Total Complaints
65 filings
KIA SPORTAGE · model year
65 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2025KIASPORTAGE carries 65 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 0 fires, 8 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 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 2025 SPORTAGE is unknown or other with 13 filings, followed by electrical system (12) and engine (5). 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2025 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
65 filings
Crashes Reported
6 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 13 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 12 |
| ENGINE | 5 |
| POWER TRAIN | 5 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| STEERING | 3 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL | 3 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION | 2 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING | 2 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | 1 |
| LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
TRAILER HITCHES
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to com
While driving the vehicle at 55 mph, it suddenly lost the ability to accelerate even when I pressed down on the accelerator. The RPMs went up to 4 or 5 but I could not go over 30-35 mph. Fortunately, I was able to move into a left turn lane to get away from the flow of traffic and avoid an accident. A semi-truck was behind us when I was unable to accelerate. We had to have the vehicle towed to a local dealership in the area. I had been driving the vehicle for about 2 hours when this occurred. The service department at the dealer was able to recreate the issue. My vehicle has been out of service and remains at the dealership. They told me that a new transmission would be installed due to loss of transmission fluid. They had a difficult time identifying the issue because there were no warning lights or codes registered.
While driving the vehicle at 55 mph, it suddenly lost the ability to accelerate even when I pressed down on the accelerator. The RPMs went up to 4 or 5 but I could not go over 30-35 mph. Fortunately, I was able to move into a left turn lane to get away from the flow of traffic and avoid an accident. A semi-truck was behind us when I was unable to accelerate. We had to have the vehicle towed to a local dealership in the area. I had been driving the vehicle for about 2 hours when this occurred. The service department at the dealer was able to recreate the issue. My vehicle has been out of service and remains at the dealership. They told me that a new transmission would be installed due to loss of transmission fluid. They had a difficult time identifying the issue because there were no warning lights or codes registered.
The windshield creates layers of frost if it is really cold.. While the above might be unrelated but the other day I was rolling my front passenger window up in the cold weather and the window just shattered - it just exploded, even though it stayed intact it shattered into a thousand pieces
I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK TO kIA IN cLEARWATER 4 X FOR PANEL GOING BLACK. NO LIGHTS, AIR COMES ON AND OFF BY ITSELF. nO BACK UP CAMERA. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THIS TRUCK SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THE MGR. WADE THINKS I AM CRAZY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PANEL BUT NOT FOR MY TRUCK, WHY? NO ONE WILL FIX THIS TRUCK. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED WITH KIA. I HAD A SOUL AND TRADED UP FOR THESE SAME REASONS. 3 BATTEIES IN 4 MONTHS. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE? [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK TO kIA IN cLEARWATER 4 X FOR PANEL GOING BLACK. NO LIGHTS, AIR COMES ON AND OFF BY ITSELF. nO BACK UP CAMERA. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THIS TRUCK SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THE MGR. WADE THINKS I AM CRAZY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PANEL BUT NOT FOR MY TRUCK, WHY? NO ONE WILL FIX THIS TRUCK. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED WITH KIA. I HAD A SOUL AND TRADED UP FOR THESE SAME REASONS. 3 BATTEIES IN 4 MONTHS. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE? [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK TO kIA IN cLEARWATER 4 X FOR PANEL GOING BLACK. NO LIGHTS, AIR COMES ON AND OFF BY ITSELF. nO BACK UP CAMERA. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THIS TRUCK SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THE MGR. WADE THINKS I AM CRAZY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PANEL BUT NOT FOR MY TRUCK, WHY? NO ONE WILL FIX THIS TRUCK. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED WITH KIA. I HAD A SOUL AND TRADED UP FOR THESE SAME REASONS. 3 BATTEIES IN 4 MONTHS. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE? [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Navigation screen began blinking (glitching) and suddenly went black and would not come back on. Called the dealership and they said it was not a recall and that it was no longer covered under warranty. This problem has persisted intermittently and I am noticing a pattern. When the temperature is cold outside the screen works fine, however if it is 60+° outside this happens. Iâve read online that this is a known issue however Iâm being told there is no recall.
