The 2020 Kia Stinger is a sports sedan that supposedly combines power and spaciousness. The automaker claims it is “built to thrill,” but many customers aren’t excited about the adventures it provides. From the defective fuel system to the shoddy structure, there’s a lot going wrong with this Kia car.
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Contents
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| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Electrical System | |
| Engine | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Unknown Or Other |
As a performance-minded vehicle, the Stinger needs to include a reliable fuel system, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Here is one NHTSA complaint. “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.”
There is, in fact, a fuel-related recall worth addressing. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V560000 talks about how the fuel pump jet nozzle might still have a plastic burr on it from the manufacturing process. This can lead to a blocked nozzle, causing an insufficient fuel supply, which reduces drive power and increases the chance of an accident. There’s not much thrill in losing engine power or stalling in the middle of the road. Unless, of course, the owner enjoys waiting hours for a tow truck.
Next, by looking at the structure of the Stinger, it’s clear that there were further manufacturing issues.
Read this Edmunds review. “Rear hatch rattles. Sunroof rattles. There was a loose bolt found in the passenger side rear door as there was a nasty rattle coming from the panel. There is a ‘chirping’ sound every time I turn off the vehicle. Kia engineers state this is normal. It is the throttle body scraping the intake as it turns off.”
Again, there is another recall that shows more manufacturing issues. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V422000 states that the Rack Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) Assembly might not have been made correctly. Ultimately, this error can cause the steering to lock up or cause trouble during driving. Again, the only “thrill” this car is providing is the chance to learn evasive driving skills and avoid an accident.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Kia pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
| Category | Engine, Fuel System, Gasoline |
| Date | Mar 02, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | 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 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. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Jun 19, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jun 01, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | 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 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). |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 16, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Moving forward into parking space with my foot on the brake car accelerated and smashed into a tree. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jan 08, 2021 |
| State | NC |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jul 28, 2020 |
| State | IL |
| Description | 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. |
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Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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