Kia has officially issued a recall for over 42,000 vehicles because their digital instrument cluster displays have developed a bad habit of failing. Apparently, these screens have a sensitive side. Kia explains that the units are entering a “overheat protection mode” triggered by electrical noise. The car’s brain is having a panic attack and deciding to shut its eyes.
The list of affected models reads like a “Who’s Who” of the current Kia showroom. We are looking at the 2025 Kia K4, the entire 2025–2026 Sorento family (including the Hybrid and PHEV variants), and a massive wave of 2026 models including the Sportage, K5, the flagship EV9, and the Carnival minivan. Essentially, if your car was born in the last year and features a fancy screen, there’s a chance it might just go dark when you need it most.
Losing your instrument panel isn’t just a minor inconvenience for people who like to see how fast they are going. It’s a genuine safety risk. When the screen hits the eject button, you lose your speedometer, the tire pressure warning light (TPMS), and every other critical indicator that tells you whether your car is functioning or about to melt. Navigating a highway without knowing your speed or fuel level turns a routine commute into an unwanted survivalist challenge.
The good news is that Kia plans to fix this digital stage fright with a software update. Owners can expect to receive official recall letters in the mail around March 26, 2026. If your car is feeling tech-savvy, the fix can be delivered via an over-the-air (OTA) update, or you can take the traditional route and visit a dealer for a manual patch.
In the meantime, if your dashboard starts acting like a temperamental teenager, you can contact Kia at 800-333-4542 and reference recall number SC361. It’s probably a good idea to make that call before your speedometer decides to retire permanently.
