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Research · Large Cars

2026 Kia K5Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 14 owner complaints for the 2026 Kia K5. Most complaints involve engine (4) and electrical system (3). The EPA rates it 27–30 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

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Combined MPG
27–30mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
1campaigns
Latest Jan 2026
Owner complaints
14
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,150est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

1 NHTSA campaign · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: instrument cluster

Free remedy

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."

Electrical systemReported Jan 27, 2026NHTSA 26V046000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

14 complaints filed with NHTSA · Dec 2025 – Oct 2026
  1. Engine4
  2. Electrical system3
  3. Lane departure2
  4. Air bags1
  5. Tires1
  6. Latches/locks/linkages1
  7. Forward collision avoidance1
  8. Engine and engine cooling1
  9. Other / unknown5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each K5 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2021169
2022129
2023110
202431
202554
202614
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

4 reports
“The display is shows a "Check Oil Level" error. It comes on then goes off regularly. I have verified that the oil level is OK. Took it into the dealer and he said that this is a common issue and a software fix is coming. The car only has less than 2K miles. I depend on the engine displaying error messages, but they need to be real ones. Online complaints indicate that this is a common error and there seems to be no fix.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 13, 2026Electrical system, EngineODI 11730905

Electrical system

3 reports
“Kia has a known wiring‑harness defect that causes the low engine oil sensor to trigger incorrectly. Despite this, there has been no recall, and new vehicles are still being sold with the issue. The wiring harness is now on back order, leaving me without a car for weeks or longer. The vehicle has plenty of oil, and the dealership confirmed there are no engine problems, yet the warning light keeps coming back because of the faulty harness. This happened 1 day after buying this car new from the dealership lot.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 10, 2026Electrical systemODI 11723226

Lane departure

2 reports
“Submitted by [XXX], Authorized Representative for the owner. The vehicle has a physical defect in the ADAS forward-facing camera bracket caused by a dealer-concealed repair using industrial silicone adhesive. The bracket is now visibly sagging, causing misalignment that leads to intermittent Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) failure. Critically, the vehicle’s computer does NOT illuminate a warning light for this physical displacement ('silent failure'), posing a severe crash risk. An undisclosed aftermarket GPS tracker was also found installed, which is pending contract review. A third-party inspection report titled 'Repurchase Inspection (Silicon at Rearview Mirror)' confirms the non-OEM adhesive and physical sag. The dealer has refused to provide a safe replacement vehicle. This defect stems from a non-OEM repair performed prior to sale.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2026Lane departure, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11748152
All 2026 K5 problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Large Cars
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 2.5L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (S8) · Automatic (AM-S8)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 30, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
K5 w/Stop-Start
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263730$2,150298
K5
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253629$2,200310
K5
Auto (AM-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
233327$2,400331
K5 AWD
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
243327$2,400329
  • K5 w/Stop-Start
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    26 city · 37 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • K5
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    25 city · 36 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • K5
    Auto (AM-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo
    23 city · 33 hwy · $2,400/yr
    27
    mpg comb.
  • K5 AWD
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    24 city · 33 hwy · $2,400/yr
    27
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 30, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
KIA K5 4 DR N/A AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
10.7%
Overall
5 / 5
KIA K5 4 DR N/A FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
10.7%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 30, 2026Vehicle 21175Vehicle 21174
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2026 K5 questions

How many recalls does the 2026 Kia K5 have?

1 safety recall as of Oct 30, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2026 Kia K5 problems?

Owners filed 14 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (4), electrical system (3), lane departure (2). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2026 Kia K5 get?

The EPA rates the 2026 Kia K5 at 27–30 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

How safe is the 2026 Kia K5?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2026 Kia K5 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 30, 2026