The 2025 Kia K4 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 42,707 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the unknown or other. Last updated July 20, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles…
Consequence
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING25V5480002025-08-2530 affected
Defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K4 and Sorento vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power.
Consequence
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the sub engine assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 12, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC349.
Complaints by component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
11
1crashes1injuries
ENGINE
7
POWER TRAIN
7
AIR BAGS
5
4crashes4injuries
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
4
3crashes3injuries
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
4
2crashes2injuries
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
4
2crashes1injuries
STEERING
4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
4
Total complaints82
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I'm not sure what's going on. It's telling me to start stop the car when it's running and then it will turn off and go into accessory mode even when I'm driving that's dangerous. I took it to kia a month ago for the same thing but they said they couldn't find anything, but it has to be something…”
“I'm not sure what's going on. It's telling me to start stop the car when it's running and then it will turn off and go into accessory mode even when I'm driving that's dangerous. I took it to kia a month ago for the same thing but they said they couldn't find anything, but it has to be something…”
“The car completely cut off while driving on the highway going 65 mph. This isn’t the first time it has turned off while driving. I had to pull over and put the car in park before it would turn back on. The error says accessory mode. I have taken the vehicle to kia dealership in winston salem but…”
“The car completely cut off while driving on the highway going 65 mph. This isn’t the first time it has turned off while driving. I had to pull over and put the car in park before it would turn back on. The error says accessory mode. I have taken the vehicle to kia dealership in winston salem but…”
“The car completely cut off while driving on the highway going 65 mph. This isn’t the first time it has turned off while driving. I had to pull over and put the car in park before it would turn back on. The error says accessory mode. I have taken the vehicle to kia dealership in winston salem but…”
“Transmission slippage, rpms rev higher then mph, hesitates at red lights and stop signs”
“This car is a rental to [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)”
“The contact owns a 2025 kia k4. The contact stated that while driving at 75 mph, the vehicle downshifted upon depression of the accelerator pedal, with heavy white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light was illuminated prior to the failure.…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2025 Kia K4 as of
July 20, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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