Problems · NHTSA complaints

2024 Kia Sportage problems

Owners filed 75 complaints about the 2024 Kia Sportage with NHTSA between Oct 2023 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (16).

Complaints
75
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system16
  2. Engine11
  3. Forward collision avoidance10
  4. Structure8
  5. Visibility/wiper7
  6. Service brakes6
  7. Visibility5
  8. Lane departure4
  9. Power train4
  10. Fuel/propulsion system4
  11. Air bags4
  12. Steering4
  13. Vehicle speed control4
  14. Exterior lighting2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20232
202418
202533
202622

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

16 reports1 crash
“1. COMPONENT & INSPECTION: Electrical System / CAN-Bus network architecture and gateway modules. The vehicle and parts are available for inspection upon request. 2. SAFETY RISK: The CAN-bus drops communication while driving at road speeds. Critical safety systems—including Forward Collision-Avoidance, Blind-Spot Monitors, and Electronic Stability Control—instantly shut down mid-trip. Losing active stability and driver assists while moving on public highways poses an immediate, severe crash hazard to myself and others. 3. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Yes. An authorized Kia dealer scanned the vehicle and confirmed multiple logged historical network communication error codes (U-codes), verifying a system-wide network failure. 4. OTHER INSPECTIONS: Inspected only by the Kia dealer technician. However, because the failure is intermittent, the dealer simply cleared the fault codes and released the vehicle without performing physical diagnostics or repairs. Kia America Corporate opened a consumer case but has since ghosted all communication. No police or insurance inspections have occurred yet as a crash has not yet happened. 5. WARNING LAMPS & FIRST APPEARANCE: No advance…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Electrical system, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11772602

Engine

11 reports
“The vehicle experiences an intermittent, severe safety malfunction tied to the Idle Stop & Go (ISG) auto-stop system. When brought to a complete stop at intersections or red lights, the engine shuts off normally to conserve fuel. However, when releasing the brake pedal, the engine completely fails to auto-restart and stalls out in live traffic. The vehicle locks up, flashes an error message on the instrument cluster instructing the driver to shift to Park or Neutral to restart, and requires a hard manual key cycle to get the vehicle moving again. This intermittent defect has occurred over the past year, creating an extreme hazard for rear-end collisions in high-traffic intersections. The component is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle was presented to an authorized dealership on October 21, 2026, at 31,985 miles specifically for this stalling defect. The technician documented the complaint on the Repair Order but was unable to duplicate the stalling during a brief road test, noting that values were within factory specifications at that moment and taking no repair action. The manufacturer has not yet issued a recall or permanent remedy for this…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11772752

Forward collision avoidance

10 reports3 crashes
“I am reporting a concern regarding the Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking systems on my 2024 Kia Sportage SX Prestige. I have been attempting to understand the operating behavior of the vehicle’s FCA system using cardboard boxes as targets. I conducted observations at very low speeds (approximately 5 mph) as well as at approximately 30 mph. During these observations, the vehicle did not provide a forward collision warning or automatic braking at distances at which I expected the system to recognize a potential collision. I have not intentionally caused a collision or placed a person or another vehicle in danger. I am uncertain whether this behavior represents normal FCA operating limitations, the use of an inappropriate target, or a malfunction or calibration issue. I am therefore reporting the concern rather than asserting that a defect has been established. I am also uncertain what diagnostic or functional validation procedure Kia provides for this system. I have been able to find information regarding radar alignment, camera calibration, and diagnostic fault checking, but I have not been able to determine whether Kia provides dealers…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 24, 2026Forward collision avoidanceODI 11758974

Structure

8 reports1 related recall
“On XXX, while driving my 2024 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige on [XXX] after exiting XXX, traveling west toward [XXX], the panoramic moonroof glass suddenly shattered without warning. It sounded like a gunshot going off very loudly inside the vehicle and badly startled both me and my service dog. The glass had no known prior damage, nothing had been placed on it, and I did not see or hear anything strike it. I pulled over and found the panoramic glass extensively shattered, with thousands of small fragments and areas of glass missing. I saw no evidence of an external impact. I received a superficial cut to my finger from a glass fragment; no medical attention was required. The interior sunshade was closed and prevented the shattered glass above it from falling directly onto me and my service dog. Glass fragments were still found inside the vehicle after the repair was completed. Multiple photographs document the extensive damage. The moonroof was repaired through insurance, but no cause for the sudden glass failure was identified. Kia America opened Case #XXX, escalated the matter for additional review, and requested post-incident photographs and incident details,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2026Structure, Unknown or other, Visibility/wiperODI 11769349

Visibility/wiper

7 reports
“6” Snow ice storm & negative degree temps 12/13/25 used heated windshield deicer. On 12/15 driving to work on a country road no other traffic, heard pop cracking noise above my head checked sunroof snow ice melting no visible cracks thought noise from thawing ice. Parked vehicle in my home garage while I went out of town. Returned home 12/22 found large crack origination point in front windshield originating in glass down the middle of rear view mirror sensor housing black box mounted on inner windshield the crack spans from top middle to bottom of black box glass over to right center half of windshield. Believe this is a manufacture defect design flaw low quality integrity of glass weaker than standard glass making it more susceptible to temperature changes or minor impact. Entire crack feels smooth interior exterior glass as if the crack is in the inner layers of glass windshield. Due to multi complaints & prior class action lawsuit regarding manufacture defect of KIA windshields I am reporting my complaint as it is quite similar to others complaints, issues & lawsuits. The massive crack in windshield is a driving safety hazard & a manufacture defect that…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2025Visibility/wiperODI 11706746

Service brakes

6 reports2 crashes
“•12,000 Miles: Front rotors required complete replacement. •21,000 Miles: Front rotors failed and required replacement a second time. •28,000 Miles: Front seat cushion required repair due to material separation. •34,000 Miles: Front rotors failed and required replacement a third time. •51,000 Miles: Front rotors failed and required replacement a fourth time. •51,000 Miles: Complete transmission replacement required due to severe shifting difficulties.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2026Power train, Service brakesODI 11748096
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.