My New Kia EV9's Rear Motor Failed at 1,000 Miles, Now I'm 20th in Line for a Backordered Replacement and Kia Can't Even Provide a Part Number

By now, we all know the honeymoon phase of electric vehicles is over. The glossy press events, the breathless reviews, the claims that everything on four wheels should be battery-powered by next Tuesday, none of it means squat when you’re staring down the business end of a broken drivetrain with no fix in sight. 

The Issues At Hand

And that’s exactly what’s happening to Ryan Tallman, a brand-new Kia EV9 owner who, just six weeks into ownership, is already dealing with what sounds like a catastrophic failure of the rear motor.

"So this is my car sitting at the dealership since Monday. They had it looked at and not good news for me….

Service manager says they think the rear motor needs to be replaced and that the unit is on back order.

Also there’s 20 of them on back order so it could be a while till I get it back. 

Only 6 weeks of ownership and already 👎🥺…

Anyone else had to replace something like this after just 1000 miles?"

If you’ve ever owned a car, any car, you know this isn’t normal. At 1,000 miles, you should still be marveling at the new-car smell, not battling Kia Corporate over parts that don’t exist. But here we are.

EV Growing Pains, or a Larger Problem?

Kia’s all-electric EV9 was supposed to be a game-changer. A three-row, sub-$60,000 EV SUV? Sign us up. But with high expectations comes even higher scrutiny, and the last thing Kia needs is its flagship EV suffering from widespread drivetrain failures before most owners even hit their first tire rotation.

And here’s where it gets murky: Tallman was told there are already 20 rear motors on backorder. Jean Silverio, a commenter on his post, wasn’t convinced,

"There's no way for them to know how many are on a national backorder. Kia doesn't release that information on our database. That's actually funny."

Maybe it’s 20. Maybe it’s 200. Maybe Kia doesn’t even know. What is clear, though, is that parts are scarce, and there’s no fix lined up. According to Tallman, Kia’s own service center doesn’t even have a part number for the replacement. That’s not just a supply chain hiccup—it’s a glaring sign that the company doesn’t yet have a definitive fix.

Lemon Law in the USA: 

• In the USA, lemon laws are enacted at the state level to protect buyers from defective vehicles—commonly defined as vehicles that remain in the shop for repairs longer than they are on the road—by requiring manufacturers to refund, replace, or compensate consumers when defects persist after a reasonable number of repair attempts. 
• While most lemon laws primarily cover new vehicles sold with a warranty, some states extend protection to leased and even used vehicles; these laws set specific criteria (such as time, mileage limits, and a certain number of repair attempts) that determine when a vehicle qualifies as a lemon due to defects that affect its safety, value, or usability. 
• Consumers who successfully claim under lemon laws may receive a full refund, replacement vehicle, or monetary compensation, including recovery of attorney fees, and these state laws are complemented by federal protections like the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which enforces clear warranty terms and manufacturer accountability.

Corporate Confusion and the Warranty Shuffle

This isn’t just a faulty part—this is a classic corporate runaround. In a text exchange with a Kia service advisor, Tallman was informed that Kia still doesn’t have a repair procedure for this failure.

"Right now there really is no part number as Kia does not have a complete repair for this concern. We have had an engineer come out yesterday and today. They will be back out on Monday to re-examine the units and submit their findings to Kia. Kia is looking to determine if there needs to be a field service action or some kind of manufacture program to repair these units. The part/s and repairs that will need to be made will be determined by their findings."

Translation? They don’t know what’s wrong. They don’t know how to fix it. And if you’re one of the unlucky few staring at a lifeless EV9 in a dealership lot, you’re stuck in limbo while Kia figures out its next move.

Is Lemon Law on the Horizon?

Silverio also pointed out something crucial: If Tallman’s EV9 sits at the dealership long enough, he could have a case for a buyback under lemon laws. That’s the nuclear option, but it may be the only recourse if Kia drags this out.

In California, for example, a vehicle qualifies as a lemon if it has a substantial defect that Kia can’t repair after a “reasonable” number of attempts, or if it's out of service for 30 days or more. Given that Kia engineers are still in the “we’re looking into it” phase, Tallman might want to start reviewing his legal options.

A Black Eye for Kia’s EV Reputation

Kia and its corporate sibling Hyundai have made massive strides in recent years, shaking off their old econobox image with serious contenders like the Telluride, Stinger, and Ioniq 5. But this EV9 mess is exactly the kind of thing that fuels skepticism about new technology and drives potential buyers right back into the arms of Toyota and Honda.

People buying $60,000 electric SUVs aren’t early adopters anymore—they’re families looking for a reliable, futuristic alternative to a Highlander Hybrid. A drivetrain failure this early is unacceptable, and the lack of a clear fix? Even worse. Tesla, for all its issues, has a track record of getting major drivetrain components swapped in days, not months. If Kia wants to play in this league, it has to get serious about service.

What Now?

Tallman is waiting on Kia’s next move, but he’s not alone. Other EV9 owners are now on high alert, watching to see if this is an isolated issue or the start of a larger trend. If Kia doesn’t get in front of this quickly, the EV9’s promising start could take a serious hit.

For now, the takeaway is simple: If you’re considering an EV9, keep a close eye on early reliability reports. And if you already own one? Pray your rear motor doesn’t end up on a mystery backorder list.

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.