2026 KIA SPORTAGE

1 recalls, 43 complaints - 5/5 safety rating

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Defect Description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As suc... Read more

Consequence

An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbe... Read more

42,677 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Complaint Statistics

43 total complaints 4 crashes 1 fires 1 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ENGINE	11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	3
POWER TRAIN	3
SUSPENSION	2
SEATS	2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING	2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS	2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL	2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER	1

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

Wiring harness keeps getting chewed up by rodents in engine bay. Had to have Kia fix 2 times for the parking distance sensors. Have done lots of prevention things to keep from engine bay, but attracted to this vehicle. My 2 other vehicles no problems. They are not Kias. It causes loss of driver ass... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Vehicle can become difficult to steer in certain situations

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

I drive a leased 2024 Porsche Macan that has been serviced exclusively by Porsche of [XXX]. In May 2026, I brought the vehicle in because the engine was revving/racing while I was driving locally at slow to normal speeds. I also reported that the vehicle initiated sudden collision-avoidance braking ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

Crash

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

I've had a Blindspot warning light alert, told by dealership this is an electrical issue, after a web search, I see this is a common and known issue for Ford, yet no recall has been issued. I also have another know, common powertrain issue with my rear differential. The vehicle makes noise when turn... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2026

Within the first month of ownership I began hearing a noise from the right front of the vehicle consistent with a brake or suspension issue. I reported this to the selling dealer repeatedly during that first month; it was not resolved. The noise continued and worsened over the following year, eventu... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

The passenger headrest exploded and whacked me in the head after we went over a little bump in the road.

Incident date: Jan 26, 2026

My car is consuming too much oil. I am going through almost 2 qts per 1,000 miles. Combustion cleaning and consumption test have been completed with no fix to the problem.

Incident date: Jul 11, 2026

rear back up camera displays poor visibility during night-time driving.

Incident date: May 29, 2026

Lateral control arm bolt has fallen out with no impact/collision or reasonable explanation.

Incident date: May 29, 2026

I was stopped at a red stop light waiting to turn left when my 2025 Acura MDX engine auto-stopped per the auto-stop feature. When the light turned green, I removed my foot from the brake and pressed the gas. The engine did not auto-start and displayed a message on the dash telling me to depress the ... Read more

Incident date: May 29, 2026

Incident date: Mar 31, 2026

I am filing this complaint because my 2019 Honda Pilot has developed a serious safety-related defect. When I started the vehicle, multiple warning lights remain on, including the LKAS, ACC, CMBS, and Brake System warnings. I haven't had it inspected by the dealer yet, as the closest dealer is 25 mil... Read more

Incident date: Mar 31, 2026

The contact owned a 2007 Hummer H3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the AC was turned on, and the contact became aware of smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle. The smoke was coming from the front passenger's side underneath the dashboard. The AC was turned off, and the smoke... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jun 10, 2026

The cruise control was set at 75 mph and we were driving down the interstate when the engine suddenly lost power and shut off. This happened with no warning and no warning lights activated. Several days later, we were driving down the interstate with the cruise control set at 72 when the engine a... Read more

Incident date: Jun 10, 2026

Incident date: Apr 30, 2026

After the car was.parked in sun for aome time during shopping at Costco, it did not start. We had to use remote starter which worked. However, upon doing some research I found that overheated starter is a known and recalled problem with 2021 X5 and remote start could have caused fire. Dealership... Read more

Incident date: May 14, 2026

The headlights and interior lighting flickers when turned on. The vehicle often will not start, but once hooked up to a jumper pack starts immediately despite the batteries being inspected previously and being okay. The start/stop function doesn't always work, and the engine stalls while driving, ca... Read more

Incident date: Apr 4, 2026

Car battery can't be charged more than 80 ℅ , fire risk

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

The contact owns2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a recall repair and approximately 2 weeks after the repair was done while driving on the roadway, vehicle went into limp mode and vehicle was driven to safety on the side of the road. The vehicle w... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Charger. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V198000 (Air Bags) and 21V516000 (Visibility). The dealer was contacted to perform the recall repairs; however, the dealer refused to complete the recall repairs. The contact stated that the sound... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

