linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the recall but was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided the same information as the dealer. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 59,272.
Dealer said it is a known issue, but the brakes leave deposit on rotors and cause severe shaking while slowing down. Rattles entire car and steering wheel violently. Had this issue first at 5k miles, now at 18k miles and it is back. The dealer turned the rotors for me under warranty at 5k, but now are telling me I need to purchase my own aftermarket pads and rotors because they won't cover it. Pads have plenty of meat left, just has a nasty "warble" under braking.
Dealer stated that the GDI pump has failed and that is not a common issue. My car started shuddering as I was driving in the interstate I5 north at 70mph, then the car stalled in the middle of the freeway, gas pedal was useless, if it was not because my speed was 70mph and the force of the speed keep my car moving for a little I would probably be hit by a truck putting my life and others at risk. Car was towed back to the dealer, very strong smell of gas and smoke was coming from underneath it, engine lights came...
Read the full complaint
on after it stalled a second time while parked on the side of the road. Only signs noticed was the shuddering one day prior to this incident but car did not stall and I thought It was because it needed oil change, other was hesitation to start while cold, after a second attempt it would start without problem. all those signs were not long lasting nor repetitive (shuddering happened only ones prior the day of the incident and ones seconds before the incident).
moving forward into parking space with my foot on the brake car accelerated and smashed into a tree.
I purchased this car brand new in july and have had the same electrical system problem at least 7 times now. The issue is that sometimes, when I give a right hand turn signal, the vehicle's entire electrical system shuts down. It has done it on a slow turn, on a merge going 35mph, and on a a highway exit ramp going 60mph. This is dangerous and only a matter of time until me, or someone else, dies as a result of this failure. I have been dealing with this problem off and on for 6 months and I'm tired of it.
Fuel line connection within the engine compartment had a lock/cover that was not seated/attached. Issue was discovered after doing a thorough look over of a newly purchased vehicle in which a loose nut was found in the trunk. Upon removal of the plastic engine cover next to the non locked fuel line two missing bolts were found for a wire harness on top of the engine. Owner connected fuel line lock, dealer installed two bolts to the wire harness. No receipt was given since nothing was billed.
Kia Stinger: every year compared
All Stinger years2020 Kia Stinger vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Kia Stinger | 16 | 6 | F | |
| 2020 Kia Soul | 393 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Sportage | 171 | 2 | F | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Optima | 153 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Sorento | 140 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Forte | 78 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Niro Hybrid | 39 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Rio | 27 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2020 Kia Sedona | 20 | 1 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2020 Kia Stinger
Does the 2020 Kia Stinger have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2020 Kia Stinger: hoses / plumbing (March 2024); fuel pump (September 2023); fuel gauge (November 2021); fuel pump (September 2020) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Kia Stinger?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the fuel system (7), electrical system (6), engine & cooling (6).
How many complaints has the 2020 Kia Stinger had?
16 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 28, 2020 and the latest on April 8, 2026. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2020 Kia Stinger a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 10 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Kia Stinger year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 2020 Kia Stinger has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data