Immediately after delivery, the instrument/infotainment display malfunctioned, froze, and became unresponsive. Apple CarPlay failed, and phone calls distorted or dropped. After reporting the issue, I discovered that this VIN is subject to Safety Recall SC359B, with a recall date of December 17, 2025, and a status of RECALL INCOMPLETE / NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. This recall existed prior to the sale. The recall is confirmed by the Kia owner app, Kia/NHTSA VIN lookup, and the dealerâs internal campaign report. Despite this, the dealer stated in writing that there were âno open recallsâ and refused to unwind the sale, mischaracterizing the defect as an âaudio panelâ issue. I am submitting this to document a retail delivery of a new motor vehicle under an open, VIN-specific safety recall with no available remedy, which constitutes a violation of federal motor vehicle safety law (49 U.S.C. §§ 30112 and 30120). I request review by the Office of Defects Investigation and Recall Man
Immediately after delivery, the instrument/infotainment display malfunctioned, froze, and became unresponsive. Apple CarPlay failed, and phone calls distorted or dropped. After reporting the issue, I discovered that this VIN is subject to Safety Recall SC359B, with a recall date of December 17, 2025, and a status of RECALL INCOMPLETE / NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. This recall existed prior to the sale. The recall is confirmed by the Kia owner app, Kia/NHTSA VIN lookup, and the dealerâs internal campaign report. Despite this, the dealer stated in writing that there were âno open recallsâ and refused to unwind the sale, mischaracterizing the defect as an âaudio panelâ issue. I am submitting this to document a retail delivery of a new motor vehicle under an open, VIN-specific safety recall with no available remedy, which constitutes a violation of federal motor vehicle safety law (49 U.S.C. §§ 30112 and 30120). I request review by the Office of Defects Investigation and Recall Man
Immediately after delivery, the instrument/infotainment display malfunctioned, froze, and became unresponsive. Apple CarPlay failed, and phone calls distorted or dropped. After reporting the issue, I discovered that this VIN is subject to Safety Recall SC359B, with a recall date of December 17, 2025, and a status of RECALL INCOMPLETE / NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. This recall existed prior to the sale. The recall is confirmed by the Kia owner app, Kia/NHTSA VIN lookup, and the dealerâs internal campaign report. Despite this, the dealer stated in writing that there were âno open recallsâ and refused to unwind the sale, mischaracterizing the defect as an âaudio panelâ issue. I am submitting this to document a retail delivery of a new motor vehicle under an open, VIN-specific safety recall with no available remedy, which constitutes a violation of federal motor vehicle safety law (49 U.S.C. §§ 30112 and 30120). I request review by the Office of Defects Investigation and Recall Man
While driving this car, I have experienced the car's auto-braking system. While driving on I-94, the traffic was slowing down due to activity ahead of me. Apparently, I did not slow down enough for the car's sensor, as the auto brakes engaged and "slammed" onto the brakes. The car behind me barely had time to react due to the auto-braking so hard on the brakes. Another instance of these auto brakes engaging dangerously, as I am backing out of my driveway ( My home faces a corner and is a 3 way stop intersection) I am halfway out of my driveway when the car picks up there is a car behind me, however the vehicle is NOT behind me it is at the corner stop sign on the opposite side of the road. The brakes once again engaged in a very aggressive manner, throwing everything in the car onto the seats to the floor. I almost got T boned by a car because they had no clue what "I" was doing, or where I was going. Although this function is designed to assist drivers, it is a casualty waiting to h
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine experienced difficulty cranking. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The contact stated that the engine revved up, but the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The Auto START/STOP light was orange. The contact was concerned about a possible disintegration of the transmission after a friend alerted him of a similar failure. The contact called the local dealer and left a message. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
Mileage: 18,000
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine experienced difficulty cranking. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The contact stated that the engine revved up, but the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The Auto START/STOP light was orange. The contact was concerned about a possible disintegration of the transmission after a friend alerted him of a similar failure. The contact called the local dealer and left a message. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
