Kia K5 Recall: What's The Issue? (And How To Know If You're Affected)

Just over a month ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) served a double whammy of notices to Kia that prompted a recall of two popular vehicles. The recall covers the Kia Telluride and K5 models. In case you own the latter, your car might be subject to recall and subsequent services if it falls within the 2023 to 2025 model years. The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) first informed Kia about a trim detachment problem in May this year.

The number of cars affected by the recall stands at 100,063 vehicles. "The left and right rear window trim pieces may loosen and detach," says the NHTSA notice. The agency, which falls under the aegis of the United States Department of Transportation, first notified Kia about the structural issue affecting the K5's roof and pillars in the second week of July. Owing to the loose connection, the trim pieces can detach from the car and pose a safety hazard for other vehicles on the road and potentially resulting in an accident.

According to Kia, the "C-pillar garnish face plate may progressively delaminate and become loose from the base of the molding." The company blames supplier quality issues for the C-pillar stability problems on the K5. If a car with a defective C-pillar assembly continues to be driven, the face plate will eventually detach. If that happens while the car is moving at speed, it could be a serious safety risk for other cars on the road. Kia's Safety Office, however, determined that if the garnish assembly does fall off, it "does not present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety."

Starting the August 11, Kia has updated its service dashboard where Kia K5 customers can enter the VIN number of their car, match the model year details, and check if their K5 is subject to a recall. The VIN search dashboard for recalls can be accessed here. Now, not all Kia K5 models are plagued by the C-pillar issue. As per the NHTSA, only an estimated 5% of the vehicles manufactured between October 3, 2022, and July 24, 2024, exhibit the issue. For all the 2023-2025 K5 models, Kia's dealerships will assess the structural integrity of the rear window kit. On vehicles where it's prone to getting detached due to loose connections, the carmaker will replace the C-pillar trim assemblies without charging any service or maintenance fee.

The NHTSA has instructed Kia to start notifying affected K5 owners via mail by September 29. Alternatively, you can call the brand's helpline number at 800-333-4542 and reference the specific recall number (800-333-4542) to inquire about the road ahead. As far as the remedy goes, dealers will replace the affected C-pillar assembly with fresh units. "Kia will reimburse owners for repair expenses already incurred pursuant to Kia's General Reimbursement Plan filed May 1, 2024," says the remedy laid out by the NHTSA. In the meantime, dealers have also been prohibited from selling or leasing the 2023-2025 model year K5 models until the issue is resolved.