IllustrationSEATBELT IS RELEASING ,IT IS COMING OUT OF BUCKLE ON ITS OWN WHILE CONSUMER IS WEARING SEATBELT, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. BUCKLE HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AND REPLACEMENT ONLY LASTED ABOUT 2 YEARS.*AK
1995 Kia Sportage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Kia Sportage do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 122.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sportage years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 56 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
56 reportsTHESE ARE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELTS. THE ORIGINAL ONES ALSO STOPPED WORKING. BOTH MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. THEY SAID VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (< 34K MILES). NHTSA NOTIFIED 2 YEARS AGO. NOW THESE BELTS ARE FAILING CONSTANTLY. LATCH MECHANISM IS NOT HOLDING. IT SLIPS OUT. REAR DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK D…
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THESE ARE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELTS. THE ORIGINAL ONES ALSO STOPPED WORKING. BOTH MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. THEY SAID VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (< 34K MILES). NHTSA NOTIFIED 2 YEARS AGO. NOW THESE BELTS ARE FAILING CONSTANTLY. LATCH MECHANISM IS NOT HOLDING. IT SLIPS OUT. REAR DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK DUE TO LATCH FAILURES. *SLC
FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLES HAVE FAILED AND HAVE COME UNLATCHED ON THEIR OWN WHILE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING THEM,CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. BUCKLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE PRIOR, BUT REPLACEMENT PART HAS FAILED ONLY AFTER 2 YEARS OF USAGE. *AK *SLC REAR DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN DUE TO LATCH FAILURE. …
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FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLES HAVE FAILED AND HAVE COME UNLATCHED ON THEIR OWN WHILE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING THEM,CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. BUCKLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE PRIOR, BUT REPLACEMENT PART HAS FAILED ONLY AFTER 2 YEARS OF USAGE. *AK *SLC REAR DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN DUE TO LATCH FAILURE. *SLC
CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRES FOR THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER WITHIN FIVE DAYS THE REPLACEMENT TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT DUE TO POSSIBLE DEFECT, TIRE MAKE/MODEL NOT PROVIDED. *MJS
HORN FAILED TO OPERATE/ ALL OF THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY/ INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD COME UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER IN ANY OF THESE CONCERN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FUR…
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HORN FAILED TO OPERATE/ ALL OF THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY/ INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD COME UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER IN ANY OF THESE CONCERN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE COULD HEAR A LOT OF TICKING INSIDE OF ENGINE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN, AND THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES*AK
CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
VEHICLE IS MAKING A LOUD NOISE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, CONSUMER CANNOT GET PASSED 40 MPH. *AK
THE ENGINE WILL START UP AND STAY AT APROX 3000 RPM FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS. A FEW TIMES IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. TWICE THE RPMS JUMPED WHILE EACH MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING IT AND ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS. THE LOCKING HUBS ON THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ARE NOT UNLOCKING. IT CAUSED SOME SLIDING IN THE RAIN GOING AROUND A CORNER. …
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THE ENGINE WILL START UP AND STAY AT APROX 3000 RPM FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS. A FEW TIMES IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. TWICE THE RPMS JUMPED WHILE EACH MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING IT AND ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS. THE LOCKING HUBS ON THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ARE NOT UNLOCKING. IT CAUSED SOME SLIDING IN THE RAIN GOING AROUND A CORNER. THE WHEELS ALWAYS TURN AT THE SAME RATE AROUND CORNERS. THE TRIM IS COMING LOOSE AROUND THE WINDSHIELD. THE TRANSMISSION IS ROUGH WHEN I SHIFT, AND DURING DRIVING IT WILL SOME TIMES SURGE FORWARD AND BACK. TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL.
CONTACTED DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM/CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. AFTER ARRIVING, WAS INFORMED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. WOULD ORDER PARTS & CONTACT OWNER. SO FAR NO CONTACT WITH DEALERSHIP ON CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK
Official recalls
202V216000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Aug 16, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY "FALSE LATCH" AND EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO UNRESTRAINED MOVEMENT DURING A CRASH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
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 1-800-333-4542.
95V073000 · Suspension:rear
Apr 11, 1995
THE NUTS ATTACHING THE REAR AXLE BEARING OIL SEAL RETAINERS AND BRAKE BACKING PLATES TO THE REAR AXLE HOUSING MAY BE UNDER- TORQUED CAUSING THESE UNITS TO LOOSEN OR FALL OFF.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE (1) OIL LEAKAGE INTO THE REAR BRAKE AND ONTO THE BRAKE LININGS; (2) REAR BRAKE DAMAGE FROM THE AXLE NUTSFALLING INTO THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS; OR (3) SEPARATION OF THE REAR WHEEL/AXLESHAFT FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETORQUE THE REAR AXLE BEARING OIL SEAL RETAINER NUTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE02051 · Safety Belt Buckle Malfunction
Opened Jun 17, 2002 · Closed Sep 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
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.