2024 Kia K5

Routine

Owners filed 30 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine6
000
Unknown or Other5
000
Structure › Body4
000
Electrical System4
000
Power Train3
000
Service Brakes2
000
Fuel System, Gasoline2
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Throttle1
000
Structure1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline25V794000
Filed Nov 17, 2025250,547 vehiclesKia America, Inc.

Defect. 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.

Risk. 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.

Structure › Exterior Trim25V493000
Filed Jul 28, 2025100,063 vehiclesKia America, Inc.

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.

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Sep 14, 2026GA

Beginning only about 6 months after I purchased the vehicle, the audio system intermittently screams at me, blasting at over 800 decibels road, engine noise and audio interference noises so that I cannot hear the radio, the telephone, turn it off or down, even when the audio infotainment system is not running. The only way to keep the vehicle from doing this when it occurs is to turn off the car. The noise is so loud that I cannot hear oncoming vehicles, including emergency vehicles, nor can I use the bluetooth phone system - if necessary I would have to break the state law about holding my phone to scream into it- even if someone could hear me on the other end. If I had the windows open, the audio system would break local noise ordinances. It is almost impossible to drive the vehicle when this occurs even though the dealership has said several times that I must bring it in when it is occuring; on one occasion to fulfill this requirement, I put in my earbuds and played music to drive to them for 1 hr to drown out the sound still surpassing my ability to safely focus on the road. Having documented PTSD, ADHD and anxiety disorder, having to drive the vehicle not knowing when and if this sound issue is going to return, makes it incredibly hard to feel safe when driving my own car, originally purchased new from Carriage Kia of Woodstock in December of 2023 after they diagnosed my last vehicle as needing an engine replacement. Having to drive from [XXX] to [XXX] everyday from work

Engine
Filed Aug 28, 2026CO

I bought this vehicle less than 60 days ago and there is transmission hesitation, hard engagement in lower gears, Rough jerking shifting along with acceleration lag. Erracric shifting and phantom braking. I have taken it into the dealership I bought it at at they are not seeing anything. It currently is at another Kia dealership for the past two days. This vehicle is going to cause an accident that puts my safety and others at risk. There is no warning lights that come on. I have done my research and there has been other complaints from other consumers having the same issues. I do have video of in town driving but have not been on the highway

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 6, 2026TX

Vin number or license plate is not showing vehicle in open recall to NHSTA OR KIA AMERICA. Kia has not followed up on their follow up dates regarding resolution(s) for unrepairable recall malfunction.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 13, 2026MD

My 2024 Kia K5's infotainment screen went completely pitch black, disabling the backup camera now creating an active safety hazard.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 8, 2026SC

I am contacting Kia America Consumer Affairs to formally request a Goodwill Warranty Exception for the total failure of the factory infotainment and radio system in my 2024 Kia K5 LXS. The unit has completely lost Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay functionality. A certified technician has diagnosed the issue as an internal radio hardware failure requiring a complete replacement, quoted at an exorbitant out-of-pocket cost. While my vehicle has surpassed the standard 3-year/36,000-mile radio warranty threshold, this premature electronic failure is a documented, systemic manufacturing defect rather than normal wear and tear. I have fully exhausted all personal troubleshooting measures—including performing hard pinhole resets, deep system restarts via battery disconnection, clear-pairing device profiles, and verifying device firmware. The underlying hardware remains completely non-responsive. Furthermore, Kia America is explicitly aware of this systemic defect in this generation of head units, as evidenced by the publication of Technical Service Bulletin SA582 ("AVN 5.0 Wide Non-Responsive Radio Icon"), which explicitly acknowledges software and hardware stability failures in 2023–2024 infotainment units. Because the failure of this head unit completely eliminates hands-free voice operations, emergency communications, and navigation systems, it introduces an immediate driver distraction and safety hazard on public roads. As a loyal Kia owner who purchased this vehicle expecting modern

