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2006 Kia Sportage

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Kia Sportage do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 122.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

93 reports with mileage · 18 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 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports5 fire reports5 injury reports

Engine complaints

15 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 2021
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemWheelsFire

I purchased this vehicle from a private seller in August 2021 and attempted to obtain records of the vehicle Kia America Case ID #14353653 which Kia America has yet to provide me any information. I had a full diagnostic done by a certified mechanic at Borst Automotive in the state of Arizona on 09/18/21 where several concerns we…

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I purchased this vehicle from a private seller in August 2021 and attempted to obtain records of the vehicle Kia America Case ID #14353653 which Kia America has yet to provide me any information. I had a full diagnostic done by a certified mechanic at Borst Automotive in the state of Arizona on 09/18/21 where several concerns were reported to me that Kia failed to report. There is a new and concerning grinding with the engine on my 2006 Kia Sportage LX that sounds like it might be an exhaust leak. I hear loud grinding sounds now when turning on the car that immediately sound when it is fired up, and when accelerating is the worst, but the sound starts loud and is immediate when I turn on the vehicle and fire up the engine. Two days ago on 10-01-21 which was the last night I drove it as it feels unsafe to drive now, I did not get far before the front driver's tire closest to the engine completely blew out/ and exploded coming off of it's wheel and cap hinting at a potential engine problem or recalled defect. I had to immediately pull over and call AAA to come put the spare donut on my car to get it back home to park. The engine appears to have something wrong with the exhaust system and it sounds bad. I reported this today to Kia America case ID #14407655. I always make it a point to to check fluids and something is not right here. The car is overheated but Radiator is fine and coolant, and all other engine fluids are full but could be an engine issue that is dangerous. This engine sounds like it will burst at any minute its grinding and stalling so bad. Made an appointment with Royal Kia in my hometown Tucson, AZ for October 12, 2021 to have the fuel tank straps replaced and towed as apparently they are faulty and this was the soonest this dealership could perform this. I know the 2010-2021 Sportage models were recalled under Safety Recall 20V-750 but since this recall is somewhat new and yet to discover other Kia Sportage’s that might also be affected. Consumer also noticed malfunctioning of brake and tail lig

NHTSA ODI #11435323

146,367 miles · Dec 28, 2020
Air BagsEngine

I WAS RIDING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. TWO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY MECHANIC THINKS IT IS A SENSOR FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAVING TROUBLE WITH COVID-19 GETTING THE PART, BEEN WAITING FOR OVER A WEEK. MY MECHANIC HAS RECOMMENDED ME TAKING THE CAR TO A KIA DEALER SHIP WITH THE AIRBAG LIGH…

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I WAS RIDING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. TWO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY MECHANIC THINKS IT IS A SENSOR FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAVING TROUBLE WITH COVID-19 GETTING THE PART, BEEN WAITING FOR OVER A WEEK. MY MECHANIC HAS RECOMMENDED ME TAKING THE CAR TO A KIA DEALER SHIP WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMING ON. HE THOUGH FOR SURE IT WOULD HAVE A RECALL BUT I DO NOT SEE ONE LISTED.

NHTSA ODI #11385351

130,000 miles · Nov 25, 2020
Electrical SystemEngine

THIS CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING DOWN ON ITS OWN, AT THIS POINT IT SHUT OFF ANY TIME I WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A LIGHT OR STOP. IT CUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES ON A HIGHWAY GOING 75 MPH. VERY SCARY WITH KIDS IN CAR. WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND IT WILL NOT TURN OVER OR START BACK UP GETTING DIAGNOSED TODAY, TH…

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THIS CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING DOWN ON ITS OWN, AT THIS POINT IT SHUT OFF ANY TIME I WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A LIGHT OR STOP. IT CUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES ON A HIGHWAY GOING 75 MPH. VERY SCARY WITH KIDS IN CAR. WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND IT WILL NOT TURN OVER OR START BACK UP GETTING DIAGNOSED TODAY, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, I HAVE READ 100S OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS LIKE THIS! KIA YOUR PUTTING OUR LIVES IN DANGER, PREGNANT WITH 2 KIDS AND CAR SHUTTING OFF ON HIGHWAY, OR SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING DOWN BY IT SELF IS TRAUMATIZING. DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS BADLY HURT!! ALSO I AM BIG AND PREGNANT AND DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT OPEN I AM ASSUMING THAT TOO IS AN ELECTRIC ISSUE EITHER WAY I HAVE TO CLIMB OVER SEATS, THIS CAR LOOKED GREAT AFTER 1 DAY DOOR STOPPED WORKING AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF OWNING IT NOW SPEED! KIA YOU REALLY NEED TO FIX ALL THESE ISSUES SEEMS TO ME THERE IS ELECTRIC PROBLEMS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CAR. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ODI #11376365

122,000 miles · Oct 19, 2020
Engine

MY FRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING HOME AT 55 MPH WHEN MY SPORTAGE STARTING SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT IT WANTED TO CUT OFF. SO WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED IT STARTED SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING ON IT'S OWN. THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 15 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS. IT WAS REALLY SCARY. AT ONE…

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MY FRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING HOME AT 55 MPH WHEN MY SPORTAGE STARTING SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT IT WANTED TO CUT OFF. SO WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED IT STARTED SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING ON IT'S OWN. THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 15 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS. IT WAS REALLY SCARY. AT ONE POINT IT CUT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THANK GOD THERE WAS NOONE ELSE BEHIND ME. I DID MAKE IT HOME AND IT DIED PULLING IN THE DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #11365239

179,510 miles · Sep 17, 2019
EngineStructureVehicle Speed Control

I PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED OF REPEATED STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AT 179,510 MILES ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEGAN TWISTING OUT OF ITS STANDARD POSITION. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE BOLT SECURING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE THREADED HOLE IN FLOOR CRACKED AND SEPARATED FROM THE FLOOR

NHTSA ODI #11256294

178,377 miles · Aug 13, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ENGINE SURGES / ERRATIC IDLE AT 177800 MILES, AND THROTTLE BODY CLEANED AT 177900 MILES. AT 178345 THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS CLEANED AS A PRECAUTION, DUE TO THE PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS. AT 178377 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I FOUND THE THROTTLE STUCK IN THE FULL OPEN POSITION. AFTER SAFELY STOPPING THE VEH…

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PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ENGINE SURGES / ERRATIC IDLE AT 177800 MILES, AND THROTTLE BODY CLEANED AT 177900 MILES. AT 178345 THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS CLEANED AS A PRECAUTION, DUE TO THE PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS. AT 178377 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I FOUND THE THROTTLE STUCK IN THE FULL OPEN POSITION. AFTER SAFELY STOPPING THE VEHICLE, I HAD TO MANUALLY RETURN THE THROTTLE TO THE NORMAL POSITION. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE I BEGAN EXPERIENCING ERRATIC IDLING 3000 TO 4000 RPM. ONCE PARKED AT 178382 THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS RECHECKED, AND ENGINE IDLE RPM RETURNED TO NORMAL. I CHECKED THE OBDII AND FOUND NO PREVIOUS OR PENDING CODES. I WILL REPLACE THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE.

NHTSA ODI #11243525

177,900 miles · Aug 9, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AT 177,800 MILES THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE SURGES. WHILE DRIVING IF I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH ENGINE WOULD RISE TO 2000 RPMS. IF I PULLED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UP WITH TIP OF MY FOOT, THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD RETURN NORMAL. AT 177, 900 MILES THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS CLEANED, AND I AM NO LONGER EXPER…

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I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AT 177,800 MILES THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE SURGES. WHILE DRIVING IF I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH ENGINE WOULD RISE TO 2000 RPMS. IF I PULLED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UP WITH TIP OF MY FOOT, THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD RETURN NORMAL. AT 177, 900 MILES THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS CLEANED, AND I AM NO LONGER EXPERIENCING ENGINE SURGES.

NHTSA ODI #11242925

177,800 miles · Aug 9, 2019
Engine

WHILE BRAKING THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE PICKING UP SPEED. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH THE ENGINE SURGED PAST 2000 RPM. WHILE DRIVING ON A DOWNGRADE THE VEHICLE WAS PICKING UP SPEED, AND I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND THE ENGINE RPM WENT 2000 RPM FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. FROM MY EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER VEHICLES I THOUGHT: MAYBE THE DR…

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WHILE BRAKING THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE PICKING UP SPEED. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH THE ENGINE SURGED PAST 2000 RPM. WHILE DRIVING ON A DOWNGRADE THE VEHICLE WAS PICKING UP SPEED, AND I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND THE ENGINE RPM WENT 2000 RPM FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. FROM MY EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER VEHICLES I THOUGHT: MAYBE THE DRIVER'S MAT SHIFTED, OR SOME OTHER OBJECT MAY HAVE FALLEN AND WAS INTERFERING WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I FELT AROUND THE PEDAL WITH MY FOOT, BUT FOUND NO FOREIGN OBJECTS. I USED THE TIP OF MY FOOT TO MAKE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS UP ALL THE WAY, AND THEN ENGINE RPM APPEARED TO GO TO NORMAL. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION I TAPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL A FEW TIMES TO RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE WENT TO 2000 RPM FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS, AND CAME BACK DOWN. I CHECKED FOR ANY CODES USING AN OBD II SCANNER, HOWEVER NONE WERE FOUND.

NHTSA ODI #11242745

Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 2018
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPX. 40 MPH. VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART, AND WILL NOT RESTART. MECHANICS HAVE PROBLEM CONNECTING SCANNERS TO PMC AND EFFECTING REPAIRS. SEVERAL SCANNERS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL SCANNERS ARE UNABLE TO RETRIEVE VEHICLE'S DATA. SCANNERS, SAYS "CHECK CONNECTION TO VEHICLE COMPUTER" AND "WAI…

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VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPX. 40 MPH. VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART, AND WILL NOT RESTART. MECHANICS HAVE PROBLEM CONNECTING SCANNERS TO PMC AND EFFECTING REPAIRS. SEVERAL SCANNERS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL SCANNERS ARE UNABLE TO RETRIEVE VEHICLE'S DATA. SCANNERS, SAYS "CHECK CONNECTION TO VEHICLE COMPUTER" AND "WAITING FOR RESPONSE FROM VEHICLE". VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DISABLED. TOTAL OPERATING MILAGE OF VEHICLE IS 38,500 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11164234

64,500 miles · Nov 29, 2017
Engine

WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN. THE ENGINE DIES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DRIVERS BEHIND ME HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES OR SWERVE OUTOF THE WAY. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. WENT ON INTERNET, AND MANY CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11051134

Official recalls

1

09V130000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Apr 17, 2009

HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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