2021 Kia Stinger problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2021 Kia Stinger has 17 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 2 of 4 Kia Stinger model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2022 (18); the cleanest is 2023 (5). 5 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2021 a good year for the Kia Stinger?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2022 draws 4 times the complaints of the 2023. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2021 sits in the middle of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 | 1 |
| 2022 | 18 | 1 |
| 2021 ← this page | 17 | 5 |
| 2020 | 16 | 6 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
The 2021 accounts for 30% of every complaint filed against the Kia Stinger in this retrieval, which works out to 3.4 complaints per year on the road across the 5 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Complaint volume is broadly flat against the 2020 (1.1×), so on this measure the two years are interchangeable and the choice between them comes down to condition and price rather than the model year.
Which recalls cover the 2021?
Electrical System
A software error in the instrument cluster may cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading.
Free remedy: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 10, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC219.
Fuel System, Gasoline
The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.
Free remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel pump and replace the jet nozzle housing assembly, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2020.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Kia Motors America (Kia) recalled certain 2019 Stinger vehicles equipped with 3.3L T-GDI engines on August 27, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Kia expanded the recall population and added certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles.
Free remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuse kit in the electrical junction box, free of charge.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Kia dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2021 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Kia Stinger?
Across every Kia Stinger year, not the 2021 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Electrical System — 13 reports
- Unknown or Other — 8 reports
- Service Brakes — 6 reports
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 4 reports
If your 2021 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Kia Stinger years should you compare?
← 2020 Kia Stinger · 2022 Kia Stinger → · All Kia Stinger years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Kia Stinger page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2021 before you commit
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