2025 KIA K5
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2025 KIA K5. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 2025 KIA K5. Newest first.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 K5 vehicles. The left and right rear window trim pieces may loosen and detach.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Detached trim pieces can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
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 and remedy
Risk
Parking lights that fail to illuminate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Owner complaints
54 complaints4 involved a crash6 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system · 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…
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 was nothing they could do since it was not a reproduceable issue, therefore I continued to drive my car. To me that is a safety issue when you are told as a customer that there is nothing they can do for your car that has an issue such as this while driving. I continued to call and inform them of when this issue came up while driving. My car was brought in for a recall in July 2025 for parking lamp logic. The dealership never reproduced this issue while in for service. The dealership has inspected the car for this issue amongst several other issues that still persist to the current date. There are no warning lamps/messages or symptoms of the problem prior to failure. This problem came up again this week while driving in the dark with multiple other cars behind me, in front of me and to the left of me at an intersection. I had my turn signal on to turn and everything on the car went black/lost power and then came back on.
- Forward collision avoidance › Warnings · Service brakes · 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…
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 some sort of fix. When I look it up online it's all over the internet so many people have the same issue I hope you guys can help.. I also have a videos showing every issue of your life that's on but I currently cannot find them
- 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.…
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 accelerating aggressively or traveling at an excessive speed when it happens. The loss of rear traction can be sudden enough that I feel I am temporarily losing control of the vehicle. The ESC/traction control system is enabled and there are no warning lights displayed. Tire pressures have been checked and are approximately 33–34 PSI, and I have not observed abnormal tire wear or visible tire damage. The problem appears to occur primarily on wet pavement while turning and applying even light throttle. I am concerned that the vehicle could spin or cause a collision, particularly during normal rainy driving conditions. I am reporting this because the behavior has occurred repeatedly and I believe the unexpected loss of rear traction and stability may present a safety risk. I would like this complaint documented and evaluated for similar reports involving the 2025 Kia K5. 235/45 R18
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Electrical system · Forward collision avoidance › Warnings · 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…
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 road, and now I am terrified to drive my car. I called KIA and told them this. They sent out a tow. They had my car and told me that the computer on my car did not register any issues for both times this happened. Someone is taking my car home tonight and going on the same highway to see if it happens again.
- Unknown or other
I don’t see any problem
- Electrical system · Structure › Body
The turning lights keep flickering and the back trim became lose.
- Wheels
While my 2025 Kia K5 was parked in the driveway, the front driver-side original-equipment Pirelli P Zero All Season tire suddenly blew out. I had just parked and walked inside when we heard a loud pop. There was no impact, no curb strike, and no driving event - the vehicle was stationary when the…
While my 2025 Kia K5 was parked in the driveway, the front driver-side original-equipment Pirelli P Zero All Season tire suddenly blew out. I had just parked and walked inside when we heard a loud pop. There was no impact, no curb strike, and no driving event - the vehicle was stationary when the tire failed. The vehicle had approximately 16,500 miles. This is part of an apparent pattern: my son purchased an identical 2025 Kia K5 on the same day from the same dealer. At about 22,000 miles, his front driver-side tire developed a sidewall bulge, and all four of his original-equipment Pirelli tires show rapid, uneven wear. Two identical vehicles, bought together, both experienced failure of the same tire position (front driver-side) - his bulging, mine blowing out - which strongly suggests a defect in the original-equipment tires and/or a vehicle alignment/suspension condition causing abnormal wear and failure. No crash, injury, or fire resulted because the vehicle was parked. However, a sudden tire failure of this kind at highway speed would create a serious risk of a blowout, loss of control, and crash. The failed tire is available for inspection upon request. I am filing this complaint to document the failure and the pattern across two identical vehicles.
- Suspension · 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…
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 and an imminent risk of sudden blowout. There were no warning lights, no impact event, and no inflation problem before the bulge appeared. This is especially concerning because my father purchased an identical 2025 Kia K5 on the same day from the same dealer. His vehicle has significantly fewer miles, yet his front driver-side tire suddenly blew out while parked in his driveway. The fact that two identical vehicles, purchased together, both experienced failure of the same tire position points to a possible defect in the original-equipment tires and/or a vehicle alignment/suspension condition causing abnormal wear. No crash or injury has occurred yet, but a sidewall bulge at highway speed creates a serious risk of a blowout, loss of control, and crash. The vehicle and the affected tire are available for inspection upon request. The tires have not yet been inspected by a dealer or independent shop. I am filing this complaint to document the safety concern and the apparent pattern across two identical vehicles.
