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Kia · NHTSA safety record

2023 Kia Sportage

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

185

Complaints

24

Crashes

1

Fires

14

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2023 Kia Sportage have filed 185 safety complaints with NHTSA between April 2022 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 44 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 26,887 miles, the median across the 29 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 6 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (6)

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

24V025000 · January 18, 2024

The defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
The risk
A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the roof molding and replace or secure it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC292.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 101,049 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP

23V531000 · July 31, 2023

Park outside until repaired

The defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
The risk
An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
The remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 39,765 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

23V410000 · June 7, 2023

The defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The brake booster diaphragm may become misaligned and cause an internal vacuum leak, which can result in a loss of power brake assist.
The risk
A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the brake booster as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC272.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 98,944 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

23V298000 · April 26, 2023

The defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
The risk
A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 108,936 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

22V878000 · November 28, 2022

The defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been twisted during installation.
The risk
A twisted air bag can deploy improperly, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and reinstall the side curtain air bags as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 28, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC257.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 76,918 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

22V651000 · August 29, 2022

The defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The alternator battery positive terminal nut may loosen, which can result in an engine stall or an electrical surge.
The risk
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash, and an electrical surge increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the alternator battery positive terminal nut, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 23, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC248.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 19,701 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 185.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 46 25%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 44 24%
ENGINE 37 20%
SERVICE BRAKES 30 16%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 24 13%
POWER TRAIN 18 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 12 6%
AIR BAGS 11 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 11 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 9 5%
LANE DEPARTURE 8 4%
VISIBILITY 7 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2023 at 62.

2022 2023 2026
2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

On November 15, I was traveling with my mother and seated in the front passenger seat of a 2023 Kia Sportage while she was driving approximately 65 mph on the interstate when the vehicle struck a deer. The impact caused significant front-end damage, including the bumper, radiator area, and underbody components. I was wearing a seatbelt. Despite the severity of the collision and the high rate of speed, neither the driver nor passenger airbags deployed. No airbags deployed in any position in the vehicle. I sustained injuries, including a right shoulder sprain and having the wind knocked out of me, and required medical care. As a result of this crash, my mother developed post-traumatic stress

NHTSA complaint 11712825, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

1 injured · crash · towed

On Aug 25th I was driving and the screens all shut off while driving, I didn't think anything of it, but a few hours later in ocala fl, cars had started breaking and slowing down, but then started again, but one lady had not started moving and I ended up hitting her I didn't have no warning telling me I was getting close to a car nor did it break at all like it's supposed to. It beeps when you park but now on dec 5 a truck cut me off and it I couldn't break fast enough but the car is equipped with safety features that aren't working and now I'm injured and they won't total my car because it's 2023, I don't feel safe driving a car I spent alot of money on and now I have no choice because I

NHTSA complaint 11496407, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 injured · crash · towed

On the morning of May 16 2023 while making a turn at 17 th Avenue and Bayshore Drive my car continued to accelerate in spite of me trying to brake. I was projected into a stone wall and knew I was going to crash . I crashed into the wall,all my airbags were deployed and the car smelled like smoke. My accelerator got stuck and was sideways .I was unable to get out of the car from inside but a Good Samaritan had opened the door from the outside and I crawled under the airbags and got out . The car did not go on fire but was still on when I was able to then turn it off . Police were called and I was checked at the hospital .

NHTSA complaint 11525243. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed · 11,000 miles

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, attempting to merge onto the roadway, and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to decelerate. As a result, the vehicle crashed into semi-truck on the driver's side. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The driver was transported to an area hospital and treated for whiplash and back pain. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who did not diagnose the failure. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number 23V410000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not

NHTSA complaint 11540084, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Main 12V electrical system failed completely. The engine stalled, the entire dashboard blacked out, and all auxiliary safety power was lost. The vehicle is currently located at Parkway Family Kia and is fully available for inspection. At rush hour freeway speeds, the engine stalled and total electrical failure occurred. Navigating across active lanes without engine power or power steering was extremely difficult. The total blackout killed my hazard lights, preventing me from warning other high-speed drivers. The dead car blocked an active lane on the feeder road, and an inattentive driver nearly struck my stalled, unlit vehicle. With zero hazards, I had to abandon the car and flee to the

NHTSA complaint 11756745, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
I was driving the vehicle yesterday, had no problems and then when making a right hand turn the vehicle completely locked up. The brakes and steering column locked and the vehicle completely shut done. The dashboard lit up and the windows still worked but there was not power to the engine. Attempted to JUMP the car, unsuccessful, ultimately called a AAA who used a battery box and the car started. This happened once previously when the car was 6m-1year old and it spontaneously worked. I took for service told unclear what happened, no issues. The car gave no warning lights or indicators there was an issue. This was a very concerning and unsafe situation. I was in the middle of a busy

NHTSA complaint 11753463, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
The roof strip above the driver side of the car is no longer attached and flew off somewhere. Unknown of the date it may have happened.

NHTSA complaint 11752097. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

120,100 miles

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-35 MPH on the highway, the engine and oil check warning light was illuminated. The Kia App alerted the driver to check the engine when convenient. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. There was a loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal rod bearing failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and declined to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 120,100.

NHTSA complaint 11747362. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEATS
Seat warmer started to catch on fire

NHTSA complaint 11746500. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
It was roughly 2000 miles since my last oil change on my Kia Sportage. A spot of oil appeared in my driveway. I thought it could be from a delivery truck. I started parking my car in another spot and didn’t see anymore oil on the pavement. Three days later the low oil light came on. I had my car towed to a Mavis tire center they found that the oil drain plug was loose. They told me the car needed to go back to the dealership. They gave me a copy of a memo that they have sent to all of their shops reporting that NHTSA is investigating this problem with Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The Kia dealership is not concerned about this. The documentation for this service says last visit we did not

NHTSA complaint 11746544, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Kia Sportage

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 25 1 —
2025 49 1 —
2024 66 3 —
2022 45 1 —
2021 49 2 —
2020 159 2 —
2019 69 2 —
2018 162 3 —
2017 398 4 —
2016 130 2 —
2015 146 2 —
2014 122 3 —
2013 380 3 —
2012 392 5 —
2011 181 6 —
2010 20 2 1

Other 2023 Kia models

Telluride 201 EV6 133 Sorento 114 K5 104 Sportage Hybrid 95 Forte 59 Carnival 50 Soul 48

Every Kia on this site — 176 vehicles, 208 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst