Total Complaints
190 filings
KIA SPORTAGE · model year
190 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2015KIASPORTAGE carries 190 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 20 fires, 9 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2015 SPORTAGE is engine with 82 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (27) and unknown or other (25). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2015 SPORTAGE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
190 filings
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 82 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 27 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 25 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 16 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| AIR BAGS | 5 |
| POWER TRAIN | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 3 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 K900 and 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
I own a 2015 Kia Sportage with an open safety recall (NHTSA Recall No. 22V051 / SC227B). The vehicle became undriveable years ago due to engine issues. I contacted both the dealership and Kia several times, but no one has responded or completed the recall. I received no notification letter. The vehicle has sat inoperable for years, and I had to stop payments because the engine failed and posed a safety risk. I am requesting NHTSA intervention as Kia has failed to complete the safety recall in a timely manner.
The car just quit running as I was driving. It would not turn over using jumper cables. I had it towed to a local mechanic where they replaced the starter and the battery. Upon picking it up, it was making noises that it did not make previously.
The car just quit running as I was driving. It would not turn over using jumper cables. I had it towed to a local mechanic where they replaced the starter and the battery. Upon picking it up, it was making noises that it did not make previously.
Oil has been leaking for years. Always got regular oil changes and engine died while driving.
Oil has been leaking for years. Always got regular oil changes and engine died while driving.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V051000 (Service Brake, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer stated that an appointment would be scheduled; however, the contact had not yet heard back from the dealer. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the low battery warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to decelerate. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the recall repair could not be completed because the mileage on the vehicle had been exceeded. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that an engine replacement recommended by the de
Mileage: 134,644
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V051000 (Service Brake, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer stated that an appointment would be scheduled; however, the contact had not yet heard back from the dealer. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the low battery warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to decelerate. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the recall repair could not be completed because the mileage on the vehicle had been exceeded. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that an engine replacement recommended by the de
Mileage: 134,644
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V051000 (Service Brake, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer stated that an appointment would be scheduled; however, the contact had not yet heard back from the dealer. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the low battery warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to decelerate. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the recall repair could not be completed because the mileage on the vehicle had been exceeded. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that an engine replacement recommended by the de
Mileage: 134,644
We were driving down the highway and without any kind of warning the car lost all power I had to move to the shoulder of the road and wait over 5 hrs for a tow truck and then get a hotel room for the night before we could get a rental car the next morning once they opened. Then, a couple weeks later we had to have the vehicle towed back home to NY since we broke down on [XXX] in PA. Then we had to have it towed to a repair shop and they told me it was rod iron knocking and was covered under the Theta II class action lawsuit according to the website when the vin# was inputted to the website. And Kia is saying it's not covered because of a recall that wasn't completed but being I never received the notification as I wasn't the 1st or 2nd owner of the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Hood latch seccondary safety latch did not catch hood and hood flew up causing inability to see and luckily only damage the car itself. This is a dangerous problem with Kia and should be investigated for the safety catch becoming corroded and sticky. Its design is defective and it should be recalled and reworked so that it can not become corroded and sieze preventing safe operation in the event the primary latch comes unclipped while driving down the road at speed if a person were to accidentally pull the hood release in motion or it it were so fail to hold adequately.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine had seized, resulting in damages to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 91,000.
Mileage: 91,000
I was driving my car and it stalled out and stopped and never cranked back up so I had it pulled in and my mechanic said it was a burnt starter and motor locked up
I was driving my car and it stalled out and stopped and never cranked back up so I had it pulled in and my mechanic said it was a burnt starter and motor locked up
Emission system failure causing check engine light to turn on.
Emission system failure causing check engine light to turn on.
I purchased the vehicle in February 9, 2024. A week after I purchased it the engine started making a knocking noise. I took the Sportage to Kia of Orange Park as I saw some there were some recalls on the vehicle. I paid to have a full diagnostic done. The gentleman that assisted me reached out to the Kia Corporation to see if they would repair the engine. Kia refused stating that the recall PI1802A - PI1802 (ECU Logic Upgrade KSDA 14- 15 MY) had not been done. This recall was out on the car prior to my ownership so there is no way for me to have it done when it came out.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, there was a loud clanking sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with a cracked rod bearing. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a previously associated recall had expired related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Mileage: 90,000
I took the vehicle in to Kia due to excessive oil consumption. I was told they could not do anything and that I should continue to drive the vehicle. Kia stated that since I am the second owner (purchased at 7,800 miles) that I am not eligible for the original warranty. They stated that if anything were to happen to my engine I would need to provide documentation of oil changes from the first date the vehicle was purchased (which I don't have access to since I am not the original owner) and that Kia would assess to see if I were eligible for a new engine. They completed an oil change checked for leaks and sent me on my way. I continued to add oil every 500-1000 miles. On 4/11/24 I was driving me vehicle on the freeway at approximately 75-80 miles per hour when the vehicle lost power and would not drive over 40 miles per hour. Upon exiting the freeway the vehicle died at a red light. A tow truck driver took me to a mechanic who ran diagnostics and found codes P0300, P0302, and P0304.
The contactâs son owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced lunging and the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contactâs residence. The contact used an ODB scanner to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved DTC codes related for: camshaft timing in cylinder bank 1 advanced, low oil, phaser stuck, faulty sensor, failed valve control solenoid, and worn timing components. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the internal engine failure was likely due to low oil pressure. The dealer also stated that the engine oil level was good and recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact filed a case regarding the failure; however, the case was denied by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 111,508.
Mileage: 111,508
The contactâs son owns a 2015 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced lunging and the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contactâs residence. The contact used an ODB scanner to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved DTC codes related for: camshaft timing in cylinder bank 1 advanced, low oil, phaser stuck, faulty sensor, failed valve control solenoid, and worn timing components. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the internal engine failure was likely due to low oil pressure. The dealer also stated that the engine oil level was good and recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact filed a case regarding the failure; however, the case was denied by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 111,508.
Mileage: 111,508
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.