- Power train
On startup, the engine took about an extra second to fire. The starter cranked noticeably longer than normal before the car turned on. Shortly after, I pulled out and turned onto a street. When I pressed the accelerator, there was no response at all. No rev increase and no acceleration. The car…
On startup, the engine took about an extra second to fire. The starter cranked noticeably longer than normal before the car turned on. Shortly after, I pulled out and turned onto a street. When I pressed the accelerator, there was no response at all. No rev increase and no acceleration. The car would not pick up speed. I switched to manual shift mode to try to force a gear change. When I changed gears, it took a couple of seconds to respond each time, much slower than normal. I managed to coast/limp to a nearby gas station. I shut the car off and restarted it, and the problem cleared completely. The car has driven normally since.
- Power train
There is a hard shift after the car has been parked. Bought the car with 6 miles on it, now has 35,000. This issue is not new, we have had it into 2 different dealerships, and neither "were able to duplicate the issue". It is increasingly getting worse so it will be going back to the shop yet again.
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Visibility/wiper
While driving the entire car goes black kind of like you just turned it off. It has only happened at night time. The dash screen completely turns off and the headlights will go off. When it comes back on the dash has several lights on it such as the seatbelt is unbuckled (when I’m buckled), and…
While driving the entire car goes black kind of like you just turned it off. It has only happened at night time. The dash screen completely turns off and the headlights will go off. When it comes back on the dash has several lights on it such as the seatbelt is unbuckled (when I’m buckled), and other warning lights. This has been happening since September 2025. I take it to the dealership and they can’t seem to find anything wrong with it, and told me they “can’t do anything until the part completely fails” it’s creates a severe safety hazard since it only happens at night and the headlights also go off.
- Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control · Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Forward collision avoidance › Warnings
While driving on the interstate at 70 miles an hour on cruise, I turned off cruise control in order to take control of my vehicle in order to change lanes and my car immediately took back the control and accelerated and then abruptly hit brakes at 70 miles an hour throwing me forward hitting my…
While driving on the interstate at 70 miles an hour on cruise, I turned off cruise control in order to take control of my vehicle in order to change lanes and my car immediately took back the control and accelerated and then abruptly hit brakes at 70 miles an hour throwing me forward hitting my head which caused unconsciousness and when I came to, My air bags had deployed and my car was total lossed. Due to the state of shock and a concussion, I thought the car had hit an eighteen wheeler which was the last thing I remembered seeing in front of me due to the damages to my car. However, the truck was not there and my car was against the wall where it had stopped. I don’t know if something like debris came from under the truck that was in front of me causing the sensors to engage due to the abrupt stop causing me to hit my head and knocking me on conscious. No other vehicle was at the scene and my car had significant damage causing it to be a total loss.
