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U.S. public vehicle records

Kia SPORTAGE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

4,423 owner complaints analyzed

36 distinct recall campaigns

75,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1995 to 2026 model years. Data snapshot: . 2,142 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,490 of 4,423 complaints (33.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior74016.7%
Engine operation48110.9%
Electrical and battery issues3317.5%
Fuel system concerns2686.1%
Steering behavior1954.4%
Transmission and shifting1774.0%

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.

Engine
1,490
Electrical System
463
Unknown Or Other
451
Power Train
222
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
205
Air Bags
191
Fuel/Propulsion System
170
Service Brakes
158
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine1490
Electrical System463
Unknown Or Other451
Power Train222
Service Brakes, Hydraulic205
Air Bags191
Fuel/Propulsion System170
Service Brakes158

Engine: 1,490; Electrical System: 463; Unknown Or Other: 451; Power Train: 222; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 205; Air Bags: 191; Fuel/Propulsion System: 170; Service Brakes: 158

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
384
25,000 to 49,999
255
50,000 to 74,999
417
75,000 to 99,999
392
100,000 to 149,999
555
150,000 and above
139
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000384
25,000 to 49,999255
50,000 to 74,999417
75,000 to 99,999392
100,000 to 149,999555
150,000 and above139

Under 25,000: 384; 25,000 to 49,999: 255; 50,000 to 74,999: 417; 75,000 to 99,999: 392; 100,000 to 149,999: 555; 150,000 and above: 139

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (555). 2,281 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.

1995
5
1996
7
2000
222
2001
189
2002
169
2003
171
2004
103
2005
84
2006
74
2007
89
2008
57
2009
72
2010
90
2011
86
2012
63
2013
81
2014
88
2015
66
2016
88
2017
147
2018
243
2019
340
2020
219
2021
204
2022
355
2023
309
2024
262
2025
311
2026
229
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
19955
19967
2000222
2001189
2002169
2003171
2004103
200584
200674
200789
200857
200972
201090
201186
201263
201381
201488
201566
201688
2017147
2018243
2019340
2020219
2021204
2022355
2023309
2024262
2025311
2026229

1995: 5; 1996: 7; 2000: 222; 2001: 189; 2002: 169; 2003: 171; 2004: 103; 2005: 84; 2006: 74; 2007: 89; 2008: 57; 2009: 72; 2010: 90; 2011: 86; 2012: 63; 2013: 81; 2014: 88; 2015: 66; 2016: 88; 2017: 147; 2018: 243; 2019: 340; 2020: 219; 2021: 204; 2022: 355; 2023: 309; 2024: 262; 2025: 311; 2026: 229

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 740 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 481 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 331 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 874953 · 2000-11-14 (November 14, 2000)

HORN FAILED TO OPERATE/ ALL OF THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY/ INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD COME UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER IN ANY OF THESE CONCERN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 874953 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 802040 · 1996-09-09 (September 9, 1996)

INTERMITTENT ABS BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 802040 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10091576 · 2004-09-08 (September 8, 2004)

VEHICLE STALLED. IT DIED IN TRAFFIC EVERYDAY. CONSUMER STATED HE WAS AFRAID OF BEING INVOLVED IN A COLLISION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 109,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10091576 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 506631 · 1996-07-25 (July 25, 1996)

FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY DEFECTIVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 506631 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 757858 · 2002-02-06 (February 6, 2002)

CAR HAS STALLED IN MAJOR INTERSECTIONS 6 TIMES NOW AND RETURNED TO DEALER 4 TIMES. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. OCCUPANT OF VEHICLE NARROWLY MISSED A MAJOR COLLISION TWICE. THE CAR STALLS BUT ELECTRICAL POWER STILL THERE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 757858 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005620 · 2003-02-10 (February 10, 2003)

MY CAR WILL NOT GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE KIA COPRORATION FIELD EXPERTS CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT, THEY SAY IT'S A WIRING NIGHTMARE, THEY REFUSE TO TAKE IT TO IRVINE (KIA HEADQUARTERS) BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THEY WIRING HARNESS RECALL OF 1997 PROVES THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN PROPERLY FIXED, AND I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE MISSION BAY KIA DEALERSHIP SINCE 12-1-02, AND I'M STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005620 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10224254 · 2008-04-11 (April 11, 2008)

A FEW YEARS BACK I STARTED SMELLING GAS. SO MY FATHER IN LAW AND UNCLE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND IT YEP YOU GOT A GAS LEAK. SO THEY TRIED TO PATCH IT SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING HAS SEEMED TO WORK. SO BACK IN FEBRUARY I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM KIA STATING A REPAIR BENEFIT NOTIFICATION ABOUT MY GAS TANK LEAKING. SO A FEW WEEKS AGO I CALLED A KIA DEALER AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO LOOK AT MY TANK. AFTER A HOUR DRIVE AND A FORTY MINUTE WAIT THEY TELL ME THAT MY KIA DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR KIA TO FIX MY TANK. SO I COME HOME AND THE NEXT…

Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224254 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 724567 · 2000-06-26 (June 26, 2000)

THE ENGINE WILL START UP AND STAY AT APROX 3000 RPM FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS. A FEW TIMES IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. TWICE THE RPMS JUMPED WHILE EACH MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING IT AND ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS. THE LOCKING HUBS ON THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ARE NOT UNLOCKING. IT CAUSED SOME SLIDING IN THE RAIN GOING AROUND A CORNER. THE WHEELS ALWAYS TURN AT THE SAME RATE AROUND CORNERS. THE TRIM IS COMING LOOSE AROUND THE WINDSHIELD. THE TRANSMISSION IS ROUGH WHEN I SHIFT, AND DURING DRIVING IT WILL SOME TIMES SURGE FORWARD AND BACK. TOO MUCH PL…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 724567 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 722250 · 2000-05-03 (May 3, 2000)

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE SPEED OF 40 MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE. THE IMPACT BETWEEN MY CHEST AND THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT ME WITH BRUISED RIBS. I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THE ACCIDENT OR THE INJURY WAS NOT SEVERE. IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO A COUPLE OF MY CONCERNS, 1) AT WHICH SPEED SHOULD THE AIR BAG DEPLOY, 2) IF IT WAS TO DEPLOY AT 40MPH THEN WHAT SHOULD BE MY NEXT STEP TOWARDS KIA TO VERIFY THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANY ONE AGAIN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 722250 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10034539 · 2003-08-25 (August 25, 2003)

WHEN VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE IT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THROTTLE PEDAL WAS STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10034539 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2010
2
2011
6
2012
5
2013
3
2014
3
2015
2
2016
2
2017
4
2018
3
2019
2
2020
2
2021
2
2022
1
2023
6
2024
3
2025
1
2026
1
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20102
20116
20125
20133
20143
20152
20162
20174
20183
20192
20202
20212
20221
20236
20243
20251
20261

2010: 2; 2011: 6; 2012: 5; 2013: 3; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 2; 2017: 4; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 6; 2024: 3; 2025: 1; 2026: 1

Year-by-year records

Kia SPORTAGE model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
1995282Not available
1996263+1
199711130
199820730
199926030
20003032-1
20012280-2
20022341+1
200340-1
2005683Not available
20061111-2
2007772+1
2008983+1
20098030
2010202-1
20111816+4
20123925-1
20133803-2
201412230
20151462-1
201613020
20173994+2
20181623-1
2019692-1
202016020
20215020
2022461-1
20231876+5
2024683-3
2025501-2
20262610