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Customers know there’s no reason to spend a lot of money on new SUVs when there are models like the 2022 Kia Sportage on the market. This particular model is set to provide a fun drive with the automaker claiming “ready, set, adventure.” However, not all today’s drivers are having fun. Some of them are finding serious faults with the airbags, engine, and forward collision avoidance system in the SUV.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2022 Kia Sportage
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Engine | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly | |
| Trailer Hitches | |
| Air Bags | |
| Electrical System | |
| Steering | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/odometer:sensor/sending Unit | |
| Seats |
Most Common Problems with the 2022 Kia Sportage
Between January 9 and December 6, 2022, consumers filed a total of 9 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Of these, half recorded crashes and/or fires. One injury was reported.
Airbag issues top the list of complaints, with 2 listed under Airbags and 1 under the electrical system. Two other components that have attracted 2 complaints each are the engine, and forward collision avoidance. In addition to these, the fuel/propulsion system, seats, steering, and trailer hitches each have 1 complaint related to them.
Problems with the Airbags
When an accident occurs, the airbags are the main way to ensure protection. When they fail, people’s lives are instantly put at risk.
An NHTSA complaint from an owner in Maine points out: “I was involved in a highway forward collision accident and the emergency braking, alert, and airbags never went off.”
An owner from Illinois states that she crashed into the car in front of her when the driver stopped abruptly. The forward collision sensor warning light didn’t come on and the airbags didn’t deploy. Luckily no one was injured.
A woman from California wasn’t that lucky. According to the NHTSA complaint, another car T-boned the passenger side of her Kia Sportage while doing more than 55 mph. She was traveling through an intersection at about 10-15 mph at the time.
“The Kia was hit so hard that it rolled 2-3 times before coming to a complete stop. She survived with a few fractured bones, thankfully, but the steering wheel airbag did not deploy ! Every other airbag (driver side, passenger side, rear side) deployed, but not one of the most important ones. We’re not sure if her injuries would have been lessened with that airbag or not, but the car was totaled out by insurance. There were no warning lights or symptoms prior to the crash.”
Forward Collision Avoidance Problems
Both complaints filed under this category involved a crash. We have already mentioned the first under airbags above. The second, from an owner in Illinois, echoes the previous complaint that the warning alert wasn’t activated. He states that “this failed warning system should be recalled.”
Subsequent to this incident, the same Illinois owner experienced related issues with the rearview camera. “This model only has a camera that sits behind the rearview mirror area. It has gone off two times since the accident where it states that the system is disengaged even though it is turned on.” Attempts to trade the vehicle in at “an appropriate trade-in value for another safer vehicle” have been unsuccessful.
Engine Problems
The most serious engine problem is something of a mystery. An owner from Kansas reports that the Kia Sportage caught on fire “without warning.” The side of the house also caught on fire. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. But they were unable to say what caused it, just that it “started from under the hood.”
A complaint from an owner in Indiana is very different, but still relates to the engine that “will not start consistently.” It takes 2-4 attempts to start it and it sputters before it starts. Additionally, the car randomly jerks and/or speeds up while driving. The battery has been inspected twice and so they have ruled out an electrical system issue.
Hitch with the Trailer Hitch Recall
Mid-September 2022, Kia issued an urgent recall for 70,887 vehicles including 2017-2022 Sportage models equipped with the original tow hitch harness. They warn that accumulation of debris and moisture on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board may cause an electrical short. This is a serious safety risk that could result in a fire. The short could occur while the vehicle is parked or driving. So, Kia urges owners to park outside and away from any type of structure.
The hitch is that while dealers will replace the part free of charge, it is still “under development.” An NHTSA complaint from a New Jersey owner on December 6, 2022, states that the parts are still not available. The complaint maintains that “the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.”
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
If you think you have a lemon, did you know that you could sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you? The law makes Kia pay legal fees. The best part is that you may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you. All you need to do is call our Helpline or fill in a contact form and we will assess your problems free of charge.
