2019 Kia Sportage: Recalls, Complaints and Vehicle Data
Records last imported Oct 31, 2026 · Published · By CarTold Editorial Team
Before you buy a 2019 Sportage
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Open investigation
NHTSA has one open investigation covering this year: AQ23002 (audit query into the service brakes, hydraulic since Nov 2023). An open investigation is a question NHTSA is asking, not a finding of a defect.
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Recalls vs. other years
Its 2 recall campaigns ties for the fewest of the six model years we cover (2016–2021); the busiest has 4.
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Where complaints cluster
Complaints concentrate on the engine: 31% of the 71 on file. The top components are engine (22), electrical system (10, of which 1 mentions a crash and 2 a fire) and power train (7, of which 1 a fire). Across all 71 reports, 3 describe a crash, 3 a fire and 2 at least one injury.
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Recent reports
14 complaints (20% of the total) were filed in the last 12 months, so owners are still reporting problems, most often about the engine (4).
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Changes from 2018
The best combined rating for the 2.4-litre four-cylinder falls from 26 to 25 mpg; one recall campaign names one of the two years and not the other (fuel system).
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Fuel economy and running cost
Its most efficient version (2.4-litre 4-cylinder) is rated 25 mpg combined, close to the median for the 2019 SUVs we cover (median 25 mpg across 49 other EPA listings); the thirstiest version is rated 21 mpg. At 15,000 miles a year and the national average regular gasoline price of $4.28 (EIA, week of Oct 19, 2026), fuel would cost about $2,570 a year in the most efficient version and about $3,060 in the thirstiest.
Complaint trends
71 complaints on file with NHTSA, by category.
Top components as NHTSA logged them:
- Engine — 20 complaints (28%)
- Unknown or other — 9 complaints (13%)
- Power train — 3 complaints (4%)
- Electrical system,engine,fuel/propulsion system — 3 complaints (4%)
- Exterior lighting — 3 complaints (4%)
- Power train,engine — 2 complaints (3%)
What owners told NHTSA
Short excerpts from owner reports submitted to NHTSA. They are unverified and describe one vehicle each.
“The car engine is losing oil without any leaks being found. I got my oil changed and was told to have it done every 3k miles. Within a month of that oil change, my engine ran hot. I had all of my components checked.”
“I have a 2019 Kia Sportage with a conventional ignition key. Three times in five years, the engine has apparently started by itself while parked. The key was not in the ignition.”
“This complaint is in reference to my vehicle which is involved with Federal Class Action Lawsuits and the fact that my engine was defective from the day it was built. My engine was consuming oil at a rate of 1 quart every 361.1 miles driven.”
Recalls
2 campaigns on file. Check a specific car with our VIN recall check.
Trailer hitches
· 22V703000 · 2022-09-19
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
· 21V137000 · 2021-03-04
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021.
Investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Opened 2023-11-17
NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543,…
Engine
Opened 2022-09-12 · Closed 2023-12-12
NHTSA summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complai…
Manufacturer communications
Service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer filed with NHTSA. They are not recalls.
Electrical system 19 documents (2019-05-06 – 2024-06-06)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-06 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-07-31 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-07-13 | service bulletin | Electrical system, electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module |
| 2023-07-06 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-05-22 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-03-24 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-02-03 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-01-27 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2023-01-27 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2022-09-16 | service bulletin | Electrical system, engine and engine cooling |
| 2022-08-16 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2021-09-10 | service bulletin | Electrical system, lane departure, forward collision avoidance, equipment |
| 2021-04-08 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2021-03-11 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2020-11-04 | service bulletin | Electrical system, engine and engine cooling, steering |
| 2020-10-07 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2020-09-24 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2019-07-30 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
| 2019-05-06 | service bulletin | Electrical system |
Engine and engine cooling 14 documents (2018-12-05 – 2024-01-12)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-12 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2022-09-13 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2022-03-01 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2021-12-21 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling, equipment, equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2020-11-25 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling, steering, electrical system |
| 2020-07-27 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2020-03-18 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-10-29 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-10-28 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-10-24 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-10-24 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-10-24 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-05-31 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
| 2018-12-05 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling |
Power train 4 documents (2019-11-08 – 2024-05-16)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-16 | service bulletin | Power train |
| 2023-09-25 | service bulletin | Power train, steering, suspension |
| 2022-11-18 | service bulletin | Power train |
| 2019-11-08 | service bulletin | Power train, equipment adaptive/mobility, equipment |
Equipment 4 documents (2019-02-21 – 2021-11-04)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-04 | service bulletin | Equipment, electrical system, electrical system: instrument cluster/panel, engi… |
| 2020-08-25 | service bulletin | Equipment, service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper |
| 2019-11-07 | service bulletin | Equipment, electrical system:software, engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-02-21 | service bulletin | Equipment, engine and engine cooling:exhaust system |
Steering 4 documents (2019-10-15 – 2021-10-05)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-05 | service bulletin | Steering |
| 2021-03-25 | service bulletin | Steering |
| 2019-11-26 | service bulletin | Steering, equipment adaptive/mobility, engine and engine cooling |
| 2019-10-15 | service bulletin | Steering |
Forward collision avoidance 3 documents (2021-04-28 – 2021-08-23)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-23 | service bulletin | Forward collision avoidance, electrical system, lane departure |
| 2021-08-03 | service bulletin | Forward collision avoidance, electrical system |
| 2021-04-28 | service bulletin | Forward collision avoidance |
Exterior lighting 2 documents (2020-01-21 – 2021-09-13)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-13 | service bulletin | Exterior lighting, structure |
| 2020-01-21 | service bulletin | Exterior lighting |
Equipment:appliance:air conditioner 2 documents (2019-07-30 – 2019-08-30)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-08-30 | service bulletin | Equipment:appliance:air conditioner |
| 2019-07-30 | service bulletin | Equipment:appliance:air conditioner, equipment |
Show all 16 categories
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module 1 document (2023-08-07)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-07 | service bulletin | Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module, electrical system |
Equipment:electrical:anti-theft devices 1 document (2023-01-31)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-31 | service bulletin | Equipment:electrical:anti-theft devices, electrical system |
Structure 1 document (2022-04-07)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-07 | service bulletin | Structure |
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication 1 document (2022-01-06)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-06 | service bulletin | Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication, engine |
Vehicle speed control 1 document (2021-12-02)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-02 | service bulletin | Vehicle speed control, lane departure, equipment adaptive/mobility, forward col… |
Equipment adaptive/mobility 1 document (2021-08-24)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-24 | service bulletin | Equipment adaptive/mobility, lane departure, vehicle speed control, electrical … |
Visibility 1 document (2019-02-15)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-02-15 | service bulletin | Visibility, visibility:windshield wiper/washer |
Fuel system 1 document (2019-01-18)
| Date | Type | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-01-18 | service bulletin | Fuel system, gasoline |
60 communications on file, grouped into 16 categories.
Fuel economy
| Trim | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sportage FE FWD | 2.4L 4cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 23 | 30 | 25 |
| Sportage FWD | 2.4L 4cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| Sportage AWD | 2.4L 4cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 21 | 25 | 23 |
| Sportage FWD | 2.0L 4cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| Sportage FE AWD | 2.4L 4cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 21 | 25 | 22 |
| Sportage AWD | 2.0L 4cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 23 | 21 |
Safety ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Kia Sportage SUV AWD | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2019 Kia Sportage SUV FWD | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Built from NHTSA, EPA (fueleconomy.gov) and EIA records with fixed rules; complaint counts reflect reporting, not defect rates. How we make CarTold · Methodology · Buyer guides