2023 Kia Sportage problems and recalls

Owners have filed 187 complaints on the 2023 Kia Sportage, and NHTSA has issued 6 recalls. The most cited component is the Unknown Or Other (47 complaints).

187
Complaints
6
Recalls
24
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
14
Injuries
95.8
Severity index

Severity index 95.8 High. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 95.8p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 10 of 82 by severity index among 2023 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 88% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2023 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 47 complaints (25.1%)47 25%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 44 complaints (23.5%)44 24%EngineEngine: 37 complaints (19.8%)37 20%Service BrakesService Brakes: 35 complaints (18.7%)35 19%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 24 complaints (12.8%)24 13%Power TrainPower Train: 18 complaints (9.6%)18 10%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 12 complaints (6.4%)12 6%Back Over PreventionBack Over Prevention: 11 complaints (5.9%)11 6%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4725.1%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4423.5%
ENGINE3719.8%
SERVICE BRAKES3518.7%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE2412.8%
POWER TRAIN189.6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM126.4%
BACK OVER PREVENTION115.9%

Complaints filed per year

031622022: 142023: 622024: 382025: 372026: 36 (partial year)222362242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
202214
202362
202438
202537
2026 (year to date)36
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 9.8x those in 2022 to 2022 (137 against 14).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
22V65100029/08/2022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATORKia 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.
22V87800028/11/2022AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAINKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been twisted during installation.
23V29800026/04/2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANELKia 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
23V41000007/06/2023SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSISTKia 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.
23V53100031/07/2023POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMPKia 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.
24V02500018/01/2024STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARSKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.

Other Kia Sportage model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 15 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-07. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.