Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 22% | 1,000 miles |
| 2025 | 15 | 28% | 18,000 miles |
| 2024 | 14 | 19% | 19,000 miles |
| 2023 | 45 | 23% | 23,000 miles |
| 2022 | 8 | 17% | 97,000 miles |
| 2021 | 6 | 11% | 70,000 miles |
| 2020 | 19 | 12% | 13,000 miles |
| 2019 | 11 | 15% | 12,000 miles |
| 2018 | 29 | 18% | 9,000 miles |
| 2017 | 62 | 15% | 60,000 miles |
| 2016 | 17 | 13% | 60,000 miles |
| 2015 | 18 | 12% | 42,000 miles |
| 2014 | 8 | 6% | 121,000 miles |
| 2013 | 22 | 6% | 87,000 miles |
| 2012 | 29 | 7% | 84,000 miles |
| 2011 | 38 | 21% | 83,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2009 | 18 | 23% | 91,000 miles |
| 2008 | 27 | 28% | 90,000 miles |
| 2007 | 13 | 17% | 80,000 miles |
| 2006 | 22 | 20% | 80,000 miles |
| 2005 | 8 | 12% | 26,000 miles |
| 2002 | 16 | 7% | 59,000 miles |
| 2001 | 23 | 10% | 40,000 miles |
| 2000 | 32 | 11% | 65,000 miles |
| 1999 | 41 | 14% | 71,000 miles |
| 1998 | 47 | 16% | 89,000 miles |
| 1997 | 21 | 12% | 61,000 miles |
| 1996 | 7 | 12% | 0 miles |
| 1995 | 8 | 14% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the instrument panel intermittently flashed on and off while driving at various speeds. In addition, the contact stated that while at a complete stop, the speedometer indicated erroneous speeds. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the dealer failed to duplicate or diagnose the cause of the failure. The contact also stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact continued driving, and the headlights turned off with an unknown message flashing on the instrument panel. The contact had taken several pictures and installed a camera in the vehicle to document the failures. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was eventually provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was determined that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 0. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The document from the dealer indicated that the mileage was 488. The vehicle was a used rental vehicle prior to the purchase. The contact determined that the actual mileage was 1,060. The contact called the attorney general and Penn DOT regarding odometer fraud.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine experienced difficulty cranking. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The contact stated that the engine revved up, but the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The Auto START/STOP light was orange. The contact was concerned about a possible disintegration of the transmission after a friend alerted him of a similar failure. The contact called the local dealer and left a message. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the rear-view camera had become inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was initially unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was later diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was with the radio and the camera. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The manufacturer denied the buyback request. The failure mileage was approximately 10.
Sudden Unintended Acceleration - 2024 Kia Sportage - Safety Hazard. Incident Date: April 18, 2026. Location: Parking lot. While pulling into a parking space at low speed, I brought the vehicle to a complete stop with my foot on the brake. Immediately after stopping, the vehicle suddenly and forcefully accelerated forward on its own without my foot on the accelerator. I was actively pressing the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and continued to accelerate. The acceleration was strong enough that the vehicle jumped over the parking bumper with both front tires and struck a fixed post. Even after impact with the post, the vehicle continued to push forward as if still accelerating, until it hit another barrier and finally came to a stop. At no time did I press the accelerator pedal. The vehicle's behavior felt completely uncontrolled and unsafe. …
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, or while the vehicle was parked, the engine intermittently hesitated and the vehicle almost shut off. The contact stated that the START/STOP button was depressed to shut off the vehicle; however, the button became inoperable. The vehicle was turned off and restarted to resume normal operation. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,700.
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. …
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane Assist, seat belt, and several other warning lights illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had reoccurred. Additionally, the contact stated that he was unable to start the vehicle and had contacted the manufacturer who advised the contact to have the vehicle towed to another dealer. The contact stated that he recharged the battery prior to the vehicle being towed and the tow truck driver was able to start the vehicle. The second dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a onetime failure and had not reoccurred. …
Related recalls (6)
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.
Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026.
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.
Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The alternator battery positive terminal nut may loosen, which can result in an engine stall or an electrical surge.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the alternator battery positive terminal nut, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 23, 2022.
Electrical system › Wiring
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured August 9, 2007, to May 13, 2009. The wire harness cover on the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may be improperly sealed allowing water to get onto the HECU circuit board.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector pins for corrosion, if no corrosion is found, the connector cover will be replaced.
Electrical system
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicle. These vehicles were distributed with owners manuals with an incorrect jump start diagram. The written instructions for jump starting are accurate. However, the diagram depicts the jumper cables attached to the wrong polarity terminals.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with an adhesive label with the correct illustration to permanently affix to their respective owners manuals.
Show 1 more recall
Electrical system › Wiring
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The wires connected to the c123 and c124 connectors can be put under tension by movement of the engine, thus pulling the wires and connectors, loosening them and resulting in a loss of circuit continuity.
Remedy: Dealers will install spring clips to lock the connectors together. In addition, the dealers will be instructed to solder a splice in the wire harness.
NHTSA investigations
Check engine light stays on
A monthly Technical Times published by Kia and distributed to dealer technicians identifying a wiring harness problem that could cause connectors C123 and C124 to pull apart slightly during engine load changes.This could lead to erratic or tempory loss
Engine stalling post-recall
Rq02-013 was opened to assess the scope and adequacy of recall 99v-325, which involved modifications to the engine fuel injection wire harness (harness).vehicles produced after the recall population have shown no signs of a defect trend.the majority of recall remedy failures identified were repaired within one day of the initial work.subsequent failure experience is minimal (249/55,548 vehicles remedied).field data…
Incorrect battery jump-start
Allege battety May explode if owner's attempt to jump-state the vehicle by following the owner's manual diagram
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sportage years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (62), 1998 (47), 2023 (45), 1999 (41) and 2011 (38) model years. Electrical complaints make up 15% of all complaints for the 2017.
Is there a recall for Kia Sportage electrical problems?
Yes — 6 recalls, including 26V-046 (instrument cluster/panel, Jan 26, 2026); 23V-298 (instrument cluster/panel, Apr 26, 2023); 22V-651 (alternator/generator/regulator, Aug 29, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Kia Sportage electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the wiring (36 mentions), followed by the ignition (26).
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.