Driving on minimally wet road, water is splashing into engine, light comes on engine stalls no steering. This has occurred on residential street, highway street, driving straight, accelerating from a complete stop, turning left or right. Called dealership from where car was purchased (four months ago) service manager unresponsive. Having a different dealership look at car, will try to…
2009 Kia Sportage steering problems
moderate 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 14 steering complaints filed for the 2009 Kia Sportage, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Of the 14 model years of Kia Sportage we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 14.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 10 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint is power steering loss during turns and curves. Owners describe the steering cutting out completely—the wheel becomes hard to turn or locks up—then assist returns when straightening or accelerating. One owner lost power steering for about 1,000 feet in a hard right curve on highway 50; another experienced the same issue sporadically over four months. Fluid levels check normal, yet mechanics find the problem nearly impossible to duplicate, frustrating repair attempts.
A related pattern emerges: steering wheel lockup specifically when decelerating while turning. Owners report the wheel seizes, making it nearly impossible to steer, then releases when they press the accelerator. This happens at low speeds and occurs often enough that drivers feel unsafe in their lane.
Early reports note stiff or difficult steering at very low speeds (around 6 mph), though one dealer claimed a new vehicle needed 4,000 miles to resolve it. One steering rack was diagnosed as leaking at 49,693 miles. A clock spring failure lit the airbag warning at 122,000 miles.
One owner reported water entering the engine during light rain, causing stalling and complete steering loss. A vehicle pulling persistently to the right has defied multiple dealer repair attempts. Across the board, dealer service departments report inability to recreate problems, leaving owners frustrated and unsafe.
Same Kia Sportage steering reports on nearby years: 2007
Failure modes owners describe
Power steering loss during turns and curves
Power steering assist cuts out intermittently, primarily during turns and curves. Drivers report the steering becomes hard to turn or locks up. Assist returns when straightening out or accelerating. Fluid levels check normal, and the issue is often difficult for dealers to reproduce.
When: Varying mileage; reports cite 100K miles, 49,693 miles, 80,000 miles; some early (130 miles); sporadic recurrence over months to years
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering assist loss during turns; Steering wheel seizes or locks up when turning; Steering becomes extremely difficult or impossible to turn; Loss of steering occurs most commonly during right turns, left turns, and curves; Steering assist returns when vehicle straightens out or accelerator is pressed; No dash warning lights illuminate in most cases; Fluid level checks within normal range; Issue lasts approximately 1000 feet per occurrence in one report
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports steering rack diagnosed as leaking at 49,693 miles; power steering pump flush attempted without resolution; new power steering pump suggested by one mechanic; dealers unable to duplicate issue in most cases
Steering wheel lockup when decelerating during turns
Steering wheel freezes or locks when the driver decelerates while turning. The wheel releases when acceleration is applied. This creates hazardous lane-keeping conditions.
When: Sporadic occurrences over 4+ months; started around 80,000 miles in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locks or freezes during deceleration in a turn; Steering becomes unresponsive when braking into a turn; Steering releases when accelerator is pressed; Difficult to maintain proper lane position when locking occurs; Hard to turn the wheel when locked
Difficult steering at low speed
Steering becomes difficult or stiff when operating the vehicle at low speeds, particularly during slow turns. One early report (at 130 miles) noted difficult steering at 6 mph with poor fuel economy; dealer said vehicle needed 4,000 miles to resolve.
When: Early in ownership (130 miles in one case); low-speed driving conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Difficult steering at low speeds (6 mph reported); Stiff steering during slow turns; Multiple dealer visits without resolution
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer advised vehicle was new and required 4,000 miles for resolution; vehicle taken to dealer five times with no resolution by 779 miles
Vehicle pulling to one side
Vehicle pulls significantly to the right during normal driving. Multiple dealer visits have been unable to correct the condition.
When: Reported since February; ongoing issue
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle pulls to the right; Persistent pulling despite multiple dealer attempts to repair
Repairs/costs cited: Examined multiple times by Jim Butler Kia St. Louis since February; unable to repair
Clock spring failure
Airbag warning light illuminated. Independent mechanic diagnosed a failed clock spring requiring replacement. Owner did not proceed with repair.
When: At 122,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illumination
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic diagnosed clock spring replacement needed; repair not completed
Engine stalling and steering loss in wet conditions
Water splashes into the engine bay in light rain. Engine stalls and power steering is lost. Occurs on both residential and highway streets, whether driving straight, turning, or accelerating.
When: Reported after four months of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Water splashes into engine on minimally wet roads; Engine stalls; Power steering lost during stall; Occurs during straight driving, left turns, right turns, and acceleration
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Kia sportage. While driving approximately 6 MPH he experienced difficult steering. Also the vehicle failed to convey to the fuel economy recommended standards of 16 to 24 MPG for in the city driving. The vehicle maintained a fuel economy of 12 MPG. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. The technician stated that the vehicle was new, and…
While driving through some curve on hwy 50 into austin nv. The power steering failed, on a hard right curve, no assist until I came into a straight away, power steering worked fine, then again on a right curve it failed. No power assist with steering until I got back onto a straight away. Stopped in austin check power steering fluid level, it was within tolerances. Note: each failure lasted…
2009 Kia sportage. Consumer states problem with vehicle steering *tgw the consumer stated when turning, the steering wheel would lock up. The consumer stated the dealer was unable to fix the problem.
Had steering trouble with your 2009 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 2009 Kia Sportage?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 14 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 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 55,000 and 125,000 miles, with the median around 100,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,000; a quarter make it past 125,000. 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/2009/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.