Model year 2016 · Large Cars

2016 Kia Cadenza: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2016 Kia Cadenza at 22 mpg combined across 1 version. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 14 owner complaints for this model year.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

NHTSA overall rating

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Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2016 Kia Cadenza recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2016 Kia Cadenza, newest first.

Service brakes, hydraulic: Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: Control unit/module

NHTSA 23V652000 Reported Sep 25, 2023 Park outside

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC284)
Units affected: 1,730,192 (estimate)
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Visibility: Windshield

NHTSA 22V158000 Reported Mar 15, 2022

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC232)
Units affected: 30,362 (estimate)
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling all 2014-2016 Cadenza vehicles. During manufacturing, the front windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach.
Risk: A front windshield that detaches from a vehicle can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front windshield glass. If necessary, the windshield will be removed and reinstalled. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC232.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2016 Kia Cadenza fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2016 Kia Cadenza EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Cadenza	3.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/28/22 mpg	$3,050	404

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2016 Kia Cadenza crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2016 Kia Cadenza NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2016 Kia Cadenza 4 DR FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	—	No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2016 Kia Cadenza owner complaints

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Cadenza, most recently on Dec 3, 2025. 0 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2016 Kia Cadenza complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	4
Visibility	3
Visibility: Windshield	3
Service brakes, hydraulic	2
Unknown or other	2
Electrical system	1
Structure: Body	1
Suspension	1
Visibility: Sun/moon roof assembly	1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Kia Cadenza model years

Kia Cadenza by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2020 Cadenza	23 mpg	1	0	—
2019 Cadenza	23 mpg	1	5	—
2018 Cadenza	23 mpg	1	7	—
2017 Cadenza	23 mpg	2	33	—
2015 Cadenza	22 mpg	2	47	—

All Kia Cadenza years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2016 Kia models

2016 Kia Forte 2016 Kia K900 2016 Kia Optima 2016 Kia Rio 2016 Kia Sedona 2016 Kia Sorento 2016 Kia Soul 2016 Kia Sportage

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Kia.