2013 Kia Sportage problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (267) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic (19) · Power Train (16)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Kia Sportage model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
280 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/Module 2023-09-25 · campaign 23V652000 · 1,730,192 vehicles ⚠ PARK OUTSIDE
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Engine 2018-12-19 · campaign 18V907000 · 71,653 vehicles
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine 2017-03-31 · campaign 17V224000 · 618,160 vehicles
Defect: Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Service bulletins (167)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Structure:body 2026-06-09 · CS2311_TSB_R4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: customer satisfaction: theft deterrent ignition: cylinder protector & decal installation (cs2311) - this bulletin has been revised to include additional information. new/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. this bulletin provi
Structure:body 2026-06-08 · CS2312_TSB_R2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: customer satisfaction: theft deterrent ignition cylinder protector and decal installation (cs2312) - this bulletin has been revised to include additional information. new/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. this bulletin prov
Engine 2026-03-11 · PI2103_OWNR_501 · Other
product improvement campaign: owner renotification (pi2103 flight #501) - this document is the owner renotification advising that kia is conducting an important product improvement campaign to perform a software update on 2011-2013 my kia sportage vehicles equipped with 2.4-liter mpi engines to prot
Structure:body 2026-02-19 · TSB_CS2312_R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: customer satisfaction: theft deterrent ignition cylinder protector and decal installation (cs2312) - this bulletin has been revised to include additional information. new/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. this bulletin prov
Structure:body 2025-12-19 · CS2311_OWNR_PC201 · Other
customer satisfaction campaign: postcard owner renotification (cs2311) - this document is the owner renotification advising that kia is conducting customer satisfaction campaign. kia has developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade and can be installed at the ignition
Structure:body 2025-12-18 · TSB_CS2312 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: customer satisfaction: theft deterrent ignition cylinder protector and decal installation (cs2312) - this bulletin provides information to install a theft deterrent ignition cylinder protector on certain 2010-2022my kia vehicles outlined on page 19, which may not have bee
Showing the 6 most recent of 167 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-09-15 · Engine“while driving all of a sudden my 2013 sportage began shaking check ingine light flashing. this happened out of nowhere. i pulled off to the side of the road, towed to mechanic shop. they found that a piece of spark plug had broken off into the cylinder shaft. they said it was very unusual. i had it fixed through our local kia dealership but could n…”
2026-04-26 · Engine“claim #25921274 to whom it may concern, i am writing to formally dispute kia’s denial of warranty coverage for the engine failure in my 2013 kia sportage. per communication with customer care, kia denied my claim on the basis of “excessive mileage between oil changes.” however, this conclusion is not supported by sufficient evidence and does not…”
2026-04-02 · Structure:body“driver side door will not open from the outside. handle no longer operates.…”
2025-12-14 · Engine“my engine failed due to the knock sensor recall a known issue on my 2013 kia sportage the recall is supposed to provide a lifetime warranty but i was denied coverage because the failure happened before i was able to perform the update as i was a new owner to the car and was unaware of the recall at the time i have been going back and forth with the…”
2025-11-21 · Power Train“kia america has rejected my appeal for an engine replacement through the recall , i had the ksds, knock sensor installed by north town kia 3900 sheridan drive amherst ny , may 7 2021. the warranty i received mentioned to keep oil and filter changed every 7500 miles with 5 w 20 oil . the oil was changed by myself and i have receipts every 5k miles …”
2025-11-20 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“the contact owns a 2013 kia sportage. the contact stated that while her daughter was driving at 45 mph, the daughter collided with another vehicle after the vehicle aggressively merged in front of her. the collision was at the front driver and passenger side of the vehicle. the contact added that the collision threw her daughter forward and backwar…”
2025-10-11 · Engine“while driving in the carpool lane, the engine briefly cut-out and than a rattling sound was heard. we decided to immediately exist the free way at a left-side car pool exit as a precaution. immediately after exiting, the car went into a complete stall. had we remained on the freeway, we would have been stranded in the fastest lane with no should…”
2025-10-07 · Engine“have been denied replacement of 2013 kia engine due to insufficient records. the ksds had been installed may 7, 2021. was told because i did my own maintenance and i have receipts and dates when the maintenance was done reason for being denied. i used 5w 20 full synthetic motor oil which was over and above what the car called for and a new oil filt…”
2025-08-18 · Engine“my vehicle, 2013/ sl sportage recently suffered catastrophic engine failure. i received a renotification from kia regarding the software updates. barely a week, [xxx], my engine seized in traffic due to rod failure which the software update could have prevented according to metro kia of madison. i was also told by the same kia authorized dealer th…”
2025-08-14 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 50,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 kia sportage. the contact stated that while coming to a gas station rest stop, making a left turn to the fuel pump, the vehicle lost power and coasted to the fuel pump. there were no warning lights illuminated. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic), which had a warranty extensio…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.