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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 And Engine Cooling complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 2012
Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine And Engine Cooling

2006 KIA SPORTAGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MALFUNCTION OF AIRBAG LIGHT. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE CONNECTIONS WERE BAD, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATED. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, THE ESC LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE RADIATOR COVER WAS BROKEN. THE DEALER AGREED TO FIX THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE…

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2006 KIA SPORTAGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MALFUNCTION OF AIRBAG LIGHT. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE CONNECTIONS WERE BAD, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATED. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, THE ESC LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE RADIATOR COVER WAS BROKEN. THE DEALER AGREED TO FIX THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT NO CHARGE. UPDATED 01/07/13

NHTSA ODI #10485509

61,200 miles · Dec 21, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

AFTER SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND KIA DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, AS I TURNED INTO THE DEALERSHIP THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND I COASTED INTO THE PARKING LOT. REPAIR ORDER STATED POSSIBLE SOLENOID FAILURE (CODE P0665) AND REPLACED BANK 2 INTAKE MANIFOLD TUNING VALVE SOLENOID.THIS WAS ON 10/2010…

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AFTER SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND KIA DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, AS I TURNED INTO THE DEALERSHIP THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND I COASTED INTO THE PARKING LOT. REPAIR ORDER STATED POSSIBLE SOLENOID FAILURE (CODE P0665) AND REPLACED BANK 2 INTAKE MANIFOLD TUNING VALVE SOLENOID.THIS WAS ON 10/2010. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT BY US AS NEW. AGAIN, THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED WHILE DECELERATING AND/'OR TURNING (DEC. 21, 2011). THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 3-4 WEEKS. CALLED KIA CONSUMER TELEPHONE NUMBER IN OWNER'S MANUAL AND THEY HAVE NO OTHER INCIDENTS REPORTED FOR THIS PROBLEM. CAR KNOW HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY SAID WE'RE OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE SHOULD TAKE IT TO OUR KIA DEALER IN OUR TOWN. CALLED THEM AND EARLIEST APPOINTMENT IS NEXT WEEK AS THEIR TECHNICIAN IS IN SCHOOL. THE WIFE AND I ARE WORRIED THAT WE MAY BE "REAR-ENDED" AS THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, AS WE WERE BRAKING TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10440892

33,000 miles · Oct 3, 2010
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

2006 KIA SPORTAGE EX WITH V-6 HAS A HABIT OF COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN ELECTRICALLY, KILLING THE ENGINE AND THUS ALL LIGHTS, POWER ASSIST TO STEERING/BRAKES, ETC. PREVIOUSLY THIS OCCURRED ONLY WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP (PREVIOUSLY REPORTED). THIS TIME OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT NIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF UTAH WHE…

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2006 KIA SPORTAGE EX WITH V-6 HAS A HABIT OF COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN ELECTRICALLY, KILLING THE ENGINE AND THUS ALL LIGHTS, POWER ASSIST TO STEERING/BRAKES, ETC. PREVIOUSLY THIS OCCURRED ONLY WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP (PREVIOUSLY REPORTED). THIS TIME OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT NIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF UTAH WHEN THIS OCCURRED AGAIN. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY WITHOUT INCIDENT IN COMPLETE DARKNESS AND NO POWER ASSISTS. CAR WAS RUNNING ON CRUISE CONTROL SO NO DRIVER FUNCTION COULD HAVE CAUSED THE INCIDENT. NO WARNING SUCH AS ENGINE STUMBLE, FLICKERING LIGHTS, ETC,, IT JUST SHUT OFF!!! ONCE SAFELY STOPPED, OUR DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GET TO THE DESTINATION WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT IS UNABLE TO FIX IT. ONLY HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10358922

91,000 miles · Sep 9, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED HE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MANY FAILURES. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED HE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MANY FAILURES. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY ADVISED THE SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 91,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10354629

28,000 miles · Mar 15, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

2006 KIA SPORTAGE EX HAS REPEATED PROBLEM WITH ENGINE SHUTDOWN/STALL UPON STARTING FROM A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS. BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING, AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS ALSO WITH AND WITHOUT LIGHTS. NO CODE HAS SHOWN UP ON THE COMPUTER. NO WARNING. FIRST INDICATION THERE IS A PROBLEM I…

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2006 KIA SPORTAGE EX HAS REPEATED PROBLEM WITH ENGINE SHUTDOWN/STALL UPON STARTING FROM A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS. BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING, AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS ALSO WITH AND WITHOUT LIGHTS. NO CODE HAS SHOWN UP ON THE COMPUTER. NO WARNING. FIRST INDICATION THERE IS A PROBLEM IS WHEN WE TAKE OFF AND STEERING IS STIFF (E.G. NO PS) AND THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10319668

35,000 miles · Dec 11, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE CONTACT HAS 2006 KIA SPORTAGE THAT HAS BURNED OFF ANTI-FREEZE COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENT. THE COIL IS THINING AND CAUSING IT TO COME THROUGH THE WINDOW. THERE WAS AN IN CABIN AIR FILTER PLACED IN THE VEIHICLE THAT DID NOT HELP. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AROUND NOVEMBER OF 2008. 35000 MILES WHEN PROBLEM STARTED AND 45962 NOW

NHTSA ODI #10295344

25,380 miles · Dec 7, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingCrash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, HE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE BODY SHOP AND WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAG…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, HE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE BODY SHOP AND WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 25,380. UPDATED 03-05-08 *BF

NHTSA ODI #10211116

1,000 miles · Jun 4, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT ,IT'S MADE A BOILING SOUND IN THE DASH BROAD WHEN I TURN MY CAR OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DROPPED IT OFF TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS TOLD THAT MY COOLING SYSTEM HAD NOT BEEN BURPED RIGHT. SO THEY DRAINED THE SYSTEM AND RE-FILLED IT. AND THAT A…

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I HAVE A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT ,IT'S MADE A BOILING SOUND IN THE DASH BROAD WHEN I TURN MY CAR OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DROPPED IT OFF TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS TOLD THAT MY COOLING SYSTEM HAD NOT BEEN BURPED RIGHT. SO THEY DRAINED THE SYSTEM AND RE-FILLED IT. AND THAT AT SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. WELL IT DIDN'T !!!!!!! IT'S WORSE NOW THAN BEFORE. AND TO ADD TO IT, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GROWING MAGIC ROCKS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE RADIATOR. IT'S SO GREEN IN COLOR PLUS IT LOOKS FUZZY. AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE CAR IS HOT THE COOLING FAN WILL GO ON. BUT AS SOON AS I TURN THE CAR OFF THERE'S NO MORE FAN, EVER. AND FOR THE LAST COUPLE DAYS THE TRACTION CONTROLS LIGHT ON THE DASH IS LIT UP AND WON'T TURN OFF UNLESS I TURN THE MOTOR OFF AND WAIT ABOUT 10 MINS. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR THIS I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS, BUT THERE IS TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND THE SYSTEM I HAVE ISN'T THE ONE WITH THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10192421

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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