- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 6
- on record
- MPG
- 27
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Kia K5
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- Owner complaints
- 156
- Complaints citing a crash
- 7
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
6 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
6 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V164000high
Airbag system issue
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."
- 21V519000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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.
- 21V447000high
Steering issue
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.
- 22V760000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
- 23V149000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
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.
- 25V794000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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.
Consumer complaints
156 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 156
- Total
- 7
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
Most reported components
- FUEL SYSTEM36
- ENGINE36
- ELECTRICAL30
- OTHER19
- AIR BAGS10
Serious Concerns
156 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 7 reports involve injuries. 7 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
24
City
32
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,200
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Recall
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.