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Visibility & wipers

Kia K5 Visibility problems by year

18 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Kia K5's visibility & wipers. Windshields, wipers, defrosters, mirrors, backup cameras and glare.

Visibility complaints by model year

YearVisibility complaintsCrashesInjuriesRecalls
20255000
20232000
20226000
20215000

Latest K5 visibility complaints

2021 Kia K5Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

I am submitting this complaint regarding a leaking evaporator core in my 2021 Kia K5. The evaporator core failed at approximately 59,600 miles, causing the air conditioning system to stop cooling properly. The vehicle was diagnosed by a repair facility, which determined that the evaporator core was leaking refrigerant and required replacement. An evaporator core is a major HVAC component that should not fail at such low mileage under normal operating conditions. This failure affects the vehicle's ability to...

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properly dehumidify and defrost the windshield, which can reduce visibility and create a potential safety hazard during rain, high humidity, or cold weather conditions. I have maintained the vehicle as recommended and believe this component failed prematurely. Due to the extensive labor required to replace the evaporator core, the repair cost is significant. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue to determine whether there is a pattern of premature evaporator core failures in 2021 Kia K5 vehicles and whether an investigation is warranted. Vehicle Information: * Year: 2021 * Make: Kia * Model: K5 * Mileage at Failure: 59,600 miles * Failure: Leaking evaporator core causing refrigerant loss and loss of air conditioning performance

Filed Incident Electrical system · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11749904
2025 Kia K5Electrical systemLightsVisibility & wipers

While driving the entire car goes black kind of like you just turned it off. It has only happened at night time. The dash screen completely turns off and the headlights will go off. When it comes back on the dash has several lights on it such as the seatbelt is unbuckled (when I'm buckled), and other warning lights. This has been happening since September 2025. I take it to the dealership and they can't seem to find anything wrong with it, and told me they "can't do anything until the part completely fails" it's creates a severe safety hazard since it only happens at night and the headlights also go off.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11730198
2025 Kia K5Visibility & wipers

While I was driving, the panoramic sunroof suddenly shattered without any impact. I did not hear or see any object hit the glass. It made a very loud noise similar to a gunshot, and then the glass fractured across the middle section, broke upward, and collapsed into small pieces. There is no visible rock chip or impact point. This was extremely loud and frightening and could have caused injury if more glass had fallen inside the cabin.

Filed Incident Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11707437
2025 Kia K5Electrical systemLightsVisibility & wipers

Component/System Involved: The vehicle experienced a brief electrical failure affecting multiple systems simultaneously: exterior headlights, infotainment system, and dashboard indicators (seatbelt warning). All components recovered automatically within approximately 0.5-1 second. The issue appears electrical in nature (possible power interruption, grounding issue, BCM/TCM-related event). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Yes. The headlights shut off completely while driving at...

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night, even if only momentarily. This created a visibility loss and increased risk of collision, especially with surrounding traffic. The sudden loss and restoration of lighting was distracting and unexpected. Reproduction / Confirmation: The issue has occurred 4 times under different conditions (day/night driving). It has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Inspection Status: The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, dealer, police, insurance, or any third party regarding this issue. Warnings or Prior Symptoms: There were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure. The only indication was the seatbelt warning light illuminating during the event, coinciding with the blackout. No prior alerts appeared before either occurrence.I have experienced this electrical dropout four times over the ~1 year and 4 months I've owned the vehicle. Other owners of 2025 Kia K5s have reported the same momentary blackout behavior in online community discussions, indicating this may not be an isolated incident with my car. Owners have described the infotainment and instrument panel going dark and then returning to normal while driving.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11705522
2022 Kia K5Engine & coolingFuel systemVisibility & wipers

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. The contact experienced the failure, causing the check engine warning light to remain...

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illuminated, and the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the check valve was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while the AC was activated, one vent was blowing hot air while the other vent was blowing cold air. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 103,000.

Filed Incident Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, gasoline · VisibilityNHTSA 11705504
2025 Kia K5Visibility & wipers

The contact owns a 2025 Kia K5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 65 MPH, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the top of the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof had exploded, and the glass had shattered. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact's wife kept driving to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,358.

Filed Incident VisibilityNHTSA 11691728
2025 Kia K5Visibility & wipers

My 2025 Kia K5 with less than 10k miles on it is experiencing intermittent windshield wiper failure. Starting over two months ago, my windshield wipers would fail in the sense they would not turn on while it is raining and/or would not activate when I use the sprayer function leaving residue and obstructing my view in both scenarios. This is a critical safety issue that has been documented on video, however the dealership/Kia are not being forthcoming in fixing the issue. My car has been in the shop over a week at...

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Mark Kia and there is still not a remedy for the issue. They claim to not being able to reproduce the issue and will not do further diagnostics until it happens. The car is leased and I do not feel safe driving it knowing there is a chance my wipers can fail intermittently (as they have while it has been raining) so I'm filing this complaint.

