2016 Kia SPORTAGE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
130 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
60,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 48 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 58 of 130 complaints (44.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 42 | 32.3% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 6.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 4.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 3.1% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 1.5% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 58 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 30 |
| Unknown Or Other | 18 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 9 |
| Power Train | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
Engine: 58; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 30; Unknown Or Other: 18; Electrical System: 16; Fuel/Propulsion System: 9; Power Train: 8; Service Brakes: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 10 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 3
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 82 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 56 |
| 2023 | 11 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 | 5 |
2016: 2; 2017: 7; 2018: 4; 2019: 16; 2020: 4; 2021: 7; 2022: 56; 2023: 11; 2024: 10; 2025: 8; 2026: 5
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 42 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 9 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10850519 · 2016-03-19 (March 19, 2016)
TAKATA RECALL WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THE GAS PETAL SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION, BECAUSE OF ON COMING TRAFFIC.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10850519 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10872433 · 2016-06-03 (June 3, 2016)
THIS MORNING I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG. I GOT OUT TO LOOK, ASSUMING IT WAS A TIRE. UPON LOOKING OVER THE VEHICLE I COULD NOT SEE ANY ISSUES BUT DID NOTICE A CRACKLING SOUND. WHEN I LOOKED ON THE TOP OF THE CAR THE REAR SECTION OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED IN EACH CORNER AND WHEN I LOOKED CLOSER I NOTICED IN THE CENTER IT WAS CRACKED AS WELL BUT WAS STILL BEING HELD TOGETHER. I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE THE CAR STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP (70 MILES AWAY). BY TIME I GOT THERE THE BACK P…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10872433 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10965902 · 2017-03-14 (March 14, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND FAILED TO BACKPEDAL FOR 2-3 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A CERTAIN COMPONENT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW THE EXACT COMPONENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10965902 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10983332 · 2017-05-03 (May 3, 2017)
I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY ENGINE DYING/STALLING RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CAR IN MOTION AND SLOWING DOWN WITH NO SIGNS OR INDICATIONS OF AN ISSUE ATLEAST 6 TIMES SINCE HAVING THE VEHICLE WHICH I HAVEN'T HAD FOR A YEAR YET. TWO TIMES I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED, I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD "COULD NOT VERIFY CUSTOMERS CONCERN SCANNED WITH KIDS NO CODES FOUND TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND VEHICLE DROVE AND SOUNDED FINE AT THIS TIME WITH NO ISSUES RECOMMEND HAVING TOWED NEXT TIME…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10983332 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10993194 · 2017-06-05 (June 5, 2017)
SIGNAL LIGHTS: WHILE MERGING ONTO FREEWAY/CHANGING LANES, NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS AND SIDE SWIPES HAVE OCCURRED NUMEROUS OF TIMES. I HAVE CONTRIBUTED THE INCIDENTS TO THE LOCATION OF THE SIGNAL LIGHTS ON BOTH FRONT AND REAR. REAR SIGNAL LIGHTS ARE NOT POSITIONED IN TRADITIONAL LOCATION (I.E. CONJUNCTION WITH BRAKE LIGHTS). INSTEAD, REAR SIGNALS ARE LOCATED ON THE BUMPER FAR BELOW BRAKE LIGHTS. THESE LIGHTS ARE STRIPS NOT STANDARD SIZE AND, THEREBY, POSSIBLY NOT SEEN BY DRIVERS WHO ARE USED TO SEEING THEM IN TRADITIONAL LOCALS ON OTHER VEHICL…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10993194 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11031540 · 2017-10-03 (October 3, 2017)
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK EXHIBITS MOVEMENT WHEN IT IS IN A LOCKED POSITION. WHILE DRIVING AND WITH THE SEAT BELT FASTEN, CAN FEEL THE SEAT BACK MOVE SLIGHTLY FORWARD DURING BRAKING OR WHILE BRAKING GOING DOWNHILL. WHILE DRIVING ON A FLAT ROAD SURFACE, CANNOT FEEL SEAT BACK MOVEMENT. UPON NOTICING MOVEMENT, TRIED PHYSICALLY TO MOVE SEAT BACK (WHILE NOT SITTING IN THE SEAT) AND THE SEAT BACK DOES EXHIBIT MOVEMENT WHILE MOVING THE SEAT IN A ROCKING SIDE TO SIDE (LEFT TO RIGHT) MOTION, BUT CANNOT FEEL MOVEMENT WHEN MOVING THE SEAT IN A ROCKING (FR…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11031540 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11035826 · 2017-10-23 (October 23, 2017)
I HAVE A 2016 KIA SPORTAGE WHEN I PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC IT HESITATES WHEN I PUSH THE GAS ITS LIKE WE HAVE NO GAS.IT DOESNT DO IT ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN IT DOES IT THAT WILL SCARE THE KRAP OUT OF YOU ESPECIALY WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS COMING AT YOU.YOU ASK WHEN IT HAPPENED WELL IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IF NOT FIXED THIS COULD RESULT IN A LAW SUIT
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11035826 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11039736 · 2017-10-25 (October 25, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SPORTAGE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIM BUTLER KIA (722 LONG RD CROSSING DR, CHESTERFIELD, MO 63005 [phone removed]) AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A KIA MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A CALL BACK. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11039736 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
18V907000 · Engine | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Reported: 2018-12-19 (December 19, 2018)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V051000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module
Reported: 2022-02-02 (February 2, 2022)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 K900 and 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse for the HECU circuit board, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC227.
NHTSA campaign record ↗