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 18, 2026OH

Vehicle was shaking really bad. Inner tie rod was completely worn out and rusted around 32,000-37,000 miles. 04/23/2026 Ricart Automotive Group, Car purchased [XXX]. Issues since purchasing vehicle 1. AWD Electronic Motor Failed 02/28/2024 2,715 miles. 2. Chrome Side and Rear Pieces coming off 05/12/2026 22,019 miles. 3. Fuel Tank ECM Recall 08/05/2025 24,474 miles. 4. Passenger side mirror replaced 09/19/2025 26,180 miles 5. Fuel Tank Band Inspection 02/09/2026 34,167 miles 6. Passenger Side inner tie rod 04/23/2026 37,860 miles I have spoken with Theresa D. from Kia Customer Care (520)274-1627 requesting the vehicle be replaced or bought back, but due to Ohio's Law covering only the 1st year or 18,000 miles and Kia not issuing the recall until after these deadlines they were unwilling to work with me to replace or buy back, but instead offered me a 1,600.00 settlement. This seems unfair knowing that the issues above 3 and 6 had a recall for Kia K5 Models 2021–2024. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Electrical System
Filed May 15, 2026TX

The fuel tank expanded, the car was spitting out gas from where you are supposed to insert gas nozzle. my fuel tank expanded so bad from pressure my vehicle sensors malfunctioned my car did not tell me something was wrong, I heard a pop and my car was telling me I had no gas when I did. the insert area for gas to be pumped was swollen and couldn't shut my gas cap cover. I went to gas station and since my car said it was empty I attempted to add gas and it spit it back out immediately it could not take gas, so I called kia locations since I was in [XXX] with kids in my vehicle for halloween trick or treating. the recall papers I have in order says safety hazard was a FIRE. my car fuel tank could had made my car explode at any moment. my engine light did not come on all my car showed me was mile change and inaccurate amount of gas reading. the dealer has had my car since November 2025. I heard popping sounds when I would return home from work in the driveway but no warning. one Time in July of 2025 my engine light came on I went to autozone they gave me a code for something with fuel issue, light didn't stay on no longer than a few hours. kia has cost me so much mishap and unfair financial responsibility. it has been a nightmare. the person working my case I can only talk to in email, it has taken forever now I have a repurchase offer that I had to fight for. they are trying to make me return my rental before completion of repurchase offer which offer stated could take longer t

Structure › Body
Filed May 15, 2026TX

Chrome pillars came off on highway. the recall was sent in mail but upon visitation to kia for a different recall, I mentioned pillars and they did not have part to repair and there was a wait for part on their end is what they said. car was literally built with many defects I don't know how it passed inspection.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 21, 2026WA

I am reporting a documented and unresolved brake system safety issue on my 2024 Kia K5 involving repeated premature brake pad wear and rotor damage. The vehicle has required three full brake pad and rotor replacements by approximately 40,000 miles, with each set lasting less than 15,000 miles. Service records consistently document uneven wear on the front brakes, particularly the outer pads, with up to a 4 mm difference between sides. This has resulted in one side reaching metal-to-metal contact while the opposing side retained usable material. This pattern has repeated across multiple brake replacements. This condition creates a braking imbalance that affects vehicle control. The vehicle exhibits pulling under braking and changes in steering alignment, indicating uneven braking force across the front axle. Braking performance can degrade rapidly, transitioning from normal operation to reduced stopping effectiveness without sufficient warning. Despite these documented conditions, the dealership and manufacturer, including escalation through Kia customer care and technical support, have been unable to identify a root cause. The condition has been classified as “within normal range,” and warranty coverage has been denied. The vehicle has been returned to service multiple times without corrective action. It has been acknowledged that the wear pattern is not typical, yet no defect has been identified. This creates a contradiction and uncertainty regarding the vehicle’s ability to

Engine
Filed Apr 6, 2026MD

My brand new 2024 Kia K5 has been at Kia of temple hills since February 23, 2026. The dealership has stated they do not know how to diagnose or repair the issue and indicated they needed a special diagnostic tool from the manufacturer. The vehicle has now been out of service for an extended period with no repair timeline provided and no communication from them at all. I also have not been provided a loaner or rental vehicle during this timeframe. While driving with my toddler child the steering wheel gets tight the speedometer isn’t reading correctly. Dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree with almost all warning lights on and messages to check every system: from tire pressure to forward collision to RearCross-TrafficSafety and the list goes on

