MOTOR BLEW UP WHILE DRIVING ON A HWY, CAR STALLED, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP, AND THE BREAKS TO STOP RESPONDING.
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.
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
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.
Engine complaints
15 reportsTL* THE CONTACT'S GRANDDAUGHTER OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER HEARD A BANGING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND BELIEVED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH GLASSMAN KIA (28000 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034) W…
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TL* THE CONTACT'S GRANDDAUGHTER OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER HEARD A BANGING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND BELIEVED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH GLASSMAN KIA (28000 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034) WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,430.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE POWER SEIZED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE, RADIATOR, AND TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE POWER SEIZED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE, RADIATOR, AND TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
DEAR NHTSA, I HAVE A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 69,245 MILES AND HAVE BEEN IN THE DEALER ON 12/4/14, 12/8/2014, 12/13/14, FOR ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WHILE BRAKING TO ENTER ANOTHER LANE OR TO TURN. ENGINE SHUT OFF AGAIN WHILE BRAKING TO TURN AT 9:00PM ON 12/16/14.ENGINE LIGHT HAVE COME ON AT LEAST 6-8 TIMES BEFORE AT WHICH EACH TIME I …
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DEAR NHTSA, I HAVE A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 69,245 MILES AND HAVE BEEN IN THE DEALER ON 12/4/14, 12/8/2014, 12/13/14, FOR ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WHILE BRAKING TO ENTER ANOTHER LANE OR TO TURN. ENGINE SHUT OFF AGAIN WHILE BRAKING TO TURN AT 9:00PM ON 12/16/14.ENGINE LIGHT HAVE COME ON AT LEAST 6-8 TIMES BEFORE AT WHICH EACH TIME I WENT INTO THE SERVICE DEALER ON 12/3/14, 12/8/14 AND 12/10/14. SOMETIMES IF IT WAS DURING THE DAY I TOOK THE KIA DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER I NOTICED WHILE RESEARCHING THAT THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH A FAULTY THROTTLE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION KIA WANTS TO CHARGE ME $248 TO REPLACE A THROTTLE. FROM THE REVIEWS ISSUED ONLINE THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT THAT KIA MANUFACTURER IS AWARE. ACCORDING TO SAFECAR.GOV THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FAULTY THROTTLE (E.G. OR FAULTY PARTS) AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE SERVICE DEALER. FINALLY COBB COUNTY SERVICE (CUSTOMER # [XXX]) SUGGESTED REPAIR INVOICE STATED THAT AFTER REPLACING TPS NEED MORE DIAGNOSIS TIME WITH VEHICLE IN ORDER TO FIND OUT ISSUE? I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A SAFETY RELATED DEFECTS (E.G. 267 OR MORE COMPLAINTS ONLINE NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY DEFECTS OF THE 2006 SPORTAGE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF), ESPECIALLY TO PAY FOR A PART THAT WILL NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE ENGINE WILL NOT CUT OFF. I ALSO FILED AN INQUIRY WITH KIA ON TODAY 12/16/2014, CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION REFERENCE NUMBER (#[XXX]).I AM AWAITING A CALL FROM KIA ABOUT THIS INQUIRY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT AND THE COST OF REPAIRS SHOULD BE REMEDIED AT NO COST TO ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Official recalls
109V130000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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