21 of the
87 complaints about the 2025 KIA K4 are about the
driver-assist systems — 24% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
1,300 miles.
F
21
Complaints
13
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Assist
523.8%
Warnings
419.0%
Warning
419.0%
Automatic Emergency Braking
314.3%
Back Over Prevention
14.8%
Adaptive Cruise Control
14.8%
Automatic System Braking
14.8%
Warnings
14.8%
Rearview System Braking
14.8%
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
Amsterdam, NYCrash2 injured
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I am submitting this complaint regarding a suspected safety defect involving a 2025 Kia K4. On XXX, the vehicle was involved in a single-vehicle crash in the Town of [XXX]. According to the driver, the vehicle unexpectedly steered off the roadway when the Lane Keeping Assist/Lane Centering steering system appeared to intervene. The driver attempted to maintain control but was unable to keep the vehicle on the roadway. The vehicle entered a ditch and struck a utility pole, causing significant damage to the passenger side. The front and rear passenger-side airbags deployed. The front passenger window shattered, sending broken glass onto the front and rear passengers. My daughter was seated in the front passenger seat, and my [XXX] granddaughter was properly restrained in a rear child safety seat. Both sustained injuries and required medical evaluation following the crash. After the collision, I began researching similar incidents and found other owners reporting concerns involving the steering assistance and lane-keeping systems. While I cannot determine the exact cause of this crash, I believe the possibility of an unintended Lane Keeping Assist or steering system intervention should be investigated because it may present a safety risk to other motorists. I respectfully request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review this incident, along with any similar complaints involving the 2025 Kia K4, to determine whether a defect exists in the vehicle's steering assistance, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, or other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Supporting documentation can be provided if requested. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11753551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 58,000 milesPensacola, FL
BACK OVER PREVENTION
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. The contact pulled off the highway and drove into a store parking lot as the engine made an abnormal knocking sound. The contact requested assistance from a bystander, who advised the contact that the head gasket appeared to have blown. The contact checked and noticed that the coolant and oil levels were low. The contact added both oil and water to the vehicle and drove to the residence. The contact made a diagnosis appointment with a local dealer. Upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the contact decided to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to sludge. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had experienced various electrical failures, as the trunk, power door, and power windows buttons were inoperable. The contact also stated that the rearview camera image remained displayed while in drive(D) for an extended period. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair, and the vehicle remained in the dealer's possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
NHTSA complaint #11743732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charlotte, NC1 injured
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The warnings on the car all failed and I was lead off the road while going on a roundabout. This has trigged my car to completely lose all control and even though I was attentive to my steering wheel I still didn’t stop the car from leading me to that curb and off road onto grass etc.
NHTSA complaint #11739853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle's forward collision warnings did not sound. Airbags did not deploy. Vehicle in front end collision at 40mph
NHTSA complaint #11738950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Roebuck, SCCrash1 injured
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Vehicle's forward collision warnings did not sound. Airbags did not deploy. Vehicle in front end collision at 40mph
NHTSA complaint #11738950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hampton, GA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
To whom this may concern, I was using my cruise control on my way to work. I usually set it to 80 because police are okay with that speed on I-75. I braked before my automatic brakes hit after I got cut off. I pressed resume in the cruise control and it accelerated pretty quick. I’ve experienced that quite a bit, but there’s been a few times that the car exceeded the set cruising speed while trying to resume. I forget it happens because it’s happened about 4 times since purchasing the vehicle. I noticed an officer on the shoulder leaving the shoulder as I got closer, and he got right behind me and cut his lights on, I look down and the cruise control shows 80 above the speedometer (photo attached taken while pulled over), BUT the arm was past the tick for 90. The officer clocked me at 92 apparently. This is the only time this issue has occurred, and I informed the officer that this happens. I have a court date set for July 9th now. I Googled to see if other owners have this problem. There are others who expressed experiencing this in their K4s and K5s. The AI tool explained the following • "Resume" Behavior: When you press the resume button, the car attempts to get back to 80 mph as quickly as possible. This aggressive acceleration can cause it to temporarily overshoot the target speed before settling down. • Settings Sensitivity: The acceleration strength and reaction speed can be set to "Fast" in your infotainment system, causing more aggressive throttle input.
NHTSA complaint #11737989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When parked and cutting the car on check driver assistance system come on, check and, and esc comes on. The parking brake does not go off and malfunction. When trying to move the car sometimes it still drives and sometimes the parking brake will not allow you to move until the system resets its self. There are 6 codes that appear. Started in December 2025 have taken car to the dealership 3 times and they report back because the codes are no longer present they can not fix it.
NHTSA complaint #11718311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chattanooga, TN
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
When parked and cutting the car on check driver assistance system come on, check and, and esc comes on. The parking brake does not go off and malfunction. When trying to move the car sometimes it still drives and sometimes the parking brake will not allow you to move until the system resets its self. There are 6 codes that appear. Started in December 2025 have taken car to the dealership 3 times and they report back because the codes are no longer present they can not fix it.
NHTSA complaint #11718311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Allen, TXCrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: AUTOMATIC SYSTEM BRAKING
The insurance claim agent called on behalf of their insured driver, who rented a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated that while their insured driver was attempting to reverse, the reverse sensor became inoperable with no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the reverse sensor failed to function properly. The contact stated that due to the failure, the rear of the vehicle crashed into a barrier. The driver did not suffer any injuries, and no medical attention was required. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy during the incident. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The rental company was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11717827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The 2025 Kia K4 sensors failed to go off resulting in the rear bumper to hit a barrell. The operator of the Kia K4 was reversing at 1mph
NHTSA complaint #11716251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Allen, TXCrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
The 2025 Kia K4 sensors failed to go off resulting in the rear bumper to hit a barrell. The operator of the Kia K4 was reversing at 1mph
NHTSA complaint #11716251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Allen, TXCrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
The 2025 Kia K4 sensors failed to go off resulting in the rear bumper to hit a barrell. The operator of the Kia K4 was reversing at 1mph
NHTSA complaint #11716251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Quincy, IL
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
There are times my vehicle keeps accelerating even though I’m hitting the brakes. Once stopped, it then doesn’t want to accelerate. I’ve reported to the dealership and they try to tell me it’s the type of transmission it has and that it’s normal. Continuing to accelerate while braking is extremely unsafe. My engine is also making a ticking noise that it never used to make. I bought my car brand new in October of 2025. I left the dealership with 9 miles on it, I now have 25k miles on it and I don’t feel safe driving it. The lane assist and emergency braking system is also extremely inaccurate and over corrects when it shouldn’t especially in bad weather. Emergency braking is detecting stuff in front of me that isn’t actually there, same with in reverse it sees things extremely far away and prevents you from moving, although it’s safe to do so.
NHTSA complaint #11711366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Richmond, TX
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
I am reporting ongoing safety issues with my Kia K4 LXS involving driver assistance systems and steering control. While driving in heavy rain with reduced visibility, the vehicle disabled multiple sensors and displayed a “camera obscured” message along with inattentive driving warnings, despite both of my hands being on the steering wheel and my full attention on the road. The loss of driver assistance features during hazardous weather conditions created a distracting and dangerous situation. This issue occurs frequently. I regularly receive false inattentive driving and hands-on-wheel warnings even when I am driving properly. These alerts are distracting and interfere with safe vehicle operation. I am also experiencing lane control and steering interference. The steering wheel will sometimes pull the vehicle in a direction that does not match the road, even when lane assist is turned off. This is especially dangerous in construction zones with temporary lanes marked by reflectors, including when driving next to large trucks. I have experienced multiple near-miss incidents and have had to physically override the steering wheel to remain in my lane. These problems now occur almost every time I drive and have caused me to feel unsafe operating the vehicle. I believe this represents a serious safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11707033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FLCrash1 injured
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Blind spot and front collision features inactive. Seat belt didn't unlock after crash. Airbags deployed no passenger didn't work on driver airbag b1652 dtc codes on recall for another vehicle
NHTSA complaint #11699024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Garden City, MI
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
While driving on the freeway in the left lane on a two-lane highway, the lane departure and steer ahead feature incorrectly adjusted steering and pulled vehicle into the right lane. Is incorrect adjustment due to lane departure has happened numerous times. Each time this occurred I was not using copilot features. The lane departure cannot be turned off.
NHTSA complaint #11689961 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakeland, FLCrash
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The airbags failed to go off. I think the vehicle is still available it was towed to Carroll's in Winslow Maine. By the airbags not going off it made the risk of injury much greater. Also lost control of the steering all together. Tried to swerve to miss an animal and the steering assist took over. Yes we have a police report stating that the airbags didn't go off. I am sure budget had their people go look at the car. No warning lights present.
NHTSA complaint #11684275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakeland, FLCrash
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The airbags failed to go off. I think the vehicle is still available it was towed to Carroll's in Winslow Maine. By the airbags not going off it made the risk of injury much greater. Also lost control of the steering all together. Tried to swerve to miss an animal and the steering assist took over. Yes we have a police report stating that the airbags didn't go off. I am sure budget had their people go look at the car. No warning lights present.
NHTSA complaint #11684275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,300 milesEcorse, MICrash1 injured
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The contact owned a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was pulling to the left unintendedly. The contact stated that upon disengaging the Lane Keep Assist, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to Discount Tire, where the tire pressure was adjusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an alignment was performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while exiting the expressway and driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle veered to the left unintendedly, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a ditch, and the vehicle faced oncoming traffic. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The air bags did not deploy. The contact hit the middle of her forehead against the steering wheel and sustained a bruise. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The contact was able to exit the vehicle. No police report was filed. There was no property damage. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was then towed to a second dealer autobody repair shop, Glassman Collision Center (22250 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, MI 48033), where the contact was informed that the driver's side of the vehicle and the transmission were damaged. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that a complaint had been sent to the dealer, and that she would be contacted by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 1,300.
NHTSA complaint #11645914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,300 milesEcorse, MICrash1 injured
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The contact owned a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was pulling to the left unintendedly. The contact stated that upon disengaging the Lane Keep Assist, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to Discount Tire, where the tire pressure was adjusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an alignment was performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while exiting the expressway and driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle veered to the left unintendedly, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a ditch, and the vehicle faced oncoming traffic. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The air bags did not deploy. The contact hit the middle of her forehead against the steering wheel and sustained a bruise. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The contact was able to exit the vehicle. No police report was filed. There was no property damage. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was then towed to a second dealer autobody repair shop, Glassman Collision Center (22250 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, MI 48033), where the contact was informed that the driver's side of the vehicle and the transmission were damaged. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that a complaint had been sent to the dealer, and that she would be contacted by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 1,300.
NHTSA complaint #11645914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,300 milesEcorse, MICrash1 injured
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The contact owned a 2025 Kia K4. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was pulling to the left unintendedly. The contact stated that upon disengaging the Lane Keep Assist, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to Discount Tire, where the tire pressure was adjusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an alignment was performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while exiting the expressway and driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle veered to the left unintendedly, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a ditch, and the vehicle faced oncoming traffic. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The air bags did not deploy. The contact hit the middle of her forehead against the steering wheel and sustained a bruise. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The contact was able to exit the vehicle. No police report was filed. There was no property damage. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was then towed to a second dealer autobody repair shop, Glassman Collision Center (22250 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, MI 48033), where the contact was informed that the driver's side of the vehicle and the transmission were damaged. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that a complaint had been sent to the dealer, and that she would be contacted by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 1,300.
NHTSA complaint #11645914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.