2025 Kia SPORTAGE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
50 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
17,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2025 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 50 complaints (40.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 9 | 18.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 12.0% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 12.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.0% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 20 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Power Train | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 3 |
Unknown Or Other: 20; Electrical System: 15; Engine: 6; Power Train: 6; Service Brakes: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 44 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 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 | 23 |
2025: 27; 2026: 23
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Steering behavior 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 11645091 · 2025-02-26 (February 26, 2025)
Statement for NHTSA Complaint: I am filing this complaint regarding a 2025 Kia Sportage EX (VIN: [XXX] ) that I purchased, which was sold to me with a defective brake booster. This defect resulted in a complete brake failure, putting my safety and the safety of others at serious risk. When the issue occurred, I lost braking power, which could have led to a severe accident. After bringing the vehicle in for repair, it was confirmed that the brake booster was faulty. Kia of America has only offered to reimburse me for my $1,000 insurance deduct…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11645091 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11652796 · 2025-04-04 (April 4, 2025)
car is 119 miles. I was driving and steering wheel stopped working out of nowhere.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11652796 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11655800 · 2025-04-21 (April 21, 2025)
My sunroof exploded on my vehicle. I had no idea that this is something that can happen but saw that there was a class action lawsuit about this back in 2011. My sunroof had a giant hole in the middle out of nowhere.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11655800 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11661434 · 2025-05-16 (May 16, 2025)
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while inspecting inside the vehicle, the contact saw a rodent on top of the air cabin filter, and there were pieces missing from the air cabin filter due to rodent damage. A dealer was contacted. The contact was informed by the dealer that there was a hole between the engine compartment and the passenger’s compartment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate …
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11661434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11667481 · 2025-06-17 (June 17, 2025)
The panoramic sunroof exploded. We were driving down the hwy. Going roughly 55mph when there was a loud bang and glass started falling down on us. Glass fell down onto our heads and our child. The sunroof Glass was pushed up and outward so nothing had hit the car to make the Glass cave in. Two small peices had fallen from the sunroof mechanism one containing a rubber gasket and one lacking one.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11667481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11670586 · 2025-07-01 (July 1, 2025)
Dash resets and you loose instruments for a few seconds. When they come back they are inaccurate. This has happened many times and have had the car to the dealer twice who cannot replicate the issue. Warning lamps did illuminate for a second then goes away. vehicle has had less than 300 miles on it when this first started
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11670586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11670587 · 2025-07-01 (July 1, 2025)
was driving at 40mph and vehicle turned off engine. Auto start stop was beeping and flashing. steering and braking was hindered (was manual) for a few seconds until the auto start stop turned the engine on again. Had car to dealer with other issues (dash resets) and they couldn't duplicate the issue and stated there was nothing they could do
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11670587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11670589 · 2025-07-01 (July 1, 2025)
Started vehicle and was driving, ISG (auto start stop) light went amber and transmission refused to shift to allow uphill travel. Had to pull over and turn engine off and on again for the transmission to start working. Have had to dealer, however yet again they cannot replicate in their test drive so they can't do anything about it.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11670589 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
25V874000 · Trailer Hitches | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
Reported: 2025-12-17 (December 17, 2025)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
NHTSA campaign record ↗