Investigations
Windshield Wiper Failure
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE25004 — open, opened 2025-04-29 and involving the KIA KIA.
NHTSA investigation PE25004 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2025-04-29 and currently open. The subject of record is KIA KIA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for KIA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2025-04-29 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE25004 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 5 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging inoperative windshield wipers in model year 2024-2025 Kia EV9 vehicles. The complaints report windshield wipers that s..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related KIA files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 5 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging inoperative windshield wipers in model year 2024-2025 Kia EV9 vehicles. The complaints report windshield wipers that stop functioning while driving, when snow and/or ice accumulates on or at the bottom of the windshield. ODI further received videos and photographs apparently documenting the issue and depicting relatively small amounts of snow and/or ice accumulation that reportedly leads to the wipers’ malfunction. Inoperative windshield wipers could reduce driver visibility during inclement weather and increase the risk of a crash. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related problems. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other KIA Investigations
Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness
3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)
Loss of Motive Power
Vehicle Rollaway
Loss of Motive Power
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.