California Kia Lemon Law Attorney

Yes. Every Kia sold or leased in California with a manufacturer's written warranty still in effect is covered by the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. That includes the Forte, K5, Optima, Soul, Seltos, Sportage, Sorento, Telluride, Carnival, and the EV6 and Niro EV. New, used-with-warranty, and certified pre-owned Kias all qualify, whether purchased, financed, or leased.

The 2.0L turbo and 2.4L Theta II engines used in the Optima, Sorento, and Sportage — shared with Hyundai — have a well-documented pattern of connecting-rod bearing failure that can cause knocking, stalling, engine seizure, and in some cases non-collision fires. Kia issued multiple recalls, a product-improvement campaign, and extended warranty coverage. A failed repair, an engine replacement, or a recurring knock is a strong California lemon law fact pattern.

It can be. Kia has issued recalls for engine-compartment fire risk, including an ABS/HECU module condition where brake fluid can leak onto electrical components and ignite a fire even while parked. If your vehicle was recalled for a fire risk and the remedy failed, was delayed, or the underlying defect persisted, California lemon law may provide a remedy beyond the recall itself.

The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) on the EV6 — which shares Hyundai's E-GMP electric platform — has a documented failure pattern that can stop the 12-volt battery from charging, trigger warning lights, and cause a sudden loss of drive power. Because a sudden loss of power creates a substantial safety risk, an ICCU defect the dealer cannot resolve typically qualifies on California's lower two-repair-attempt threshold.

Vehicle theft itself is not a lemon law claim, but if your Kia has a warranty-covered defect the dealer cannot repair, that is a separate Song-Beverly matter. Many 2011–2021 Kias lacked an engine immobilizer and were the subject of a nationwide theft issue and settlement. If theft-related damage triggered warranty repairs the dealer cannot resolve, or your vehicle has unrelated qualifying defects, a free case review will tell you where you stand.

Two attempts for a defect that creates a substantial risk of death or serious injury (engine failure, fire risk, sudden loss of power), four attempts for a non-safety defect that substantially impairs use or value (transmission shift quality, infotainment faults, AC failure), or 30 or more cumulative days out of service for warranty repair within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles. Meeting any one presumption is enough.

Yes. A recall does not preempt your lemon law rights. If the recall remedy fails to fix the defect, those repair attempts count toward the lemon law threshold, and an engine replacement on a near-new vehicle is itself a substantial impairment of value. Many Kia owners pursue both the recall remedy and a separate Song-Beverly claim, because the recall fix does not compensate for diminished value or lost use.

Three remedies are available: a full repurchase at the original purchase price (minus a statutory mileage offset based on miles driven before the first failed repair attempt), a comparable replacement Kia, or a cash settlement that compensates for diminished value while you keep the vehicle. California's Song-Beverly Act also authorizes a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages when the manufacturer willfully failed to honor its warranty, and Kia pays attorney fees on successful claims.