2025 Kia K5 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Tires (12) · Power Train (6) · Wheels (5)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Kia K5 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (2)
Structure:exterior Trim 2025-07-28 · campaign 25V493000 · 100,063 vehicles
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 K5 vehicles. The left and right rear window trim pieces may loosen and detach.
Risk: Detached trim pieces can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the C-pillar trim assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC346.
Exterior Lighting:lighting Control Module:software 2025-05-27 · campaign 25V351000 · 82,281 vehicles
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K5 vehicles. A software error in the Power-net Domain Controller (PDC) may cause the parking lights to flicker. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Parking lights that fail to illuminate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The PDC software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC341.
Service bulletins (27)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Electrical System 2026-06-18 · OTA_ELE413_NOTES_R2 · Over The Air
release notes: over-the-air: software update for data connectivity (ele413 revision 2) - this over-the-air (ota) software update is designed to update the data connectivity unit (dcu) logic of certain 2025 - 2026my carnival, ev9, k5 and sorento vehicles. this update is designed to improve the vehicl
Electrical System 2026-06-02 · TSB_ELE419 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: service action: battery wiring harness covering inspection / replacement (sa645) - this bulletin provides information for inspecting the 12v battery wiring harness on certain 2025-2026 my k5 (dl3) vehicles equipped with the theta iii 2.5l gdi engine, produced from februar
Electrical System 2026-05-28 · TSB_ELE422 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: infotainment system software update using update.kia.com - this bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable kia vehicles using the kia navigation updater available at update.kia.com. the software update may impr
Electrical System 2026-04-24 · OTA_ELE413_NOTES_R1 · Over The Air
release notes: over-the-air: software update for data connectivity (ele413 revision 1) - this over-the-air (ota) software update is designed to update the data connectivity unit (dcu) logic of certain 2025 - 2026my carnival, 2025 - 2026my k5 and 2025 - 2026my sorento vehicles. this update is designe
Power Train 2026-04-17 · SC363_TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: voluntary service campaign: oil level plug (olp) inspection, and olp gasket and/or atf filler bolt replacement or a/t replacement (sc363) - this bulletin provides information to inspect the oil level plug and automatic transmission fluid (atf) for signs of leakage and, if
Power Train 2026-04-17 · SC363_OWNR_DL3 · Service Campaign
voluntary service campaign: owner notification (sc363) - this document is the owner notification advising that kia is conducting a voluntary service campaign on certain 2025-2026 my k5 vehicles to inspect the oil level plug and automatic transmission fluid (atf) for signs of leakage and, if necessar
Showing the 6 most recent of 27 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-23 · Exterior Lighting“while driving my car down the road my car's exterior headlights as well as all of the interior instrument and infotainment panels will completely black out and then come back on. this issue started approximately 2 months after buying my car. this has happened approximately 10 times total while driving it now. i was told by the dealership that there…”
2026-10-15 · Vehicle Speed Control“i have had my vehicle for about 4 and 1/2 months since the first week or so i have an alert pop up say my front camera is obstructed only during the daytime it takes away 4 of my safety features, it has happened a couple dozen times i have been to the dealership they did not know what is wrong they are waiting for kia to come up with a recall, or s…”
2026-10-02 · Tires“i own a 2025 kia k5 gt-line that was purchased new. i have experienced repeated loss of traction and vehicle stability while driving on wet roads. during normal low-speed turns on wet pavement, the rear of the vehicle can suddenly lose traction and slide sideways when i apply light acceleration. this has occurred multiple times. i am not accelerat…”
2026-09-04 · Tires:tread/Belt“i am filing this on behalf of a relative. he was driving his kia k5 home and he heard a sudden pop. he got it to the side of the road and saw his tread was delaminated and a flap was made on the sidewall. the tires were the factory installed ones with a long life left…”
2026-09-03 · Tires“at approximately 20,000 miles, an original-equipment pirelli p zero all season 235/45r18 94v tire on my 2025 kia k5 gt-line suffered a sudden apparent tread/outer-shoulder separation while traveling at highway speed. the tire had been maintaining normal pressure and remained inflated, but a large portion separated and exposed the internal cords.…”
2026-08-08 · Tires“235/46 r 18 tires currently have 28,000 miles and i’ve already replaced one tire due to lump on side wall that started developing at 12,000 miles and on other three tires. the tread is chipping and separating from the tire on the same pattern all three tires. …”
2026-08-08 · Tires“235/45 r18 at 12,000 miles miles. i’ve noticed that the front passenger side had a slight little lump on the side wall as it reached 28,000 that ball that bigger and bigger. had to replace the tire due to the safety concerns. noticed that the other three tires are showing other patterns of deformities.…”
2026-07-23 · Service Brakes“the first time the collision warning lights and sounds came on when i was parked but had my engine on in the morning of 7/21/2026. the second time was when i was merging on a busy highway with cars going 65+mph... there were no cars around me, but the collision warning said crash, the sounds came on, and my brakes went into effect. i pulled off the…”
2026-07-06 · Structure:body“the turning lights keep flickering and the back trim became lose. …”
2026-06-29 · Wheels“at approximately 22,000 miles, all four original-equipment pirelli p zero all season tires on my 2025 kia k5 are showing rapid and uneven tread wear that is far beyond normal for the mileage. last week i discovered that the front driver-side tire has also developed a visible bulge/bubble in the sidewall, which indicates internal structural failure …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.