Kia's California Consumer Notice about Assembly Bill 1755 contains one sentence worth reading twice. A lemon law case, Kia says, must be filed within one year after the applicable express warranty expires and no later than 6 years after original delivery. For an owner counting on Kia's 10-year powertrain warranty, that six-year limit can arrive first.
California's lemon law can require Kia to repurchase or replace a new car or SUV it can't fix after a reasonable number of attempts (California lemon law overview). The details below come from Kia's own warranty materials and from state records.
What Kia's warranty covers
| Coverage | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New Vehicle Limited Warranty (basic) | 5 years/60,000 miles | Runs from the date of first service and transfers to later owners |
| Powertrain Limited Warranty | 10 years/100,000 miles | Original owner and buyers of a Kia Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. Begins when basic coverage ends |
| Powertrain for second and later owners | 5 years/60,000 miles | Per Kia's 2025 Warranty and Consumer Information Manual |
| EV System Warranty | 10 years/100,000 miles | Electric motor, high-voltage battery, power control unit and onboard charger |
| EV battery capacity | 10 years/100,000 miles | Covers loss below 70% of original capacity |
| Limited Anti-Perforation | 5 years/100,000 miles | Rust-through from the inside out |
| Roadside Assistance | 5 years/60,000 miles | Includes a trip interruption benefit |
Sources: Kia's warranty page and Kia's 2025 Warranty and Consumer Information Manual. Hybrid components and other model years can carry different terms, so check the manual for your Kia.
"Date of first service" is Kia's term for the earliest of three dates: delivery to the first retail buyer, the start of a lease, or the day the car went into service as a demonstrator, rental or fleet vehicle. Lemon law rights run as long as the warranty that covers the defect. A demonstrator sold with a new-car warranty can still qualify, though some of its coverage may already be gone.
The 10-year powertrain warranty and a lemon law claim
Kia's powertrain coverage picks up where basic coverage ends and continues on the engine, transmission, axles and differentials to 10 years or 100,000 miles. An original owner whose transmission is repaired three times between 63,000 and 68,500 miles is still dealing with a warranty defect, and that history can support a claim years after the 18-month/18,000-mile presumption window closed. The presumption in Civil Code section 1793.22 is only a shortcut for proving enough repair attempts (repair attempts explained).
The six-year limit cuts the other way. Because Kia opted in, Code of Civil Procedure section 871.21 sets the filing limit Kia's notice describes, tolled for time the car spends in the shop, for certified arbitration, and for up to 60 days after a pre-suit notice. Powertrain coverage can outlast the filing window, and which rules govern an older Kia can turn on its sale year (time limits).
Second and later owners get 5 years/60,000 miles of powertrain coverage. Kia extends the full 10-year term to buyers of Kia Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, but that is a promise to repair. After Rodriguez v. FCA US (2024), a used car sold with only leftover factory coverage generally can't be bought back under the lemon law, and no appellate court has settled how CPO warranties fit (used car lemon law).
Kia and BBB AUTO LINE
Kia's certified arbitration program in California is BBB AUTO LINE, and Kia's 2025 manual says both Kia and BBB AUTO LINE are certified by the DCA's Arbitration Certification Program. The manual's California notice adds Kia-specific details:
- Claims under Kia's new vehicle warranty must be filed with BBB AUTO LINE within six months after the warranty expires.
- A decision should ordinarily issue within 40 days of filing, or 47 days if you did not contact Kia first.
- You can ask for repairs, reimbursement, repurchase or replacement there, but not attorney's fees or punitive or multiple damages.
- If you accept a decision, Kia must comply within 30 days after it receives notice of your acceptance.
The same notice says you must use BBB AUTO LINE before asserting the section 1793.22 presumption in court. That is the extent of it, and you can hire a lawyer and file suit without going to arbitration. Where the presumption calls for direct notice to Kia, the manual lists the Customer Care Center, Kia America, Inc., P.O. Box 52410, Irvine, CA 92619-2410 (1-800-333-4542).
Kia's opt-in and the pre-suit notice
As of October 2026, Kia America, Inc. is on the DCA's AB 1755 opt-in list, with an opt-in date of May 1, 2025. A written pre-suit notice is needed at least 30 days before suing Kia for civil penalties. Kia then gets 30 days to offer a repurchase or replacement, and lawsuits move into early mediation with limited discovery (2025 law changes).
