What is the defect?
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2024 K5 vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
What is the consequence?
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
What is the manufacturer's remedy?
Dealers will replace the check valve. The fuel tank will be inspected for damage and replaced as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 16, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC356. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 1, 2025.
Vehicles covered
- Kia K5, 2021–2024
Is your vehicle included?
- Find the 17-character VIN on the driver-side door jamb sticker or at the base of the windshield.
- Enter it on NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows open recalls for that exact vehicle.
- Or ask any dealer for the make. A recall repair costs you nothing.
How this recall can matter to a lemon law claim
A recall repair counts as a repair attempt when the same problem keeps coming back. Keep every repair order, with the dates the vehicle went in and came out, because days out of service can count toward your state's threshold. If the problem returns after the recall repair, that history is what a claim is built on.
See your state's lemon law rules →