2023 Kia EV6

ICCU failure. I charged overnight at my home L2 charging as usual. I backed out of my garage and heard a loud pop. Almost immediately an “check electrical” warning came up. The car went to turtle mode and then completely died. The car was towed and I was informed the ICCU needed to be replaced. The car had all previous checks on ICCU performed (per mailed recalls) and was updated and passed each time.

While driving southbound on the [XXX] in a rented 2023 Kia EV6 from The Hertz Corporation, picked up in [XXX] on XXX, the vehicle entered "Power Limited" mode without warning. The vehicle lost normal propulsion and decelerated from highway speed to a crawl, forcing 4-5 emergency stops onto the highway shoulder over several miles while semi-trucks passed at 70+ mph in live traffic, with two minor children in the vehicle. The vehicle was ultimately abandoned at a highway rest stop on Hertz Roadside Assistance's instruction and towed. This vehicle was subject to three NHTSA recall campaigns for the ICCU defect that produces exactly this failure mode: 24V057000 (SC295, driveshaft, notice mailed XXX), 24V200000 (SC302, ICCU 12V charging failure/Power Limited mode, notice mailed XXX), and 24V867000 (SC327, expanded ICCU remedy superseding SC302, notice mailed XXX) — all mailed well before this vehicle was rented to me on XXX. Under 49 U.S.C. §30120(i), a rental company may not rent a covered rental vehicle subject to an unremedied safety recall. I am requesting NHTSA use its inspection authority under 49 U.S.C. §30166 to determine whether Hertz completed the required SC327 remedy on this vehicle before renting it to me, and to review Hertz's fleet-wide recall compliance for its Kia EV6 inventory. This does not appear to be an isolated incident: NHTSA complaint ODI XXX, filed XXX, describes a near-identical failure — a rented 2023 Kia EV6 (Dollar Rent A Car, a Hertz-owned brand) losing power and shutting down multiple times on the freeway during a single trip, also towed. Two renters, two Hertz-family rentals, same defect signature, five months apart. Hertz has been on written and verbal notice of this incident since XXX, and I sent a formal written demand on XXX with a response deadline of XXX. As of this filing, Hertz has not responded. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving a rented 2023 Kia EV6 on the freeway, the vehicle lost power and shut down completely, without warning, on multiple separate occasions during a single trip. This occurred at highway speed in live traffic, creating a serious risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was a rental (Dollar Rent A Car); no external damage or collision was involved. The vehicle has since been towed.

First ICCU the power completely went out on 2/23/26. Power went out again April, 2026. Currently car is immobile and unreliable and not safe for driving due to power failures. Towed car to Kia Cerritos. Car supposedly "fixed" (with other issues I've reported to KIA of America & CA BAR/DMV) Currently 12V battery is not holding charge as of 4/27/26, 4/28/26, and 5/2/26. I received a letter from KIA stating ICCU and inability to charge, Keep this Letter in your Glove Box for a free diagnosis and possible no cost servicing. As an older American this is inherently unsafe, as I travel for work and cannot be stuck on the road. The vehicle suddenly loses power in traffic. It simply stops running. This is my 5th attempt to file this very complaint between April and 6/14/26.

The ICCU unit failed. The message "Check Electrical System" appeared on the instrument cluster. Low-voltage battery voltage was 12.0V and vehicle speed was limited to 60 mph. Maximum speed was gradually reduced to 30 mph over a period of 40 minutes (voltage was 11.5 V) with minimal 12V loads. I pulled over and called a tow truck to the nearest service center. Kia confirmed the ICCU was defective and replaced the part under warranty.

ICCU failed despite all prior recall updates being performed. Incident began when home circuit breaker tripped; vehicle subsequently refused Level 1 charging with "Check Electrical System" warning. Per dealer suggestion, tested public chargers. Level 3 (DC) worked, but upon connecting to Level 2 (AC/J1772), a loud "pop" occurred, and the public charging station immediately suffered a mechanical failure/shutdown. Vehicle then displayed "Stop vehicle and check power supply," and was unable to drive above 40mph (with a turtle icon visible on the dash) once I pulled away from the charging station. This created a significant safety hazard while navigating traffic. Within two hours, the 12V battery was completely depleted; vehicle was unresponsive and required a jump-start for towing. Dealer confirmed ICCU failure requiring replacement. The fact that the vehicle's internal failure caused the immediate malfunction of public infrastructure is deeply concerning, as was the loss of motive power on the road.

My vehicle has been in the possession of Koons Kia of Owings Mills since March 15, 2026, for diagnosis and repair of this issue, with service beginning March 16, 2026. During this time, the dealership has replaced the 12-volt battery and performed a software update; however, the defect has not been corrected. On April 10, 2026, I was notified that the vehicle was ready for pickup. When I arrived on April 11, I found that the battery was completely discharged and the issue had not been resolved. Because the vehicle was not operational at the time of attempted pickup, it was not returned to me and remained in the dealership’s possession. I was contacted again on April 13, 2026, and informed that the vehicle had been repaired. When I returned to the dealership on April 14 to retrieve the vehicle, I again found that the battery was discharged and the defect persisted. As a result, the vehicle was not returned to me and has remained continuously in the dealership’s possession since March 15, 2026. As of today, the vehicle has been out of service for more than 30 consecutive days due to this defect, and multiple repair efforts have failed to resolve the issue. This ongoing condition substantially impairs the use, value, and reliability of the vehicle.