BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2021 Kia Sportage

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
54
Received Dec 2020 to Oct 2026
Official recalls listed
2
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
2
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Engine stalls and loses power while driving9 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Vehicle catches fire from wiring7 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Engine burns excessive oil between changes6 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #22V703000Park outsideKia 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 dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
  • Recall #21V137000Park outsideKia 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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 7 fires, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 4 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Steering, suspension & tires

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Body, doors & glass

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2021 Kia Sportage
5
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
December 20201
January 20210
February 20210
March 20212
April 20210
May 20210
June 20211
July 20212
August 20210
September 20210
October 20210
November 20211
December 20210
January 20222
February 20221
March 20220
April 20220
May 20220
June 20220
July 20220
August 20221
September 20220
October 20221
November 20220
December 20221
January 20231
February 20230
March 20231
April 20231
May 20231
June 20230
July 20230
August 20230
September 20230
October 20231
November 20230
December 20230
January 20241
February 20240
March 20240
April 20241
May 20240
June 20240
July 20241
August 20240
September 20241
October 20240
November 20240
December 20240
January 20253
February 20250
March 20250
April 20250
May 20251
June 20250
July 20252
August 20253
September 20250
October 20252
November 20251
December 20250
January 20260
February 20260
March 20262
April 20265
May 20262
June 20262
July 20263
August 20262
September 20263
October 20261
Total54

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Engine stalls and loses power while driving917%12.6×BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2024
Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3%
Vehicle catches fire from wiring713%5.4×NHTSA recall #21V137000, #22V703000
Engine burns excessive oil between changes611%12.7×BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2025
Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 2.7%
Check engine light comes on repeatedly35.6%5.3×

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #22V703000September 19, 202270,887 vehicles affected

    Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.

    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 dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

    A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.

  • NHTSA recall #21V137000March 4, 2021379,931 vehicles affected

    Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.

    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.

    An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2021 Kia Sportage.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN