2021 Kia K5
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2021 Kia K5 is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 65 on record.
2021 Kia K5 at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2021 Kia K5 recalls 6
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Fix: 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 n…
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.
Fix: 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.
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 r…
Fix: 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.
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."
Fix: 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.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2021 Kia K5 common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 167 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2021 Kia K5 safety ratings
Rollover risk: 10.7% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2021 Kia K5 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2021 Kia K5 MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 3 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
What's a 2021 Kia K5 worth?
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2021 Kia K5 costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2021 Kia K5 — ranges cover the 3 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 134
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 134.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN & WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC307/WTY037) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to relocate and install an improved blower motor 40amp fuse,…
Bulletin SC307_OWNR_301 · Electrical System · Jun 2026VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAINGN: REIMBURSEMENT FORM (SC307 Flight#301) - This document is a Reimbursement Request form that was mailed with the customer letter advising them to submit the form if they had paid for repairs for this same matter prior to the Voluntar…
Bulletin SC307_REIMB · Electrical System · Jun 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black ba…
Bulletin CS2312_TSB_R2 · Structure · Jun 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at upda…
Bulletin TSB_ELE422 · Electrical System · May 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software downloads and USB p…
Bulletin TSB_ELE417 · Electrical System · Apr 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black ba…
Bulletin TSB_CS2312_R1 · Structure · Feb 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: FUEL TANK AND/OR PCSV CHECK VALVE INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT + ECU SW UPGRADE (SC288/SC288A) CLOSED & SUPERSEDED - This bulletin is now closed and superseded by SC356. This bulletin provided informa…
Bulletin SC288_TSB_R6_CLSD · Fuel/propulsion System, Electrical System · Jan 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia vehicles out…
Bulletin TSB_CS2312 · Structure · Dec 2025CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been made available to own…
Bulletin CS2312_OWNR · Structure · Dec 2025PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating dis…
Bulletin PS797 · Back Over Prevention · Dec 2025Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the K5 FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 5
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia K5. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Fuel System
Issue: On certain vehicles, the check valve for the purge control system could wear and cause the fuel tank to expand. As a result, the fuel tank could contact hot components and fuel could leak. Note: This recall only affects certain vehicles equipped with a 1.6 L turbocharged engine. Safety Risk: A fuel leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify o…
Transport Canada #2025638 · Nov 2025Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, the side curtain airbag(s) may not have been installed correctly. As a result, the side curtain airbag(s) may not inflate properly in a crash. Safety Risk: A side curtain airbag that doesn't work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealers…
Transport Canada #2023124 · Mar 2023Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles, a fault in the transmission oil pump can cause the vehicle to enter "fail-safe mode". When this happens, a programming error can cause a sudden loss of power to the wheels after 20-30 seconds. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.5 L turbo gasoline (T-GDI) engine and an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Safety Risk: A sudde…
Transport Canada #2022580 · Oct 2022Fuel System
Issue: On certain vehicles, the connection between the high-pressure fuel pipe and fuel pump may not be properly sealed. As a result, a fuel leak could occur. Safety Risk: A fuel leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Action: KIA will notify owners by mail and instruct you to bring your vehicle to a dealer to inspect and replace the high-pressure fuel pipe, as required.
Transport Canada #2021421 · Jul 2021Steering
Issue: Under certain driving conditions, a fault in the power steering system could cause reduced power assist when the lane following assist (LFA) system is used. This can cause a sudden change in steering feel and an increase in steering effort. Note: This problem only affects certain models equipped with a 2.5 L T-GDI engine. Safety Risk: A sudden change in steering effort c…
Transport Canada #2021374 · Jun 2021Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Kia K5
The Kia K5, formerly known as the Kia Optima, is a mid-size car manufactured by Kia since 2000 and marketed globally through various nameplates. First generation cars were mostly marketed as the Optima, although the Kia Magentis name was used in Europe and Canada when sales began there in 2002. For the second-generation models, Kia used the Kia Lotze and Kia K5 name for the South Korean market, and the Magentis name globally, except in the United States, Canada, Malaysia and the Middle East, where the Optima name was retained until the 2021 model year. The K5 name is used for all markets since the introduction of the fifth generation in 2019.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2021 Kia K5 trims & engines on record
2021 Kia K5 vehicles on record
2021 Kia K5 GT-Line5XXG64J2XMG029224
2021 Kia K5 GT-Line5XXG64J20MG056318
2021 Kia K5 GT-Line5XXG64J21MG060877
2021 Kia K5 LX5XXG24J26MG010617
2021 Kia K5 LX5XXG24J20MG015022
2021 Kia K5 LXS5XXG14J25MG047581
2021 Kia K55XXG64J21MG073127
2021 Kia K5KNAG741BBMA124126
2021 Kia K5KNAG741BBMA139438
2021 Kia K55XXG14J24NG102703
2021 Kia K55XXG24J21NG088160
2021 Kia K55XXG64J20NG096447
2021 Kia K55XXG14J22MG072762
2021 Kia K55XXG64J23NG107201
2021 Kia K55XXG14J26MG065653
2021 Kia K55XXG44J83MG054489
2021 Kia K5KNAG741BBMA114595
2021 Kia K5KNAG741BBNA169891
2021 Kia K5KNAG741BBMA114700
2021 Kia K55XXG64J21MG060278
2021 Kia K5KNAG541BBNA173128
2021 Kia K55XXG14J26MG055589
2021 Kia K5KNAG541BBMA123891
2021 Kia K5KNAG741BBMA124129