Kia Dealership Service 😓

So my car won’t charge using AC at all, and I haven’t tried a DC charger yet because that’s a whole other issue.

I took my car to the dealership, and they told me that Kia doesn’t cover anything until they diagnose the problem, and with limited techs available, it’ll take 3 days before they can even get to it. Meanwhile, I’d have to pay for a rental out of pocket, and they’ll only cover it if the problem is under warranty.

Fine, I made an appointment. A week later, I show up, and they tell me the same thing—no tech for 3 days, and the rental is still on me. I asked to speak to the service manager, explained everything, and finally, a non-EV tech pulled some codes and found an issue with the ICCU. So now, I’m sitting here while they try a “software update.”

Update: 2 hours later, the update failed, and they’re ordering the ICCU, which will take a week to arrive. They offered to let me take the car since DC charging still works or give me a loaner until the part arrives. I took the loaner.

The service manager apologized, saying they’re short on techs for EV and hybrid systems, and Kia has strict rules about covering costs until they diagnose the car.

Yeah, a software update won’t fix a charging failure. Something’s fried, and it needs to be replaced.

Peggy said:
Yeah, a software update won’t fix a charging failure. Something’s fried, and it needs to be replaced.

I’m thinking the same, but I’m not a mechanic, so I’ll let them handle it. My big worry is the car telling me to pull over while I’m on the highway if this is ICCU related.

@MAKENA
The software update is supposed to prevent hardware failure, but if the hardware’s already gone, they’ll get the codes and replace the ICCU. They probably don’t have parts in stock though.

It’s time to get in touch with corporate and stop wasting time at the dealership.

You might want to arrange a ride for a few days. Doubtful that an update will fix this.

Call Kia corporate. They’ll set you up with a free rental and talk to the dealership for you.

This sounds like what happened with my 2019 Niro EV. My local dealer in Salinas pulled the same thing, so I went up to San Jose. Call Kia customer service, open a case, and submit your receipts for reimbursement on the rental and gas.

My dealer also said no loaners, and they only cover rentals if the repair takes more than a week. Some dealers give loaners right away. Guess it’s one of the downsides of buying from an economy brand.

Christopher said:
My dealer also said no loaners, and they only cover rentals if the repair takes more than a week. Some dealers give loaners right away. Guess it’s one of the downsides of buying from an economy brand.

Might be time to find another dealer.

Did you get the letter about the ICCU recall? Those have been going out for a while now.

Jason said:
Did you get the letter about the ICCU recall? Those have been going out for a while now.

I’ve already brought the car in for three updates for the ICCU since I got it. When I had maintenance done two months ago, they didn’t mention anything. The update isn’t a complete fix, though, since it’s a hardware issue.

@MAKENA
Even if they did the SC302 ICCU recall update, software can’t fix bad hardware. If the DTC P1A9096 code came up, they should’ve known right away that the ICCU and fuse need to be replaced. If you don’t get reimbursed for the rental, you can file a case with Kia Corporate:

Kia Consumer Care Center
800-333-4542
https://ksupport.kiausa.com/ConsumerAffairs

That sounds like a complete mess. I’m a BMW master tech who works on BMW EVs, and we treat them just like any other car in terms of warranty, unless it’s something not covered (like rodent damage or insurance).

It sounds like a terrible experience for Kia EV owners if you can’t even get a loaner.