Kia America, Inc. is initiating a recall affecting over 42,000 vehicles due to a potential defect with the instrument cluster. According to information submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), certain Kia models manufactured between mid-2025 and late 2025 are equipped with instrument clusters that may temporarily go blank while driving. This issue arises from excessive signal noise within the instrument cluster’s power management circuit, which can cause the unit to enter an overheat protection mode.
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The vehicles included in this recall are the 2026 Kia Sportage PHEV, 2025-2026 Kia Sorento PHEV, 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid, 2026 Kia Sportage, 2026 Kia K5, 2026 Kia EV9, 2026 Kia Carnival Hybrid, 2026 Kia Carnival, 2025-2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid, 2025-2026 Kia Sorento, and the 2025 Kia K4. The total number of potentially affected vehicles is 42,677. The specific production dates for each model vary, with the earliest impacted vehicles rolling off the assembly line in June 2025 and the latest in December 2025.
The defect means that critical driving information, such as the speedometer, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) telltale, and other indicator lights, may not be visible to the driver. This failure to display necessary information, as well as the illumination requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 101 and 138, increases the risk of a crash. While the underlying system functionality is not affected, the lack of visual cues poses a safety concern. Kia has stated that there are no warning lights or signals that precede the blanking of the instrument cluster.
Kia plans to notify owners of the affected vehicles by first-class mail beginning March 26, 2026. The remedy for this issue involves an update to the instrument cluster’s software. This update will be performed by authorized Kia dealers or, in some cases, through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update. The improved software is designed to reduce signal noise and prevent the instrument cluster from entering its overheat protection mode unnecessarily. Kia will also reimburse owners for any repair expenses they may have already incurred for this issue, in accordance with the manufacturer’s general reimbursement plan.
Vehicles equipped with the corrected instrument cluster software began production on specific dates for each model starting in late October 2025 for some models and extending into December 2025 for others. Kia has indicated that VINs of affected vehicles will be searchable through their customer service channels starting February 9, 2026. Owners who have questions or wish to confirm if their vehicle is part of this recall are encouraged to contact the Kia Customer Care Center or their local Kia dealership.
Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from Kia America, Inc.
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