Active lane keeping function feature disengages without audible warning leading to multiple near collisions. Happens without warning or any particular trigger. Was brought to the kia specialist attention and he did not seem surprised or concerned. Happens almost every time this feature is utilized at some random point in the drive.
2024 Kia EV9 steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2024 Kia EV9 have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the steering at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2024 EV9 shows a pattern of steering, suspension, and stability issues that dealerships have failed to resolve.
High-speed vibration dominates the complaints. Starting around 60–70 mph, the steering wheel, center console, and driver seat vibrate persistently—even on smooth, newly paved roads. Six service visits, multiple wheel balances, tire rotations, tire swaps, and alignments haven't fixed it. One owner waited 24 days in the shop with no resolution. Dealerships have offered no root cause or repair, with some telling owners "nothing is wrong with this vehicle" despite replicating the vibration.
Chassis instability over road irregularities is the second major theme. Owners report pronounced swaying, porpoising, and rear-end hopping when wheels hit bumps, potholes, or expansion joints—especially when wheels encounter them at different times or angles. At 25 mph in wet conditions, the vehicle can lose traction and spin. Dealerships claim to have no other reports and lack experience with the problem.
Uncontrolled weaving and lane-keep glitches round out the safety concerns. One owner's vehicle began weaving on its own at 50 mph after recall service; when the accelerator was released, it fishtailed wildly. Another reports lane-keep assist disengaging without warning or lurching the vehicle toward oncoming traffic. Service techs have replicated the weaving but offered no fix, suggesting it may be "how regenerative brakes work."
Kia has issued no TSBs or recalls for these issues.
Failure modes owners describe
Highway-speed steering wheel vibration
Steering wheel and center console vibrate consistently at speeds above 60–70 mph, even on smooth, newly paved roads. Vibration persists across multiple service visits, tire balances, and alignments. Owners report the issue occurs regardless of regenerative braking settings or advanced driver aids (lane keep assist, highway driving assist). Dealerships have checked tire balance and alignment, with some finding nothing wrong; tire remounting or balancing has provided no lasting relief.
When: Manifests above 60–70 mph; present from delivery in most cases; some owners report 24+ days in service with no fix
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel vibration at highway speeds (65–70+ mph); Center console vibration; Cup holders vibrating; Driver seat vibrating; Unpleasant, disturbing driving experience; Concentration issues while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple wheel balances, tire rotations, alignment corrections, tire swaps with new ones, and alignment machine inspections have not resolved the issue. Dealerships have offered no definitive repair. One owner reported vehicle held for 24 days with no resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No known fix action or open TSB from Kia per owner reports. One dealership changed regenerative braking setting to 'smooth' as a troubleshooting step, with no success. Some service advisors stated 'nothing is wrong with this vehicle' despite replicating symptoms.
Chassis porpoising and rear-end instability over road irregularities
Vehicle experiences pronounced chassis swaying, porpoising, and rear-end hopping when traveling above 15 mph and encountering bumps, potholes, expansion joints, or other surface irregularities. Effect is most pronounced when wheels encounter irregularities at different times or at an angle. In wet or slippery conditions, the vehicle can lose traction and enter a spin at speeds as low as 25 mph. Owners describe the rear end as 'wobbling or sliding' as if about to break traction, even on dry roads at legal speeds.
When: Occurs at speeds above 15 mph; present since delivery in early 2024 for one owner; happens on both dry and wet road conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Chassis swaying and porpoising over bumps; Rear-end hopping or skipping side to side; Loss of traction and vehicle spin in wet conditions; Instability increases with speed; Occurs both driving straight and through corners; Fishtailing over small bumps at low speeds; Rear-end wobbling and sliding sensation
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs cited. Dealerships claim to have no other reports and lack experience diagnosing or fixing the issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or TSBs mentioned. Dealerships report no other complaints and no established repair procedure.
Uncontrolled steering weaving and fishtailing
Vehicle weaves side to side without driver input, particularly after service or during highway driving. Weaving occurs spontaneously and escalates to wild fishtailing when accelerator is released. One owner reported the issue began the day after recalls were addressed at the dealership. The vehicle steers itself left and right unpredictably at speeds around 50 mph. Service techs confirmed they replicated the weaving action twice during test drives but offered no definitive diagnosis or repair.
When: Began day after recall service; replicated at 50 mph highway speeds
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle weaves without driver steering input; Spontaneous weaving that rights itself when accelerator released; Wild fishtailing when accelerator released; Rapid weaving left and right; Steering wheel operates on its own
Repairs/costs cited: Service tech recommended changing regenerative braking to 'smooth' mode; issue recurred within one mile. No further repair offered.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership agreed it was a serious issue. Service tech replicated the weaving twice. Dealership suggested the behavior may be how regenerative brakes work, implying no fault.
Lane-keep assist erratic behavior and disengagement
Lane-keep assist feature either disengages abruptly without audible warning, causing near collisions, or operates erratically—refusing to turn off and pulling the vehicle toward oncoming traffic or adjacent vehicles (flat-bed semi). Feature engages spontaneously and unpredictably during highway driving with no clear trigger.
When: Occurs randomly during highway driving when lane assist is activated
Symptoms owners cite: Lane assist disengages without warning; Near-collision incidents due to disengagement; Lane assist will not turn off; Erratic pulling toward oncoming traffic; Erratic pulling toward adjacent vehicles; Feature engages without driver input
Repairs/costs cited: One service specialist was not surprised or concerned when informed of the issue.
Premature tire wear from alignment issues
Vehicle delivered from factory with failed alignment; tires have worn excessively. One owner reported tires worn out at less than 10,000 miles. Dealership held vehicle for over 60 days attempting to correct alignment issues but was unable or unwilling to fully resolve the problem, as shown by alignment machine diagnostics.
When: Apparent upon first taking vehicle home after purchase; excessive wear within 10,000 miles for one owner
Symptoms owners cite: Premature tire wear; Persistent vehicle pull while driving; Shaking while driving; Instability at high speeds; Damaged tires
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership held vehicle for over 60 days and rectified part of alignment issues but could not fully resolve remaining problems per alignment machine. Owner was forced to pick up vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership threatened owner with storage fees to force release of vehicle.
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
When driving at speeds 60+ mph, EV9 steering wheel and center console vibrate consistently even on newly paved smooth road(s). I have taken it into two different dealerships for resolve twice within the first week of ownership. Both dealerships checked tires, mount and balanced the ones that were off and sent us on our way. The steering wheel and console vibrations persist. I have taken it back…
Had steering trouble with your 2024 Kia EV9?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2024 Kia EV9?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 14 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2024/Kia/EV9.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.