2023 Kia Sportage: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 6 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
183
Complaints
6
Recalls
24
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
14
Injuries
116.9
Severity index
Severity index 116.9 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 80 2023 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2023 Kia Sportage ranks 17 of 80 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 79% of its model-year peers. See the full 2023 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 45 | 24.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 43 | 23.5% |
| ENGINE | 36 | 19.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 35 | 19.1% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 24 | 13.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 17 | 9.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 12 | 6.6% |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 11 | 6.0% |
The single most-reported system is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, cited in 45 of 183 complaints (24.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 62 |
| 2024 | 38 |
| 2025 | 37 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 32 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 9.8x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22V651000 | 29/08/2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The alternator battery positive terminal nut may loosen, which can result in an engine stall or an electrical surge. |
| 22V878000 | 28/11/2022 | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been twisted during installation. |
| 23V298000 | 26/04/2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to displa |
| 23V410000 | 07/06/2023 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The brake booster diaphragm may become misaligned and cause an internal vacuum leak, which can result in a loss of power brake assist. |
| 23V531000 | 31/07/2023 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat. |
| 24V025000 | 18/01/2024 | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach. |
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.