Selling a junk or non-running Kia Cadenza

If your Cadenza no longer runs, or the repairs now add up to more than the car is worth, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Two generations, two sets of problems

Wikipedia lists two Cadenza generations. The first (VG) was built from 2009 to 2016 with a 6-speed automatic, and Wikipedia names a 2.4 four-cylinder and a 2.7 V6 for it. The second (YG) was built from 2016 to 2021, with a 2.4 or 2.5-liter four and a 3.0-liter V6 on its list. In the US fuel economy data the Cadenza runs from 2014 to 2020, and its recalls split between the 2016 and 2017 model years, so the groups below follow that split.

2014-2016: windshield, wheels and the brake control unit

These three years hold 172 of the 216 complaints. On the 2014, owners named the engine most (23), then the hydraulic brakes (14) and visibility (13). The 2015 leans electrical (12), with the engine close behind (11). On the 2016, visibility tops a short list with 6 of 14.

NHTSA files windshield problems under visibility, and these years have their own windshield recall. Recall 22V158 covers every 2014-2016 Cadenza: the front windshield may not have been bonded to the car properly at the factory, so it could come loose. Dealers inspect the glass and remove and reinstall it if needed, free of charge.

The 2014 has one more of its own. Recall 14V289 covers 2014 Cadenzas built from February 1 to August 27, 2013 with 19-inch non-chrome aluminum wheels, and the fix is new wheels.

Then there is fire. Recall 23V652 asks 2014-2016 owners to leave the car outdoors, clear of garages and houses, until a dealer swaps the fuse for the hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU), the module that runs the anti-lock brakes. Its 1,730,192 vehicles are not all Cadenzas. The same campaign covers the Borrego, Forte, Sportage, K900, Optima, Soul, Rio, Sorento and other Kias.

2017-2020: fewer complaints, a second fire recall

The second-generation years have 44 complaints between them. Most are on the 2017 (32), where owners named the engine (7), the electrical system (5) and the fuel or propulsion system (4). That year also had 4 complaints that report a crash.

Recall 21V137 covers 2017-2019 Cadenzas. Kia says the HECU circuit can short and start a fire in the engine compartment, and Kia again says to keep the car outdoors until it is fixed. Its 379,931 vehicles include 2017-2021 Sportages, so that is not a Cadenza-only count. Two smaller recalls round it out: 17V190 for a brake vacuum hose that can kink on 47 cars from 2017, and 22V022 for rear windows on the 2020 that the driver's switch could still work after the ignition was off and a front door was open.

The 2020 has no complaints in the file. Production ended in early 2021 to make way for the K8, and Kia pointed to buyers moving from large cars to crossovers and SUVs.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Complaint numbers are NHTSA's, pulled October 10, 2026. A Cadenza recall that spans several years is listed once per year. No complaint on any year reports a death.

Should you repair it or sell it?

Start with the free work. Put your VIN into NHTSA's recall lookup. A 2014-2016 may still have the windshield or HECU fuse recall open, and a 2017-2019 the HECU recall. Our open recall guide explains what selling with one undone means.

Engine trouble tops the Cadenza's list overall, at 52 complaints. If yours has failed, the blown engine guide helps you weigh a rebuild against selling. Brakes come up in 19 complaints; see bad brakes if that is your problem.

Next, put a written quote beside the price of a comparable running Cadenza. If the quote eats most of that price, our guide on when repairs outrun the car's value walks through the choice.

Selling your Cadenza whole

1. Write down the VIN and mileage, plus what has gone wrong. Say whether it starts, and whether it rolls.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us the spot. Driveway, parking garage, shop lot: any of them works. Mention whether the wheels still turn, which decides how the truck loads it.
4. Leave everything on. Sell the whole car as it sits, wheels and converter included, and mention any part already removed.
5. On pickup day, the title and a photo ID are all the paperwork you need in hand. No title? Start with selling with no title. For plates, insurance and the paperwork after the sale, see after you sell.