KIA Sportage Structure Problems
Owners have filed 276 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the KIA Sportage across 29 model years. The 2000 model year has the most (31). The words owners use most often: “frame rusted” (6% of reports).
- 276structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 16mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 55%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Frame rusted: mentioned in 16 of 276 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 135 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 276 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 16 an injury.
KIA Sportage structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sportage | 4 | 15% | — |
| 2025 Sportage | 5 | 9% | 21,000 |
| 2024 Sportage | 8 | 11% | — |
| 2023 Sportage | 5 | 3% | 29,000 |
| 2021 Sportage | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Sportage | 10 | 6% | 4,450 |
| 2019 Sportage | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2018 Sportage | 6 | 4% | — |
| 2017 Sportage | 24 | 6% | 59,350 |
| 2016 Sportage | 4 | 3% | 44,100 |
| 2015 Sportage | 2 | 1% | 8,000 |
| 2014 Sportage | 3 | 2% | 15,950 |
| 2013 Sportage | 6 | 2% | 21,300 |
| 2012 Sportage | 4 | 1% | 48,950 |
| 2011 Sportage | 5 | 3% | 41,361 |
| 2010 Sportage | 1 | 5% | 156,550 |
| 2009 Sportage | 4 | 5% | 90,000 |
| 2008 Sportage | 13 | 13% | 117,000 |
| 2007 Sportage | 4 | 5% | 85,000 |
| 2006 Sportage | 6 | 5% | 99,700 |
| 2005 Sportage | 8 | 12% | 118,000 |
| 2002 Sportage | 23 | 10% | 89,100 |
| 2001 Sportage | 24 | 11% | 95,502 |
| 2000 Sportage | 31 | 10% | 107,033 |
| 1999 Sportage | 29 | 10% | 100,198 |
| 1998 Sportage | 26 | 9% | 122,500 |
| 1997 Sportage | 10 | 6% | — |
| 1996 Sportage | 3 | 5% | — |
| 1995 Sportage | 5 | 9% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Model years: 2023, 2024
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
Risk: A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the roof molding and replace or secure it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC292.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
I was involved in a rollover accident and the driver's side door opened during the accident. Had I not been wearing my seatbelt, I would have been ejected from the vehicle.
I purchased a used 2024 Kia Sportage EX Gas that showed signs of trim peel at 5,000 miles. My extended warranty said they do not cover trim. I noticed multiple cars in our parking lot experiencing the same issues on 2024 or older models. In addition, the low gas indicator does not appear on the…
Severe structural manufacturing defect in my 2021 Kia Sportage. A physical hole has formed in the floorboard on the driver side directly next to the pedals, creating an immediate risk of a catastrophic accident. The vehicle also has chronic failure of the air conditioning system, documented by…
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while performing a normal inspection on the vehicle, the body side molding from the front to the rear on the passengerâs side of the roof had detached. The contact stated that the driver's side of the vehicle had started to detach from…
Frequently asked questions
Do all KIA Sportages have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 276 owner complaints about structure for the KIA Sportage. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the KIA Sportage structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about structure problems on the KIA Sportage?
The most frequent phrase is “frame rusted”, in 16 of 276 complaints.
Other KIA Sportage problems
See all KIA Sportage problems.