2024 Kia EV9 Lemon Law Case Study: Buyback in Michigan
A Brand-New Kia EV9 That Lost All Power, Locked Its Steering, and Rolled Into a Lamp Post
Our client leased a brand-new 2024 Kia EV9 in Michigan on September 9, 2024. Within weeks, the vehicle began exhibiting catastrophic electrical failures that would unfold across three separate repair visits totaling 75 days out of service, and ultimately result in a safety incident no new car owner should ever have to face.
About eight months after delivery, the Kia EV9 completely lost all electric power without warning, the steering column locked while our client was parked, and as they attempted to maneuver the vehicle, it rolled and struck a lamp post. The dealer documented the electrical failure and recommended sending the vehicle to a body shop to repair the exterior damage caused by the power and steering system failure.
This was not the first time the vehicle had failed. The EV9 had already spent 43 days at the dealership for a high-voltage battery and motor replacement, a repair so serious it required towing within weeks of delivery. Easy Lemon took the case and secured a full buyback for our client.
What Went Wrong
- Sudden power-down while driving: During the first major failure, the vehicle suddenly powered down completely while in motion. Our client was forced to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for diagnostics. Technicians identified a high-voltage system failure and replaced both the main battery pack and the front motor MCU inverter assembly, two of the most critical components in an EV drivetrain
- 43 days out of service, first repair: The battery and inverter replacement was not a quick fix. The EV9 remained at the dealership for 43 consecutive days, from September 16 to October 28, 2024, before being returned to our client. Under Michigan lemon law, a single repair stay of 30 or more calendar days triggers lemon law presumption independently of repair attempt counts
- Passenger seat motor failure, second repair: During the second repair visit (March–April 2025), a seat bolt inspection and software updates were performed. Technicians also discovered that the front passenger seat motor had failed completely and required replacement, an additional defect compounding the vehicle's growing repair history
- Complete power loss, steering lockup, lamp post collision: In May 2025, the vehicle suffered its most serious failure. The EV9 lost all electric power and would not start. While our client was attempting to manage the powerless vehicle, the steering column locked without warning. Without power and unable to steer, the vehicle rolled and struck a lamp post. The dealer recommended sending the car to a body shop and documented the electrical failure in the repair order
- Cascading electrical failures across multiple systems: Across the three repair visits, the EV9 experienced failures in the high-voltage battery system, the front motor MCU inverter, the shift control unit, and the passenger seat motor, a pattern of cascading electrical failures
Three Repair Visits, 75 Days OOS, a Battery Replacement, and a Safety-Critical Power Failure
September 16 – October 28, 2024 (43 Days): High-Voltage System Failure
Within weeks of taking delivery, our client's 2024 Kia EV9 suddenly powered down completely while being driven, an unsafe, unpredictable shutdown of a moving electric vehicle. The car was towed to the dealership, where technicians diagnosed a failure in the high-voltage battery system. Both the main battery pack and the front motor MCU inverter assembly were replaced under warranty. The vehicle remained out of service for 43 consecutive days, a single repair stay that by itself exceeds Michigan's 30-day lemon law threshold.
March 15 – April 8, 2025 (25 Days): Seat Motor Failure & Software Issues
A second visit lasting 25 days addressed multiple concerns. Technicians performed a seat bolt torque inspection and updated the IEB (integrated electronic brake) software and replaced the shift control unit. During interior inspection, technicians discovered the front passenger seat motor had failed entirely and required replacement. A new seat motor was installed. By this point the EV9 had accumulated separate documented failures in the high-voltage powertrain, the shift control unit, and the interior.
May 13 – 19, 2025 (7 Days): Complete Power Loss, Steering Lockup, Lamp Post Collision
The EV9 suffered its most serious and dangerous failure. The vehicle lost all electric power and would not start. While parked and attempting to maneuver the powerless vehicle, the steering column locked without warning. With no power and no ability to steer, the car rolled and struck a lamp post, causing exterior damage. The dealer documented the complete electrical failure in the repair order and recommended sending the vehicle to a body shop to assess and repair the exterior damage. The vehicle spent another 7 days in service before being returned, now with body damage added to an already extensive repair history.
Why Did This 2024 Kia EV9 Qualify as a Lemon in Michigan?
This case met Michigan's 30-day out-of-service standard, and then some. It also triggered federal warranty protections under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. The safety incident added an additional layer of urgency and legal weight that made Kia's exposure in this case unusually clear.
