PITSTOP - BRAKE CALIPER LEAK INSPECTION - This PITSTOP provides information related to a brake caliper fluid/oil substance found on some Kia vehicles, due to possible excess assembly oil applied during assembly.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Kia Sportage brakes problems
moderate Owners of the 2014 Kia Sportage have filed 22 NHTSA complaints about the brakes at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Sportage | 5 |
| 2011 Sportage | 17 |
| 2012 Sportage | 11 |
| 2013 Sportage | 24 |
| 2014 Sportage (this page) | 22 |
| 2015 Sportage | 29 |
| 2016 Sportage | 33 |
| 2017 Sportage | 18 |
| 2018 Sportage | 8 |
What stands out
Brakes accounts for 18% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 7 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Out of 22 complaints, 15 owners received recall notice 22V051000 for hydraulic service brakes but could not get the repair done because Kia had no parts available—this stretched well over a year in some cases. Dealers and the manufacturer both confirmed the hold-up. A few owners never even got contacted by Kia and worried the recall wouldn't be honored.
The actual brake failures were sparse but real. One owner at 121,000 miles needed to pump the brake pedal hard and apply extra pressure to slow down from 35–40 mph; another at 60,000 miles smelled burning from the engine bay. Neither got formally diagnosed—one went to an independent shop, the other didn't pursue it. No warning lights came on in either case.
One narrative mentioned an engine replacement diagnosis after acceleration failure, with the dealer citing the brake recall but refusing to honor it. The core takeaway: most of these complaints are frustrated owners waiting on parts that simply don't exist yet, not owners reporting active brake failures on the road.
Same Kia Sportage brakes reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Recall parts unavailability (22V051000)
Owners received NHTSA recall notice 22V051000 for hydraulic service brakes but replacement parts were not available from dealer or manufacturer. Multiple owners reported the manufacturer exceeded reasonable timeframes for remedy delivery, with some waiting over a year since recall notification.
When: 2020-2024 (recall notification period)
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received but parts unavailable; Dealer confirms parts not in stock; Manufacturer confirms parts not yet available; Extended wait times (some over one year) reported
Repairs/costs cited: Recall remedy not completed due to parts shortage. No repair costs cited.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 22V051000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) - parts distribution disconnect; manufacturer acknowledged parts unavailability but did not provide timeline or alternative solutions.
Soft brake pedal requiring excessive pressure
Owner experienced brake pedal that required added pressure and pumping to achieve adequate braking response at highway speed. Vehicle awaited diagnostic testing at independent mechanic at time of complaint.
When: 121,062 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal requires excessive pressure to depress; Pumping needed to slow and stop vehicle; Failure at 35-40 MPH initially, then 50 MPH; No warning lights illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle awaited diagnostic testing; no repair completed. Not reported to dealer or manufacturer.
Burning odor from engine compartment
Owner reported burning smell from engine compartment while driving. Owner attributed failure to brake hydraulic system issue and related it to recall 22V051000, though no formal diagnosis was completed.
When: 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Burning odor from engine compartment; No warning lights illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired. No repair costs cited.
Synthesized from 22 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had brakes trouble with your 2014 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 brakes problem on the 2014 Kia Sportage?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $450 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 22 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 90,531 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes 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 brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes 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/2014/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.