2022 Kia K5 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a swollen or expanded fuel tank that lifts the rear seat, a loud bang while driving, fuel gauge errors and fuel smells, with a related check-engine light traced to the purge control solenoid valve. A second group of complaints covers intermittent loss of drive power or limp-mode events that owners link to the engine, the thermal management system and the transmission, and a third covers A/C and blower failures with a melted fuse-box fuse. Reported mileage ranges widely, from near-new to well past 80,000 miles.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel tank expansion and rear seat lifting

   • 33 complaints (26%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners describe a loud bang or boom from the rear of the car, then finding the back seat cushion pushed upward or warped; some say a child seat no longer sits flat. Many report a fuel gauge that drops to empty or fluctuates while fuel cannot be pumped, or a strong gasoline smell around the car. Dealers diagnosed an expanded fuel tank that needed replacement, and several owners say the part was unavailable or the vehicle was offered for buy-back instead of repair; some complaints were filed after recall 25V794000 was announced but not yet remedied. Reported from roughly 35,000 to 103,000 miles, often shortly after refueling.

   Recall 25V79400010 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 25V794000 (service campaign SC288/SC356) was completed and whether the fuel tank and purge control solenoid valve were replaced. Check that the rear seat cushion sits flat and look for a fuel smell after filling the tank.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Gas tank expanded and warped the back seat causing my child’s car seat to not be seated properly. Walking near the car you can smell gasoline very strongly. The check engine light came on briefly and then went away. My car is at the dealership currently as they decide what to do about the issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #11679933, filed 2025-08

   “Backseat made loud noise and the backseat popped up car started to cut off and stumble as there was no gas in the gas tank leaving me stranded on the side of the road out of state were i donr stay in the way back home to ga”

   NHTSA complaint #11593181, filed 2024-06
2. 2
   Engine

   Sudden loss of power or limp mode

   • 28 complaints (22%)
   • median 47,940 mi at 3.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe the car failing to respond to the accelerator, dropping into limp mode or stalling, sometimes in traffic or at highway speed, with multiple dashboard warnings lighting up at once. Several owners point to the integrated thermal management module, saying the temperature gauge climbs under acceleration and the vehicle cuts power; others connect the behavior to the transmission or to a purge control valve fault. Dealers commonly reported no fault found or could not reproduce the condition, and some repairs were performed but the symptoms returned. Scattered from under 5,000 miles to about 85,000 miles, with several reports during acceleration or highway merging.

   Recall 22V7600004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for any stored diagnostic codes and service history for thermal management or transmission software work, and whether the transmission oil pump recall 22V760000 was completed. Test drive at highway speed and watch the temperature gauge.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The drive train car would not go then my accelerator will rev up and down and not go over 10 miles a hour then all these service lights come on and car go in like limp mode and not drive in middle of intersection no one inspected the car i tuned it off and let it sit for 24 hours and started it and it was normally except the acceleration goes up and down when it wants to there were a lot of warning lights”

   NHTSA complaint #11708605, filed 2026-01

   “The car was in an accident with the previous owner I bout the car and the carfax showed rear end collision I told the car worked perfectly. After purchase the car brakes have built up 2 times in 5 months the car stalled it has rpm issues lagging and hesitation as well as the safety front end collision has malfunctioned and it locked my brakes up I did all the steps to try to fix it and I ended up having to disconnect the battery. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11714570, filed 2026-01
3. 3
   Electrical system

   A/C and blower failure with melted fuse

   • 19 complaints (15%)
   • median 57,500 mi at 3.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners report the air conditioning cutting out or the blower producing no air, sometimes intermittently, and in some cases finding a fuse melted into the fuse box with damaged wiring. Complaints mention windshield fogging when airflow stops, repeated blower motor replacements, and repairs quoted outside warranty coverage. A service campaign describes relocating and installing an improved blower motor fuse. Reported from about 24,000 to 91,000 miles, often first noticed in warm weather.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the blower motor fuse relocation campaign (SC307) was performed, and check that the A/C blows cold at every fan speed with no burnt smell from the fuse box.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2022 Kia K5 GT-Line. My problem started with what I thought was a AC problem. My car was still in warranty. (Under 60,000 miles). They change the blower motor. After it was fixed the next day my AC went out again. I have taken my car in 4 times about the same problem. Just for them to tell me it’s a fuse problem where the fuse box is overheating and the whole fuse box is melting and needs to be repaired which I was told is almost $2000 to be repaired and it is not covered under the warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11608130, filed 2024-08

   “I was experiencing problems with my air conditioning not staying on and the blower would not come on at all. It would come on sometimes but it stop cooling and sometimes it wouldn’t come on. I reported the problem in November 2023 and was told that the something in the wiring harness had burnt out and the wiring harness had to be replaced. Their earliest available service appointment was in February 5, 2024. I asked if it was safe to continue driving, and I was told yes it is drivable and wouldn’t be a hazard. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11576691, filed 2024-03
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Inaccurate fuel gauge and purge valve fault

   • 33 complaints (26%)
   • median 81,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners describe the fuel gauge reading empty or swinging between full and empty while the range display shows fuel remaining, and in some cases being unable to add fuel at the pump. Complaints say the check-engine light came on and a dealer traced it to the purge control solenoid valve, sometimes along with fuel tank expansion; others report a gasoline odor. An emissions service campaign covers fuel tank and check valve inspection with an engine control software update. Reported from roughly 45,000 to 90,000 miles, with several cases recurring months after an initial repair.

   Recall 25V7940005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Compare the fuel gauge with the range display after a fill-up and scan for pending EVAP or purge valve codes. Ask whether the emissions campaign for the check valve and ECM software was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In oct 2023 I started having issues with my fuel tank. I was driving and noticed my fuel gage was on empty but my fuel mileage stated that I had 100 miles left. I went to the gas station to fuel up and I wasn't able to pump any fuel. I proceeded to drive and heard a loud boom and a hissing noise. I pulled over to assess my vehicle and didn't notice anything wrong. I took my car to the dealership on 10/26/2023. In may of 2024 I was on my way to pick up my daughter and grandson and started noticing my fuel gage was having an issue again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11625495, filed 2024-11

   “The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V794000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11705504, filed 2025-12, 103,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Side curtain and side airbag concerns

   • 12 complaints (9%)
   • median 20,000 mi at 1.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2025

   Complaints describe side curtain and seat side airbags that did not deploy in side or front impacts, and in one case curtains that trapped an occupant and deployment residue that led to breathing problems. Other owners report seat belt buckle failure and airbag warning behavior after collisions. A recall covers side curtain airbags that may have been installed incorrectly on this model year. Reported from very low mileage up to about 62,000 miles, typically after a collision.

   Recall 23V149000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 23V149000 for side curtain airbag installation was completed and check the airbag warning light during the instrument-cluster self-test. Have an independent inspection done if the car has prior collision damage.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving at 40 mph a vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and pulled out into my lane causing me to struck the front driver’s side of the vehicle. The airbags deployed in the truck that failed to stop but the airbags in my car failed to deploy resulting in several injuries to my head, neck, back, shoulders, abdomen and fractured spine. Police and EMT were called and arrived on scene. I was then transported to the ER via personal vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11498765, filed 2022-12

   “Side Curtain and Seat Side Airbags. Unavailable for inspection as Avis Rental Company cleaned the vehicle, removed airbags, and sold at auction as salvage. Side curtain airbags trapped me in the vehicle, and shrapnel from seat side airbag impaled/injured my arm. Combination of Side Curtain and Seat Side airbags, and seat belt, resulted in catastrophic shoulder injuries. Additionally, the gases and powder substance from the airbag deployment caused a severe asthma attack. I was told that the entire interior was covered in a powder substance. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11679191, filed 2025-08

Buying note. Have any open recalls for this model year checked against the VIN before buying, especially the fuel tank check valve recall and the side curtain airbag recall. A pre-purchase scan for stored fuel-system and thermal-management codes, plus a look at the rear seat and fuse box, can show whether the commonly reported problems have already appeared.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.