2021 Kia Stinger: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
17 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 17 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.4
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My car started skipping or stalling when I'd press the accelerator. Then the check engine light came on. I took it to an Independent mechanic and it showed high pressure fuel pump or system. The spark plugs were changed, but the problem remained. I checked and noticed that there was a recall for that particular problem. I called the dealership and they said my VIN wasn't attached to it. But I do think it should be.
Since April I have been having the same issue. Sometimes when I am stopped and the autostop is supposed to shut down the engine, the engine just sputters and if I hit the gas nothing happens. I have to put the car in park and shut it down then restart it. I try to shut the auto stop off when I get in the car but sometimes I forget. It has happened at over 20 times that I have documented over the last couple of thousa…
At certain times when I am braking the brake "skips" it's like i am unable to brake so I end up braking late. It's become a safety hazard since there are times when I have almost hit another car. Also, the other is the silver trim on the exterior looks completely faded probably from the sun but I've seen multiple stingers with this issue and should be replaced and yes the car is dirty but that is not dirt.
Recalls: 5 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 24V169000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger:Hoses/Plumbing | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019-2020 K900, and 2018-2023 Stinger vehicles equipped with a 3.3-liter turbo gasoline direct injection engine. |
| 21V862000 | Electrical System:Instrument Panel:Fuel Gauge | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Stinger vehicles. A software error in the instrument cluster may cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading. |
| 23V634000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles. |
| 20V560000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Stinger vehicles. 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. |
| 20V518000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 24 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,150
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Service Brakes6 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine4 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System3 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Electrical System2 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel System1 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Kia Stinger years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Kia Stinger?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Service Brakes (6 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Kia Stinger a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 17 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Kia Stinger's most common problem?
6 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Kia Stinger sit in the Service Brakes group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $580–$1,140 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2021 Kia Stinger cost to run per year?
About $4,584 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,920 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2021 Kia Stinger have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Kia Stinger, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/03/2024. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Kia Stinger really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 17 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 17 NHTSA complaints on record (3.4/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (3.8/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality