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3 safety recalls. 68 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS REMAINED ON EVERY SINCE. NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVED. BASED ON ANOTHER COMPLAINT I SEEN, MUST BE A FACTORY FAULT. *TR
2005 KIA SPORTAGE T-BONE CRASH AND THE SIDE SEAT AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY CAUSING SEVERE HEAD CONCUSSION AND NECK BACK INJURIES. PRODUCT LIABILITY/DEFECTIVE KIA SRS SYSTEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE…
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN ON THE VEHICLE WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2005. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED.
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
BRAKE APPLICATION CAUSED BY INADVERTENT ESP ACTIVATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH.
THE INABILITY TO ENGAGE, OR THE INADVERTENT RELEASE OF, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER MAY ALLOW YOUR VEHICLE TO ROLL WHILE IT IS PARKED AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH.
THE ENGINE MAY STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL BE HARD TO FILL THE GAS TANK AND EXTERNAL FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE EVAPORATIVE AIR FILTER INLET. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Kia Sportage is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 11 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 68 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.