*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Air bags1 injury
A deer ran out on the parkway when I was coming home from work and it totaled my vehicle. The ambulance had to pry the door open to get me out. The airbag never deployed and the seatbelt popped open.
Oct 27, 2026Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler1 injury
The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that his wife had driven for 6.5 hours at 35-70 MPH with the seat heater activated, the seat heater overheated. Upon exiting the vehicle, the driver discovered second-degree burns on her right thigh and significant bruising extending from her left thigh to her buttocks. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while the contact and wife were traveling on a 6.5 hours trip. The contact's wife received medical treatment for the injuries. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 14,223.
Sep 6, 2026 · 14,223 milesElectrical system
Wiring harness keeps getting chewed up by rodents in engine bay. Had to have Kia fix 2 times for the parking distance sensors. Have done lots of prevention things to keep from engine bay, but attracted to this vehicle. My 2 other vehicles no problems. They are not Kias. It causes loss of driver assistance systems.
Aug 1, 2026Unknown or other
Occurred on 8/3/2026: 1. I parked my car in my driveway 2. My car is sitting in the driver door storage area and my phone with digital key is sitting on the front passenger seat. 3. Vehicle is turned off; I exit the vehicle and close the door. 4. My toddler is the back seat (not on the driver side), so i start to walk over to take her out. 5. In the meantime, the car locks itself. 6. I walk back to driver door and it is locked as well. This was serious and immediate issue as the ambient temperature was 92 degrees F and car at this point has no circulation. Luckily I was at home so was able to hurry and grab my second key from home to unlock the car. It all took about 5 min and by the time I…
Aug 3, 2026Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control
While adaptive cruise was engaged, the vehicle read Alabama highway 80 west state road sign and incorrectly interpreted the sign for a speed limit sign which is 55 MPH.The vehicle displayed a â80 MPHâ speed limit sign on the instrument cluster and then began to accelerate. When I took it to the dealer for repair, the âturned off safety featureâ.
Jul 22, 2026Tires
The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sportage equipped with Kumho Tires, Tire Line: Crugen HP71, Tire Size: 235/60/R18, DOT Number: 1K2CMYA8E . While the contactâs daughter was driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle suddenly started shaking violently and vibrated abnormally, causing the driver to almost lose control of the steering wheel. The driver regained control of the steering wheel and parked the vehicle. The Police and a towing service was called to the scene. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the front passengerâs side tire had tread separation at the center of the tire, causing the center rim of the wheel to be exposed and caused damages to the wheel well and fender. The…
Jul 25, 2026 · 3,900 milesUnknown or other
I was driving on the freeway, when all of a sudden my car felt like it was driving on its own. It began jerking, rapidly accelerating causing the rpm to go up on its own, and causing the engine to rev. It alternated between accelerating and braking. I pulled off to the side and had it towed to the dealership I lease it from. The dealership drove it and the same thing happened. They said it was stuck in 2nd gear, so they have to completely replace the transmission. There were absolutely no warning lights or messages prior to this occurrence. It happened during rush hour so there were a lot of cars out, and I felt as if I lost control of my car. I also had to pull off to the side of an off…
Jul 1, 2026Electrical system › Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was determined that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 0. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The document from the dealer indicated that the mileage was 488. The vehicle was a used rental vehicle prior to the purchase. The contact determined that the actual mileage was 1,060. The contact called the attorney general and Penn DOT regarding odometer fraud.
Jan 26, 2026 · 1,060 miles
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