Filed Incident Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11687669
2022 Kia K5Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

Kia dealership has confirmed that the components of the vehicle's multi-fuse (located under the hood) for the AC/HVAC system have started to burn and are melting part of the fuse panel due to excessive current draw and excessive heat. Due to this, the vehicle's HVAC (both heat and a/c) does not function. A vehicle's HVAC functions help to: 1) Defrost/defog vehicle's windows during rainy and humid days, 2) maintains a vehicle's air quality, 3) cools the vehicle's interior on hot and humid days, 4) assists in...

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preventing mold and bacteria growth via dehumidification, 5) assists in keeping the cabin cool and dry to prevent driver fatigue and promote driver focus. Other than the inoperability of the HVAC system, no other signs or symptoms were present prior to the issue. I initially though this issue would be covered under Kia's HVAC Blower technical bulletin/warranty (WTY037) however the dealership has advised that the WTY037 only applies if the fuse is blown, not melted. This slight difference in melting vs. blowing should be an issue as the effect of the issue is the same, but components melting seems to be slightly more serious, but is not covered. Also, melting components, to me, could lead to fire hazards.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Unknown or other · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11683515
2022 Kia K5Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

Blower motor failure, available for inspection upon request. The failure occurred while driving in muggy conditions, resulting in rapid fogging of the windshield and front side windows. With no functioning airflow, the vehicle's defrost/defog system was inoperable, and visibility through the windshield became significantly impaired. This required me to reduce speed and open windows in inclement weather to maintain a minimal view of the road, creating additional distraction and exposure to hazardous conditions. The...

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blower motor produces no airflow at any fan speed setting. Failure was confirmed during inspection. No warning lights, messages, or other indicators appeared before, during, or after the failure. This is not an isolated incident. A brief search reveals numerous reports from Kia K5 owners describing the same sudden blower motor failure, indicating a likely systemic defect in the HVAC system design. Kia has not issued a recall, technical service bulletin, or other remedy despite repeated reports from vehicle owners. Kia's continued inaction in the face of widespread, well-documented blower motor failures represents a disregard for both driver safety and basic manufacturing responsibility. Numerous Kia K5 owners have already been victimized by this defect, and doubtlessly many more will be as long as these vehicles remain on the road unrepaired. The loss of climate control directly compromises a driver's ability to maintain a clear windshield, safely see the road, and operate the vehicle in adverse weather. These are not "comfort" issues, they are safety-critical failures. By ignoring the mounting evidence and leaving affected vehicles on the road without a remedy, Kia is willfully allowing a known hazard to persist, exposing thousands of drivers and passengers to unnecessary and avoidable risk.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Unknown or other · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11679373
2022 Kia K5Visibility & wipers

My 2022 Kia K5 panoramic sunroof spontaneously exploded while the car was parked. There was no impact, no debris, and no warning signs - just a loud explosion and shattered glass everywhere. I previously had a cracked windshield but was unable to afford repairs, as I am unemployed. Now the sunroof has blown out completely, and I believe this could be part of a structural or manufacturing defect. Kia will tow the vehicle to the dealership (Fred Anderson Kia of Raleigh) 06/05 between 8am-10am and I am requesting...

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support under goodwill repair. This was a serious safety hazard and could have injured me, my toddler or others. I've since found other reports of Kia sunroofs exploding and believe this needs to be investigated further.

Filed Incident Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11664959
2021 Kia K5Seats & seat beltsFuel systemVisibility & wipers

The Electric seats do not adjust due to failed motors. Electric mirrors do not adjust due to failed motors. Gas refuel door does not open due to faulty actuator. All things that make the care dangerous to drive. Online search reveals that all three issues are very common in the 2021-2023 KIA K5 cars. We believe they pose a danger. Also, they seem to break at about 40-60K miles. Often out of warranty and dealer will not fix even though they acknowledge that the items in question are an issue.

Filed Incident Seats · Fuel / propulsion system · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11638110
2023 Kia K5Visibility & wipers

I was driving down the road and I heard a loud boom noise and it was my sunroof burst it pieces. It was raining and it was not hot. Nothing fell on it.

Filed Incident VisibilityNHTSA 11624408
2022 Kia K5Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

Fuse melted into the fuse box causing electrical problems which caused blower motor issues which leads to no ac

Filed Incident Electrical system · VisibilityNHTSA 11610768
2022 Kia K5Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the A/C unit occasionally shut off, and failed to return to normal operation several minutes later. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuse was burned and could cause an electrical fire. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

Filed Incident Electrical system · VisibilityNHTSA 11604476
2023 Kia K5Visibility & wipers

I noticed several internal markings like streaks on the left windshield. I presented this issue to KIA ASAP. KIA service managers examined the windshield and refused to acknowledge that it was internal, possibly due to a manufacturing defect from a containment during the manufacturing process from the windshield company. They do claim that they feel pits on the windshield, which was due to another dealership scraping the object to see if it was external or internal. KIA told me to file a claim with my auto...

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insurance company and that it is not covered under warranty. I am concerned that the windshield integrity is compromised and a possible danger to someone hitting the windshield which could cause additional injuries from the safety glass deficiency.

Filed Incident Unknown or other · VisibilityNHTSA 11541647

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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