Collision Avoidance complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was stopped in the left hand turn lane, then accelerated to cross 2 lanes of traffic. I then let off the accelerator, and applied the brakes to stop, and the brakes did not function. I then rear ended a vehicle in front of me due to the intermittent loss of brakes. It may have also been the propulsion system kept going. Either way the vehicle maintained the same speed of about 15mph until I collided with the vehicle in front of me which stopped me. The brakes worked fine again after the collision. There also was no Forward Collision Avoidance system that was triggered in any way. This vehicle is a Rental Car.
Comparing this 2026 KIA Sportage to what I have in the garage with 2019 Lexus RX 350, 2018 MB E300, and 2021 Honda CRV, the front collison of this KIA does not work as it should. If I keep moving the vehicles toward a car, the collision avoidance should give me a warning an brakes for me, however, this 2026 KIA Sportage does not respond at all. In addition, in order for the front sensors on the bumper to work, I need to press on the brake. The dealer said that there is nothing with this system and there is no way to prove it unless I ram into another car.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly shifted gears, causing a slight jerk before accelerating. The instrument panel frequently displayed codes advising the driver to "Turn Off the Engine." While driving approximately 45-50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The instrument panel displayed a message advising the contact to "Check Your Surroundings". When the contact attempted to depress the accelerator, the vehicle failed to respond. Upon releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle coasted, and the failure reoccurred several times. The contact safely coasted to the side of the road, restarted the vehicle, and the failure was temporarily resolved. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
On Monday, Dec 15 at approximately 3:30 pm I was pulling into my parking spot in front of my house. The vehicle suddenly revved loudly and shot forward striking a tree in my front yard. If not for the tree would have ended up in the kitchen. When parking I do not have to apply gas once I enter the lot as I can drift into the spot. I barely have to brake to stop the vehicle. The steering wheel airbag deployed, fortunately no serious injuries. The passenger front end was pretty much gone and two big branches were sheared off at ground level. Police responded, report #[redacted] Sheriff office. Vehicle is due to get to the body shop today or tomorrow. Fortunately this happened where it did as if it had been in traffic or around people it could have been very serious. This was also reported to Kia.
hello , my mom was driving . she had all the lane driving assist systems on. the driving assist , lane assist, forward collision assist, lane keeping assist, & cruise control. it had started to rain my mom tried to move over to the middle lane the steer wheel would not let her it pulled her back as if someone was on the side of her but it wasnt it then started driving by itself. the car started malfunctioning , it toke control my mom tried to get a hold of the wheel but the power assit would not let her. it then turned by itself and drove straight into a mountain. we hit it head on with no warning. we then flipped 5 times and landed upside down. the door and windows did not work we were trapped. the power was completely out in the car. my insurance company has inspected it and states that they think the car malfunctioned. …
Description of Crash: On [redacted], I was involved in a front-end collision while driving my 2024 Kia Sportage. Despite the impact, the airbags did not deploy. Additionally, the Forward Collision Assistance system did not engage or warn me prior to the crash, even though conditions were normal and the system was active. Safety Concern: The airbags and collision assistance are federally regulated safety systems. Their failure put me and any potential passengers at serious risk. I am very concerned this indicates a defect in the airbag and/or collision avoidance system. Damage/Injuries: My front end of my vehicle is completely destroyed, and so is my engine. As for myself I am experiencing some soreness and discomfort Requested Action: I request that Kia and NHTSA investigate this failure as a potential safety defect. …
I was parked in a spot outside the Service Department of John Kennedy Ford, waiting for my son, who was getting his car serviced. I couldn't see the door of the Service Department, so I decided to move to a position in which I could see my son exit the Department. I put the car into Reverse to exit the spot and it accelerated at an uncontrollable rate of speed backwards, striking two cars parked outside the Service Department, pushing them into other vehicles in the parking area. I put the car into drive to pull away from the cars I impacted and the car accelerated at an uncontrollable rate of speed forwards, striking a curb in front of the showroom, causing my car to veer into two new cars on the lot, sideswiping the last car and veering my car into a lamppost along The Fairway. The collision caused my car to stop, causing the Driver airbag to deploy. …
I was involved in a motor vehicle collision where my vehicle sustained significant front-end damage and was later declared a total loss by my insurance company. Despite the severity of the impact, the front airbags did not deploy. The impact was primarily to the front of the vehicle, and the damage required extensive repairs, exceeding the threshold for a total loss. I was wearing my seatbelt at the time of the crash. The failure of the airbag system to deploy raised serious safety concerns, as airbags are intended to provide occupant protection in frontal crashes of this nature. I experienced physical discomfort after the incident and believe the lack of airbag deployment increased the risk of injury. There were no warning lights or messages related to the airbag or restraint system prior to the crash. The vehicle had not shown any prior airbag or safety system faults. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sportage years have collision avoidance problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2023 (34), 2025 (13), 2024 (11), 2020 (8) and 2026 (8) model years. Collision Avoidance complaints make up 18% of all complaints for the 2023.
Is there a recall for Kia Sportage collision avoidance problems?
No. NHTSA lists no driver assistance recall for any Kia Sportage model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Kia Sportage collision avoidance problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 18,000 miles; 78% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the warnings (44 mentions), followed by the automatic emergency braking (34).
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.