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moderate Owners of the 2021 Kia Stinger have filed 3 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Stinger | 13 |
| 2019 Stinger | 7 |
| 2021 Stinger (this page) | 3 |
Of the 3 engine complaints filed for the 2021 Kia Stinger, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire while driving.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine), which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA 2.0L T-GDI ECM SOFTWARE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC279) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the software logic of the engine control module (ECM) with an improved version on 2018-2021MY Stinger (CK) vehicles equipped with a Theta 2.0L T-GDI ULEV engine manufactured from September 29, 2017 through January 20, 2021. The subject vehicles may have engine calibrations that were not optimized for emissions standards under certain specific conditions, which may cause the vehicle to release air pollutants which exceed Federal and California standards (such as NMOG (Non-Methane Organic Gas) and CO (Carbon Monoxide) during IUVP (In-Use Verification Pro
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign on certain 2018-2021 MY Kia Stinger vehicles equipped with 2.0L Turbo GDI engines manufactured from September 29, 2017 to January 20, 2021 to improve the emissions logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance with emissions regulations. This condition may cause the vehicle to release air pollutants that exceed Federal and California standards.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign on certain 2018-2021 MY Kia Stinger vehicles equipped with 2.0L Turbo GDI engines manufactured from September 29, 2017 to January 20, 2021 to improve the emissions logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance with emissions regulations. This condition may cause the vehicle to release air pollutants that exceed Federal and California standards.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Since April I have been having the same issue. Sometimes when I am stopped and the autostop is supposed to shut down the engine, the engine just sputters and if I hit the gas nothing happens. I have to put the car in park and shut it down then restart it. I try to shut the auto stop off when I get in the car but sometimes I forget. It has happened at over 20 times that I have documented over the…
The car started to slow down and once I came to a stand still. The car would not start!
Just purchased a 2021 Kia stinger gt AWD new about a month ago. Just over 1000 miles on it now and encountered a concerning issue. Sitting at a stoplight with the auto start/stop off, traction control off and in sports mode, I pressed the gas pedal and there was a slight hesitation followed by a pretty forceful lurch forward. As I approached the next stoplight several hundred feet further ahead…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 3 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Based on the 3 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 1,200 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover engine issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.