There are 4 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2018 Kia Cadenzain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Complete engine failure due to rods and bearings (same as all other Kia engine recalls currently active). Ironically my car wasn’t included in the recall. Also I’ve noticed that Hyundai has extended the warranty for this same engine in the 2018 Santa Fe basically acknowledging it has a problem but didn’t include the 2018 Kia cadenza which has the EXACT SAME ENGINE. Now I have engine failure prematurely and they are trying to deny repairs. Also was never notified of the KSDS “upgrade” before engine failed only after and it had been to a Kia dealer for fuel pipe repair just recently in which they could have installed it before engine failure.
No prior issues/light on dashboard as the car was just serviced for coolant hose replacement. On my way home from work, the car stalled and loss power at the light. The signs were giving engine failure due to losing power then a clicking/ticking noise. After pulling over and giving the car a break I tried to restart it, at that point the noise had change from the clicking to a weird knocking noise. I had the car towed to my trusted mechanic shop. He advised me that the engine indeed did fail and that it would need to be replaced. Verbatim he said: “The diagnosis is that the noise is an internal engine failure, rod bearing and connecting rods.” This was a major safety concern because the engine could have caught fire during that short drive I had home risking my life and surrounding vehicles. Aware of the Kia engine recalls already, I called Kia just for them to tell me it’s not on their recall list so it’s going to be an out of pocket repair. I asked if there was a way for it to be included in the engine recall as an exception due to low mileage (technically early engine failure) and the customer service rep was rude and condescending about how it’s not Kia’s problem.
Vehicle has been properly maintained and at 78k miles, while at a stop sign, the engine seized. No warning signs from vehicle appeared.
Failure of Oil Pressure Sensor resulting in oil leaking into wiring harness, this is the same problem with 3.3L engines in other models that KIA has extended coverage. I contacted KIA Customer Care and was told they tracked VIN and not enough Cadenzas had reported the same repair. If the problem is with the engine sensor then it should apply regardless of vehicle it was installed.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026