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Kia K5 check engine light comes on

77 of the 511 owner complaints about the Kia K5 describe check engine light, most of them for the 2021 model year.

owner complaints
77
worst model year
2021
typical mileage
77,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.

By model year

Often reported together

Loss of power 10Fuel gauge 8Jerking 6Stalling 5Misfire 5Hesitation 5Tire blowout 4Engine failure 4

Trouble codes mentioned

P0471 2P0302 2P0451 1P0301 1

What owners say

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · Transmission · OK

From the get-go seemed to have trouble with transmission once in a while Little jerk when shifting gears, reported this, they could find nothing. It has become a lot worse. It has caused the car to shut down into limp mode with engine light on. So I had a problem from the beginning with my new car. But when they check it, they can’t find a problem. So I’m just checking to see if anybody else with this car make, model, year have reported anything the same.

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · KS

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my Kia K5 because I am concerned about a potentially dangerous mechanical defect. I purchased this vehicle used from CarMax approximately two years ago. Within the first 30 days of ownership, the steering wheel began shaking. CarMax repaired the problem at no cost after ordering a replacement part. Approximately two weeks ago, the steering wheel began shaking again. The problem has now progressed to the vehicle shaking, feeling as though it is skidding or slipping, and failing to accelerate properly. The check-engine light is illuminated. I contacted Kia regarding recall SC250 and was told that my vehicle does not qualify. I am concerned because my vehicle is now experiencing symptoms that I believe warrant investigation into whether they could be related to the defect addressed by this recall. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate whether my vehicle may have an unresolved or related safety defect, and whether other vehicles excluded from the recall could be experiencing similar problems. I am concerned about the risk of losing acceleration while driving, potentially putting me and other motorists in danger. I can provide my VIN, vehicle mileage, repair history from CarMax, and any diagnostic information available.

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Fuel system · TX

The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V794000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). While driving 70 MPH, the contact heard a loud pop coming from the rear driver's side of the vehicle and the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated with an abnormal burning odor briefly inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure.

Filed Sep 22, 2026 · Transmission · 57,000 miles · TX · crash · 2 injuries

The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and came to a complete stop in the middle of the roadway. The contact did not attempt to restart the vehicle. The contact activated the hazard lights; however, 20–30 minutes later, another vehicle struck the front passenger side of the vehicle near the front passenger’s side wheel. The contact sustained sharp lower back, hip, and left knee pain. The contact's boyfriend sustained lower back and right knee pain. A family member transported both occupants to the hospital, where medical attention was provided. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to Custom Auto-Collision. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train). The dealer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

Filed Sep 16, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · CA

Vehicle experienced a severe engine misfire (P0302), rough running, and loss of power while driving. Dealership confirmed the Purge Control / PCV valve failed (replaced under Recall SC356 / 25V‑794), but charged out-of-pocket for the Cylinder 2 ignition coil that failed as a direct result of the PCV valve failure. The Dealership replaced the Purge Control/PCV valve at this time - the recall was not resolved until this time - I wasn't even aware of this recall until this incident. This ocurred on XXX and as a result I was stranded 1500 miles from home in [XXX] (I live in [XXX] and was driving the vehicle to my son at the University of XXX in [XXX]. The car was running fine until I stopped briefly in [XXX] and when I started the car, the engine light came on and the car's engine started sputtering and losing power as I was driving. Due to the fact that I was not in the vicinity of any Kia Dealerships or any open mechanics as it was Labor Day, I somehow managed to drive the car all the way to [XXX] as this was the closest dealership (over 120 miles away from where I was when the engine light came on). Once I arrived in [XXX], I checked into a hotel. I then attempted to drive to the nearest Kia Dealership the following morning at approximately 6:45 am and the engine light started flashing. I knew that this meant I was not able to safely drive the car even the additional 5 miles to the dealership so I pulled over and called Kia Roadside assistance and the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 31, 2026 · Fuel system · AZ

The contact’s son owns a 2023 Kia K5. The contact stated the vehicle was previously included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V794000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), and the vehicle was repaired. A day or two after the recall repair was completed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the fuel tank could expand and explode. The contact was informed that the fuel tank and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after driving 10 miles after the vehicle was repaired, the check engine warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, and similar fault codes were retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired after the latest failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jul 27, 2026 · Engine · 76,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving 50-65 MPH, the vehicle was jerking and came to a sudden stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was determined that there was an issue with the water pressure cooling system. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that there was no warranty coverage for the repair on the vehicle. The contact called the warranty company and informed the contact that the warranty mileage was 100,000. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the dealers were independently owned. No assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

Filed Jul 27, 2026 · Fuel system · LA

As I was driving down the road, I began to hear a loud, forceful noise. I assumed it was something in my trunk rolling against the rear seats. The noise kept getting louder, and I pulled over, very frightened, as several warning lights came on, including the low fuel light and check engine light, and the fuel gauge needle was past “E.” Before the incident, the GPM reading was 400. After a while, I made it home, but the car started making loud noises and then died. That’s when I noticed my back seats were lifted. I called Kia customer service and had the car towed to the Kia dealership on Seigan Lane, where it is now. Something needs to be done about this.

Filed Jul 22, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · 120,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that there were failures with the spark plugs. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, and the engine sputtered. The contact stated that fuel spewed out of the filler neck while refueling the vehicle, and the fuel gauge incorrectly indicated that the fuel tank was empty after refueling. Additionally, there was an abnormal egg and sulfur odor coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer and inspected under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V794000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). During the inspection, the seats were damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was negotiating a buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Filed Jul 22, 2026 · Fuel system, Seats · LA

7/20/26 My 17 year old daughter was on the way to work and heard a loud noise like an explosion in her car. She, new to driving, scared and in a panic just assumed this was a blowout on a tire and pulled over to check the tires. All tires were clear so she proceeded to work cautiously, on her way home she noticed her check engine light had come on and noticed there was some road noise coming from the back. She then called me, note this is the first I heard of the situation. While on the phone with her I pulled up the CarFax to check when it had last been maintenanced, while doing that I saw for the first time TWO RECALLS on this car we had just purchased 3 months ago! By this time she was home and I instructed her to get out of the car while I Immediately called our local Kia dealership to schedule an appt to have the two recalls fixed (7/20/26 at 4:38pm). I gave the make and model to the service department and they informed me they couldn’t see me till Wed July 29th,at 8:00 am. When my husband and I further assessed the car after we got home we found that an explosion had occurred around her fuel tank, which was full at the time of the incident! The fuel tank expanded enough to completely rupture and detach her entire backseat! This incident was due to a recall replacing a valve on the fuel tank that was not conducted on the car from prior owners nor communication to the new owners (ME) upon my purchase of the vehicle. This could have been catastrophic to my daughter and anyone else in the vehicle had she kept driving the car and could have very easily been engulfed with flames and loss of life especially with a full tank of gas. The car has been towed to the local Kia dealership and leaked gas all in our driveway as it sat there. We are still awaiting response from Kia on our case it has been over 48 hours now and we have received no communication from them. KIA NEEDS TO DEEM THIS RECALL AS POSSIBLY FATAL AND ACT IMMEDIATELY TO SAVE LIVES!

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the Kia K5 check engine light

Why does the check engine light come on in the Kia K5?

Owners who report it most often also describe sudden loss of power, wrong fuel gauge reading and jerking or lurching, and the codes they mention most are P0471, P0302 and P0451.

Which Kia K5 years have check engine light problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2021 (30 complaints), 2022 (25 complaints) and 2023 (19 complaints).

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