2016 Kia Sportage Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 84,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2016 Kia Sportage LX experienced a catastrophic engine seizure on September 9, 2026, at 91,249 miles. My son was returning home on I-95 South in Florida. After exiting at Sample Road and traveling west near Seabra Foods at approximately 40 mph, he first noticed unusual engine noises at an estimated 91,245 miles. He pulled over…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) and electrical system malfunctioned, causing a severe short circuit, total power collapse, and an engine compartment thermal event (heavy smoke). The vehicle has an open, incomplete federal safety recall (NHTSA 22V051 / Kia SC227) for this exact fire and short-circuit hazard. The vehicle is…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 55,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V051000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V051000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while the vehicle was being driven and while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the failure…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 82,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 60,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

can not get recall 22v051 resolved, received a letter from Kia corp. headquarters,Irvine,ca stating parts were available for the recall. I made an appointment with Roseville Kia, ca. for oct. 17. We drove for an hour to the dealership, only to be told they did not have the parts on hand, we were told to make another appointment. we said…Owner complaint, filed 2022

There has been a recall on this car twice in less than a year. When I tried to get the parts ordered, the dealer lied about ordering them. DO NOT BUY KIAS.Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

I have a 2016 kia sportage when I pull out in traffic it hesitates when I push the gas its like we have no gas.it doesnt do it all the time but when it does it that will scare the krap out of you especialy when oncoming traffic is coming at you.you ask when it happened well it has happened numerous times if not fixed this could result in…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 21,000 miles

La guagua se apagó corriendo motor trancado quiero saber si tiene recall de la bomba de aceite es una kia sportage 2016 motor gdi [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the transmission failed to properly change gears. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was not notified of the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 180,000 miles

When coming to a stop and brake applied car starts to vibrate. Local mechanic who looked at the vehicle believes it's the torque converter. The miles are high but it's under a the recall new engine, which technically has only approximately 60k.Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The car accelerated of its own accord, I had been driving 30-35 miles an hour when it accelerated suddenly and caused me to wreck.Owner complaint, filed 2024

The contact owns a 2016 kia sportage. While driving 10 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and failed to backpedal for 2-3 seconds. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that a certain component failed and needed to be replaced. The contact did not know the exact component. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred.…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 19,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The exterior lighting is not good at all. Since I've had the vehicle, going on 4 years, I still switch the lights off then on because I can't seem to see in front of me. It's especially bad when driving in the dark while raining. I've tried to get brighter headlights but they are very costly and almost impossible to obtain them anyway.…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 44,000 miles

This morning I was backing out of my driveway when all of a sudden I heard a loud bang. I got out to look, assuming it was a tire. Upon looking over the vehicle I could not see any issues but did notice a crackling sound. When I looked on the top of the car the rear section of the panoramic sunroof was shattered in each corner and when I…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 6,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

On january 24th 2019 at 7:45 p.m. I was involved in a head-on collision that results in my car being pushed across the streets and hitting the curb on the other side of the street causing my vehicle to be completely totaled none of my airbags deployed which caused me to hit everything on the inside of my vehicle I was injured I had a…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 135,000 miles

My daughter, was involved in an accident on 1/29/19 at 7:45am. She was stopped and a truck hit her from behind and she hit the vehicle in front of her. The air bags did not go off and she hit her head on wheel, and windshield. Her son who was in back in his car seat, also hit his head. They both sustained severe concussions, black eyes…Owner complaint, filed 2019

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owned a 2016 kia sportage. While the contact's son was making a right turn at 5 MPH, he lost control of the vehicle. The steering seized, which caused the vehicle to crash into a tree and burst into flames. It was unknown if the air bags deployed. The contact's son suffered a concussion and sought medical attention. A police…Owner complaint, filed 2019

I was driving with my cruise control set at 70 mph, on Highway 95 ( the speed limit ) While driving my vehicle suddenly dropped to 40 mph, all dashboard lights began to flash. I had problems with the steering as I attempted to pull over. I had a tractor trailer behind me on a major highway. When I came to a complete stop, my engine light…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Blind spot. Numerous times the driver mirror is large and close to the window /door frame causing a huge blind spot as to where I've almost hit people crossing in a crosswalk, mostly by making a left turn.Owner complaint, filed 2023

On July 30, 2022 I took my car to Greenway Kia East Orlando due to two traction warning lights that were on. After weeks and months of Kia not knowing what was wrong with the car I was finally told that it was an electrical harness and that my warranty company was non responsive. I decided to call my warranty company and after back and…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The driver's seat back exhibits movement when it is in a locked position. While driving and with the seat belt fasten, can feel the seat back move slightly forward during braking or while braking going downhill. While driving on a flat road surface, cannot feel seat back movement. Upon noticing movement, tried physically to move seat…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 35,000 miles

My daughter, was involved in an accident on 1/29/19 at 7:45am. She was stopped and a truck hit her from behind and she hit the vehicle in front of her. The air bags did not go off and she hit her head on wheel, and windshield. Her son who was in back in his car seat, also hit his head. They both sustained severe concussions, black eyes…Owner complaint, filed 2019

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

the car was bought certified used from Galpin Kia which is no longer in business. That location closed down. I had gone 2 times with the same issue and they refused to look under the car & mechanic basically said chill out it’s fine. Sent me to galpin Ford to which I talked to 2 employees and In tears expressed my fear and concern yet…Owner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

2 problems occurred within 1 month from each other: - Kia Sportage engine started to randomly stall. I needed to do a full stop in the middle of the road and restart the car to continue driving. I had 3 stalls happen within 2 weeks before I had time to take it to the dealer. The Kia Dealer held it for over a week and drove it but could…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

On sept 3 2017 I was invloved in an accident in which my driver side air bag deployed leaving me with severe bruises on abdoman and burn marks on my left forearm. I went to hopspital and had an ultrasound done. Our car was totalled and wanted to make sure that I am going to not have any further medical issues I have police reports and…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 15,900 miles