Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 15% | — |
| 2025 | 5 | 9% | 25,000 miles |
| 2024 | 8 | 11% | — |
| 2023 | 5 | 3% | 29,000 miles |
| 2021 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2020 | 10 | 6% | 7,000 miles |
| 2019 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2018 | 6 | 4% | — |
| 2017 | 24 | 6% | 61,000 miles |
| 2016 | 4 | 3% | 53,000 miles |
| 2015 | 2 | 1% | 8,000 miles |
| 2014 | 3 | 2% | 32,000 miles |
| 2013 | 6 | 2% | 21,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 1% | 92,000 miles |
| 2011 | 5 | 3% | 58,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 5% | 157,000 miles |
| 2009 | 4 | 5% | 90,000 miles |
| 2008 | 13 | 13% | 144,000 miles |
| 2007 | 4 | 5% | 85,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 5% | 100,000 miles |
| 2005 | 8 | 12% | 119,000 miles |
| 2002 | 23 | 10% | 89,000 miles |
| 2001 | 24 | 11% | 100,000 miles |
| 2000 | 31 | 10% | 113,000 miles |
| 1999 | 29 | 10% | 100,000 miles |
| 1998 | 26 | 9% | 175,000 miles |
| 1997 | 10 | 6% | — |
| 1996 | 3 | 5% | — |
| 1995 | 5 | 9% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
A door lock malfunction occurred involving the front driver-side door. The vehicle would not unlock or open using the key fob. Multiple attempts were made to unlock the vehicle, but the driver door remained locked and unresponsive. At the time of the incident, a child was secured inside the vehicle in a child safety seat. Access to the vehicle through the driver-side door was not possible. Access was ultimately gained by going to the passenger side, where a window was open, allowing entry to unlock the vehicle from the inside. If the window had been closed, access would not have been possible. Safety Concern This issue presents a serious safety risk because it can prevent immediate access to an occupant inside the vehicle. In emergency situations (such as extreme weather or medical distress), this type of failure could result in injury or worse.
I bought the car with 9 miles on it, and when I tried to use the windshield washer, it didn't work! I took it to the dealer, and they refused to fix it! They said the car was infested with mice and that it was my problem!!! The car is made with defective materials! All hoses and foam in the car are made from soy beans!! That is rat and mouse food!!!
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while inspecting inside the vehicle, the contact saw a rodent on top of the air cabin filter, and there were pieces missing from the air cabin filter due to rodent damage. A dealer was contacted. The contact was informed by the dealer that there was a hole between the engine compartment and the passenger's compartment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,000.
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 passenger's side of the roof had detached. The contact stated that the driver's side of the vehicle had started to detach from the rear. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
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 infotainment system after the Kia Connect expired despite gas being as low as 32 miles projected (avg. 24 mpg normal range). The Sportage lane assists yellow indicator comes on sporadically when changing lanes without or with the turn signal on. The steering assist will turn off when you go through a intersection and is not reliable enough to even turn on as it will give you a false sense of protection and intimately turn off.
The sunroof exploded all of the sudden. I was driving on the I-675 highway toward Wright-Patt Air Force Base and the sunroof exploded, barely maintained vehicle control. The shattered glass hit my head and my child legs. Some glass sand enter my eye. I manage to pulled over and check my car interior for any strange/outside object but there was no external object, nothing. Called the police, they also inspect the vehicle and found nothing. I'm very concerned about this, could cost our lives. Drop the car at the dealership and they said that definitively was a manufacturing defect.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the passenger's side roof molding was missing from the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was determined that the roof molding needed to be replaced; however, he had to pay for the repair out-of-pocket. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
There are several spots on the front grill, around lights, bumper and other front end pieces that have bubbling, flaking, peeling chrome and paint. There are at least 20 paint chips all the way to the fenders in the front. This vehicle does not travel on gravel roads.
Related recalls (1)
Structure › Body › Roof and pillars
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
Remedy: 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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sportage years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (31), 1999 (29), 1998 (26), 2001 (24) and 2017 (24) model years. Body complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Kia Sportage body problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 24V-025 (roof and pillars, Jan 18, 2024). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Kia Sportage body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles; 24% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (148 mentions), followed by the body › door (39).
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.