Kia Sportage problems
0 safety recalls. 80 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Top trouble spots 7 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
THE CAR HAS A ROUGH IDLE. IT WILL STALL RANDOMLY, SOMETIMES WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NUMEROUS SENSORS HAVE BEEN CHECKED. THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN DECEMBER 2009. IT WAS FIXED BUT BEGAN HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FALL OF…
HEADING DOWN HIGHWAY 198 FROM MABANK TX TO CANTON TX WE HAD HIT DEER TWO JUMP OUT ABOUT 2 FEET IN FROM OF US . WE MISS THE FIRST DEER AND SECOND ONE WE HIT DEAD SMACK IN FRONT OF CAR, IT DID SO MUCH DAMAGE HAD TO REPLACE MOST OF THE FRONT END INCLUDING RADIATOR AND COOLING…
2009 KIA SPORTAGE LX COMPLAINT. WE HAVE RECENTLY BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT ACCELERATION SURGING. THE OCCURRENCES ARE RANDOM; HOT OR COLD IN D-GEAR AT A STOP-LIGHT OR IN PARK POSITION. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALER TWO TIMES. ON THE SECOND TIME, I WAS TOLD THAT…
THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. NOT SURE IF IT IS THE SENSOR OR IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAGS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2009 Kia Sportage reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 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.
What's the most common problem on the 2009 Kia Sportage?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 14 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
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.
How do I check if my Kia Sportage has open recalls?
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.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2009 Kia Sportage?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 80 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.