RoadVitals

2025 Kia K5 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
54
+2 complaints in 30 days
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
29
Reports on file since Aug 8, 2024

What this page shows

Our database holds 54 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2025 Kia K5. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 54 · page 1 of 3

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 23, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11773292
Incident
Oct 21, 2026
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Oct 15, 2026

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

NHTSA ID
11771388
Incident
Aug 11, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 2, 2026

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

NHTSA ID
11768579
Incident
Oct 2, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 4, 2026

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

NHTSA ID
11762124
Incident
Sep 1, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 3, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11761989
Incident
Sep 3, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 8, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11755605
Incident
Aug 8, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 8, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11755604
Incident
Jul 1, 2026
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 23, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11752288
Incident
Jul 21, 2026
Filed Jul 17, 2026

I don’t see any problem

NHTSA ID
11751032
Incident
Jul 17, 2002
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Jul 6, 2026

The turning lights keep flickering and the back trim became lose.

NHTSA ID
11748579
Incident
Jul 6, 2026
Other / unspecified
Filed Jun 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11747116
Incident
Jun 27, 2026
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Jun 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11747112
Incident
Jun 22, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 8, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11742700
Incident
Jun 8, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 14, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11737766
Incident
May 14, 2026
ElectricalExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Apr 9, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11730198
Incident
Sep 20, 2025
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 8, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11729846
Incident
Mar 30, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 23, 2026

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

NHTSA ID
11726488
Incident
Mar 14, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 23, 2026

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

NHTSA ID
11726486
Incident
Mar 14, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 23, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11726477
Incident
Jan 10, 2026
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 18, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11725390
Incident
Oct 11, 2025
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 6, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11722397
Incident
Dec 25, 2024
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 3, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11721854
Incident
Feb 9, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Mar 1, 2026
Crash reported

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.

NHTSA ID
11721232
Incident
Feb 26, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Feb 23, 2026

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

NHTSA ID
11719809
Incident
Feb 21, 2026
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Feb 20, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID
11719452
Incident
Dec 30, 2024
Mileage
7,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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