Complaint Data
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Mar 17, 2023 |
| State | CT |
| Description | My vehicle starting shaking while idling, check engine light came on. Turned car off and went to restart with push button start vehicle just kept cranking for a min and wouldn't start, stopped it and tried again after a min of cranking it started, went to drive had no pick up speed, rom's where all over the place. Transmission feels funny while driving like the car doesn't want to go or shift gears. Electrical components in vehicle touch screen lcdscreen goes black and can't get it to go back on, turn car off and still doesn't come back on, forward collision goes off when nothing around and starts braking, warning light for back passenger tail light goes on and tail light works fine. Tried to get into the dealer but they have no loaner vehicles or appts for a couple weeks. |
| Category | Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly |
| Date | Feb 06, 2023 |
| State | OK |
| Description | I was driving at 65 mph highway speed heading east on colorado highway 36 when my sunroof exploded. I pulled off the highway on to the shoulder of the road and looked to see that the sunroof glass on my vehicle had shattered in an upward displacement. Literally looked like the glass was pushed up from the inside. Dry pavement no sign of rocks. This vehicle has 4200 miles on it and this current occurrence comes after a similar shattering of one of my side panel windows after I entered the vehicle in april 2022 and closed the vehicle door. I have purchased multiple vehicles and kia replaced that window under warranty. |
| Category | Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly |
| Date | Feb 05, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The glass between the windshield and sunroof shattered it looks like it exploded from the inside. There are three lines going across ans then mini shattering inside. I was not in any accident and the vehicle was not hit by any flying objects or debris. There are similar accounts of this happening to other kia vehicles, for some reason the tempered glass is cracking either heat or cold not sure. There is no impact point on the vehicle to say it was hot by a rock or anything just tiny shattered glass. Kia is not trying to remedy the issue at all. |
| Category | Trailer Hitches |
| Date | Dec 23, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia sportage. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Trailer Hitches |
| Date | Dec 06, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia sportage. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 02, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | Vehicle stolen:. This particular vehicle is known nationwide to be an easy target for theifs. I am stuck in a lease that I don't want to be in anymore due to someone already stealing it |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Jun 10, 2022 |
| State | KS |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia sportage. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle caught on fire without warning. The side of the contact's home also caught on fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. The fire inspector stated that the fire was started from under the hood of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,000. |
| Category | Engine, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Apr 09, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | Engine will not start consistently. Will take two to four attempts to start, and engine will sputter when it finally does catch and start. Electrical equipment not affected (battery inspected twice). The car will also randomly jerk and/or speed up when driving. |
| Category | Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/odometer:sensor/sending Unit |
| Date | Apr 05, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia sportage lx. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph to get onto the highway, the contact accelerated; however, the driver in front of her stopped abruptly. The contact crashed into the rear end of the driver in front. The forward collision sensor warning light did not illuminate on the instrument panel. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle did not have to be towed. There was a police report filed. There was no injury or medical reports. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic to be repaired for the autobody damages only, not the forward collision sensor failure. The vehicle was drivable and not destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 4800. |
| Category | Seats |
| Date | Mar 16, 2022 |
| State | PR |
| Description | The vehicle was purchased new from the dealer in may 2021. Parked in the driveway and while attempting to adjust the seat height manually, the lever snapped off locking the seat height into its last position. The lever and its "teeth" are made of plastic which appears obviously and ultimately designed to fail. This could be a potential safety issue if the driver attempts to adjust the seat height while the vehicle is in motion. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No; the dealer will be notified tomorrow. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No; the dealer will be notified tomorrow. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure? No; the dealer will be notified tomorrow. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Mar 12, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The component on the kia 2022 sportage lx called the forward collision warning failed to come on during an accident. This car is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the driver in the car in front of me were put at risk. We were both wearing our seat belts and did not suffer any health issues, but for the future of all drivers, this failed warning system should be recalled. The dealer will not confirm the problem, but the autobody company that repaired the damage confirms that there are no proper parts to confirm this system appropriately. This model only has a camera that sits behind the rearview mirror area. It has gone off two times since the accident where it states that the system is disengaged even though it is turned on. The police only viewed the damage and stated the car was driveable. The insurance company viewed the damage and gave compensation to have it fixed. The autobody company repaired the damage but was concerned about the system failure. I reported it and discussed it with the consumer relations person for the dealership. I also spoke with the general manager of the dealership. They said I would have to make the complaint to kia. They would not give me an appropriate trade-in value for another safer vehicle. There were not any warning lamps, sounds or messages that went off before the impact occurred. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Feb 24, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My mother was in a car accident where another driver was not paying attention and t-boned her passenger side, doing about 55+ mph. My mother's vehicle, the kia, had just begun travelling through an intersection (~10-15 mph) when the crash occurred. The kia was hit so hard that it rolled 2-3 times before coming to a complete stop. She survived with a few fractured bones, thankfully, but the steering wheel airbag did not deploy! Every other airbag (driver side, passenger side, rear side) deployed, but not one of the most important ones. We're not sure if her injuries would have been lessened with that airbag or not, but the car was totaled out by insurance. There were no warning lights or symptoms prior to the crash. |
| Category | Air Bags, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Jan 09, 2022 |
| State | ME |
| Description | I was involved in a highway forward collision accident and the emergency braking, alert, and air bags never went off. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
See more posts from Brian Jones
I have a 2023 kia sportage. Everytime I turn on the car it gives me “check blind spot detection warning light”, and “check cross traffic alert system”. I took it to the dealer and they said it’s nothing to worry about and they have also ordered the part but it might take long time
Due to lack of parts. The blind spot literally doesn’t work at all. Please help.
I have a 2022 Kia Sportage LX and the box keep popping up on my dash saying check back right brake light, I brought it back to the Kia dealer and they claimed they replaced the harness but it keeps doing the same thing, it comes off and on while driving, now I am told they can’t do anything about it until it is on again, but I told them it comes off and on
I have a 2022 Kia Sportage Nightfall and I have had issues with it accelerating on its own while driving, it has happened several times, the first time I almost rear ended someone and another time it forced me through a red light after stopping. I have taken it in to Kia but they haven’t been able to do anything about it and continue to send me home in it. What should I do? Can I make them buy this back before I am in an accident from this issue?