U.S. public vehicle records

2009 Kia SPORTAGE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

80 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

64,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 64 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 16 of 80 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	24	30.0%
Steering behavior	12	15.0%
Electrical and battery issues	9	11.3%
Engine operation	5	6.3%
Transmission and shifting	2	2.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags

Electrical System

Steering

Engine

Service Brakes

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Exterior Lighting

Air Bags: 16; Electrical System: 16; Steering: 14; Engine: 10; Service Brakes: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 8; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 7; Exterior Lighting: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 1

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2009

2010

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2025

2009: 1; 2010: 8; 2012: 2; 2013: 8; 2014: 7; 2015: 10; 2016: 9; 2017: 4; 2018: 9; 2019: 8; 2020: 4; 2021: 2; 2022: 3; 2023: 4; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10317125 · 2010-03-05 (March 5, 2010)

I WAS DRIVING 30 MPH AND THE ROAD STARTED TO SLOPE DOWNWARDS, SO I STARTED TO BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN. THE CAR DID NOT STOP. BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE BUT DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I DROVE STRAIGHT INTO THE INTERSECTION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10317125 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10511311 · 2013-05-09 (May 9, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ESC OFF SWITCH ILLUMINATED AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STOP LAMP SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER : 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,848. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 25,848 miles reported. Look up ODI 10511311 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10289796 · 2009-10-26 (October 26, 2009)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 6 MPH HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULT STEERING. ALSO THE VEHICLE FAILED TO CONVEY TO THE FUEL ECONOMY RECOMMENDED STANDARDS OF 16 TO 24 MPG FOR IN THE CITY DRIVING. THE VEHICLE MAINTAINED A FUEL ECONOMY OF 12 MPG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, AND MUST ATTAIN 4,000 MILEAGE FOR RESOLUTION TO THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL …

Owner-reported narrative. 130 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289796 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10477521 · 2012-09-20 (September 20, 2012)

2009 KIA SPORTAGE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STEERING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN TURNING, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10477521 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10969574 · 2017-03-30 (March 30, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V815000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10969574 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11129191 · 2018-09-12 (September 12, 2018)

ON TUESDAY AUGUST 28TH 2018 MY CAR WAS PARKED IN AN APARTMENT PARKING LOT, AND HAD BEEN OFF FOR 4 HOURS. I WOKE UP TO MY CAR ALARM GOING OFF AT 12AM. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND THE LIGHTS WERE NOT FLASHING ON MY CAR SO I DIDN'T THINK IT MINE. NOT MORE THAN 1 MINUTE LATER MY CAR STARTED ON FIRE. THANK GOODNESS MY BOYFRIEND WAS A FIREFIGHTER. HE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT WITH 15 MINUTES. HOWEVER MY CAR WAS DETERMINE A TOTAL LOSS. ALL THEY COULD TELL ME WAS THAT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT HAD I BEEN A…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11129191 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10298568 · 2010-01-07 (January 7, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2009. HE STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS DANGEROUS AND IF THERE WAS VERY LITTLE WHEEL SLIP, THE ENGINE WOULD SLOW DOWN ALMOST TO A STALL AND THE RPMS WOULD IDLE VERY HIGH. THE TRACTION CONTROL WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR WHILE FUNCTIONING . HIS CONCERN WAS THAT FOLLOWING VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF THE VEHICLE SLOWING DOWN AND COULD POTENTIALLY CRASH INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT ASSIST WITH HIS CONCER…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,522 miles reported. Look up ODI 10298568 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10321337 · 2010-03-22 (March 22, 2010)

I BOUGHT A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ALL BUT 3 DAYS OF MARCH DUE TO THE CAR STALLING, STOPPING AND NOT GOING FORWARD WHEN YOU PRESS GAS PEDAL. WHILE THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO REPAIR THE CAR IS BECOING WORSE, THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HELP ME IN ANY WAY TO OBTAIN THE "LEMON LAW" FORMS NEEDED. I BOUGHT THE CAR AT PARSONS KIA, WINCHESTER, VA

Owner-reported narrative. 9,696 miles reported. Look up ODI 10321337 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10456770 · 2012-04-28 (April 28, 2012)

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION "BURNED OUT" (DEALER'S WORDS) WHILE DRIVING THRU PIEDMONT HILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA. PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 60MPH AND BECAME SERIOUS AT 70 MPH, THE SPEED LIMIT WHERE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. CRUISE CONTROL TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT EVENLY OR SMOOTHLY. VEHICLE STRAINED AND LOST POWER ON HILLS AND OVERPASSES. ENGINE "REVVED UP" UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HIGH ON BACK SIDE OF HILLS, HAD TO PRESS GAS TO DECREASE RPMS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DURING RETURN TRIP, GEAR STICK SHIFTED TO + - …

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456770 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11192318 · 2019-03-28 (March 28, 2019)

WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR WHILE DRIVING THE WHOLE VEHICLE JERKS VERY HARD. IT JERKS SO HARD YOUR HEAD FLIES BACK. IT JERKS SO HARD AND LOUD THE ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING FALL OUT.

Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11192318 at NHTSA ↗