The 2023 Kia K5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas large sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the K5, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 110 complaints, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $25,290 to $31,690 across 5 trims.
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
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
27
37
31
$2,150
K5 AWD
Gas
AWD
1.6L 4-cyl turbo
25
33
28
$2,400
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: 45356, 45357, 45358.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates
Configuration
Smog rating
Emission standard
Where it can be sold new
SmartWay
K5, K5 AWD
5 / 10
Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70
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.
The 2023 Kia K5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
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Recalls (4)
Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical
Fuel System, Gasoline
SC356
250,547 vehicles48% reported repaired
ProblemKia 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.RiskA melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 K5 vehicles.The left and right rear window trim pieces may loosen and detach.RiskDetached trim pieces can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia 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.RiskAir bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia 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.RiskLoss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine — Loss of Motive Power closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 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.
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 2023 Kia K5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
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Parts & accessories for the 2023 Kia K5
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
Ive a 2023 Kia K5 GT-Line AWD with 73000 mileage. I was having a trip from New Jersey to Massachusetts for a wedding. I had 208 miles to go and 223 miles range. Than suddenly it went down to 93 miles. I stop by a gas station. I could not pump gas. It was kicking the nozzle. I stop by another gas station miles later.
Fuel/Propulsion SystemAug 26, 2024NHTSA owner report · ODI 11610877
Transmission is itself in neutral while driving. Resulting in irratic RPMs, hesitating acceleration and rough transition to gears. Took care into dealership service department. They seemed that I would need a transmission replacement. Kia approved the request. Still waiting on transmission to be put in
Power TrainAug 21, 2024NHTSA owner report · ODI 11609954
2023 Kia K5 GT, 8300 miles. Took car for 1st oil change and dealer said front brake pads and rotors need replaced. $800. The car is driven to school and home. How is this possible? Brakes should not be worn out this fast! Does this mean every oil change appointment will be $800 to replace brakes again.
Service BrakesFeb 28, 2024NHTSA owner report · ODI 11574573
Loss of power even hitting the gas. Sputters and does not accelerate. Had spark plugs changed thinking it will resolve the problem and it didn't. Severe safety hazard even needed to get up speed
EngineOct 2, 2023NHTSA owner report · ODI 11547805
Tire: Pirelli P Zero All Season M+S (235/45/18) Tire experienced a catastrophic failure while driving entire tire came a loose from rim leaving the car incapacitated and unable to maintain control. Luckily it was a rear tire which allowed partial control until able to safely stop the car
TiresAug 6, 2023NHTSA owner report · ODI 11536749
I was in a car accident on 6/30/23. I was side swiped and the front airbag deployed and exploded in my face, knocking me unconscious and leaving me with chemical burns. I had a grade 2 concussion so it's hard to remember a lot. I was taken to the hospital. And drivers and passengers from 3 other vehicles were also taken to area hospitals
Air BagsJul 13, 2023NHTSA owner report · ODI 11532035
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: 5 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 3 killed, 9 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 8.3 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 at40k
miles, typically
Half the 13 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 18,000 and 60,000 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 13 on file: 4 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 1 30k–40k, 2 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k, 2 70k–80k, 1 150k +.
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 AWD
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
11%
4 DR FWD
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
11%
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA68
Most recentmanufacturer date2026-05-28
Kindsas classified by NHTSA58 service bulletins, 8 emissionss, 1 service campaign
Most often about: Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion System, Power Train, Engine, Service Brakes.
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
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.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER ACTION: CHROME TRUNK LID MOLDING REPLACEMENT (CA2514) - This bulletin provides information regarding replacement of the chrome trunk lid molding on certain 2023-2024MY K5 (DL3a) vehicles produced from October 3, 2022 through January 23, 2024. The chrome faceplate may be partly loose while remaining secured to the molding and vehicle.
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
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
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: TRUNK LID AND C-PILLAR GARNISH INSPECTION & REPLACEMENT (SA552) - CLOSED AND SUPERSEDED BY SC346 - This bulletin is now closed and superseded. This bulletin provides information to inspect the rear trunk lid chrome garnish trim and the C-Pillar(s) chrome garnish trim on certain 2023-2024MY K5 (DL3a) vehicles produced from May 1, 2023 through September 29
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
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.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMV
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Kia K5 failed the emissions check on 1.2% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%).
New York inspections1.2%
failed emissions
911 initial inspections of 902 vehicles.
Measure
The 2023 K5
Every 2023 vehicle
Behind it
Failed the emissions check
1.2%
1.6%
908
Failed the safety inspection
2.1%
1.1%
911
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit
0.44%
0.16%
911
Miles driven a year
12,342
10,038
odometer at inspection
Average odometer
40,280
32,673
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 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 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).
Manufacturer pricing runs from $25,290 for the LXS FWD to $31,690 for the GT FWD, across 5 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.
Does the 2023 Kia K5 have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2023 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 2023 Kia K5?
NHTSA gave the 2023 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 (68/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Kia K5?
Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Kia K5, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2023 Kia K5?
Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia K5, most often about fuel/propulsion system, unspecified, structure. Of those, 6 involved a crash, 17 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 2023 Kia K5?
The EPA smog rating for the 2023 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 2023 Kia K5?
The manufacturer has filed 68 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Kia K5, most often covering electrical system, fuel/propulsion system, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-05-28. 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 2023 Kia K5 do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Kia K5 failed the emissions check on 1.2% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). 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.
Which 2023 Kia K5 trim is the best value?
$6,400 separates the cheapest of the 5 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.
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
3 configurations
EPA certification records
Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates
3 configurations
EPA emission certificates
Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls
4
NHTSA recall campaigns
A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints
110
NHTSA complaint database
Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings
2 tested
NHTSA NCAP
Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins
68
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations
1
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports
none
NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
none
NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns
We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment
5 trims
Manufacturer press kit
Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.
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.
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. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.