Kia bulletin SA642
Kia filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Mar 13, 2026, received Apr 1, 2026, about the engine — 1 document under this number: TSB_ENG265. It names 1 model year (2026). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: THETA III 2.5 GDI ECM SW LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA642) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Engine Control Module ‘ECM’ system software on certain 2026MY K5 (DL3) vehicles produced from December 03, 2025 through March 09, 2026 equipped with 2.5 GDI Theta III engines. The affected vehicles may exhibit an intermittent “low oil level� message illuminated on the instrument cluster. This issue may be present due to improper calibration logic of the oil level sensor value to detect a low oil level, even if the engine oil level is within the recommended factory specification.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_ENG265 | Service bulletin | Mar 13, 2026 | 11030380 | not yet checked |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Kia SA642 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SA642 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way.
Which vehicles does SA642 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2026 Kia K5. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.