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2021 Kia K5

Gas

Large Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

60 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.

Recalls1 critical 6

Complaints8 crash · 2 fire · 7 injured · 1 died reported 169

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 32 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021

The 2021 Kia K5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas large sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the K5, is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 169 complaints, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

2021 Kia K5

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
K5	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	29	38	32	$2,100
K5	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	27	37	31	$2,150
K5 AWD	Gas	AWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	26	34	29	$2,300
K5	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	24	32	27	$2,500

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42635, 42636, 43058, 43491.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
K5, K5 AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Displacement

1.6 L

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: EX, GT, GT-Line, LX). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	192.9 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	73.2 in
Height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	112.2 in
Track, front	64.2 in
Track, rear	64.6 in
Curb weight	3,320–3,571 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	60/40 to 61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: EX / Gt-Line 4-door Sedan, GT 4-door Sedan, LX 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Fuel System, Gasoline

SC356

250,547 vehicles 48% reported repaired

Problem 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. Risk A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire. 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 SC356. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 1, 2025.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF Chronology PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V794000 reported Nov 17, 2025 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

SC263

188,912 vehicles 82% reported repaired

Problem 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. Risk Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V149000 reported Mar 7, 2023 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Power Train

SC250

69,038 vehicles 95% reported repaired

Problem 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. Risk Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. 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 number for this recall is SC250.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V760000 reported Oct 11, 2022 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

SC214

21,575 vehicles 99% reported repaired

Problem 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. Risk A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire. 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.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V519000 reported Jul 8, 2021 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Steering

SC213

846 vehicles 95% reported repaired

Problem 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 required. Risk A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash. 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V447000 reported Jun 14, 2021 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

SC207

142 vehicles 97% reported repaired

Problem 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." Risk In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child. 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.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V164000 reported Mar 11, 2021 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific K5

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Kia’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Kia K5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

169complaints filed

8 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 7 injuries · 1 deaths reported

21 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 80,138 K5 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2020: 3 · 2021: 13 · 2022: 19 · 2023: 15 · 2024: 32 · 2025: 45 · 2026: 42

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System → 57

Electrical System 46

Engine 33

Unspecified 32

Power Train 19

Air Bags 10

In depth: fuel system problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

1. Car has completely lost power during normal driving. Transmission failure. Loss of Motive power. It is available for inspection upon request 2. Car lost all motive power while on the highway, car had to coast to a stop. This was very dangerous. 3.

Power Train Oct 12, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11488885

The Wheels Guards fell off mid drive, another part that fell off was the underbody cover that is made out of cardboard. I know many Kia K5 owners who have had this problem. It fell off due to rain. Since it is made out of a cardboard like material, the rain makes it fall off while driving

Structure Aug 11, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11478849

The front seats electrical adjustments do not work properly, I have had ir switch mid drive and stying to adjust them is a hassle. They do not work properly

Electrical System Aug 11, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11478854

In this car, when braking or using the adaptive cruise control, the car shakes a lot, making yo lose control of the vehicle

Service Brakes Aug 11, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11478852

The contact's son owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that while her son was driving in the rain at 50 MPH, another vehicle hit her son's vehicle from behind which sent the vehicle into a concrete barrier. The vehicle was sent spinning after it hit the barrier; the vehicle was facing oncoming traffic once it came to a stop.

Air Bags Jul 25, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11475762

had the windshield replaced on March 14, 2022. i drove the car for approximatly for two weeks with no issues. i left my car parked while on vacation and took a cab to the airport. after i returned home from vacation and drove my car for the first time in almost two weeks i noticed the cracks on the windshield.

Visibility/Wiper Apr 26, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11462269

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Kia itself: 11 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 12 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 14 per 100,000 built. Every K5 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 52k

miles, typically

Half the 29 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 10,000 and 98,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 29 on file: 6 under 10k, 5 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 1 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 2 50k–60k, 1 70k–80k, 2 80k–90k, 3 90k–100k, 6 100k–150k, 1 150k +.

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Fuel/Propulsion System	12	115,000	2.5×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2021-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: fuel/propulsion system (2.5×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: lane departure warning.

Driver-assist crash reports (1)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01

1report filed

1 fatality

Aug 2021 to Aug 2021 · 1 with an air bag deployment · 1 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: not named in the filings

Crash partner: Passenger Car 1

Filed by: Kia America, Inc.

Incident	System	Struck	Injury alleged	State	Speed	Report
Aug 2021	Level 2	Passenger Car	fatality	FL	70 mph	753-1115

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

15 years or 180,000 miles, whichever comes first · Kia service campaign SC307VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC307) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to relocate and install an improved…
15 years or 180,000 miles, whichever comes first · Kia warranty extension WTY037Warranty extensison campaign: heating, ventilation, and AIR conditioning (hvac) blower motor fuse relocation (WTY037) - this bulletin has been revised to include additional information.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Kia warranty extension (28) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 134

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-06-18

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 109 service bulletins, 9 service campaigns, 8 emissionss

Most often about: Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion System, Equipment, Visibility/Wiper, Engine.

SC307_OWNR_301 Service campaign
2026-06-18 · Electrical System
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, with an increased terminal width, within the front wiring harness fuse box assembly in certain 2021-2022 MY K5 vehicles that were originally
CS2312_TSB_R2 Service bulletin
2026-06-08 · Structure — Body
TECHNICAL 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 bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia
TSB_ELE422 Service bulletin
2026-05-28 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL 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 update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
TSB_ELE417 Service bulletin
2026-04-14 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL 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 preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.
SC288_TSB_R6_CLSD Emissions
2026-01-16 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL 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 information to inspect the fuel evaporative system and, if necessary, replace the fuel tank and/or the Purge Control Solenoid Valve (PCSV) check va
PS797 Other
2025-12-09 · Back Over Prevention — Warnings
PITSTOP: 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 distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
TSB_ENG260 Service bulletin
2025-11-19 · Engine
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: ITM REPLACEMENT AND ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (CA2511) - This bulletin provides information to replace the Integrated Thermal Management Module (ITM) and then upgrade the Engine Control Module ‘ECM’ system software on certain K5 (DL3a) vehicles, in the event the Multifunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is illuminated with DTC(s) P218100, P2181F0, and/or P2181F1 stored. This condi
SC288A_OWNR Emissions
2025-07-18 · Electrical System
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC288A) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign on certain 2021-2024 MY K5 vehicles equipped with 1.6L Turbo Gas Direct Injection (GDI) engines to improve the logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance with emissions regulations. Also, the subjec

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0087 P0087 on Kia →	Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	1 bulletin
P00B7 P00B7 on Kia →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	1 bulletin
P0302 P0302 on Kia →	Cylinder 2 is misfiring.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Ignition coils →	1 owner report
P0451 P0451 on Kia →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	1 owner report
P0471	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.4%

failed emissions

1,536 initial inspections of 1,502 vehicles.

Measure	The 2021 K5	Every 2021 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.4%	1.9%	1,533
Failed the safety inspection	2.9%	1.5%	1,536
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.26%	0.19%	1,536
Miles driven a year	11,729	10,343	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	61,921	54,681	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

K5 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A^* 0 0 30 mpg 2026 A 1 14 30 mpg 2025 B 2 53 30 mpg 2024 C 2 31 31 mpg 2023 D 4 110 31 mpg 2022 D 5 129 32 mpg 2021 this page D 6 169 32 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 K5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Kia K5 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia K5, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 25V794000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Kia K5?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Kia K5 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (60/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Kia K5?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Kia K5, the best EPA combined figure is 32 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Kia K5?

Transport Canada measured it at 192.9 in long, 73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.7 in tall, on a 112.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,320–3,571 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Kia K5?

Owners have filed 169 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia K5, most often about fuel/propulsion system, electrical system, engine. Of those, 8 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 7 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Kia K5?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Kia K5 is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Kia K5?

The manufacturer has filed 134 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia K5, most often covering electrical system, fuel/propulsion system, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-06-18. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Kia K5 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Kia K5 failed the emissions check on 1.4% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.9% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	6	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	169	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	134	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	1	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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2021 Kia K5

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (6)

Fuel System, Gasoline

Air Bags

Power Train

Fuel System, Gasoline

Steering

Air Bags

Whether any of this applies to one specific K5

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2021 Kia K5

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Median mileage by component

Crash ratings

Driver-assist crash reports (1)

What was engaged, and what was hit

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

K5 by model year

Common questions about the 2021 K5

Does the 2021 Kia K5 have any recalls?

How safe is the 2021 Kia K5?

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Kia K5?

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Kia K5?

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Kia K5?

How clean is the 2021 Kia K5?

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Kia K5?

How does the 2021 Kia K5 do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method