1995 KIA Sportage Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportage years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 25th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 KIA Sportage. That ranks 25th out of 31 Sportage model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (14 complaints, 25%), typically at around 111,500 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 56owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1995 KIA Sportage problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 25% | 111,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 11 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1995 KIA Sportage recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Owner notification began december 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Suspension:rear
Problem: The nuts attaching the rear axle bearing oil seal retainers and brake backing plates to the rear axle housing may be under- torqued causing these units to loosen or fall off.
Risk: This condition can cause (1) oil leakage into the rear brake and onto the brake linings; (2) rear brake damage from the axle nutsfalling into the rear brake drums; or (3) separation of the rear wheel/axleshaft from the vehicle resulting in an increased potential for a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and retorque the rear axle bearing oil seal retainer nuts.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Safety belt buckle malfunction (PE02051) — opened Jun 17, 2002, closed Sep 20, 2002, led to recall 02V216000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph the engine locked causing lose of power. There is a special campaign #011, regarding the catalytic converter. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the campaign; however it is not included in the campaign due to the vin.
Vehicle stalled. It died in traffic everyday. Consumer stated he was afraid of being involved in a collision.*ak
While driving left rear wheel came off. Axle bearing oil seal retaining nut was missing. *ak
Consumer states while crossing a bridge the rear axle and tire flew off, consumer was able to keep control and come to a stop. Towed to a mechanic, and mechanic stated that the differentral needs replacing. Please provide any further information. Mr
While driving 45mph fumes come through the vents. *ak
Other KIA Sportage years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sportage | 27 | 1 |
| 2025 Sportage | 54 | 1 |
| 2024 Sportage | 73 | 3 |
| 2023 Sportage | 192 | 6 |
| 2022 Sportage | 46 | 1 |
| 2021 Sportage | 54 | 2 |
| 2020 Sportage | 162 | 2 |
| 2019 Sportage | 70 | 2 |
| 2018 Sportage | 164 | 3 |
| 2017 Sportage | 401 | 4 |
| 2016 Sportage | 134 | 2 |
| 2015 Sportage | 146 | 2 |
| 2014 Sportage | 124 | 3 |
| 2013 Sportage | 381 | 3 |
| 2012 Sportage | 392 | 5 |
| 2011 Sportage | 181 | 6 |
| 2010 Sportage | 20 | 2 |
| 2009 Sportage | 80 | 3 |
| 2008 Sportage | 98 | 3 |
| 2007 Sportage | 77 | 2 |
| 2006 Sportage | 111 | 1 |
| 2005 Sportage | 68 | 3 |
| 2003 Sportage | 4 | 0 |
| 2002 Sportage | 234 | 1 |
| 2001 Sportage | 228 | 0 |
| 2000 Sportage | 304 | 2 |
| 1999 Sportage | 284 | 3 |
| 1998 Sportage | 303 | 3 |
| 1997 Sportage | 181 | 3 |
| 1996 Sportage | 57 | 3 |
| 1995 | 56 | 2 |
See all KIA Sportage problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1995 KIA Sportage?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, seat belts, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1995 KIA Sportage?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1995 KIA Sportage a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sportage model years, the 1995 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.