Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Kia sportage. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 70 MPH, he felt a strong vibration in the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 10,000 and the current mileage was 61,000.
2007 Kia Sportage steering problems
moderate 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 10 steering complaints filed for the 2007 Kia Sportage, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 13 model years of Kia Sportage in our records for steering problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 13 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint across these 10 narratives is steering lockup triggered by wet road conditions. Six owners report that when driving through puddles, heavy rain, or wet surfaces, the steering wheel locks and the battery light illuminates. Power steering returns after a minute or so, but during the lockup the vehicle becomes difficult to control—a serious hazard at highway speed.
One owner's 2007 Sportage locked up four times in three weeks starting at 59K miles, with the dealership replacing the power steering pump multiple times without stopping the failures. Another owner reports this happening every time she drives in rain since 2017, with documented video.
A separate but related issue appears in one narrative: water splashes into the engine compartment during puddle crossing, triggering stalls by wetting the ignition coil. This owner reports it happened multiple times in 2012–2013, then increasingly through 2014. The dealership acknowledged the wet ignition coil problem and offered coil replacement, but the owner points out the component remains vulnerable.
Additional, less-frequent complaints include steering wheel jamming in cold mornings, steering wheel vibration at highway speed, steering/ignition/shifter locking overnight, and steering wheel noise.
Across all wet-weather reports, dealerships have been unable to duplicate problems using hose or water spray tests, leaving diagnosis incomplete and repairs temporary at best.
Same Kia Sportage steering reports on nearby years: 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Power steering lockup when wet
Steering wheel locks up when driving through water, rain, or puddles. Battery light and other warning indicators illuminate. Power returns after a minute, but vehicle becomes difficult to control during loss. Problem happens repeatedly on wet roads.
When: Occurs during wet driving conditions; some reports 50K–100K+ miles; complaint #1 occurred multiple times 2012–2014; complaint #2 reported since 2017, occurs every rain drive; complaint #3 started at 59K miles with multiple failures within 21 days
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locks; Battery light illuminates; Loss of power steering; Other warning lights activate; Vehicle difficult to control
Repairs/costs cited: Complaint #3: power steering pump sensor replaced at 59K miles, then locked up 3 more times over 21 days at 73K, 73K, and 78K miles. Dealerships unable to replicate with hose spray or water spray tests
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #1 mentions KIA willing to replace ignition coil; complaint #3 shows repeated pump replacements/fixes at dealership without permanent resolution
Engine stall when water enters engine compartment
Water splashes into engine compartment during puddle crossing, causing engine stall and loss of power assist to steering and brakes. Complaint #1 identifies ignition coil as the vulnerable component getting wet. Multiple stalls in 2012–2013, increasing in frequency by 2014.
When: October 2012 onward; several times in 2012–2013; much more often by 2014
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls after water entry; Loss of power steering; Loss of power brakes; High pitch squeal near right front wheel (complaint #2)
Repairs/costs cited: Complaint #1: Kia dealership attempted recreation with hose spray but was not successful in making car stall. Owner's mechanic confirmed ignition coil is getting wet and causing stall. Kia willing to replace ignition coil but owner states it does not solve problem because component remains in vulnerable location
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #1 states this is a known problem with recalls and replacement of ignition coil; dealership claimed no recalls found in databases
Steering wheel lockup in cold weather
Steering wheel jams and becomes very hard to turn, especially in morning in cold weather conditions.
When: Cold weather mornings; complaint #10 provides limited detail
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel jammed; Steering very hard to turn; Occurs especially in morning in cold conditions
Steering and ignition lockup at rest
Vehicle parked overnight; next day steering wheel, ignition, and shifter all locked, immobilizing the vehicle.
When: Overnight parking
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locked; Ignition locked; Shifter locked
Steering wheel vibration at highway speed
Strong vibration felt in steering wheel during highway driving. Occurred at 10K miles; failure could not be replicated at dealership.
When: 10K miles; current mileage 61K at complaint time
Symptoms owners cite: Strong vibration in steering wheel
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership could not replicate problem; vehicle was not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer contacted but no action noted
Steering wheel noise
Steering wheel produces noise. Complaint #8 provides minimal detail; consumer has not received response or solution.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel noise
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response or solution provided to consumer
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Steering wheel jammed in cold weather specially in morning, very hard to turn
When driving through a puddle of standing water in october 2012, a 'splash' of water entered the engine compartment caused the engine in my 2007 Kia sportage to stall, resulting in the loss of power assist to both steering and brakes. This occurred several times in 2012 and 2013. But, in 2014, it has happened much more often. Enough to force me to take my sportage into a Kia dealership to see if…
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Kia sportage. While driving various speeds on wet road surfaces, the steering wheel locked and the battery and other unknown warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to bob king Kia (1725 link rd, winston-salem, nc 27103 (336) 724-3866) where the failure was unable to be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage…
Had steering trouble with your 2007 Kia Sportage?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2007 Kia Sportage?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, with the median around 78,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 60,000; a quarter make it past 100,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Kia/Sportage.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.