The 2016 Kia Cadenza has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,760,554 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC23V6520002023-09-251,730,192 affected
Defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an…
Consequence
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June…
VISIBILITY22V1580002022-03-1530,362 affected
Defect
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling all 2014-2016 Cadenza vehicles. During manufacturing, the front windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach.
Consequence
A front windshield that detaches from a vehicle can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the front windshield glass. If necessary, the windshield will be removed and reinstalled. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC232.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
4
VISIBILITY
3
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
STRUCTURE:BODY
1
SUSPENSION
1
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
1
Total complaints18
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2016 kia cadenza (vin: [xxx] ) and kia’s repeated failure to properly diagnose or repair a serious overheating/safety defect despite this being a well-documented and known issue affecting these engines. Vehicle and service information •vehicle: 2016…”
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2016 kia cadenza (vin: [xxx] ) and kia’s repeated failure to properly diagnose or repair a serious overheating/safety defect despite this being a well-documented and known issue affecting these engines. Vehicle and service information •vehicle: 2016…”
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2016 kia cadenza (vin: [xxx] ) and kia’s repeated failure to properly diagnose or repair a serious overheating/safety defect despite this being a well-documented and known issue affecting these engines. Vehicle and service information •vehicle: 2016…”
“My 2016 kia cadenza (vin [xxx] ) experienced repeated overheating, coolant loss, and eventually white exhaust smoke consistent with internal coolant intrusion. The issue began mid-2025 and worsened over time. Despite reporting overheating and coolant loss to central kia of plano, the dealership…”
“While driving down the highway, I heard a loud boom and my sunroof exploded sending glass everywhere all through the car with my kids in the backseat. Driving straight on the highway at 60 miles per hour and nothing to hit the glass, something is definitely wrong with the pano sunroof on these cars.”
“The contact owns a 2016 kia cadenza. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”
“The contact owns a 2016 kia cadenza. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”
“The contact owns a 2016 kia cadenza. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front windshield, after which she observed that the windshield had begun to crack and was leaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationAQ23002 Opened 2023-11-17 · open
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2016 Kia Cadenza as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.