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2014 Kia Sportage

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2014 Kia Sportage do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 122.

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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

52 reports with mileage · 70 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.

  • Engine. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 21 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 →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Engine complaints

71 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2022
Engine

Engine failure. Connecting rod bearings failed. Vehicle is available for inspection. Car went into Limp mode and would not go over twenty mph on the Highway. Has been inspected by mechanic and will be examined by dealership. Check engine light came on when issue arose.

NHTSA ODI #11450246

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2022
Engine

Engine ceased on interstate. Had to make abrupt stop. Took car into shop and found brass filings in the oil pan. Bearing on crank had ceased.

NHTSA ODI #11448137

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2022
Engine

2014 Kia Sportage total engine failure. Vehicle briefly flashed oil pressure warning light and stalled traveling down the highway. When he vehicle was started again it had a loud engine knock. Vehicle was towed to dealership had diagnosed engine has excessive rod bearing clearance. Recommend Long block Engine replacement. $5732.…

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2014 Kia Sportage total engine failure. Vehicle briefly flashed oil pressure warning light and stalled traveling down the highway. When he vehicle was started again it had a loud engine knock. Vehicle was towed to dealership had diagnosed engine has excessive rod bearing clearance. Recommend Long block Engine replacement. $5732. Kia is denying warranty claim due to the vehicle not having a KSDS software update. Court documents show that a consumer need only go to the NHTSA website and enter their VIN number to find any open recalls including the KSDS update. My VIN shows 0 unrepaired. Kia still claims that the update was not performed and the lifetime warranty will not be honored. Being an owner since 2018, I have not been notified of a single recall, product improvement campaign, or legal settlement. Kia customer service has admitted to not having me in their system. I as a consumer had no way of knowing of any of the safety, or functional concerns of my vehicle. This same problem has been confirmed through the stories of hundreds of others. Kia needs to be held accountable. At the time of settlement, when determining the amount. The court based its numbers off of a 100% approval rating of class vehicles. Even at that time the approval rating was only at 15%. Disgusting. Most importantly, the KSDS software update does not prevent engine failure in any way. The defect is still there. Kia has not found a fix. The vehicles are still unsafe.

NHTSA ODI #11446375

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2022
Engine

I’ve owned an Optima and a Sportage. They’ve both left me in terrible situations financially. I liked my 2014 KIA Sportage. It was well maintained and a good vehicle. I really hadn’t ran into any issues with it. Until the day after Christmas 12/26/2021. There was no indication whatsoever that there was a mechanical failure to …

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I’ve owned an Optima and a Sportage. They’ve both left me in terrible situations financially. I liked my 2014 KIA Sportage. It was well maintained and a good vehicle. I really hadn’t ran into any issues with it. Until the day after Christmas 12/26/2021. There was no indication whatsoever that there was a mechanical failure to the engine about to happen. No warning lights. Nothing. As I was running about 80 mph on 71 Southbound I started to hear a “flapping” noise. Within 5 miles, and thank the Lord I was now on an exit ramp slowing down - the engine locked up!! After doing some research I quickly found out this is a predominant issue with KIA engines. The manufacturing was faulty and it causes premature wear of the crankshaft bearing and metal shavings wrecking havoc on the engine. Due to being a secondary owner it is not under warranty and because I did not receive any notification at all from the manufacturer that there was a product improvement order for the vehicle, KIA will not assist with any of the cost. I now have a vehicle that was running just fine the day before yesterday, that has 84,000 miles on it, maintained properly, that I still owe on that does not run and is going to cost me $6,500 to get fixed. There was a class action lawsuit with a 1.3 billion dollar settlement because KIA knew they were manufacturing junk engines but apparently I missed out on that and I am not eligible due to the product improvement, that I knew nothing about, was not completed. My VIN has 0 unrepaired recalls on the KIA and the NHTSA government websites. I don’t understand how it’s not a safety recall. I keep reminding myself that things could’ve been worse and I am leaning on my faith to help me remain as calm about the situation as possible.

NHTSA ODI #11446140

Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 2021
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

There are moments when I am driving that the vehicle will suddenly decelerate for no reason. At that point, I have to pull over, turn the vehicle off and then back on for it to move. This is frightening at the least as it happens with no warning and sometimes I'm on the freeway. I have had a couple of mechanics look at it and th…

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There are moments when I am driving that the vehicle will suddenly decelerate for no reason. At that point, I have to pull over, turn the vehicle off and then back on for it to move. This is frightening at the least as it happens with no warning and sometimes I'm on the freeway. I have had a couple of mechanics look at it and they can't figure out why it does this. I've asked Kia twice and they don't give a response. I'm afraid that it will happen one day when I'm not in a position to pull over without getting hit.

NHTSA ODI #11445548

120,000 miles · Dec 21, 2021
Engine

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, he began to hear an abnormal noise coming from the engine. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road but did not hear the abnormal noise anymore. The contact stated that he decided to con…

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The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, he began to hear an abnormal noise coming from the engine. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road but did not hear the abnormal noise anymore. The contact stated that he decided to continue driving, but the engine then seized shortly after. The contact was able to restart to the vehicle but continued to hear the abnormal noise getting louder. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer and was informed that the engine needed to be replaced, due to not having the knock sensor software updated. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11444598

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

Low oil light had turned on and some strange noises began to sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The oil level however, did not seem terribly low, though new oil had been added to the vehicle nonetheless while waiting for a maintenance appointment the next day. While driving the vehicle later on that same night, the batt…

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Low oil light had turned on and some strange noises began to sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The oil level however, did not seem terribly low, though new oil had been added to the vehicle nonetheless while waiting for a maintenance appointment the next day. While driving the vehicle later on that same night, the battery light, and check engine light suddenly came on and the vehicle began to shut down, thus forcing us to come to a stop in the middle of the road. Once towed and assessed the following day, I was informed that it had been engine failure and would in turn require a new engine.

NHTSA ODI #11440227

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2021
EngineFuel/propulsion System

Unknown

NHTSA ODI #11436658

73,000 miles · Sep 23, 2021
Engine

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. During the failure a rattling noise was present coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine rods had failed, and the engine needed to be replac…

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The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. During the failure a rattling noise was present coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine rods had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 73,000.

NHTSA ODI #11434095

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2021
Engine

Was driving 50 mph on highway when a loud band and sudden loss of power came from engine. Veered car to breakdown lane. Engine oil all over road. Total loss of engine oil. A screw blew a hole in the engine (two private mechanics confirmed this). Car has now been sitting at Kia dealer for 3 weeks and they claim they cannot look a…

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Was driving 50 mph on highway when a loud band and sudden loss of power came from engine. Veered car to breakdown lane. Engine oil all over road. Total loss of engine oil. A screw blew a hole in the engine (two private mechanics confirmed this). Car has now been sitting at Kia dealer for 3 weeks and they claim they cannot look at it for a month (must be a lot of blown engines in their lot?) Only 83,000 miles on car.

NHTSA ODI #11433956

Official recalls

3

22V051000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Feb 2, 2022

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 K900 and 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse for the HECU circuit board, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC227.

18V907000 · Engine; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Dec 19, 2018

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Engine

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

14V023000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jan 27, 2014

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured September 30, 2013, through January 11, 2014. The certification label has incorrect tire pressure information printed on it, listing a specification that is 1 or 2 psi below the correct information. Thus, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Maintaining tire pressure below the recommmend specification could result in premature tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will correct the label information, and owners will also receive a sticker to put into the owners manual, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in February 2014. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC103.

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

2

AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.

DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing.  There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

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