Owners have filed 4,145 complaints on the Kia Sportage, covering 1995–2026. The system named most often is Engine (1,102 reports). Worst years by volume: 2017, 2012, 2013; cleanest: 2003, 2010, 2026. 264 reports describe a crash, 181 a fire, 2 a death. On average the car was 5.2 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Kia Sportage
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 4,145 Sportage complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Engine 1,102 Read
I have a Kia Sportage Ex 2013 and this motor vehicle has a fire and explotion in the road
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, when she depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not accelerate as required, and she was rear-ended, causing her vehicle to rear-end the vehicle in front. The vehicle was towed to the repair facility; however,…
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle caught on fire without warning. The side of the contact's home also caught on fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. The fire inspector stated…
Electrical System 408 Read
The entire car caught fire. All electric wires caught fire and the car it was park in my house
Sudden Unintended Acceleration – 2024 Kia Sportage – Safety Hazard. Incident Date: April 18, 2026. Location: Parking lot. While pulling into a parking space at low speed, I brought the vehicle to a complete stop with my foot on the brake. Immediately after stopping, the vehicle suddenly and forcefully accelerated…
I was parked in a spot outside the Service Department of John Kennedy Ford, waiting for my son, who was getting his car serviced. I couldn't see the door of the Service Department, so I decided to move to a position in which I could see my son exit the Department. I put the car into Reverse to exit the spot and it…
Service Brakes 387 Read
I was stopped in the left hand turn lane, then accelerated to cross 2 lanes of traffic. I then let off the accelerator, and applied the brakes to stop, and the brakes did not function. I then rear ended a vehicle in front of me due to the intermittent loss of brakes. It may have also been the propulsion system kept…
My car had begun to accelerate when pressing the brake pedal. The first time it happened the car kinda stuttered as it fought itself, but the car stopped. That was also the only time it stuttered and corrected itself. The next few times it happened, the car was not as easy to control but was able to stop safely. I…
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…
Engine And Engine Cooling 296 Read
Have had recurrent problems with engine performance idle and running. Engine racing with RPM's to 3500 at stop sign. Have had to turn vehicle off to resolve problem. I was afraid that if I did not turn engine off, idle would have continued to race and "blow up." engine also has very rough idle/alternating with…
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that her mother was driving at an undisclosed speed on the freeway and had stopped on the shoulder of the road to access the navigation system. The contact stated that after the driver shifted to park(P), the driver noticed smoke. The contact's grand-mother who…
The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that driving at 25 MPH with her daughter, another driver on the opposite lane, alerted them that the engine was on fire. Upon checking the rearview mirror, the contact noticed black smoke. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off the…
Power Train 272 Read
Incident Date: [XXX] Vehicle: 2023 Kia Sportage Component(s): Power Train (Automatic Transmission Shifter), Electrical System (Instrument Cluster/Display), Back Over Prevention (Rearview Camera) Description of Incident: On [XXX], while performing a low-speed maneuver in Pittsburgh, PA, the vehicle experienced a…
The continued to over heat smoke and has burning smell and seat belt stop tracting and retracting
Car was parked overnight keys were taken and car locked at 8pm at 530 am heard crash car rolled into tree and doors were still locked car came out of park and rolled after 9.5 hours of sitting car had to be in park for key fob to lock doors after it rolled the doors were locked but gear was in reverse
Fuel System 206 Read
The contact rented a 2017 kia sportage. The contact stated that while pulling into an army base at approximately 30 mph there was smoke coming from the vehicle. A witness informed the contact that there were flames coming from under the vehicle. The flames spread to the hood and wrapped around to the driver's side of…
Fuel spill at wawa gas station. Recently my son fueled my 2002 kia sportage as I went in wawa; he didn't know fuel problem tried to fill the tank with that auto fill clip (where don't have hold) gas pump. Gallons of fuel spit, spilled in wide area pump other patrons avoided the area. Neighboring gas pumps had people…
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel, the electronic fuel cap door failed to immediately open, and the contact was unable the to insert the nozzle into the filler neck. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but…
Air Bags 191 Read
The contact owned a 2024 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at 77 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a front-impact crash with a large-sized deer. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that two minor children were seated in the rear seat. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. No injuries…
Description of Crash: On [XXX], I was involved in a front-end collision while driving my 2024 Kia Sportage. Despite the impact, the airbags did not deploy. Additionally, the Forward Collision Assistance system did not engage or warn me prior to the crash, even though conditions were normal and the system was active.…
The contact was driving a 2023 Kia Sportage loaner vehicle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH and pressing the brake pedal the braking system malfunctioned and the brake pedal extended to the floor causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle…
Structure 146 Read
I was involved in a rollover accident and the driver's side door opened during the accident. Had I not been wearing my seatbelt, I would have been ejected from the vehicle
My daughter and I were driving home from my brother's house, when we stopped by McDonald's to grab food, we noticed our car smoking really bad. I had her pull away from the drive-thru and into the empty parking lot. We got out just seconds before the car burst into flames from underneath the hood of the car
The car caught fire after being driven. As soon as it was parked it started smoking and within minutes it was engulfed in flames and totally destroyed
Sportage years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Electrical System | 4 | — | |
| 2025 | Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 5 | — | |
| 2024 | Air Bags | 7 | — | |
| 2023 | Air Bags | 23 | 1 | |
| 2022 | Air Bags | 6 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Electrical System | 2 | 7 | |
| 2020 | Air Bags | 11 | 12 | |
| 2019 | Air Bags, Service Brakes | 3 | 3 | |
| 2018 | Air Bags | 7 | 12 | |
| 2017 | Air Bags | 12 | 27 | |
| 2016 | Air Bags | 8 | 5 | |
| 2015 | Air Bags | 7 | 9 | |
| 2014 | Air Bags | 3 | — | |
| 2013 | Air Bags | 4 | 22 | |
| 2012 | Air Bags | 6 | 14 | |
| 2011 | Air Bags | 7 | 7 | |
| 2010 | Air Bags | 3 | — | |
| 2009 | Air Bags | 4 | 7 | |
| 2008 | Air Bags | 2 | 20 | |
| 2007 | Air Bags | 9 | 4 | |
| 2006 | Air Bags | 8 | 4 | |
| 2005 | Air Bags | 6 | 1 | |
| 2003 | Engine And Engine Cooling | — | — | |
| 2002 | Air Bags | 9 | 5 | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | 19 | 4 | |
| 2000 | Air Bags | 18 | 5 | |
| 1999 | Air Bags | 22 | — | |
| 1998 | Air Bags | 12 | 4 | |
| 1997 | Air Bags | 26 | 2 | |
| 1996 | Air Bags | 9 | 3 |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 1,210 |
| Average complaints per series | 3.4 |
| Worst single series | 45 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 5.2 years |
A model average of 3.4 hides a worst series at 45. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,115,966 of them, covering 2,019 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Sportage?
By complaint volume, 2017, 2012, 2013 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which Sportage years are the cleanest?
2003, 2010, 2026 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Kia Sportage have?
4,145 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 1995–2026. Of those, 264 describe a crash and 181 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.
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