2023 Kia EV6

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 NHTSA 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 NHTSA 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: NHTSA 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)

I was driving 40mph and received a yellow error message along the lines of "electrical system issue, please check" and my speed was limited to 25mph. After trying to get the car to a safe location (as I was on a narrow two-lane road), the error changed to a blinking red error and my speed was further limited to 12mph. I was unable to get the car one mile to the dealer for service, so I stopped the car in a parking lot and had it towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the problem and replaced the ICCU (2nd time on this car) and the 12 volt battery.

On January 27th I was driving home on I-495 in the far left lane going about 70MPH when the electrical warning light came on. Telling me to stop the car and take to the dealership. While I was trying to get over into my far right lane, the car went from 70mph to 25 mph in about 40 seconds! Cars were flying all around me! It was terrifying and incredibly dangerous! The dealership discovered my ICCU had failed. This vehicle has a fatal flaw that is going to get someone killed.

While driving my car a warning flashed stating "check electrical vehicle system." Pulled over, contacted Kia of Abilene and asked if we could drive the car to the dealership. While on the phone another warning flashed ""Stop vehicle and check power supply." Attempted to drive car, "Limp mode or turtle mode" occurred and the max speed for the car was 25mph, sudden loss of acceleration. Made it home, which was approximately 2 miles away, and it seems like the 12V battery was draining quickly. Eventually the vehicle stalled at home and became unresponsive, no power. Contacted roadside assistance and the vehicle was towed to Kia of Abilene. All of this occurred March 29th at approximately noon. The dealership finally contacted us today, April 2nd, and notified us it was an ICCU failure and the part wasn't available with no foreseeable time-frame for repair. The car is absolutely inoperable!

I purchased my 2023 Kia EV6 in December 28, 2024. On January 8, 2025, I took my EV6 in for the SC327 recall service. Despite completion of the recall service, my ICCU still failed and my car lost power while driving on February 6, 2025. I was driving 45 mph down a state road and was about to get into a highway onramp when my speed quickly dropped to 13 mph and my car displayed a "check electrical system" warning. The car would not go above 13 mph. I was fortunate that no one was following close behind me and that I was not on the highway. Had I been in front of a truck or other vehicle that couldn't stop quickly, the sudden deceleration could have been very dangerous. I was fortunate that I was near a parking lot that I could pull into to wait for a tow truck. By the time I got into the parking lot my car completely died and I was stuck without heat in 19 degree F weather. There were no symptoms prior to the failure, and the first warning about the electrical system ("Stop vehicle and check power supply") appeared after I lost acceleration. This warning was followed by "12 volt battery low. Stop safely." before it died completely. The vehicle is currently at the Kia Dealership pending repair.

While driving with the power liftgate partially open, I experienced an inability to accelerate after coming to a stop. I pressed the accelerator and the car rolled gently forward into an intersection at a speed less than 2MPH. A warning displayed on the dash that I needed to close the liftgate before the vehicle would operate correctly, which was impossible because I was in the middle of an intersection with a large chair blocking the liftgate from closing. I was able to restore functionality by turning the car off and turning it back on. Prior to this, there were audible and visual alarms about the open liftgate after each stop. These alarms are described in the manual, which instructs the driver to close the liftgate when the alarms sound. However, driving with a liftgate open is a common use for an small SUV when hauling large or long objects, and contravenes no laws when done properly and safely. The manual does not state, so I did not anticipate, that the vehicle would enter a "limp mode" if I continued to ignore the alarms. Being unexpectedly unable to accelerate is a dangerous behavior, especially if you are in the position to make a left turn across traffic and the car goes into limp mode with cars oncoming. I consider this a safety concern because 1) driving with the liftgate open is not an inherently unsafe activity that warrants disabling the vehicle, and 2) the manual fails to state that the driver might experience sudden loss of ability to accelerate with the liftgate open.

The brake lights illuminate too early and often under [even very] gentle deceleration. My '23 EV6 GT is driven primarily in Level 1 (minimal) regenerative braking mode and the threshold for brake light activation clearly is far too low. The appearance of "riding the brakes" is dangerous because those who follow are not alerted when the driver transitions from [essentially] coasting to actually hitting the brakes. Also, at least in my mid-Atlantic suburban area, even the appearance of "brake checking" other drivers incites road rage, which I experience most days, especially when using cruise control, unless driving with regenerative braking disabled (Level 0). SC273 was necessary and prudent because the brake lights failed to illuminate under significant deceleration, confusing those who follow. SA541 was necessary and prudent because the brake lights illuminated inconsistently on uneven road surfaces, confusing those who follow. Another VCU software logic upgrade is necessary and prudent because the brake lights fail to distinguish between [essentially] coasting vs. significant deceleration, confusing those who follow, and potentially (demonstrably!) inciting road rage. Other owners agree: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The motor inverter for the rear motor failed while I was driving. The power cut out, and luckily I was able to drift over to the side of the road. On a highway, it would have been very dangerous. The dealer diagnosed the inverter issue, and said it needs to be replaced. The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer, the police, or insurance representatives. A warning message appeared the moment the power cut out. It said, "Check electric vehicle system."