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2021 Kia K5

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most K5 years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Kia K5 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 78.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 31 of 165 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

45 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2024
Electrical System

The fuse pin melted into the wire harness. Kia is not recognizing this as a safety issue although they acknowledge that the melting pin could cause a fire.

NHTSA ODI #11601796

Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2024
Electrical System

I bought my Kia k5, my blower motor went out upon inspection the problem was a multilink fuse for the blower motor. The fuse is burning the wiring harness, I believe this to be a fire hazard. After some research I believe this to be a common issue with this particular car.

NHTSA ODI #11598807

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2024
Electrical System

main body wiring harness grounding problem ... hvac blower motor works only some times at dealeship they found fuse melted at fuse block they want customers to pay for a new wire harness when is obvious a factory defect this can cause a fire or an accident if anything else fails while driving

NHTSA ODI #11597863

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2024
Electrical System

nspected blower fuse 40A at E/R Junction block and found multi fuse & E/R Junction block melting Need replacement multi fuse and wiring repair at E/R Junction block Service adviser recommends performing repair which is a known issue for Kia, because the electrical short could create a fire The AC stopped working, got it repair…

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nspected blower fuse 40A at E/R Junction block and found multi fuse & E/R Junction block melting Need replacement multi fuse and wiring repair at E/R Junction block Service adviser recommends performing repair which is a known issue for Kia, because the electrical short could create a fire The AC stopped working, got it repaired and within a month it failed again, took it to dealership and they said it was a known issue, but not a safety recall.

NHTSA ODI #11597194

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2024
Electrical System

Air conditioner blower goes on and off intermittently without any pattern. Sometimes it will work for days and then will not turn on again. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Without the blower working I cannot defog / defrost my windshield and gives me poor visibility. Brought it to the Kia dealership they said the fuse wire ha…

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Air conditioner blower goes on and off intermittently without any pattern. Sometimes it will work for days and then will not turn on again. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Without the blower working I cannot defog / defrost my windshield and gives me poor visibility. Brought it to the Kia dealership they said the fuse wire harness has melted and fused into the engine block. They went on say that it will cost around $5000.00 to fix. Because I drive frequently I am out of warranty. The service desk office manager said she has been seeing more of these come in. Sounds like a manufacturer defect and should be under recall.

NHTSA ODI #11586624

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2023
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

The horn for this vehicle simply stopped working. The horn was used earlier in the day to prevent a different vehicle from changing lanes to avoid an accident. My wife has the same vehicle (year make and model) and her horn stopped working 2 weeks ago. The fuse is not the issue on either vehicle. My wife was informed by local Ki…

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The horn for this vehicle simply stopped working. The horn was used earlier in the day to prevent a different vehicle from changing lanes to avoid an accident. My wife has the same vehicle (year make and model) and her horn stopped working 2 weeks ago. The fuse is not the issue on either vehicle. My wife was informed by local Kia that this issue has been common. I researched this issue online and several Kia customers have experienced the same issue. This does not seem coincidental, and poses a great safety concern! Customers should not have to front the cost for this as it seems to be a defect in the manufactured line.

NHTSA ODI #11557424

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2023
Electrical System

Vehicle radio fails to initialize wireless Apple Carplay. The process to get it to work varies. This has been an ongoing issue with the car. Dealer will not update vehicle software.

NHTSA ODI #11519981

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2023
Electrical SystemForward Collision Avoidance

Vehicle will occasionally fail to properly initialize its safety systems, causing ABS, Traction Control, FCW, warning, auto stop, auto hold lights to come on and the aforementioned systems to fail. This disables driver assist features and important safety systems. Kia Dealer does not attempt to resolve. Claims that “we parked to…

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Vehicle will occasionally fail to properly initialize its safety systems, causing ABS, Traction Control, FCW, warning, auto stop, auto hold lights to come on and the aforementioned systems to fail. This disables driver assist features and important safety systems. Kia Dealer does not attempt to resolve. Claims that “we parked too close to a tree and the vehicle thinks it was in an accident” would like further investigation from Kia to be performed regarding this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11519979

17,951 miles · Apr 20, 2023
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure

The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Lane Assist feature would illuminate without other vehicles nearby. The contact also stated that the vehicle would independently switch lanes independently; causing the contact to forcefully adjust the steering wheel into the desired lan…

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The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Lane Assist feature would illuminate without other vehicles nearby. The contact also stated that the vehicle would independently switch lanes independently; causing the contact to forcefully adjust the steering wheel into the desired lane to prevent a potential crash. The contact manually disabled the features; however, the features independently reactivated. In addition, the defroster failed to operate as needed which obstructed her vision due to fog on the windshield. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer, but the contact was offered no assistance. The contact then took the vehicle to Kia of Irvine (45 Oldfield Building B, Irvine, CA 92618) where two mechanics acknowledged the failure while test driving the vehicle. The contact was assured by the dealer that both safety features where disabled; however, within minutes of leaving the dealer; the features independently reactivated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was given a case number. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 17,951. The consumer called to make an appt due to the check engine light illuminating and informed vehicle will not be repaired for a few weeks. In the meantime the gas smell is pouring through the vents.

NHTSA ODI #11518050

32,077 miles · Dec 14, 2022
Electrical SystemLane Departure

The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that the driver assist feature would activate independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road and shifted from park to drive to deactivate the driver assist feature and continued driving to his destination.…

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The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that the driver assist feature would activate independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road and shifted from park to drive to deactivate the driver assist feature and continued driving to his destination. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,077.

NHTSA ODI #11497432

Official recalls

6

25V794000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Nov 17, 2025

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2024 K5 vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the check valve. The fuel tank will be inspected for damage and replaced as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 16, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC356. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 1, 2025.

23V149000 · Air Bags:side/window:curtain

Mar 7, 2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been installed incorrectly, causing them not to deploy properly in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC263.

22V760000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 11, 2022

Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.

21V519000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Jul 8, 2021

Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.

21V447000 · Lane Departure: Lane Keep: Steering Assist; Steering

Jun 14, 2021

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L T-GDI engines. The Rack-Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS) system lacks the ability to diagnose communication faults. If a communication fault occurs while driving around a curve with Lane Following Assist (LFA) engaged, the steering assist level may not adjust properly, causing a sudden increase in the steering effort required.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the R-MDPS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 24, 2021. Owner may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC213.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Lane Departure: Lane Keep: Steering Assist

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L T-GDI engines. The Rack-Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS) system lacks the ability to diagnose communication faults. If a communication fault occurs while driving around a curve with Lane Following Assist (LFA) engaged, the steering assist level may not adjust properly, causing a sudden increase in the steering effort required.

Consequence: A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the R-MDPS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 24, 2021. Owner may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC213.

Steering

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L T-GDI engines. The Rack-Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS) system lacks the ability to diagnose communication faults. If a communication fault occurs while driving around a curve with Lane Following Assist (LFA) engaged, the steering assist level may not adjust properly, causing a sudden increase in the steering effort required.

Consequence: A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the R-MDPS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 24, 2021. Owner may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC213.

21V164000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module; Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger

Mar 11, 2021

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.

Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.