Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Transmission has extremely hard shifting if vehicle sits for more than 24 hours. After the vehicle is parked, inside garage, or outside, the first drive of the day has an extremely hard shift of the transmission on the first shifting of the day. The shift it so hard, it jerks the entire car and jolts me in my seat. The remainder of the drive and day, the hard shifting does not occur. Took the vehicle into dealership where purchased at 1000 miles and left it with them for 2 full days. Unsurprisingly, they said they were, "Unable to reproduce". The next day, the vehicle had the exact same problem. I have close to 3000 miles on the vehicle and the transmission continues to do the exact same thing every time I drive it. It is terrible for a brand new car. It doesn't matter which "Drive mode" the vehicle is in. The dealership also tried to reset the ECM. But no luck. …
On startup, the engine took about an extra second to fire. The starter cranked noticeably longer than normal before the car turned on. Shortly after, I pulled out and turned onto a street. When I pressed the accelerator, there was no response at all. No rev increase and no acceleration. The car would not pick up speed. I switched to manual shift mode to try to force a gear change. When I changed gears, it took a couple of seconds to respond each time, much slower than normal. I managed to coast/limp to a nearby gas station. I shut the car off and restarted it, and the problem cleared completely. The car has driven normally since.
I purchased a brand new 2024 kia k5 gt on September 2 2023; from kia of Cerritos "18201 Studebaker Rd, Cerritos, CA 90703" . My car has noticeable defects that affect the driving experience and can be dangerous. When coming to a stop the engine turns off as if it was deactivating one or more of my cylinders. While that happens it stalls the car. My adaptive cruise control doesn't work as intended since it came damaged from the manufacturer, while driving with the adaptive cruise control on the vehicle requires more input to maneuver. The vehicle did a sudden jerked and almost ran me into a freeway barricade. I also noticed some of my trim pieces and my steering wheel aren't properly put on and are falling off and the body trim is under recall. The dealer handlingthe recall is kia of downtown los angeles "1945 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90007". …
After driving the car for approximately 30 minutes at freeway speeds I exited the freeway at my off-ramp and being driving on Surface streets. Suddenly several alerts started appearing on the screen of my car. That was followed by the engine revving up and down on its own without me touching the accelerator. When I arrived at a stoplight the engine was idling but revving slightly up and down. When the light changed I pressed accelerator and the engine never exceeded idle speed so I basically idled my way across the intersection and pulled over and stopped. The car is at the dealership now and they haven't duplicated the problem. I purchased the car brand new about one month ago. It has only 800 miles on the odometer. If this had happened a few minutes earlier I would have been on the freeway with no power to the drive train. This could have put me in a very dangerous position.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia K5. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, shuddered, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The Electronic Stability Control Warning Light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, while the transmission was changing gear, the vehicle hesitated and jerked abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and came to a complete stop in the middle of the roadway. The contact did not attempt to restart the vehicle. The contact activated the hazard lights; however, 20-30 minutes later, another vehicle struck the front passenger side of the vehicle near the front passenger's side wheel. The contact sustained sharp lower back, hip, and left knee pain. The contact's boyfriend sustained lower back and right knee pain. A family member transported both occupants to the hospital, where medical attention was provided. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to Custom Auto-Collision. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train). The dealer was notified of the failure by phone. …
My 2022 Kia K5 GT-Line was involved in a hit and run accident while my vehicle was unattended and legally parked on the street. The repairs for this vehicle were $11,500+ The entirety of the left side of the car was mauled. Very key integral parts were involved and I have had alignment issues, A/C and heating issues, electrical problems including safety features (lane change, etc) and heavy suspension damage. It took almost 5 months to fix everything on my car insurance company/shop; mostly using aftermarket parts to save money. Loved the "State of condition must be repaired to a pre-accident condition" yet the insurance gets away with using after market parts! …
Related recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia K5 years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2022 (21), 2021 (19), 2023 (11) and 2025 (6) model years. Transmission complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2022.
Is there a recall for Kia K5 transmission problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 22V-760 (automatic transmission, Oct 11, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Kia K5 transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles; 60% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (1 mentions).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.