NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation: Windshield Wiper Failure in 2024-2025 Kia EV9 (PE25-004)
Opened April 29, 2025 · Kia America, Inc.
NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation (PE25-004) on April 29, 2025 into windshield wiper failure in 2024-2025 Kia EV9. The investigation is closed on March 11, 2026.
PE25-004 at a glance
| NHTSA action number | PE25-004 |
|---|---|
| Type | Preliminary Evaluation |
| Opened | April 29, 2025 |
| Status | Closed March 11, 2026 |
| Vehicles | 2024-2025 Kia EV9 |
| Component | Visibility > Windshield Wiper/Washer |
| Manufacturer | Kia America, Inc. |
| Resulting recall | None listed |
What is NHTSA investigating in the Kia EV9?
From NHTSA’s investigation summary:
On April 29, 2025, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE25004) to investigate inoperative windshield wipers in model year (MY) 2024-2025 Kia EV9 vehicles.
The complaints report windshield wipers that malfunction while driving, when snow and/or ice accumulates on or at the bottom of the windshield or in the cowl.
ODI further received videos and photographs that depict relatively small amounts of snow and/or ice accumulation that leads to the wipers' malfunction.
Inoperative windshield wipers could reduce driver visibility during inclement weather and increase the risk of a crash.
ODI identified 7 Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQs) related to this investigation.
Five VOQs describe inoperative windshield wipers due to snow and/or ice accumulation.
Two other VOQs describe other malfunctioning windshield wipers including snow build-up on the blades and an odor of overheating.
The wipers are equipped with thermal overload protection designed to limit overheating of the wiper motor.
Further, consumers describe windshield wipers that temporarily stop working when they are not able to clear the windshield.
This may happen when the wipers stop before the parked position in the cowl at the bottom of the windshield.
In January 2026, Kia informed ODI that it will conduct a Product Improvement Campaign with owner notification for approximately 47,000 MY 2024-2026EV9 vehicles.The campaign includes a hardware change to the passenger-side wiper arm and an Owner's Manual revision.
The replacement wiper arm will be a different shape and angle that increase the space/clearance between the cowl and the wiper.
The Owner's Manual revision will emphasize the importance of snow removal prior to driving, and it will recommend that drivers place the wipers in service mode when the vehicle is parked outdoors, and snow is forecasted.
In addition, Kia is planning to develop pop-up cluster warnings that will be temperature-dependent, and they will remind owners to clear snow/ice pre-drive and to place the wipers in service mode post-drive.
In view of Kia's field action, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation.
ODI will take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
What is a preliminary evaluation?
Preliminary Evaluation is the first stage of a federal defect investigation. NHTSA reviews complaints, crash reports and manufacturer data to decide whether a safety defect may exist. It can close with no action, be upgraded to an engineering analysis, or end with a recall.
Did this investigation lead to a recall?
NHTSA closed this investigation on March 11, 2026 without listing a recall. That can mean NHTSA did not find a safety defect it could prove, or that the manufacturer addressed the issue another way. A closed investigation does not mean owners have no lemon law claim if the problem keeps happening.
Which vehicles are part of this investigation?
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | Kia | EV9 |
What are Kia EV9 owners reporting to NHTSA?
NHTSA’s public database lists 226 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this investigation (all components). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
What should owners do?
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for any open recall on your vehicle.
- If you have the problem NHTSA is investigating, take the vehicle to a dealer now and get a repair order, even if the dealer cannot find anything.
- Keep a log of every time the problem happens: date, mileage and what happened. Photos and videos help.
- File your own complaint at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. Owner complaints are what start and expand investigations.
- If the problem keeps coming back, talk to a lemon law attorney.
Recalls on the same vehicles
- 2025-2026 Kia EV9 Passenger Air Bag Recall (26V545)
- 2022-2024 Kia EV6 High-Voltage Battery Recall (26V431)
- 2025 Kia K4 Instrument Cluster Recall (26V046)
- 2025 Kia EV9 Driveshaft Recall (25V115)
- 2024-2025 Kia EV9 Seat Fastener Recall (24V962)
- 2024-2025 Kia EV9 Electrical Software Recall (24V757)
- 2024 Kia EV9 Parking Brake Software Recall (24V693)
- 2024 Kia EV9 Body Ceiling Recall (24V400)
- 2024 Kia EV9 Seat Belt Retractor Recall (24V338)
- 2023 Kia Niro EV Differential Recall (24V271)
Can a recall or defect investigation make my car a lemon in California?
Not by itself. What matters is whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps your vehicle at the dealer, and a federal investigation or recall is strong evidence that the problem is real.
Under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, a manufacturer that cannot fix a warranty defect that substantially impairs a vehicle’s use, value or safety within a reasonable number of attempts may have to repurchase or replace it (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)). Within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, the law presumes a reasonable number of attempts after two repairs of a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four repairs of the same defect, or more than 30 days out of service (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)).
An owner who prevails can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA investigation, recall and complaint data, accessed October 7, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.22
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq., Founder and Managing Attorney of America’s Lemon Lawyer (Wynn Law Group, APC). Licensed by the State Bar of California, No. 362320. His practice focuses on California lemon law under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.
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Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page reports public NHTSA data and is general information, not legal advice. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.