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Feb 2, 2026TX

On 10/20/25 as a rideshare driver one of my riders told me that the right side back seat was lifting. I could not believe what the rider was telling me until one of my family members told me the same thing. I immediately for safety reasons parked the car and started searching about any problems with the gas tank, for my surprise there was a serious safety problem in the car where the gas tank was expanding. The car could have got on fire and exploited putting my family, riders and myself at the risk of death. This was reported to Kia Customer Care on 10/20/2025, case # XXX, and later was complemented with the Kia Customer Care case # XXX. On 11/11/25 Kia America recognized that the car was unrepairable and offered a buyback process which was accepted by me on 11/12/25. It has passed 105 days since the car was parked and not used for ridesharing, my main source of income. During this 105 days Kia Finance America has been demanding payments from me, they have not stopped the billing despite my several request. Kia offered me rent a car through Enterprise which does not allow to do ridesharing with their cars, and also car rental reimbursement which I cannot afford. As of today, my lost income has achieved the amount of $ 33,036.77; this was warned to Kia America since the beginning of the process. Kia America has been very a bureaucratic company, and the buyback process has not been finished due to the lack of check from Kia America to the company Morley. All I want is to finis

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 3, 2026FL

Water intrusion from A/C system Mold growth inside cabin Health effects Vehicle returned unrepaired / unsafe

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Dec 30, 2025TN

The contact owns a 2024 Kia K5. The contact received the recall notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V794000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact was concerned that the vehicle might catch fire while driving. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts to do the recall repair were not available. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Electrical System
Filed Dec 17, 2025MO

On three occasions, my car cutoff on me. Once on the highway at 60+ mph. The dash would go out, then all indicator icons popped on. I've been to the dealer twice & now a third time. They found nothing. AAA diagnosed low alternator once.

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Dec 5, 2025GA

The contact owns a 2024 Kia K5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V794000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair, and the contact was unable to ship the vehicle as planned. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Structure
Filed Oct 29, 202544,000 milesTX

The contact owns a 2024 Kia K5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V493000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for an oil change, the contact was informed by one of the service employees that the rear window trim on the passenger’s side was loose. In addition, there was an abnormal wind sound coming from the rear window. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the contact became aware that the chrome on the rear window was loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired after the most recent failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

Engine
Filed Sep 1, 2025PA

At 2500 miles when checking my oil I discovered flakes of metal on the dipstick. I immediately changed the oil and in doing so found a massive amounts of metal in the filter housing. I took it to the dealer along with pictures and told them on startup the engine was noisy and sounded like it was low on oil, noisy on acceleration and would exabit an engine knock at times when hot. They didn't investigate it at all. Being an auto tech all my life, I know that metal flakes are a sigh of a damaged bearing and by the sound, a conrod bearing. I'm afraid to take it anywhere other than local commutes. This sounds like the same thing as the K4 Tuscan issue in my professional opinion.

Structure › Body
Filed Aug 4, 2025WV

The C-Pillar garnish fell off both sides of my rear view a while ago.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 31, 2025NC

My vehicle was manufactured with bad rotors, which make it difficult to slow down when driving at high speeds on the highway. The vehicle’s steering wheel and the vehicle itself shakes violently when trying to slow down. My vehicle started having these issues with low mileage also.

Power Train
Filed Oct 28, 2024VA

On [XXX], while driving to campus during rush-hour traffic at approximately 15-20 MPH, the car suddenly felt as if the brakes had been slammed, giving me a serious scare and nearly causing an accident. The car stopped in the middle of the road, and I was stuck there, forced to manually push the car to the side to avoid further risk to myself and other drivers. I immediately had the vehicle towed to Ourisman Chantilly Kia for service. Upon arrival at the dealership, I requested a loaner vehicle. However, it took an entire week for one to be provided, leaving me without transportation for a significant period of time. I was informed that the dealership needed my approval to take apart the transmission, which I gave immediately. Despite this, for the next two weeks, I called daily for updates, only to be told that no new information was available and that the dealership was still waiting for guidance from Kia's technical team. After two weeks of no progress, I asked my service advisor, Sean, what had actually been done to my car. He informed me that the only action taken was draining the transmission fluid. I was baffled that it had taken two weeks just to drain the fluid while waiting for Kia's tech team to respond. Out of frustration, I contacted Kia directly, and within minutes, I was informed that Kia had approved a new transmission a week earlier—something the dealership had failed to communicate to me. When I informed the dealership of this, Sean confirmed that the new tra

20 of 30 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2021
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202611100Routine
202551200Routine
2024 — this page30200Routine
2023107400Routine
2022125542Fatalities reported
2021165621Fatalities reported

Compare every K5 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 17, 2025. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.