Vehicles · Insights

2018 Kia Sportage

2018 Kia Sportage: engine problems dominate owner complaints

Across 158 owner complaints to NHTSA, the engine is by far the most reported area at 85 reports (54%) and accounts for 8 of the fires owners reported. Electrical system issues come next at 28 reports (18%), including 3 crashes and 2 fires. Power train and service brakes follow, with the 11 brake reports tied to 3 crashes.

Most reported areas

Engine safety 54%
By far the most-reported area: 85 complaints (54%), including 8 fires and 1 injury. One owner describes hesitation and misfiring with a check-engine light just miles after picking up a brand-new car.
Electrical System safety 18%
Second most-reported: 28 complaints (18%), with 3 crashes, 2 fires, and 1 injury. One owner reports the car suddenly decelerating on the highway, later traced to a wiring harness fault.
Power Train0 11%
17 complaints (11%), with no crashes, fires, or injuries reported. Owners describe the car failing to accelerate in a timely manner from a stop or low speeds.
Service Brakes safety 7%
11 complaints (7%), but notable for safety: 3 of them involved a crash and 1 an injury.
Fuel/Propulsion System safety 6%
10 complaints (6%), including 2 fires. Reports overlap with engine driveability issues such as hesitation and misfiring.

Source: NHTSA owner complaints · 158 complaints

Track maintenance, recalls, and costs for your Kia — and see this inside the app.

Get Vehicle Story Maintenance schedule

General information compiled from public NHTSA complaint data, for reference only — not professional advice and not reviewed by automotive experts. Verify before acting; Team AM is not responsible for decisions made from it.