- 30+ cumulative days OOS in first year, threshold exceeded on first visit alone: Under Michigan's lemon law (MCL 257.1401–257.1410), a vehicle may qualify as a lemon when it has been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within the first year after delivery. The EV9's first repair visit lasted 43 consecutive days, exceeding this threshold on a single visit, before the second and third repairs were even factored in. Cumulative OOS time reached 75 days total
- Safety-critical defect, the strongest claim in the file: The May 2025 event, complete power loss, steering lockup, and subsequent collision, constitutes a defect that impairs the use or value of the vehicle under MCL 257.1402, and a safety-critical failure of this magnitude is among the strongest evidence of substantial impairment a claim can present
- Cascading failures across multiple independent systems: The documented defects affected the high-voltage battery, front motor MCU inverter, shift control unit, passenger seat motor, and steering system. Multiple independent system failures support the argument that the vehicle has pervasive, systemic quality issues rather than isolated defects
- Manufacturer's inability to repair after reasonable opportunity: Three repair visits over an 8-month period, totaling 75 days, without achieving reliable, defect-free operation, including a catastrophic recurrence after a 43-day battery replacement, demonstrates that Kia America could not repair the vehicle within a reasonable number of attempts
- Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act: Kia's repeated failure to deliver a vehicle free from defects constitutes a breach of their express written warranty under federal law, providing an additional claim basis that runs concurrent with Michigan state lemon law protections
How Easy Lemon Secured a Full Buyback for Our Michigan Client
Free Case Evaluation
We reviewed all three repair orders and the vehicle's complete service history. The 43-day first visit immediately flagged as a standalone lemon law trigger under Michigan's 30-day OOS threshold. The May 2025 safety incident, power loss, steering lockup, and lamp post collision, provided the clearest evidence of a safety-impairing defect that could not be tolerated in any new vehicle.
Documentation & Case Building
We collected and analyzed all repair orders across the September 2024 through May 2025 repair history. We mapped each documented defect against Michigan's lemon law thresholds, the MCL 257.1402 use-or-value impairment standard, and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act criteria. The safety incident documentation, including the dealer's own repair order noting the electrical failure and the recommendation to send the car to a body shop, became the centerpiece of our demand.
Formal Demand to Kia America
We filed a formal demand against Kia America under MCL 257.1401–257.1410 and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, citing the 75 cumulative days out of service, the cascading electrical system failures, the dealer-documented safety incident, and the fundamental inability of the EV9 to reliably operate its core powertrain and safety systems. We demanded a full vehicle repurchase (buyback) with a full refund of what our client had paid under the lease, plus fees and taxes.
Settlement Negotiations
Faced with clear documentary evidence, including a dealer-documented steering lockup and collision event in an 8-month-old vehicle, Kia America agreed to a full buyback settlement. The terms required Kia to repurchase the vehicle. Easy Lemon's attorney fees were covered by Kia.
Buyback Settled: January 2026
The case was formally settled in January 2026. Our client received a complete vehicle repurchase. They are no longer burdened with a vehicle that shut down unexpectedly, locked its steering, and rolled into a lamp post.
Full Buyback: Vehicle Repurchased by Kia
Key Case Facts
- Vehicle: 2024 Kia EV9 (all-electric SUV)
- State: Michigan
- Lease date: September 9, 2024 (new)
- Primary defects: High-voltage battery failure, front motor MCU inverter failure, complete power loss (×2), steering column lockup, seat motor failure, shift control unit failure
- Safety incident: Complete power loss + steering column lockup → vehicle rolled into lamp post (May 2025)
- Repair visits: 3 (September 2024, March–April 2025, May 2025)
- Cumulative days out of service: 75 (43 + 25 + 7)
- Manufacturer: Kia America
- Settlement type: Full Buyback (vehicle repurchased by manufacturer)
- Settlement date: January 2026
What Our Clients Are Saying
Attorney on Record
Steven Nassi, Esq.
Managing Partner, Easy Lemon by RockPoint Law P.C.
Licensed attorney whose practice is limited to lemon law. Steven leads the Easy Lemon legal team and has overseen thousands of successful lemon law claims against major manufacturers including Kia Motors America, Hyundai, General Motors, Toyota, Ford, and more. Our team has handled numerous EV battery defect cases including Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and other electric vehicle platforms.
Is Your Kia EV9 a Lemon?
If your Kia EV9 has experienced power loss, battery problems, electrical failures, or any recurring defect that returns after repairs, you may qualify for a full buyback or cash settlement at zero cost to you†.
Qualify in 30 Seconds →2024 Kia EV9 Lemon Law Questions in Michigan
Your Kia May Have a Lemon Law Claim Too
If your Kia keeps going back to the shop for the same problem, you may qualify under your state's lemon law, the manufacturer pays our fees, not you. We handle Kia cases like this one regularly.
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