Mileage: 18,000
On Monday, Dec 15 at approximately 3:30 pm I was pulling into my parking spot in front of my house. The vehicle suddenly revved loudly and shot forward striking a tree in my front yard. If not for the tree would have ended up in the kitchen. When parking I do not have to apply gas once I enter the lot as I can drift into the spot. I barely have to brake to stop the vehicle. The steering wheel airbag deployed, fortunately no serious injuries. The passenger front end was pretty much gone and two big branches were sheared off at ground level. Police responded, report #XXX [XXX] Sheriff office. Vehicle is due to get to the body shop today or tomorrow. Fortunately this happened where it did as if it had been in traffic or around people it could have been very serious. This was also reported to Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On Monday, Dec 15 at approximately 3:30 pm I was pulling into my parking spot in front of my house. The vehicle suddenly revved loudly and shot forward striking a tree in my front yard. If not for the tree would have ended up in the kitchen. When parking I do not have to apply gas once I enter the lot as I can drift into the spot. I barely have to brake to stop the vehicle. The steering wheel airbag deployed, fortunately no serious injuries. The passenger front end was pretty much gone and two big branches were sheared off at ground level. Police responded, report #XXX [XXX] Sheriff office. Vehicle is due to get to the body shop today or tomorrow. Fortunately this happened where it did as if it had been in traffic or around people it could have been very serious. This was also reported to Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On Monday, Dec 15 at approximately 3:30 pm I was pulling into my parking spot in front of my house. The vehicle suddenly revved loudly and shot forward striking a tree in my front yard. If not for the tree would have ended up in the kitchen. When parking I do not have to apply gas once I enter the lot as I can drift into the spot. I barely have to brake to stop the vehicle. The steering wheel airbag deployed, fortunately no serious injuries. The passenger front end was pretty much gone and two big branches were sheared off at ground level. Police responded, report #XXX [XXX] Sheriff office. Vehicle is due to get to the body shop today or tomorrow. Fortunately this happened where it did as if it had been in traffic or around people it could have been very serious. This was also reported to Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I have documented the following issues: -84 instances of "Keep Hands on the Wheel" when my hands were on the 10/2 or 9/3 position. This dates back to March 2025 and has continued into December. -12 instances of the ER braking engaging with "Collision Alert" when no other vehicles/object/danger were around. The ER braking is the sudden, full force stopping of the vehicle staring in April 2025 and as most recently as 12/06/2025. -3 instances of the vehicle being in "drive" but not moving forward; only the engine revving. This started in August and occurred again in October and on 12/06/2025. -1 instance of the vehicle randomly shutting off while driving very slow into the garage on 12/06/2025.
I have documented the following issues: -84 instances of "Keep Hands on the Wheel" when my hands were on the 10/2 or 9/3 position. This dates back to March 2025 and has continued into December. -12 instances of the ER braking engaging with "Collision Alert" when no other vehicles/object/danger were around. The ER braking is the sudden, full force stopping of the vehicle staring in April 2025 and as most recently as 12/06/2025. -3 instances of the vehicle being in "drive" but not moving forward; only the engine revving. This started in August and occurred again in October and on 12/06/2025. -1 instance of the vehicle randomly shutting off while driving very slow into the garage on 12/06/2025.
I have documented the following issues: -84 instances of "Keep Hands on the Wheel" when my hands were on the 10/2 or 9/3 position. This dates back to March 2025 and has continued into December. -12 instances of the ER braking engaging with "Collision Alert" when no other vehicles/object/danger were around. The ER braking is the sudden, full force stopping of the vehicle staring in April 2025 and as most recently as 12/06/2025. -3 instances of the vehicle being in "drive" but not moving forward; only the engine revving. This started in August and occurred again in October and on 12/06/2025. -1 instance of the vehicle randomly shutting off while driving very slow into the garage on 12/06/2025.
Driver window rattles at all speeds. Not a big safety issue but if it breaks because of the rattle or it falls down then it could. When I put a crack in the window it stops
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.