YearToAvoid

2021 Kia K5 Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA lists 18 Structure & Body complaints for the 2021 Kia K5, 11% of that year's 167 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 10,000 miles. No related recalls are listed for this component on this model year.

Structure & Body complaints
18
11% of 167
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
10,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical body and structure symptoms owners report

  • Underbody covers, wheel guards, and engine covers detach or fall off while driving at highway speed, in some cases after exposure to rain.
  • Front bumpers scrape and pop loose against speed bumps or inclines due to low ground clearance.
  • Owners report the fuel tank expanding and pushing up the rear seat, accompanied by loud bang-like noises from the back of the cabin.
  • Sunroofs have shattered suddenly while driving, scattering glass inside the cabin.
  • Electric seat motors, mirror motors, and the fuel door actuator have failed, reportedly around 40 to 60 thousand miles.
  • Abnormal wind noise from the rear doors was reported at 65 to 75 mph, with dealers finding no defect.

When 2021 Kia K5 body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 21, 2021, latest Sep 21, 2026.

2021 Kia K5 structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month2Jan 2021Aug 2022Jun 2024Jan 2025Apr 2025Sep 2025May 2026Sep 2026
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Mar 2021 (2).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2021 Kia K5

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Structure & Body complaints by K5 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 202118 (11%)
  2. 202216 (13%)
  3. 202319 (18%)
  4. 20248 (27%)
  5. 20255 (10%)

Frequently asked questions

How many Structure & Body complaints does NHTSA have for the 2021 Kia K5?
NHTSA lists 18 Structure & Body complaints for the 2021 K5, which is 11% of the 167 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Kia K5 Structure & Body issues?
No related recalls are listed in this data for Structure & Body on the 2021 Kia K5.
At what mileage do these problems usually appear?
The median mileage at failure for Structure & Body complaints on the 2021 K5 is 10,000 miles, though some owners reported failures like fuel tank expansion at 86,000 miles.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
NHTSA data tied to this complaint set includes 1 crash and 2 injuries, with 0 fires reported.
How does the 2021 K5 compare to other model years for this issue?
The 2021 K5 has 18 Structure & Body complaints (11% share), compared with 19 complaints (18% share) for 2023 and 16 complaints (13% share) for 2022, so the issue is not unique to 2021.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.