The accident avoidance system engaged during a 55mph drive on a divided 4 lane road. no other cars on road, no animals. Car swerved sharply to left half way into left lane and brakes engaged sharply, enough that driver and passenger in front went forward. after clearing warning, and proceeding do... Read more

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

Have a 2014 Ram 1500 that has a ABS malfunction light showing. Took truck in and dealership service department wanted $1500.00 for a new ABS module that has failed. The part has been on backorder from Mopar/Stellantis for months. I am glad I did not give them $1500.00 (+ future labor costs) to fi... Read more

Incident date: Feb 14, 2026

The contact ownED a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal clicking sound, and the steering wheel locked up, causing her to lose control and crash into an electrical pole. No warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the fa... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Apr 16, 2026

I have put 2 cat converters in 2 yrs in this truck there was a recall for an engine control module that when it gets heated could start a fire but it gets too hot and the converter gets clogged and oil starts going through engine. The dealer us out of business and went to jail. I can't keep putting ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

Brought car into Chevrolet dealership for intermittent “miss” when driving. Dealer diagnosed it needed an EGR valve replaced at a cost of around $4,000.00 which is a significant portion of the cars value.

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

Ever since I’ve own, the vehicle emergency breaking has never worked. I get all the red lights and noises and I almost ruined somebody but luckily I swerved, but the truck is never break on its own and the dealership tells me that’s the way it is you have to hit somebody first before it breaks a... Read more

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Vehicle went from 70 mph to 1st gear without driver. Pulled over restarted vehicle ran fine. Did it again. I have been told it is the lead frame assem ly and transmission sensor. Ford did not recall my year but dud a customer satisfaction. My vehicle exceeds 10 years. If this had been a recall ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while attempting to sell the vehicle to the dealer, the contact was informed that the Carfax History report indicated a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle m... Read more

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 BMW X5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, for an unknown reason, she lost control of the vehicle and hit a telephone pole, where the vehicle came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. No warning lights... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

Valve lifter issue. Gm service told me 15000$ engine replace. 1 year no used the vehicle. I buy the vehicle 35000$. no recall or warranty. Have to much people this problem. And a gm just laughing at how the vehicle owners behaved.

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

Check engine light came on with limited acceleration vehicle, then proceeded to overheat several times having to pull over to the side of the road in very dangerous locations vehicle was brought to dealership and it was determined it was a coolant pump. It was replaced under warranty. I want it to b... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

The airbag system defect light went on and stayed on. The diagnosis from an authorized former Suzuki dealer (Lincoln of Wayne, Wayne, New Jersey), charging approximately $270 for the diagnosis, was that the occupant sensing pad including the bottom seat on the passenger side had failed. This parti... Read more

Incident date: Dec 16, 2025

As I read the above comments/complaints on the 2014 Dodge Dart, I have realized that we all are having the same issues with the recall, the car not engaging in park, and the Keyfob not working properly where it takes from 5-30 minutes to turn the car off because it is still in the acc mode. Now the ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 11, 2025

The vehicle has ongoing electrical and battery system problems that cause safety and driver-assistance systems to malfunction or shut off unexpectedly. The vehicle has repeatedly been found dead after short periods of non-use, requiring jump starts and battery replacement. These electrical issues ap... Read more

Incident date: Dec 11, 2025

I am reporting a potential safety-related defect involving premature axle failure on Mazda CX-50 vehicles. The axle appears to be prone to early failure under normal driving conditions, sometimes at relatively low mileage. There are multiple reports from other Mazda CX-50 owners describing similar ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 11, 2025

Incident date: Sep 23, 2025

After towing my vehicle to Alfa Romeo of Mariettea on November 4th for recall 82B (seatbelt), my car immediately developed throttle hesitation, check-engine light, and start/stop warning light. These issues were not present before the service. Recall 93C (fuel delivery module) remains open, but the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2025

I had my radiator fail, lost all fluid and had to be towed. The car has 73,000 miles on it, is well maintained and garage kept. Alfa has sent the dealerships a Service Bulletin item about the issue, but never contacted the consumers about fixing it proactively. My son broke down on a highway, w... Read more

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2026 KIA SPORTAGE

2026 KIA SPORTAGE SUV N/A AWD

Category	Rating
Overall Rating	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk	16.9%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	Standard
Lane Departure Warning	Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, KIA SPORTAGE

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2002

FAN BLADE CRACKING/SEPARATION

KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) HAS IDENTIFIED A DEFECT IN THE PLASTIC ENGINE COOLING FAN IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL.KIA'S DEFECT REPORT STATES, ...HEAT GENERATED BY THE ENGINE CAUSES REPEATED BENDING DEFORMATION OF THE POLYPROPYLENE COOLING FAN...INITIATING CRACKS IN TH... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2002

FAN BLADE CRACKING/SEPARATION

THE INVESTIGATION OF ENGINE COOLING FANS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WAS OPENED ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2006 AS PE06-042.THE BASIS FOR OPENING WAS 10 CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING FAN BLADE CRACKING AND BLADE SEPARATION.SIX OF THE REPORTS INDICATED THE SEPARATED FAN BLADES CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHER ENGINE COMPARTMENT... Read more

EA, Closed , Model Year: 1996

FUEL TANK LEAKAGE

A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY DATA REVEALED ELEVATED TANK LEAKAGE EXPERIENCE IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JUNE 1999 TO OCTOBER 2000.ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1999

FUEL TANK LEAKAGE

ON JANUARY 4, 2006, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE STEEL FUEL STORAGE TANK IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2000 KIA SPORTAGE VEHICLES.ODI SENT A LETTER TO THE MANUFACTURER ON JANUARY 25, 2006 REQUESTING INFORMATION AB... Read more

RQ, Closed , Model Year: 1997

ENGINE STALLING POST-RECALL

RQ02-013 WAS OPENED TO ASSESS THE SCOPE AND ADEQUACY OF RECALL 99V-325, WHICH INVOLVED MODIFICATIONS TO THE ENGINE FUEL INJECTION WIRE HARNESS (HARNESS).VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER THE RECALL POPULATION HAVE SHOWN NO SIGNS OF A DEFECT TREND.THE MAJORITY OF RECALL REMEDY FAILURES IDENTIFIED WERE REPAIRED... Read more

DP, Closed , Model Year: 2000

VEHICLE ROLLOVER

There is no summary currently available

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPER

SQ, Closed , Model Year: 1997

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON

A monthly Technical Times published by Kia and distributed to dealer technicians identifying a wiring harness problem that could cause connectors C123 and C124 to pull apart slightly during engine load changes.This could lead to erratic or tempory loss

KIA SPORTAGE - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the KIA SPORTAGE across all model years (1995, 2026).

87 Total Recalls

6,818 Total Complaints

8 Investigations

437 Reported Crashes

258 Reported Fires

3 Reported Deaths

KIA SPORTAGE - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026 (current)	1	43
2025	1	87	View
2024	3	101	View
2023	6	314	View
2022	1	68	View
2021	2	62	View
2020	2	206	View
2019	2	102	View
2018	3	229	View
2017	4	561	View
2016	2	183	View
2015	2	195	View
2014	3	154	View
2013	3	449	View
2012	5	454	View
2011	6	264	View
2010	2	28	View
2009	3	120	View
2008	3	138	View
2007	2	113	View
2006	1	169	View
2005	3	93	View
2003	0	4	View
2002	3	321	View
2001	2	354	View
2000	4	462	View
1999	5	493	View
1998	5	558	View
1997	3	299	View
1996	3	98	View
1995	2	88	View

Other KIA Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
SORENTO	188	13,593	View
SEDONA	118	3,350	View
OPTIMA	100	10,128	View
TELLURIDE	70	2,186	View
SOUL	66	7,233	View
SORENTO HYBRID	62	159	View
SOUL EV	62	50	View
FORTE	56	3,494	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2026 KIA SPORTAGE

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2026 KIA SPORTAGE

Safety Technology

NHTSA Safety Investigations, KIA SPORTAGE

KIA SPORTAGE - All Years Overview

KIA SPORTAGE - Year by Year

Other KIA Models