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Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2021 Kia K5 Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
19about this part
Share
11%of 169 total for the year
Median mileage
56,000miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 19 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2021 Kia K5, 11% of the 169 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 56,000 miles. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Transmission requires total replacement within 5 days of purchase of new car. Vehicle was parked when transmission fluid leak was discovered. It was driven back to the dealer, which is nearby, but this experience has shaken our faith in the safety and build quality of this 2021 Kia K5 gt-line.”

NHTSA complaint #11385251, filed 2020-12, 298 miles

“65k miles. Started driving, 20 minutes into driving i was stopped at a round about then I went to accelerate and nothing happened my engine revd really loud and after about 10 seconds my car jolted forward and I was able to accelerate, this would happen every time I stopped and anytime a wanted to accelerate to another gear”

NHTSA complaint #11766532, filed 2026-09

“From the get-go seemed to have trouble with transmission once in a while Little jerk when shifting gears, reported this, they could find nothing. It has become a lot worse. It has caused the car to shut down into limp mode with engine light on. So I had a problem from the beginning with my new car. But when they check it, they can’t find a problem. So I’m just checking to see if anybody else with this car make, model, year have reported anything the same.”

NHTSA complaint #11770564, filed 2026-10

“My vehicle has been experiencing shifting delays when accelerating. Often times when I stop accelerating my vehicle has a delay and remains revved up for a few seconds before the RPM's go back down. The sluggish/delayed acceleration presents a safety issue when the vehicle is not operating as it should. This issue has been occurring for about 6 months. I informed the dealership where I purchased the vehicle and have the routine maintenance done and they say there are no issues reported about the issues I have been having. …”

NHTSA complaint #11515090, filed 2023-04

“While driving on my way home from work my , brakes became extremely hard to press down on and then my service engine light came on this all occurred on 7/31/2024. So the very next day I took my vehicle to a Kia dealership which was 8/1/ 2024 to find out what was causing this to happen. The technician stated that they would have to put it on a machine and run a diagnostic on it. I asked the technician while they were doing that to change the oil. I also realized that the oil light for my vehicle has NEVER came on since I purchased the car. …”

NHTSA complaint #11617124, filed 2024-09

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2025611%
2024310%
20231110%
20222116%
20211911%

Other parts of the 2021 Kia K5

Fuel system
57 complaintsElectrical system
46 complaintsOther or unknown
32 complaintsEngine
30 complaintsAir bags
10 complaintsBrakes
10 complaintsBody and structure
10 complaintsForward collision avoidance
9 complaintsLane departure
9 complaintsSeats
8 complaintsSteering
7 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Kia K5

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology