IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, CONSUMER HIT A DEER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD HIT ANOTHER DEER ON DRIVERS SIDE AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
2001 Kia Sportage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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
190–25K
3025–50K
2650–75K
2375–100K
19100–150K
8150K+
125 reports with mileage · 103 unknown
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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports4 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
228 reportsFRONT PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT LATCH CORRECTLY. WHEN OPENING DOOR CONSUMER HAS TO PULL UP ON THE DOOR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER SAME MAKE AND MODEL. CONSUMER STATES NEW VEHICLE IS DUPLICATING THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
BRAKES AND ROTORS WEAR OUT WITHOUT EXCESSIVE USE. HAD IT REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 2000 MILES.*AK
CONSUMER WAS HAVING CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH FRONT BRAKES. HAS HAD THEM REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP.*AK DEALER FOUND ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS. *TT
FRONT COLLISION AT 6 MPH, IMPACT WAS ON FRONT RIGHT. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 6500.00, CONSUMER SUFFERED LIGHT INJURIES.*AK
SPEEDOMETER MALFUCTIONED/JUMPED AT APPROX. 30MPH TO 40 MPH THEN BACK DOWN TO 20 TOOK BACK 3X. SUV SHIMMIED AT 60+ MPH 3X'S TOOK BACK TO DEALER DEALER REPLACED TIRES, ELECTRIC BACK WINDOWS 3X'S TO DEALER REPLACED TWICE, WIRING ASSY-ENGINE, COIL IGNITION, CONV. ASSY-CAT. REPLACED (MAY HAVE CAUSED SPEEDOMETER , WINDOWS ETC TO OPER…
Read full complaint
SPEEDOMETER MALFUCTIONED/JUMPED AT APPROX. 30MPH TO 40 MPH THEN BACK DOWN TO 20 TOOK BACK 3X. SUV SHIMMIED AT 60+ MPH 3X'S TOOK BACK TO DEALER DEALER REPLACED TIRES, ELECTRIC BACK WINDOWS 3X'S TO DEALER REPLACED TWICE, WIRING ASSY-ENGINE, COIL IGNITION, CONV. ASSY-CAT. REPLACED (MAY HAVE CAUSED SPEEDOMETER , WINDOWS ETC TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. R/R MAIN WIRE HARNESS, R/R BOTH CAT CONVERTORS, R/R COIL AND SPARK PLUGS, REPAIRED FUEL INJECTOR WIRE HARNESS. VEHICLE IDLED AT HIGH RPM (SUV POWER SURGED TO 80 MPH, THE SLOWEST I COULD GET THE VEHICLE TO GO WAS 40MPH AND HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. (THROTTLE CABLE IN WRONG POSS. AT THIS TIME TRANSMISSION IS STILL SLIPPING VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP PLUS I AM GOING THROUGH THE LEMON LAW AND BBAUTOLINE. THIS IS THE 10 DAY LIMIT. KIA HAS NOT BEEN VERY HOSPITABLE ABOUT THIS SITUATION, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THEIR VEHICLE.
AFTER DRIVING FOR SOME TIME AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE TROUBLE ACCELERATING. CONSUMER WILL STEP ON GAS PEDAL, BUT VEHICLE WILL JUST DO NOTHING. *AK
TRANSMISSION SURGES AND STOPS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40MPH VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. APPLIED BRAKES, BUT BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE .HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH CABLE HARNESS.ALSO WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE VIBRATES AND COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
2EA06007 · Fuel Tank Leakage
Opened May 9, 2006 · Closed Nov 30, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:storage; Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY DATA REVEALED ELEVATED TANK LEAKAGE EXPERIENCE IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JUNE 1999 TO OCTOBER 2000.ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE.THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS INVOLVE NON-SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS OF FUEL LEAKAGE WHERE MORE THAN ONE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT WAS REPLACED.ODI'S ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON LEAKS OCCURRING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TANK DUE TO CORROSIVE FAILURE CAUSED BY DISRUPTION OF THE PROTECTIVE PVC COATING.THE ANALYSISINDICATES THAT SUCH LEAKS ARE RARE AND DO NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF AN INCREASING TREND. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline
A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY DATA REVEALED ELEVATED TANK LEAKAGE EXPERIENCE IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JUNE 1999 TO OCTOBER 2000.ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE.THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS INVOLVE NON-SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS OF FUEL LEAKAGE WHERE MORE THAN ONE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT WAS REPLACED.ODI'S ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON LEAKS OCCURRING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TANK DUE TO CORROSIVE FAILURE CAUSED BY DISRUPTION OF THE PROTECTIVE PVC COATING.THE ANALYSISINDICATES THAT SUCH LEAKS ARE RARE AND DO NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF AN INCREASING TREND. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage
A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY DATA REVEALED ELEVATED TANK LEAKAGE EXPERIENCE IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JUNE 1999 TO OCTOBER 2000.ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE.THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS INVOLVE NON-SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS OF FUEL LEAKAGE WHERE MORE THAN ONE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT WAS REPLACED.ODI'S ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON LEAKS OCCURRING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TANK DUE TO CORROSIVE FAILURE CAUSED BY DISRUPTION OF THE PROTECTIVE PVC COATING.THE ANALYSISINDICATES THAT SUCH LEAKS ARE RARE AND DO NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF AN INCREASING TREND. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY DATA REVEALED ELEVATED TANK LEAKAGE EXPERIENCE IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JUNE 1999 TO OCTOBER 2000.ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE.THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS INVOLVE NON-SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS OF FUEL LEAKAGE WHERE MORE THAN ONE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT WAS REPLACED.ODI'S ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON LEAKS OCCURRING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TANK DUE TO CORROSIVE FAILURE CAUSED BY DISRUPTION OF THE PROTECTIVE PVC COATING.THE ANALYSISINDICATES THAT SUCH LEAKS ARE RARE AND DO NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF AN INCREASING TREND. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.
RQ03007 · Seat Belt Buckle False Latch/malfunction
Opened Oct 14, 2003 · Closed Feb 27, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
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. ODI ANALYSES INDICATE A CONTINUING TREND OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOLLOWING A SERIES OF DESIGN MODIFICATIONS MADE BY KIA TO IMPROVE THE A97 LATCH ASSEMBLY.MY 2001 AND 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH DIFFERENT DESIGN LATCH ASSEMBLIES (TYPE DB-6 OR AUTOLIV) AND EXHIBIT A MUCH LOWER COMPLAINT COUNT.THIS RQ HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN EA IN ORDER TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TYPE A97 LATCH ASSEMBLIES.