2023 Kia EV6

Vehicle was normal and during the drive a warning light for "Check Electric Vehicle System" was shown, then a second warning light "Stop Vehicle and Check Power Supply" was shown, within 2 minutes the vehicle went into "turtle" or reduced speed mode and then finally the vehicle shut down completely. I was on city streets at the time and was able to park safely, but if this had happened on and interstate highway it would have been dangerous. This is a known issue with this vehicle as it ended up being an ICCU Assembly failure. There is also a safety recall for this, but Kia is not replacing the part and just doing a software update that is not fixing the root cause of the problem.

While driving at normal speed, my Kia EV6 experienced a sudden and complete failure of the ICCU system with zero warning. The vehicle instantly lost all propulsion power and all 12V electrical power, rendering the car uncontrollable and unsafe. I was unable to accelerate, unable to place the vehicle in gear, and unable to activate hazard lights. This occurred despite the vehicle being at approximately 99% battery charge. This failure created an immediate and severe safety hazard, as the vehicle effectively became a dead object in traffic without warning to surrounding drivers. There was no prior alert, no dashboard warning, and no indication of impending failure. This defect is well-documented and pervasive across the Hyundai–Kia–Genesis E-GMP electric vehicle platform and has persisted despite multiple recalls spanning several model years. Kia has acknowledged the issue through recalls but does not have a reliable or permanent fix. Even newer model year vehicles that are claimed to address the issue have experienced the same failure. If this defect occurred in an internal combustion engine vehicle — for example, a random, complete engine shutdown or fuel system failure while driving — it is highly unlikely that regulators would permit the issue to persist across multiple model years without resolution. The fact that this is occurring in an electric vehicle should not lower the safety standard. A sudden total loss of propulsion and electrical power is equally dangerous regardless of drivetrain. Critically, there is no assurance that this failure will not recur, even after replacement of the ICCU or related components. Owners are effectively being returned vehicles that can lose all power again at any time, without warning. It is deeply concerning that this issue remains unresolved after multiple recalls and multiple model years. Continued operation of these vehicles without a verified, permanent fix places the public at ongoing risk.

I was driving on a residential street at fairly slow speeds, like 25 mph. There was a stop sign so I engaged the brakes and the car did not smoothly slow down but instead it felt like the back tires locked up and a skid started and I actually went into the intersection before coming to a stop. There was no ice, no sand, just the road surface and the skid in the rear of the vehicle.

I am submitting this as a supplemental statement to my existing NHTSA safety complaint regarding my electric vehicle, KIA EV6, 2023 model. Since my original filing, the vehicle has now experienced loss of power / loss of propulsion a total of three times. These incidents occur without warning, are unpredictable, and render the vehicle unsafe to operate. The vehicle can suddenly lose motive power, creating a serious risk of collision, particularly in traffic or at speed. The manufacturer and authorized dealership have been unable to identify the root cause or permanently repair the defect. Dealer documentation reflects that the issue “cannot be replicated,” and no corrective action beyond temporary battery charging or system reset has been performed. No explanation has been provided as to why the power loss occurred or how it will be prevented from recurring. Because the defect is intermittent and safety-critical, I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle and have stopped operating it entirely. A reasonable consumer would consider repeated, unexplained loss of propulsion to present an unreasonable risk to safety. I am submitting this update so NHTSA is aware that: The defect is recurrent (three incidents) The condition remains unresolved The vehicle is unsafe for continued use I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter for potential investigation, as loss of propulsion in an electric vehicle poses a serious safety hazard to the driver and others on the road. Thank you for your attention to this safety concern. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)