Most common 2012 Kia Sportage problems
Share of the 392 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Sportage complaints by model year
Best Sportage years: 2019, 2014. Years to avoid: 2023, 2025, 2017, 2024, 2012. Compare all years →
2012 Kia Sportage recalls (5)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge.
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge.
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Kia Sportage vehicles. The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will replace the oil pressure switch with an improved one, free of charge. In addition, dealers will inspect the oil pan for any oil leaks, replacing it if necessary, free of charge.
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2012 Kia Sportage:
Scope and Timeliness
NHTSA opened Recall Query (RQ) 17-003 to investigate the timeliness and scope of Kia?s Theta II GDI engine recall (Recall No. 17V-224), and Kia?s compliance with reporting requirements. On November 23, 2020, the Agency entered into a Consent Order with Kia to administratively resolve NHTSA?s assertions of violations of law in connection with RQ17-003.
Engine Fires
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021.
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando.
What 2012 Kia Sportage owners say
Engine & cooling all 330 →
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact's husband arrived on the scene and attempted to jumpstart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who performed an unknown repair. The contact later replaced the battery; however, the failure recurred. Upon investigation, the contact was made aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the dealer declined to perform the recall repair due to the previous owner's failure to keep up with routine maintenance and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. …
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys, where it was diagnosed that the speed sensor had failed. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the speed sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer determined that the contact qualified for a free engine replacement; however, the part was not available. The contact stated that the vehicle remained at the dealer for 6 months. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Electrical system all 29 →
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the engine seized. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had seized and the starter was damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The dealer sent a diagnostic report to the manufacturer; however, the manufacturer declined to cover the repair of the vehicle. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which he associated with the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle started to stall. The contact depressed the brake pedal, stopped, and parked the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The contact shifted into neutral and pushed the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart upon attempting to jumpstart vehicle with the assistance of a friend. The vehicle was towed to the Mazda dealer where it was purchased. The dealer diagnosed that the engine, the starter, the battery, and unknown parts needed to be replaced. The Kia dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 21 →
I was driving eastbound in my 2012 Kia Sportage on I-82 just past Benton City MP97 at about 11AM on Monday June 22, 2026, when my engine knocked twice, the red check engine light came on, and I lost power. I pulled over off the road next to a concrete barrier that was beside a rock roadcut. My flashers would not operate, I put it into park, turned off the ignition and immediately noticed the smell of burning oil or rubber. I had 2 half gallon containers of water on my front seat, so I popped the switch, lifted the hood, used the prop rod to hold the hood up as I started dowsing the flames that were popping up on the passenger side of my engine compartment near the firewall. After using both half gallons, I ran to the rear of the vehicle, opened the hatchback, and grabbed a gallon spray bottle of water and brought that back around to the front of the vehicle. …
Was driving suv when sudden loss of power to engine, pulled off of highway and loss all power to electrical and to engine, I could smell something burning, upon further inspection after having suv towed to repair shop, I was informed that starter had melted and engine had seized up, I have contacted Kia dealership 3 times with no response from them, I also contacted Kia corp and no response, I also notified the BBB, I know there was a lifetime engine repair of this vehicle and some recall on bearings, I did have knock sensor done as required, I am looking for help in filing a complaint and copies of any recalls that were ever issued to this vehicle, I do not get recall notices sent to me, I own 4 cars, all Kia, other 3 not having issues yet, any help would be appreciated. Consumer stated the warranty has expired, but never received any notices of recalls.
2012 Kia Sportage engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Kia Sportage a good car?
Based on 392 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Sportage rates avoid: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sportage at the same age. It is one of the Sportage years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Kia Sportage?
The engine & cooling — 330 complaints, 84% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (29) and transmission & drivetrain (21).
How many recalls does the 2012 Kia Sportage have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2012 Kia Sportage, the most recent from September 25, 2023 (control unit/module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Sportage?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2025, 2017, 2024 and 2012. See the full Kia Sportage years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Kia Sportage problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 98,000 miles; 13% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.