Recalls
6campaigns
2 fuel system · 2 air bag · 1 power train
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
167filed
Owner reports, 2021–2026 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
5★overall
★★★★★ Frontal 4★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 4★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
32mpg combined
$2,041/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
1.6 L 4-cyl· 8-speed automatic
4 engine and transmission configurations
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (6)
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia K5. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2021 Kia K5. Not checked against your VIN.
Fuel Tank May Leak
Fuel system, gasoline
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
37.3% repairedof 250,547 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 25V794000
Listed for 2021 Kia K5. Not checked against your VIN.
Side Curtain Air Bags May Not Deploy Properly
Air bags · side/window · curtain
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
82.3% repairedof 188,912 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 23V149000
Listed for 2021 Kia K5. Not checked against your VIN.
Loss of Drive Power
Power train · automatic transmission
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
93.7% repairedof 69,038 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V760000
Listed for 2021 Kia K5. Not checked against your VIN.
Fuel Leak at Pipe Connection
Fuel system, gasoline · delivery · hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
98.5% repairedof 21,575 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V519000
Listed for 2021 Kia K5. Not checked against your VIN.
Steering Assist Level May Not Adjust Properly
Lane departure · lane keep · steering assist
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
95% repairedof 846 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V447000
Listed for 2021 Kia K5. Not checked against your VIN.
Occupant Detection System Malfunction/FMVSS 208
Air bags · air bag/restraint control module
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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."
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
97.2% repairedof 142 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V164000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (167)
167 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
8involved a crash
2involved a fire
7injuries reported
1deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 167 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 46 | 27.5% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 43 | 25.7% |
| Unknown or other | 32 | 19.2% |
| Engine | 29 | 17.4% |
| Power train | 18 | 10.8% |
| Fuel system | 13 | 7.8% |
| Air bags | 10 | 6% |
| Structure | 10 | 6% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 9 | 5.4% |
| Lane departure | 9 | 5.4% |
How 2021 compares with other K5 years
Best and worst K5 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 167 | 6 |
| 2022 | 129 | 5 |
| 2023 | 107 | 4 |
| 2024 | 30 | 2 |
| 2025 | 52 | 2 |
| 2026 | 14 | 1 |
This year (2021)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 10.7%★★★★☆
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2021 Kia K5 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 32 mpg combined
32
mpg combined
29
city
38
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,100
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 277 g/mi
- EPA class
- Large Cars
What it costs you to run
$2,041per year
$170per month
469gallons a year
Miles ÷ 32 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 / 38 / 32 | $2,100 | 277 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 27 / 37 / 31 | $2,150 | 291 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 26 / 34 / 29 | $2,300 | 312 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 / 32 / 27 | $2,500 | 332 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2021 K5 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2021 Kia K5 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2021 Kia K5 have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 25V794000 (fuel system), 23V149000 (air bag), 22V760000 (power train), 21V519000 (fuel system), 21V447000 (steering), 21V164000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2021 Kia K5 problems?
Owners filed 167 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (46), Fuel/propulsion system (43), Unknown or other (32) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2021 Kia K5 get?
EPA rates the 1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic version at 29 city, 38 highway and 32 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2021 Kia K5 get?
NHTSA rated the 2021 Kia K5 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.7% rollover risk).
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
Was this report useful?Report a data error