- Tires
I brought my car into Dyer Kia on March 16, 2025 to replace my rear passenger side tire that had a bubble in it.They finally agreed to replace the tire and after being there for 4 1/2 hours they sent me on my way and I was within 5 miles of home and I did hit a small hole in the road and the tire…
I brought my car into Dyer Kia on March 16, 2025 to replace my rear passenger side tire that had a bubble in it.They finally agreed to replace the tire and after being there for 4 1/2 hours they sent me on my way and I was within 5 miles of home and I did hit a small hole in the road and the tire immediately went flat. This tire was the one that they had just replaced in January on the passenger side front I contacted them again and told them that I was going to go to a tire dealer and put on new tires and send them the bill because now I am afraid to even drive my car. Sending them the bill is probably a moot point but it’s worth a shot. My car is brand new has approximately 1450 miles on it and I’ve already had three flats. I had actually told my sales rep while I was waiting for my tire to be put on that Dyer Kia should actually replace all four of my tires with new tires and not Pirelli’s. And he said that’s never gonna happen.I don’t understand why they would put as they call it a racing performance tire on a street car. I had four new Goodyear tires put on the car and the minute I drove away with a new tires, You could feel a total difference in the ride. I hope nobody dies because of all these defective Pirelli tires 235/45/18
- Tires
On March 14, 2026 I discovered that my rear passenger tire had a large bubble. Pirelli P Zero All season 235/45/18. I contacted Dyer Kia about replacement and they told me that they could not get me in until Monday, this was Saturday. I was due to be somewhere on Sunday and told them I didn’t want…
On March 14, 2026 I discovered that my rear passenger tire had a large bubble. Pirelli P Zero All season 235/45/18. I contacted Dyer Kia about replacement and they told me that they could not get me in until Monday, this was Saturday. I was due to be somewhere on Sunday and told them I didn’t want to drive on the doughnut or on the tire with the bubble. They said there’s nothing we can do about it till Monday unless you want to go and purchase a tire and have it put on and we will see if we can reimburse you. That was not an option. Especially they after said we’ll see if we can reimburse. I went to there service department on Monday, March 16, 2026 at 8 AM. I told the service tech that the tire was in the trunk and it had a large bubble in it and it needed to be replaced. This tire had approximately 1400 miles on it. This is the second tire in two months that I have had to have replaced. They told me that I must’ve hit a pothole because that’s what causes sidewall bubbles. I disagree. They finally agreed to replace the tire and after being there for 4 1/2 hours they sent me on my way and I was within 5 miles of home and I did hit a small hole in the road and the tire immediately went flat. This tire was the one that they had just replaced in January on the passenger side front I contacted them again and told them that I was going to go to a tire dealer and put on new tires and send them the bill because now I am afraid to even drive my car. Sending them the bill is probably a moot point but it’s worth a shot. My car is brand new has approximately 1450 miles on it and I’ve already had three flats. I don’t
- Tires
On 1/12/26 I brought my 2025 Kia K5 to Dyer Kia in Lake Wales, Florida, for a blow out on my right front tire. The tire had 700 miles on it. I have only had the car since October 2025. Car was new. Tire is a Perelli and tire size is 235/45/18. When I got there the service technician told me that…
On 1/12/26 I brought my 2025 Kia K5 to Dyer Kia in Lake Wales, Florida, for a blow out on my right front tire. The tire had 700 miles on it. I have only had the car since October 2025. Car was new. Tire is a Perelli and tire size is 235/45/18. When I got there the service technician told me that I ran over something. I did not. I was on a smooth road, no debris on the road. I had two other people in the car with me and they can verify that there was nothing on the road because we walked the road to see if there was any debris. They replaced it under their pro Care policy, because I had not purchased road hazard. I didn’t purchase that because it came in a package that I couldn’t afford. They did replace the tire and then I had to pay for the tire sensor because they said it was faulty. I don’t think I should’ve had to pay for that but that’s another story.
- Electrical system · Engine
Shortly after a routine oil change performed at a Kia dealership, I discovered a significant oil leak underneath the vehicle the following day. Within a short period of time, the vehicle began experiencing engine-related issues including a cylinder misfire, noticeable shaking while driving, and…
Shortly after a routine oil change performed at a Kia dealership, I discovered a significant oil leak underneath the vehicle the following day. Within a short period of time, the vehicle began experiencing engine-related issues including a cylinder misfire, noticeable shaking while driving, and loss of power, particularly when accelerating or driving on inclines. The vehicle also displayed a check engine light and a warning related to 12-volt battery drain. In addition, I noticed a strong burning odor coming from the engine area, which raised concerns about a possible fluid leak or internal engine issue. These conditions created a safety concern because the vehicle would hesitate and lose power during normal driving, which could increase the risk of an accident, especially in traffic or when merging or climbing inclines. The vehicle was returned to a Kia dealership for inspection. I was informed that a cylinder issue was suspected; however, only a temporary repair involving a coil swap was performed. No comprehensive diagnostic testing was completed to confirm the root cause of the problem. After the repair, the vehicle continued to exhibit abnormal behavior, including shaking and lack of power. Due to ongoing safety concerns and lack of confidence in the vehicle’s reliability, I stopped driving the vehicle. This issue occurred at relatively low mileage, raising concerns about a potential engine defect or unresolved mechanical failure.
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting
While driving, the entire control panel shuts down including all interior and exterior lights. It completely resets everything including Bluetooth. It has happened 5 or 6 times since I got the car in October 2024. I’ve reported this to Stones Kia in Idaho Falls, and they were unable to duplicate the issue so they couldn’t do anything. It tends to only happen when I’m driving at night.
- Tires
The stock OE Pirelli PZero 235/45 R18 tire had a sidewall bubble identified after 7200 miles. The tire was originally the front passenger tire, moved to the rear passenger after tire rotation.
- Structure › Body
The car material itself is very cheap meaning it poor quality, very flimsy, I hit a curb and the grill and cover just broke so easily even though it was now a serious hit but very small and slight to the point where you can’t feel it. Now it’s just hanging off and shaking badly because of the poor material, it isn’t stuff enough to keep in place.
- Tires
Within 1 month of purchasing this vehicle (new), the front passenger tire developed a bubble in the sidewall. We had to argue with the dealership to get it replaced. It had less than 200 miles on it. 7 months later there is a bubble in the sidewall of the front driver side tire. There is less than…
Within 1 month of purchasing this vehicle (new), the front passenger tire developed a bubble in the sidewall. We had to argue with the dealership to get it replaced. It had less than 200 miles on it. 7 months later there is a bubble in the sidewall of the front driver side tire. There is less than 9,000 miles on these tires. This is a safety issue and a defect that is not being addressed. We keep being told we must have hit a bump or something to cause this. I have owned many vehicles (more than I can count) and have never had this happen before. It should 100% be recalled or covered under warranty. Pirelli P Zero All Season 235/45R18 18-inch alloy
- Latches/locks/linkages · Structure
The contact owns a 2025 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving at speeds over 55 MPH, the hood vibrated abnormally. The contact stated that while being overtaken by a box truck or semi-truck, the vibration of the hood was more pronounced. The driver's side of the hood had a quarter-inch to a…
The contact owns a 2025 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving at speeds over 55 MPH, the hood vibrated abnormally. The contact stated that while being overtaken by a box truck or semi-truck, the vibration of the hood was more pronounced. The driver's side of the hood had a quarter-inch to a half-inch gap. After arriving to the destination, the hood was closed; however, the hood failed to latch securely. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the dealer suggested that the two rubber stoppers needed to be tightened. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11009554PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: K4 KIA CONNECT ACTIVATION STATUS - This pitstop provides information regarding the activation status of Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) and ccNC Lite head units on some 2025MY K4 (CL4) vehicles that may show the Activation status: Provisioned(1) instead of PreRDR-shell(3) on the Kia Connect screen. Vehicles with ccNC and ccNC Lite in the Provisioned(1) state will experience issues with activating Kia Connect.
- 11009074TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CCNC DEALER MODE, FACTORY AND NETWORK RESET - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to access the Dealer Mode function on 2024MY~ models listed on page 5 equipped with a Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) head unit, and to perform a Reset Network and/or Factory Reset to address customer concerns related to activation of Kia Connect or Kia Connect features that may have stopped working.
- 11008037TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CCNC - DEALER MODE, FACTORY AND NETWORK RESET - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to access the Dealer Mode function on 2024MY~ models listed on page 5 equipped with a Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) head unit, and to perform a Reset Network and/or Factory Reset to address customer concerns related to activation of Kia Connect or Kia Connect features that may have stopped working.
- 11006653TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: LDC GROUND WIRE INSTALLATION (SA583) - This bulletin provides the procedure to install a new, shorter and thicker gauge ground wire on the Low Voltage DC-DC Converter (LDC) harness on certain 2025MY K5 (DL3) LXS w/ Idle Stop Go (ISG) vehicles produced from February 21, 2024 through May 27, 2024. The affected vehicles may experience the AVN head unit blinking and/or rebooting when the engine restarts from a stop with ISG enabled caused by a voltage drop due to an increased length of the ground wire.
Every KIA K5 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.