Your vehicle report
2022 Kia K5
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 129
- Received Jun 2021 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving12 complaints · 9.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes8 complaints · 6.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline6 complaints · 4.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #25V794000Kia 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.
- Recall #23V149000Kia 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Jul 2024 · Recent surge
- Check engine light comes on repeatedlyFirst signal: May 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 15 crashes, 4 fires, 20 people injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 12 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Month | Complaints |
|---|---|
| June 2021 | 1 |
| July 2021 | 0 |
| August 2021 | 0 |
| September 2021 | 1 |
| October 2021 | 0 |
| November 2021 | 1 |
| December 2021 | 1 |
| January 2022 | 1 |
| February 2022 | 1 |
| March 2022 | 2 |
| April 2022 | 1 |
| May 2022 | 2 |
| June 2022 | 0 |
| July 2022 | 0 |
| August 2022 | 0 |
| September 2022 | 0 |
| October 2022 | 1 |
| November 2022 | 1 |
| December 2022 | 5 |
| January 2023 | 2 |
| February 2023 | 1 |
| March 2023 | 2 |
| April 2023 | 1 |
| May 2023 | 2 |
| June 2023 | 2 |
| July 2023 | 0 |
| August 2023 | 2 |
| September 2023 | 0 |
| October 2023 | 1 |
| November 2023 | 0 |
| December 2023 | 1 |
| January 2024 | 0 |
| February 2024 | 1 |
| March 2024 | 1 |
| April 2024 | 0 |
| May 2024 | 2 |
| June 2024 | 1 |
| July 2024 | 5 |
| August 2024 | 5 |
| September 2024 | 1 |
| October 2024 | 1 |
| November 2024 | 2 |
| December 2024 | 2 |
| January 2025 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 4 |
| April 2025 | 4 |
| May 2025 | 2 |
| June 2025 | 4 |
| July 2025 | 4 |
| August 2025 | 13 |
| September 2025 | 4 |
| October 2025 | 5 |
| November 2025 | 1 |
| December 2025 | 5 |
| January 2026 | 6 |
| February 2026 | 0 |
| March 2026 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 5 |
| May 2026 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 1 |
| July 2026 | 5 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 6 |
| October 2026 | 0 |
| Total | 129 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 12 | 9.3% | 8.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2024 · Recent surge Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3% |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 8 | 6.2% | – | NHTSA recall #23V149000 |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 4.7% | 5.1× | NHTSA recall #21V519000, #25V794000 |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 3.9% | 3.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3% |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 3.1% | 1.7× | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 3 | 2.3% | 16.9× | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 3 | 2.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #25V794000November 17, 2025250,547 vehicles affected
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #23V149000March 7, 2023188,912 vehicles affected
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #22V760000October 11, 202269,038 vehicles affected
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V519000July 8, 202121,575 vehicles affected
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V447000June 14, 2021846 vehicles affected
lane departure: lane keep: steering assist; 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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2022 Kia K5.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN