2025 Kia K5 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Kia K5, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Tires & wheels1219.4%
- Electrical1117.7%
- Powertrain (other)69.7%
- Exterior lighting58.1%
- Visibility58.1%
- Body & structure58.1%
- Other / unspecified58.1%
- Driver assistance46.5%
- Airbags34.8%
- Engine34.8%
- Suspension11.6%
- Interior & seats11.6%
- Brakes11.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
The turning lights keep flickering and the back trim became lose.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
While I was driving, the panoramic sunroof suddenly shattered without any impact. I did not hear or see any object hit the glass. It made a very loud noise similar to a gunshot, and then the glass fractured across the middle section, broke upward, and collapsed into small pieces. There is no visible rock chip or impact point. This was extremely loud and frightening and could have caused injury if more glass had fallen inside the cabin.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The turning lights keep flickering and the back trim became lose.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
fix
I am the owner of a 2025 Kia K5 GT-Line that was recently involved in an accident. In the days prior to the crash, I experienced recurring issues including screen reboots while driving and temporary power loss. I do not remember the moment of the accident, and I am currently under medical care for head trauma. I am reporting this because I believe the vehicle may have malfunctioned in a way that contributed to the accident. Please advise if there are known issues with the 2025 K5 GT-Line, and how I can formally report this case for technical investigation.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Third time that this happened when I step on the gas you're accelerate the transmission wines when I'm trying to merge I have to slow the car down and take my foot off the accelerator and then when I put my foot on the celebrator there's a car really close to me
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .