Kia America, Inc. recall 26V046

Affected vehicles (11)

Component / system

Defect

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 fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."

Risk / 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 in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.

Chronology of events

1. Sep 22, 2025

   September 22, 2025 Kia Corporation (Kia HQ) informs Kia North America (Kia NA) Safety Office of its investigation into reports of a green blind-spot view monitor image while driving on certain 12.3” instrument clusters in the Korean market. Kia HQ identifies that some U.S. vehicles are equipped with the same type of instrument cluster. Kia NA Safety Office begins to monitor issue.

2. Oct 2, 2025

   October 2, 2025— Kia NA Safety Office conducts preliminary field data analysis and

3. Oct 13, 2025

   October 13, 2025 finds two (2) potentially related Techline cases identifying intermittent green speedometer display followed by a temporary blank instrument cluster screen while driving. Kia NA Safety Office escalates issue for further monitoring and investigation.

4. Oct 30, 2025

   October 30, 2025— Kia HQ works with instrument cluster supplier to monitor and

5. Jan 12, 2026

   January 12, 2026 evaluate incidents of temporary blank screen while driving condition in the Korean market. Kia HQ subsequently informs Kia NA Safety Office that multiple suppliers were used for sourcing power management components within the instrument cluster. Kia HQ identifies one of the power management components supplied by a certain supplier may unnecessarily enter an overheat protection mode resulting in delayed processing and a temporary blank screen. Kia HQ continues to evaluate traceability of these specific instrument clusters to vehicles.

6. Jan 19, 2026

   January 19, 2026 Kia HQ makes decision to conduct a noncompliance recall in the Korean market of certain vehicles equipped with 12.3” instrument clusters incorporating a power management component from a particular supplier due to the loss of information such as speedometer or telltales.

7. Jan 20, 2026

   January 20, 2026 Kia HQ informs Kia NA Safety Office of its recall decision.

8. Jan 21, 2026

   January 21, 2026 Kia HQ provides Kia NA Safety Office with list of affected vehicles. Kia NA Safety Office decides to conduct an FMVSS 101 and FMVSS 138 noncompliance recall of certain 2025MY K4 vehicles, certain 2025-2026MY Sorento, Sorento Hybrid and 1 Sorento PHEV vehicles, and certain 2026MY Carnival, Carnival Hybrid, EV9, K5, Sportage, Sportage Hybrid and Sportage PHEV vehicles sold in the U.S. market. No accidents, injuries or fires. 2

Notification schedule

Dealer notification

Jan 27, 2026 - Jan 27, 2026 No Dealers

Owner notification

Mar 26, 2026 - Mar 26, 2026 Phased Recall