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.
The worst 2025 Kia K5 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Tires15
- Electrical12
- Lights6
- Transmission6
- Body5
- Visibility5
- Wheels5
- Driver assistance4
- Airbags3
- Engine3
- Acceleration2
- Brakes2
- Locks1
- Suspension1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2025 Kia K5
Recalls 2
Structure: exterior trim
- What is wrong
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 K5 vehicles. The left and right rear window trim pieces may loosen and detach.
- Risk
- Detached trim pieces can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the C-pillar trim assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC346.
Recall number 25V493000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: lighting control module: software
- What is wrong
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K5 vehicles. A software error in the Power-net Domain Controller (PDC) may cause the parking lights to flicker. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Parking lights that fail to illuminate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The PDC software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC341.
Recall number 25V351000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2025 Kia K5 27
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Release notes: over-the-air: software update for data connectivity (ELE413
- Battery wiring harness covering inspection / replacement (SA645)
- Infotainment system software update using update.kia.com
- Release notes: over-the-air: software update for data connectivity (ELE413
- Voluntary service campaign: owner notification (SC363)
- Voluntary service campaign: oil level plug (OLP) inspection, and olp gasket and/or atf filler bolt...
- Voluntary service campaign: dealer principal memo (SC363)
- Voluntary service campaign: dealer parts and service manager memo (SC363)
- Voluntary service campaign: question and answer (SC363)
- Infotainment software update procedure
2025 Kia K5 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 23-26 | 33-37 | 27-30 |
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | AWD | 24 | 33 | 27 |
What 2025 Kia K5 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
I don’t see any problem
The turning lights keep flickering and the back trim became lose.
Compare the 2025 Kia K5
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Questions about the 2025 Kia K5
Is the 2025 Kia K5 reliable?
Owners have filed 54 complaints about the 2025 Kia K5, fewer than a typical K5 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2025 Kia K5?
Tires, with 15 complaints. Next is electrical (12).
How many recalls does the 2025 Kia K5 have?
2 recalls, covering structure and exterior lighting.
What gas mileage does the 2025 Kia K5 get?
Official estimates for the 2025 Kia K5 range from 27 to 30 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 23-26 city and 33-37 highway.
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