1996 KIA Sportage Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportage years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 24th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 KIA Sportage. That ranks 24th out of 31 Sportage model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (14 complaints, 25%). Complaints mention 12 crashes, 3 fires, 27 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 57owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 14 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 19% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 16% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 14% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 12% | 32 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 KIA Sportage recalls (3)
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.
Latches/locks/linkages:hatchback/liftgate:lock
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A microswitch on the rear hatch lock cylinder can malfunction causing the power door locks to unlock inadvertently.
Risk: Should this occur, security from unwanted intrusion into the vehicle is lost.
Fix: Dealers will modify the rear hatch door unlock circuit.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: The accelerator pedal assembly could bind or stick during operation.
Risk: This condition can cause the accelerator to hold the throttle partially open, resulting in loss of vehicle control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will replace the accelerator pedal assembly.
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
- Fuel tank leakage (EA06007) — opened May 9, 2006, closed Nov 30, 2007.
- 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.
Consumer was traveling at 25 mph in foggy conditions when suddenly she lost sight of the road and proceeded to strike a tree head on. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy.*ak
The rear seat belt on the passenger's side will not release. *ak
The passenger side door speaker caught on fire while listening to the radio . Fortunately my wife was able to put the fire out with her jacket. The fire burned part of the door panel. *jb
Received recall 02 v 216 000 concerning front seat belts, but rear seat belt failed in this vehicle. Dealership was not replacing the rear seat belt under the recall remedy.*ak
When vehicle was shifted into reverse it experienced sudden acceleration and hit another vehicle. Dealer determined that throttle pedal was stuck, causing vehicle to accelerate without applying pressure to the pedal. *ak
Other KIA Sportage years
← 1995 Sportage · 1997 Sportage →
| 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 | 57 | 3 |
| 1995 Sportage | 56 | 2 |
See all KIA Sportage problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 KIA Sportage?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 KIA Sportage?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 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 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.