I WAS DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BRAKE, AND STEERED RIGHT WHILE DRIVING 40-50 MPH, HITTING THE CURB AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEFINITE DEFECT IN THE STEERING/FUEL/BRAKES/ELECTRONICSTABILITYCONTROL, AND OTHER MINOR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. *TR
2005 Kia Sportage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 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
51 reports with mileage · 17 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 12 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 →
- Structure. 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.
Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints
3 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY WHICH SHE NOTICED SINCE JANUARY 2010. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,047.
DURING ALL OF THE 5 INCIDENTS IN 2009 THE ENGINE MISFIRED VIOLENTLY. AT TIMES 35MPH WAS MAX SPEED. CRONIN KIA HAD MY VEHICLE OVER 30 DAYS IN 5 VISITS IN 2009. THEY HAVE REPLACED; TWO CAT. CONVERTERS, THE IGNITION COIL PACK AND SPARK PLUGS, A LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR AND ASSOCIATED WIRING. PLEASE NOTE THE ERROR CODES FOR VISITS 1 …
Read full complaint
DURING ALL OF THE 5 INCIDENTS IN 2009 THE ENGINE MISFIRED VIOLENTLY. AT TIMES 35MPH WAS MAX SPEED. CRONIN KIA HAD MY VEHICLE OVER 30 DAYS IN 5 VISITS IN 2009. THEY HAVE REPLACED; TWO CAT. CONVERTERS, THE IGNITION COIL PACK AND SPARK PLUGS, A LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR AND ASSOCIATED WIRING. PLEASE NOTE THE ERROR CODES FOR VISITS 1 AND 5 (3/17/09 AND 7/14/09); P0300-P0303-P0305-P0273. VISIT NUMBER1 ALSO HAD CODES; P0420-P0430 AND P0170. THE DUPLICATE CODES INDICATE THE PROBLEM AFFECTS "BANK 1 ONLY. CODE P0170 SPELLS OUT THE PROBLEM; "FUEL TRIM MALFUNCTION-BANK 1".THE DESTROYED CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WERE THE RESULT OF THE FUEL TRIM PROBLEM. THE SAME FOR THE LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR. I BELIEVE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE OTHER BANK 1 INJECTORS FAIL. THE FUEL TRIM MUST BE A FUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER. I BELIEVE THE "BANK 1 FUEL TRIM MALFUNCTION" AND/OR THE ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION PROGRAM (ESP) AND/OR THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER ARE THE SOURCE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE ESP; SC-044 - MARCH, 2005. "THE ESP SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO REDUCE POWER AND MAY CAUSE A BRAKING ACTION AT ONE OF THE WHEELS". "BRAKE APPLICATION CAUSED BY INADVERTENT ESP ACTIVATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH".THE FRONT BRAKE PADS ON MY VEHICLE WERE WORN OUT AT 41,000 MILES. I ASKED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE IN AN INITIAL LETTER IF THIS WAS PREMATURE. OF COURSE, I RECEIVED NO ANSWER. AFTER THE NUMBER 5 INCIDENT(JULY, 2009) THE ENGINE WOULD STALL EVEN AFTER A LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR AND ASSOCIATED WIRING WERE REPLACED. IT STALLED LESS THAN A MILE FROM CRONIN AND THREE TIMES THE NEXT DAY. DURING THE NUMBER 5 INCIDENT THE ESP SHUT ITSELF OFF; "ESP OFF" APPEARED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I PASSED THIS INFORMATION TO JEFF WYLER KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THIS WAS IGNORED. THE FINAL (NUMBER 6) ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM CONSISTED OF A JOY RIDE AFTER WHICH THEY DECLARED; "ALL OPERATIONS ARE NORMAL" THEY CONSIDER THIS PROBLEM AMUSING. THEY REFUSED TO CONTACT KIA! *TR
Official recalls
305V318000 · Parking Brake
Jul 8, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET PAWL WAS NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND MY DAMAGE THE TEETH OF THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET. DAMAGED PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET TEETH MAY PREVENT THE PARKING BRAKE FROM ENGAGING OR MAY ALLOW THE PARKING BRAKE TO RELEASE AFTER IT HAS BEEN ENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE INABILITY TO ENGAGE, OR THE INADVERTENT RELEASE OF, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER MAY ALLOW YOUR VEHICLE TO ROLL WHILE IT IS PARKED AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
05V212000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage
May 3, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE O-RING INTO THE INTERNAL VAPOR CHAMBER LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK AT FULL TANK CONDITIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE ENGINE MAY STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL BE HARD TO FILL THE GAS TANK AND EXTERNAL FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE EVAPORATIVE AIR FILTER INLET. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE THE CHARCOAL CANISTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
05V120000 · Electronic Stability Control:automatic (asc)
Mar 29, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP), THE YAW RATE SENSOR MAY BECOME TOO SENSITIVE AND MAY RECALIBRATE INACCURATELY. WHILE DRIVING THE ESP PROGRAM MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO REDUCE POWER AND MAY CAUSE A BRAKE AT ONE OF THE WHEELS TO BE INAPPROPRIATELY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE APPLICATION CAUSED BY INADVERTENT ESP ACTIVATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ESP HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 13, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration