KIA Sportage Visibility Problems
Owners have filed 182 complaints with NHTSA about visibility problems on the KIA Sportage across 26 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (27). The words owners use most often: “windshield wipers” (9% of reports).
- 182visibility complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 40%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.
- Windshield wipers: mentioned in 17 of 182 complaints (9%)
- Sunroof exploded: mentioned in 10 of 182 complaints (5%)
- Power windows: mentioned in 10 of 182 complaints (5%)
- Heard loud: mentioned in 10 of 182 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do visibility problems happen?
Based on 51 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 182 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 5 an injury.
KIA Sportage visibility complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Sportage | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2024 Sportage | 5 | 7% | 36,663 |
| 2023 Sportage | 7 | 4% | — |
| 2022 Sportage | 3 | 7% | 42,000 |
| 2021 Sportage | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Sportage | 3 | 2% | 30,000 |
| 2018 Sportage | 1 | 1% | 15,000 |
| 2017 Sportage | 5 | 1% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Sportage | 2 | 1% | 70,025 |
| 2015 Sportage | 1 | 1% | 2,000 |
| 2014 Sportage | 4 | 3% | 4,500 |
| 2013 Sportage | 1 | 0% | 8,000 |
| 2012 Sportage | 4 | 1% | 5,275 |
| 2011 Sportage | 4 | 2% | 71,010 |
| 2008 Sportage | 2 | 2% | 34,500 |
| 2007 Sportage | 1 | 1% | 12,000 |
| 2006 Sportage | 7 | 6% | 72,500 |
| 2005 Sportage | 3 | 4% | 5,976 |
| 2002 Sportage | 15 | 6% | 11,689 |
| 2001 Sportage | 17 | 7% | 35,488 |
| 2000 Sportage | 23 | 8% | 52,000 |
| 1999 Sportage | 27 | 10% | 117,500 |
| 1998 Sportage | 27 | 9% | 28,450 |
| 1997 Sportage | 9 | 5% | — |
| 1996 Sportage | 2 | 4% | — |
| 1995 Sportage | 7 | 13% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility for the KIA Sportage. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the glass panel between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof exploded, causing glass to fall into the vehicle. The dealer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 44,800.
I had gotten my windshield replaced by safelite last year. On a cold day while driving to work, I went to adjust my rearview mirror and the rearview mirror came off from the windshield. It completely detached. I was adjusting it as I would any other time I adjusted the rear view mirror. This…
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof exploded. The contact stated that there was no evidence of an impact on the sunroof glass. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to a…
The sunroof shattered while driving without any sort of impact.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an explosion and observed that the moon roof glass had shattered, sending glass down into the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all KIA Sportages have visibility problems?
No. NHTSA has 182 owner complaints about visibility 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 visibility?
No recall currently lists visibility for this vehicle.
What do owners say about visibility problems on the KIA Sportage?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield wipers”, in 17 of 182 complaints, followed by “sunroof exploded” (10).
Other KIA Sportage problems
- Engine problems (1,506)
- Electrical System problems (630)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (480)
- Power Train problems (457)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (429)
- Air Bags problems (293)
- Structure problems (276)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (266)
See all KIA Sportage problems.