2020 KIA SPORTAGE

184 complaints filed with NHTSA.

184
Complaints
16
Crashes
17
Fires
11
Injuries
0
Deaths

NHTSA Safety Rating

5/5
Overall
4/5
Front Crash
5/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE61
UNKNOWN OR OTHER30
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM16
STRUCTURE:BODY10
STEERING8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING7
SERVICE BRAKES6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING3
AIR BAGS3
TRAILER HITCHES3
VISIBILITY/WIPER2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2

Recalls (2)

22V70300019/09/2022

TRAILER HITCHES

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris a

21V13700004/03/2021

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.

Recent Complaints

20260219ENGINE

Car was driving, stopped at a stoplight, never moved again. 3 lights came on, Check Engine, Check Oil (Which had been serviced previously by a month and a half), and Check Battery. Bob Sight Kia has stated Engine issues associated with the rods failing and the starter not functioning due the the manifold, I am uncertain to the technical terms. It was late at night, the area only semi lit up and I had to wait for a tow in unsafe conditions as I was stuck in a turn lane. Prior to the failure, n

20260219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car was driving, stopped at a stoplight, never moved again. 3 lights came on, Check Engine, Check Oil (Which had been serviced previously by a month and a half), and Check Battery. Bob Sight Kia has stated Engine issues associated with the rods failing and the starter not functioning due the the manifold, I am uncertain to the technical terms. It was late at night, the area only semi lit up and I had to wait for a tow in unsafe conditions as I was stuck in a turn lane. Prior to the failure, n

20260213ENGINE

I came home from vacation and found my car completely dead. We took the battery in and ended up changing this. Soon later my cars power steering and dashboard would go in and out. I took it to Mark Kia who believed it to be the alternator, so they replace this. I picked the car up and not even 20 minutes later the same issues were occurring so I took it back where then they replaced the connector. I picked up my car and about a month went by and same thing occurred while I was driving even havin

20260213ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I came home from vacation and found my car completely dead. We took the battery in and ended up changing this. Soon later my cars power steering and dashboard would go in and out. I took it to Mark Kia who believed it to be the alternator, so they replace this. I picked the car up and not even 20 minutes later the same issues were occurring so I took it back where then they replaced the connector. I picked up my car and about a month went by and same thing occurred while I was driving even havin

20260205ENGINE

In April of 2025, it was noticed that my Sportage was consuming oil. There were no leaks or smoke just having to put oil in. Two mechanics stated that’s just Kia. On the night of 1/30/2026 my Sportage had an engine light come on. After the winter storm, I was able to get the code read and it came back as a Cylinder 1 Misfire. In May of 2025 I replaced all coil packs and spark plugs. On 2/1/26 we replaced the coil packs and spark plug. On 2/4/2026, Kia told me I have to replace the eng

20260123ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the front of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the knock sensor had failed. The knock sensors were replaced. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, two months after the knock sensors were replaced, the contact heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from th

20260120SERVICE BRAKES

On [XXX], I had a scheduled repair appointment for my 2020 Kia Sportage, which is experiencing swaying and instability, and unable to keep the vehicle straight at highway speeds in the front end, and ABS/brake issue on the driver-side front wheel. During the service appointment, my service advisor, informed me that a metal undershield was not secure and recommended its removal due to not being vital to the safety, which I agreed to. However, the main concerns of swaying and brake issues remaine

20260120STEERING

On [XXX], I had a scheduled repair appointment for my 2020 Kia Sportage, which is experiencing swaying and instability, and unable to keep the vehicle straight at highway speeds in the front end, and ABS/brake issue on the driver-side front wheel. During the service appointment, my service advisor, informed me that a metal undershield was not secure and recommended its removal due to not being vital to the safety, which I agreed to. However, the main concerns of swaying and brake issues remaine

20260120SUSPENSION

On [XXX], I had a scheduled repair appointment for my 2020 Kia Sportage, which is experiencing swaying and instability, and unable to keep the vehicle straight at highway speeds in the front end, and ABS/brake issue on the driver-side front wheel. During the service appointment, my service advisor, informed me that a metal undershield was not secure and recommended its removal due to not being vital to the safety, which I agreed to. However, the main concerns of swaying and brake issues remaine

20260110ENGINE

My 2020 Kia Sportage continues to consume too much oil. There is not a leak detected where I park my car during work, nor in my garage. I need to add oil to the vehicle every other week.

