2018 Kia Sportage: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 159 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
159
Complaints
3
Recalls
7
Crash reports
11
Fire reports
5
Injuries
84.3
Severity index
Severity index 84.3 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 121 2018 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2018 Kia Sportage ranks 29 of 121 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 76% of its model-year peers. See the full 2018 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 86 | 54.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 28 | 17.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 19 | 11.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 17 | 10.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 11 | 6.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 6.3% |
| STEERING | 9 | 5.7% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 8 | 5.0% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 86 of 159 complaints (54.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 25 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2025 | 33 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 14 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.7x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
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 |
| 21V137000 | 04/03/2021 | 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. |
| 22V703000 | 19/09/2022 | 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 d |
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.