KIA CADENZA · model year

2014 KIA CADENZA

146 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2014KIACADENZA carries 146 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2014 CADENZA is engine with 27 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (16) and electrical system (13). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 2014 CADENZA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

146
Complaints
4
Crashes
3
Fires
10
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

146 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE27
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER12
STEERING11
SERVICE BRAKES8
VISIBILITY8
POWER TRAIN7
STRUCTURE:BODY6
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4
WHEELS4
AIR BAGS3
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3

Recalls (3)

14V28900030/05/2014

WHEELS

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadenza vehicles manufactured February 1, 2013, through August 27, 2013, and equipped with 19" non-chrome aluminum wheels. The wheels on the affected vehicles may fracture from impacts such as large, deep potholes.

23V65200025/09/2023

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may

22V15800015/03/2022

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling all 2014-2016 Cadenza vehicles. During manufacturing, the front windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach.

Recent Complaints

20251015VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that while driving through a car wash, there was water entering the vehicle through the front windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the windshield bonding agent. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V158000 (Visibility); the VIN was included, but the vehicle was previously repaired in 2022. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 129,000.

Mileage: 129,000

20251001UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving down the highway at 65 mph when suddenly the sunroof exploded in an outward fashion causing me to pull over. I believe there is a defect in the sunroofs of 2011 to 2014 models. I've contacted Kia. They refused to cover it. Nothing hit the windshield. It just spontaneously exploded.

20250521ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently went into LIMP Mode and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel. The contact was able to coast the vehicle over to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that there was no oil in the engine. A diagnostic test was performed; however, no oil leaks or failures were discovered. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer for service. The mechanic added oil to the engine and the contact drove to the local dealer. The contact was informed that an oil change was needed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The fai

Mileage: 177,000

20250417UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Interior door handle chrome has delaminated. Both my wife and my hand have been sliced open on it.

20250416ENGINE

The engine started smoking and knocking really bad. Took it to the kia dealership and was told a piston o ring and gasket went bad because of heavy oil consumption that caused antifreeze to leak inside the motor while sitting still and this was causing the burning smell because the cylinder had gone bad because of this. The dealership states this was a known issue with all kias from this year and should be under recall. So I called kia because the car only has 80k miles and they informed me it's not apart of the open recall because it's a cadenza. What if I hadn't went back outside and seen the smoke and the car caught fire and burned my home down. It seems like kia knows all of these motors are bad and trying to keep it secret

20250402VISIBILITY

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that the windshield was inspected under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V158000 (Visibility), and it was determined that the windshield had not detached so the windshield was not replaced. The contact stated that after the windshield was inspected, the contact noticed that the windshield was detaching on the driver's side lower corner, causing water to leak into the vehicle. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who confirmed the failure, and that the windshield needed to be replaced; however, the VIN was no longer included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000. The VIN was not available.

Mileage: 111,000

20250402SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact that parts were on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

20241219SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a recall 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. After the repair was completed, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was shifted into reverse and then driven before accelerating as intended. Additionally, the sunroof was leaking. The vehicle was taken to SAFELITE Auto Glass, and the contact was informed that there was no adhesive glue on the top of the windshield from the driver to the passenger’s side, causing a slight detachment. The contact was also informed that the sunroof had severe rusting around the seal due to rain being able to leak from the lack of adhesive. The rust caused the handle for the sunroof to detach. The windshield had been replaced by SAFELITE Auto Glass. The failure persisted and the vehicle was returned to SAFELITE Auto Glass, an

Mileage: 41,000

20241219VISIBILITY

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a recall 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. After the repair was completed, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was shifted into reverse and then driven before accelerating as intended. Additionally, the sunroof was leaking. The vehicle was taken to SAFELITE Auto Glass, and the contact was informed that there was no adhesive glue on the top of the windshield from the driver to the passenger’s side, causing a slight detachment. The contact was also informed that the sunroof had severe rusting around the seal due to rain being able to leak from the lack of adhesive. The rust caused the handle for the sunroof to detach. The windshield had been replaced by SAFELITE Auto Glass. The failure persisted and the vehicle was returned to SAFELITE Auto Glass, an

Mileage: 41,000

20241219POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a recall 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. After the repair was completed, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was shifted into reverse and then driven before accelerating as intended. Additionally, the sunroof was leaking. The vehicle was taken to SAFELITE Auto Glass, and the contact was informed that there was no adhesive glue on the top of the windshield from the driver to the passenger’s side, causing a slight detachment. The contact was also informed that the sunroof had severe rusting around the seal due to rain being able to leak from the lack of adhesive. The rust caused the handle for the sunroof to detach. The windshield had been replaced by SAFELITE Auto Glass. The failure persisted and the vehicle was returned to SAFELITE Auto Glass, an

Mileage: 41,000

20241211VISIBILITY

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza V6. The contact stated that water leaks into the windshield whenever it rains. The contact stated that when driving at various speeds the vehicle would hesitate before accelerating and when attempting to turn left or right the vehicle would briefly stop and then jump/surge forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who refused to remedy the defective windshield. The vehicle was inspected by SafeLight who diagnosed that the windshield seal had failed due to a lack of adhesive. The seal was replaced. The failure persisted after the repair. The dashboard had become inflated. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who did not diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure persisted and the vehicle would announce a warning stating, " You Must Comply" The contact was unsure what the warning was referring to. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who confirmed the VIN was included in recalls with NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V158000 (v

Mileage: 41,000

20241211SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza V6. The contact stated that water leaks into the windshield whenever it rains. The contact stated that when driving at various speeds the vehicle would hesitate before accelerating and when attempting to turn left or right the vehicle would briefly stop and then jump/surge forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who refused to remedy the defective windshield. The vehicle was inspected by SafeLight who diagnosed that the windshield seal had failed due to a lack of adhesive. The seal was replaced. The failure persisted after the repair. The dashboard had become inflated. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who did not diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure persisted and the vehicle would announce a warning stating, " You Must Comply" The contact was unsure what the warning was referring to. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who confirmed the VIN was included in recalls with NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V158000 (v

Mileage: 41,000

20240626STEERING

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that while reversing, he became aware that the electronic power steering briefly seized in position while turning, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence while reversing. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

20240527ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

8 MONTHS AND NO FIX FOR THE RECALL. HOW IS THAT A TIMELY RESPONSE. WHAT CAN I DO ?

20240522SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

20240521SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

20240510SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Cadenza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

20240502ENGINE

UNKNOWN

20240502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

UNKNOWN

20240502STEERING

UNKNOWN

Compare 2014KIACADENZA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2014 KIA CADENZA have?
The 2014 KIA CADENZA has 146 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2014 KIA CADENZA?
The 2014 KIA CADENZA received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2014 KIA CADENZA?
Yes, the 2014 KIA CADENZA has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is WHEELS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 KIA CADENZA?
The most-complained component for the 2014 KIA CADENZA is ENGINE with 27 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2014 KIA CADENZA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2014 KIA CADENZA has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.