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2007 Kia Sportage

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2007 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

57 reports with mileage · 20 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 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports5 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

77 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2025
Suspension

the rear subframe is completely rusted out the car only has 120,000 miles was able to get it home but something under it is making a banging noise looked under it and the subframe is rusted out

NHTSA ODI #11682714

148,943 miles · Mar 13, 2025
Engine

The contact owns a 2007 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rod bearings had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaire…

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The contact owns a 2007 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rod bearings had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,943.

NHTSA ODI #11648205

214,967 miles · Sep 10, 2024
Service Brakes

The contact owns a 2007 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the electronic brake control module …

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The contact owns a 2007 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the electronic brake control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 214,967.

NHTSA ODI #11613802

184,527 miles · Aug 5, 2024
EngineFire

While driving on the interstate, kia caught on fire. We got off interstate at our stop and a car started honking. As we didn't know car engine was on fire. We pulled into a parking lot and got out. The fire department was called. No one has looked at it to see what happened. Fire dept stated vehicle probably can't be fixed. We s…

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While driving on the interstate, kia caught on fire. We got off interstate at our stop and a car started honking. As we didn't know car engine was on fire. We pulled into a parking lot and got out. The fire department was called. No one has looked at it to see what happened. Fire dept stated vehicle probably can't be fixed. We see there was a recall on 2007 vehicles. This is a 2007.

NHTSA ODI #11606550

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2023
Exterior Lighting

The stop lamp switch was recalled & mine was replaced in 2010, but the part they replaced it with was faulty also and I’ve been driving without brake lights for years without knowing it. Then when I contacted KIA escalated customer “service,” they double-talked and gaslit me.

NHTSA ODI #11523559

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2023
Electrical SystemFire

Just bought this vehicle Feb 16 and esc plus engine light came on replaced sensors they didnt go off pulling into drive at home it caught fire and burned totally destroyed panel on front passenger side at headlight near power box.Fire dept came they said it looks electrical and was the 2nd 2007 kia sportage they had put out toda…

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Just bought this vehicle Feb 16 and esc plus engine light came on replaced sensors they didnt go off pulling into drive at home it caught fire and burned totally destroyed panel on front passenger side at headlight near power box.Fire dept came they said it looks electrical and was the 2nd 2007 kia sportage they had put out today.

NHTSA ODI #11514966

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2021
StructureSuspension

Completely rusted out frame by back right suspension and caused suspension to collapse..

NHTSA ODI #11423657

175,600 miles · Nov 20, 2020
Steering

STEERING WHEEL JAMMED IN COLD WEATHER SPECIALLY IN MORNING, VERY HARD TO TURN

NHTSA ODI #11375626

169,562 miles · Sep 22, 2020
Service Brakes

ALL WHEEL BRAKE PARTS WERE REPLACED EXCEPT FOR BRAKE LINES. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE BRAKES AT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR FROZE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE EVEN IN NEUTRAL? THE ONLY WAY TO GET THOSE WHEELS BRAKES TO RELEASE WAS TO OPEN THE INDIVIDUAL BLEEDER AND PUSH IT BY HAND USING ONLY THE EMERGANCY BRAKE TO ST…

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ALL WHEEL BRAKE PARTS WERE REPLACED EXCEPT FOR BRAKE LINES. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE BRAKES AT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR FROZE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE EVEN IN NEUTRAL? THE ONLY WAY TO GET THOSE WHEELS BRAKES TO RELEASE WAS TO OPEN THE INDIVIDUAL BLEEDER AND PUSH IT BY HAND USING ONLY THE EMERGANCY BRAKE TO STOP IT IN THE GARAGE. JACKED UP IN THE REAR THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WOULD LOCK UP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED. ONCE BLEEDER OPENED WHEEL WOULD TURN BUT LOCK UP WHEN PEDAL ONCE AGAIN PUSHED. THE KIA FORUM ONLINE REPORTS THIS HAPPENING ON VARIOUS KIA AND HUYANDIA VEHICLES OVER SEVERAL YEARS AND MODELS! THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP WHILE STATIONARY AT A STOP LIGHT! THE ONLY REPORTED FIX ON THE FORUM WAS REPLACEMENT OF A LEAKING MASTER CYCLINDER INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. I REPLACED MY MASTER CYCLINDER AND FOUND NO LEAK INTO THE BOOSTER BUT AM STILL UNABLE TO GET BRAKE FLUID TO FEED TO THE PASSENGER REAR BRAKE AND THUS BLEED THE AIR OUT?

NHTSA ODI #11360511

169,562 miles · Jul 26, 2020
Service Brakes

STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE BRAKES APPARENTLY LOCKED UP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE AND COULDN'T BE MOVED IN THE NUETRAL POSITION AND WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE FROM TRAFFIC LANE WITHOUT TOW TRUCK HELP. WHEN LOADING ONTO FLAT BED TOW TRUCK FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AND P…

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STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE BRAKES APPARENTLY LOCKED UP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE AND COULDN'T BE MOVED IN THE NUETRAL POSITION AND WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE FROM TRAFFIC LANE WITHOUT TOW TRUCK HELP. WHEN LOADING ONTO FLAT BED TOW TRUCK FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN AND SLID ON FLATBED METAL. SAME TRUE AT HOME. ONLINE FORUMS INDICATE AT LEAST THREE CASES OF THIS HAPPENING RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF THE MASTER CYCLINDER AND PARTS OF THAT AND POWER BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACEMENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.APPARENTLY THE BRAKE MASTER CYCLINDER LEAKS BRAKE FLUID INTO THE BOOSTER CAUSING MASSIVE BRAKE OR TRANSMISSION LOCKUP. IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BRAKE AT A STOP AND RENDERS YOU UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11341506

Official recalls

2

13V114000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Apr 1, 2013

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

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.

Go deeper into Kia Sportage problems