20260110FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

I was driving my 2020 Kia Sportage recently and experienced a safety issue 3 times within 30 minutes. I was driving on a highway (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-76) at night. Prior to the issue occurring, I drove through an area where snow was falling, there was fresh salt on the road, and I had been behind salt trucks briefly at different times. While driving through the snow and with exposure to the salt, my car notified me that the forward Collision Detection system could not operate because the sen

20260105ENGINE

Engine started tapping/knocking and oil light started flashing. Once home I checked the dipstick. Appeared burnt with no oil on dipstick. Waited an hour to cool and started adding oil. Added 2 quarts nothing on dipstick. Added 2 half quarts and finally a touch on the end of dipstick. Added more oil and finally got it to the bottom the range. It would take at least another quart to get to proper levels. Took to dealership where I was told I needed a new engine. Prior to the failure there

20260102ENGINE

I own a 2020 Kia Sportage that is currently within the 100,000-mile power-train warranty. The vehicle has been experiencing EXCESSIVE OIL consumption, requiring oil to be added between scheduled oil changes, despite no visible leaks or warning indicators. I have consistently maintained the vehicle according to Kia's recommended maintenance schedule. Oil changes were performed regularly, including some done at home. For those oil changes, I have kept vehicle maintained with regular oil changes an

20260101ENGINE

Driving to grandmas Christmas weekend on the highway all of a sudden my car couldn’t keep speed was shaking the check engine light came on. Now my cylinder one psi is only 50. I have noticed over 100 complaints with very similar car issues. I just bought this car 5 months ago from a dealership. I have barely put 4,000 miles on the car myself.

20251230STRUCTURE:BODY

clear coat peeling inspected by dealer

20251229ENGINE

We only have 58,000 on our car . We had extremely low oil and light never came on it blinked randomly. We still had 2,000 miles left before oil change was due . Car was almost bone dry if we did not check we would have been in big trouble.We were told these cars are known to burn oil and we should come in every 3/4 weeks depending on how much we drive to have oil added . This is ridiculous! If this place is right about burning oil that should be recalled and fixed and covered . If this is the

20251229UNKNOWN OR OTHER

We only have 58,000 on our car . We had extremely low oil and light never came on it blinked randomly. We still had 2,000 miles left before oil change was due . Car was almost bone dry if we did not check we would have been in big trouble.We were told these cars are known to burn oil and we should come in every 3/4 weeks depending on how much we drive to have oil added . This is ridiculous! If this place is right about burning oil that should be recalled and fixed and covered . If this is the

20251229EXTERIOR LIGHTING

We only have 58,000 on our car . We had extremely low oil and light never came on it blinked randomly. We still had 2,000 miles left before oil change was due . Car was almost bone dry if we did not check we would have been in big trouble.We were told these cars are known to burn oil and we should come in every 3/4 weeks depending on how much we drive to have oil added . This is ridiculous! If this place is right about burning oil that should be recalled and fixed and covered . If this is the

20251229CrashSTEERING

Vehicle has excessive wandering, that is intermittent, during traffic, surrounding traffic on freeways and on slight wind and rain. The vehicle exhibits behavior that is very very unstable.. I’ve had the vehicle for about three years and it’s been doing this for about two years now intermittently I recently took it into the Kia dealership in Stocton to have it looked at nothing was determined other than the state of the problem.

20251229CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Vehicle has excessive wandering, that is intermittent, during traffic, surrounding traffic on freeways and on slight wind and rain. The vehicle exhibits behavior that is very very unstable.. I’ve had the vehicle for about three years and it’s been doing this for about two years now intermittently I recently took it into the Kia dealership in Stocton to have it looked at nothing was determined other than the state of the problem.