Kia's notice address is specific to these claims: CustomerCareSupport@kiausa.com, or certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to Kia America, Inc., DEPT: CC-AB1755, P.O. Box 52410, Irvine, CA 92619-2410. Include your name, the accurate VIN, a brief repair history and a demand that Kia repurchase or replace the vehicle. Kia says minor deviations won't disqualify you, and you must have the vehicle when you send it.
Recalls on recent Kia models
Recalls fix safety defects across a group of cars. They don't mean any one Kia qualifies for a buyback, and whether a recall visit counts as a repair attempt depends on what was wrong and what the dealer wrote down. Three recent campaigns from NHTSA's records:
- NHTSA recall 24V-867 covers certain 2022-2024 EV6 vehicles. The integrated charging control unit may stop charging the 12-volt battery, which can lead to a loss of drive power. Dealers inspect and replace the unit and fuse as needed and update the software. It replaced recall 24V-200.
- NHTSA recall 26V-430 covers certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles, 462,869 in all. The front power seat motor may overheat because of a stuck seat slide knob or an improper repair under the earlier recall 24V-407. Dealers install an electronic fuse assembly, and cars repaired under 24V-407 need the new remedy.
- NHTSA recall 25V-794 covers certain 2021-2024 K5 vehicles. A damaged check valve can let air into the fuel tank so that it expands against hot exhaust parts. Dealers replace the check valve and inspect the tank, replacing it if needed.
Look up your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. When a recall has to be redone, as with 26V-430, both visits should appear on your repair orders.
Common defect categories in warranty disputes
Claims turn on one car's repair history, not the brand. Across all makes, recurring categories include engines that stall or burn oil, transmissions that shift harshly or hesitate, infotainment and camera failures, driver-assistance faults, electrical problems, EV charging and range complaints, and water leaks. For any of them the question is the same: does the problem substantially impair the car's use, value or safety, and has it survived a reasonable number of repairs?
Roadside and trip interruption records
Kia Roadside Assistance (1-800-333-4542) covers 60 months or 60,000 miles from delivery on current models and tows to the nearest Kia dealer after a warranty-related breakdown. If that happens more than 150 miles from home and repairs take more than 24 hours, Kia's trip interruption policy reimburses reasonable meals, lodging or rental car costs, up to $100 a day for three days. Save the receipts and tow record, since they date the failure independently. Roadside benefits are not available on any Kia that has, or should have, a salvage or similar branded title.
Before you contact Kia
Gather the sales or lease contract, every repair order (mileage in and out matters), and any BBB AUTO LINE paperwork. The lemon law checker gives a first read, and a free case review shows where your Kia sits on the warranty and filing timelines.
Updated October 2, 2026
Common questions
I bought a Kia Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. Does the lemon law cover it?
That is unsettled, and no one should promise you it does. Kia gives CPO buyers its 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage, so warranty repairs are covered. But after Rodriguez v. FCA US (2024), a used car generally qualifies for a lemon law buyback only if a new-car warranty was issued with the sale, and no appellate court has decided how CPO warranties fit. Other warranty claims may still apply.
How long do I have to file with BBB AUTO LINE for a Kia?
Kia's 2025 California consumer notice says claims under Kia's written new vehicle warranty must be filed with BBB AUTO LINE within six months after the warranty expires. BBB AUTO LINE can confirm eligibility at 1-800-955-5100. That window is separate from the deadline to file a lawsuit.
What happens after I send Kia a pre-suit notice?
Kia has 30 days to offer to repurchase or replace the vehicle, plus reasonable attorney's fees. If it makes that offer and completes it within the statute's 60-day period, civil penalties are no longer available. If Kia doesn't make that offer, the case can move forward and civil penalties remain possible. The lemon law process page walks through the timeline.
My Telluride already had a seat recall repair. Why is Kia asking me to come back?
NHTSA recall 26V-430 replaced the earlier 24V-407 campaign for certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles, in part because of improper repairs under 24V-407. Cars fixed the first time need the new remedy, an electronic fuse assembly. A recall visit does not by itself create a claim, but keep both repair orders with the rest of your records.