2015 Kia Sportage: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
146
Complaints
2
Recalls
7
Crash reports
11
Fire reports
5
Injuries
91.8
Severity index
Severity index 91.8 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 143 2015 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2015 Kia Sportage ranks 45 of 143 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 69% of its model-year peers. See the full 2015 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 84 | 57.5% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 31 | 21.2% |
| HYDRAULIC | 28 | 19.2% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 25 | 17.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 18 | 12.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 | 4.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 6 | 4.1% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 | 3.4% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 84 of 146 complaints (57.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 59 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V907000 | 19/12/2018 | 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 h |
| 22V051000 | 02/02/2022 | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.