Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2017 | 3 | 1% | 57,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 1% | 20,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 0% | 71,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 1% | 180,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 15% | 83,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 4% | 57,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2007 | 5 | 6% | 165,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 4% | 89,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 4% | 108,000 miles |
| 2002 | 9 | 4% | 130,000 miles |
| 2001 | 9 | 4% | 20,000 miles |
| 2000 | 7 | 2% | 58,000 miles |
| 1999 | 17 | 6% | 69,000 miles |
| 1998 | 8 | 3% | 157,000 miles |
| 1997 | 6 | 3% | 119,000 miles |
| 1996 | 8 | 14% | 79,000 miles |
| 1995 | 11 | 20% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I own a 2017 Kia Sportage EX with the factory Snow White Pearl paint finish. The vehicle has been well maintained and has not been involved in an accident or collision. The factory paint on the trunk is peeling and delaminating from the vehicle. The white paint is separating completely from the surface, exposing the silver/gray layer underneath. The condition appears to be a failure of the factory paint/coating system rather than damage caused by an accident, collision, or external impact. I contacted Kia Customer Care to report the issue. I was initially told that this was the first time they had heard of this type of problem. Kia required me to open a case and have the vehicle inspected. However, I was subsequently advised that Kia was unlikely to cover the repair costs and that pursuing the matter further might not be worthwhile. …
Automatic transmission intermittently, slipping gears but seems to resolve on it's own while driving on city streets and highway. Now also intermittently its not shifting gears at all also while driving on city street. Automatic tranny stuck in 4th and unable to manually shift into another gear. The instrument display shows ESP on (electronic stability program) indicator and dbc on (downhill brake control) indicators when stuck in gear. Safety issue as unable to move with normal acceleration, but slow crawl to get out of roadway. Rear seatbelt wont latch when car is stationary.
Inside rider seatbelt is frayed bad, when on it is across chest when not used frayed part is down inside, the Kia garage is blaming a mouse chewed, no way could a mouse get in that tiny place that is only size of a thin paper plate, Kia when I called he hung up on me,if I am in a accident injured or die from this they will be sued, I drove Friday,Saturday and Monday with air on no smell, Tuesday driver said as soon as he got in he couldn't stand the smell ,they said on my copy of service paper they found 2 mice living none dead, but person at garage said he found 1dead, one living, my paper I got from garage says 2 living none dead, this is beside the point for I know and so does garage and Kia mfg. Know there is no way a mouse could get in there and chew, it is fraying like it is catching on very thin space where you get it out. …
I filed a complaint before Kia called and said they would replace seat belt as a courtesy but I would have to pay labor, dealer said a mouse chewed it, I had 2 people look at it and it is frayed, only one, no other seat belt, coat, towels, walmart totes nothing not even the papers that came with car and I am the only one that drives it except for dealership mechanics. I am not paying for something that they know is their fault. I filed in September, and they just called a week ago and today, if you can't help me I will take the matter to the state police for the seatbelt frayed is right across my chest . Nothing happened yet but if I am in a accident I will be hurt
On 12 July 2018 at 0530 am I was driving down county road 26 mankato mn to pickup my semi as I was aproaching 3rd ave stop sign I applied the brakes pedal went to floor I went through intersection slammed into a boulder wall head on at an estimated speed of 40-45mph. Air bags did not deploy,seat belt tensioner broke,wont retract back into holder. After getting car towed can see that the air bag sensor was crushed but no deployment spent 2 days in hospital. Thankfully nothing broke just alot of bruising. Cannot figure out why brakes didnt work ended up using emergency brake to try slowing down impact.
We really do not know what went wrong, we were on route 19 n. At hico,wv and we turned onto a side road,the car sled on the gravel we hit the bank and turned on our side. The air bags did not go off and we couldn't get the seat belts to release so we were trapped in the car.the car was a total loss.
Tl* the contact called on behalf of a client who owned a 2007 Kia Sportage. While the client was traveling 40 MPH on a two lane road, an oncoming vehicle making a left turn was rear ended by another vehicle. As a result, the vehicle that was rear ended was pushed head on into the client's vehicle. The contact stated that the client's vehicle also rolled over several times. The air bags deployed as intended. The client was ejected from the vehicle. The contact stated that the client was wearing the lap and shoulder seat belts at the time, but they failed to work as intended. The client sustained injuries to the left arm and was transported by ambulance to seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The driver's spouse sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. …
Air bag light came on and passenger air bag light was blinking on and off. I took my car to the dealership and was told that there was a material defect in the seat belt tensioner connected to the wiring harness. They said that if I were to get into an accident that my airbags May not deploy. I have the best extended warranty that you can buy and they will not cover the replacement of the wiring harness because it has to do with the safety restraint system. This is absolutely ridiculous and unsafe!!! How is this not a recall when it is a material defect and is directly related to the safety of the vehicle? I have researched online and found that many other people are having the issue of their air bag light being on and little do they know that it's linked to this whole problem. …
Related recalls (2)
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the front safety belt buckles May emit a "click" sound during the buckling process that is similar to the sound emitted when a buckle is being latched, when it is not.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front seat belt buckles. The recall began August 16, 2004. Owners should contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle May "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
Remedy: Owner notification began December 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kia at…
NHTSA investigations
Safety belt buckle malfunction
By letter dated August 25, 2002, Kia advised NHTSA that the subject vehicles will be recalled.specific corrective action to be taken by Kia has not been reported to NHTSA at this time.the safety recall program has been assigned campaign no. 02v-216.
Seat belt buckle false latch/malfunction
Information received and analyzed during this rq disclosed that my 1999 and 2000 Kia sephia and sportage vehicles were equipped with modified versions of the same safety belt latch assembly as those recalled in campaign no. 02v-216.these latch assemblies were identified as type a97.
Seat belt buckle false latch/malfunction
The manufacturer has initiated a safety related campaign to recall the subject vehicles for correction of the seat belt buckle defect.the corrective action is to replace the seat belts/buckles.this safety recall program has been assigned NHTSA campaign no. 04V305.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sportage years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (17), 1995 (11), 2001 (9), 2002 (9) and 1996 (8) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Kia Sportage seat belt problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 04V-305 (buckle assembly, Jun 24, 2004); 02V-216 (buckle assembly, Aug 16, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Kia Sportage seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › buckle assembly (21 mentions), followed by the front › anchorage (16).
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.