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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

Forward Collision Avoidance complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2025
Back Over PreventionForward Collision Avoidance

The reverse braking feature registers cross traffic or movement that is not near the back of the vehicle. This cause the braking system to engage. I was doing a U turn on 4 lane main street with a center divider. I didnt fully clear the turn leaving me to reverse to complete to turn. When i put the car in reverse, the sensors pi…

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The reverse braking feature registers cross traffic or movement that is not near the back of the vehicle. This cause the braking system to engage. I was doing a U turn on 4 lane main street with a center divider. I didnt fully clear the turn leaving me to reverse to complete to turn. When i put the car in reverse, the sensors picked up movement across the street, engaging the brakes and leaving me stuck in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic coming straight at me. It would not disengage when I tried accelerating and I had to quickly throw my car into drive and pull into a driveway, that was luckily there, just to avoid being T-boned by oncoming traffic. This is not the first occurance as it happens often in parking lots locking my brakes due to any movement from behind. There is a manual feature in the dashboard to turn it off but it automatically resets every time the car is turned off, requiring you to have to manually disengage the feature everytime and you cannot disengage while the brakes are locked.i took it to the dealers but they said since it is a "feature" it is not considered a safety issue since there is an option to disengage even though it has to be reset during every use. They could not help or remedy the issue and instructed me to file a complaint with Kia manufactures since they are only the Kia dealer.

NHTSA ODI #11680278

Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2025
Back Over PreventionForward Collision AvoidanceFuel/propulsion System

Check engine light came on and when filling up my gas tank, gas spit back out at me which has happened with the fuel tank i had in it last year and has since been replaced. Forward collision, EBS, traction control and forward safety sensor lights came on the next day and the car is running extremely rough. It was towed to a shop…

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Check engine light came on and when filling up my gas tank, gas spit back out at me which has happened with the fuel tank i had in it last year and has since been replaced. Forward collision, EBS, traction control and forward safety sensor lights came on the next day and the car is running extremely rough. It was towed to a shop to see if it has to do with the fuel tank recall. Multiple people in Roanoke, Virginia are having the exact same problem as is a large portion of people online complaining about the exact same thing. Some going back 30 weeks ago.

NHTSA ODI #11677076

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2025
Forward Collision AvoidanceLane DepartureSteering

The vehicle consistently pulls sharply to the right while driving, creating a serious safety hazard. As soon as I release the steering wheel, the car veers aggressively to the right, making it difficult to stay in the lane. The steering wheel does not center and requires constant correction. The issue feels mechanical and signif…

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The vehicle consistently pulls sharply to the right while driving, creating a serious safety hazard. As soon as I release the steering wheel, the car veers aggressively to the right, making it difficult to stay in the lane. The steering wheel does not center and requires constant correction. The issue feels mechanical and significantly impacts my ability to drive safely.

NHTSA ODI #11660607

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

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2022
Forward Collision AvoidanceLane DepartureService Brakes

In this car, when braking or using the adaptive cruise control, the car shakes a lot, making yo lose control of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11478852

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2022
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

While driving on 7/6/2022, upon acceleration, the vehicle began jerking and applying the brakes as if it was trying to attempt to avoid a rear end collision. Moments after that incident, the instrument cluster displayed warning lights of the following: check forward safety system, traction control, front end collision avoidance,…

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While driving on 7/6/2022, upon acceleration, the vehicle began jerking and applying the brakes as if it was trying to attempt to avoid a rear end collision. Moments after that incident, the instrument cluster displayed warning lights of the following: check forward safety system, traction control, front end collision avoidance, electronic parking brake, and auto hold all in an orange color followed by a check engine light shortly after. Safety was put at risk due to the vehicle suddenly and uncontrollably braking without any warning on prior indication. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone yet, but is schedule for a dealer diagnostic on August 9th, 2022. Currently, this vehicle has 10,900 miles on the odometer.

NHTSA ODI #11472594

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 2022
Back Over PreventionForward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure

Since October these features have been on and off working when they want to. I don't know what is happening with the safety features but it needs to be fixed or a update is needed for all the safety features.

NHTSA ODI #11449212

Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2021
Forward Collision Avoidance

I was driving 35 mph with nobody in front of or behind me and the car slammed on automatic braking for no reason, stopping me in the middle of the road.

NHTSA ODI #11432865

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.