2021 Kia Sportage Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2021 Kia Sportage, and owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
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2 safety recalls for the 2021 Kia Sportage
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Trailer hitches Park outside
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow…
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge.…
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Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module Park outside
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles…
54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2021 Kia Sportage have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 7 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 50,588 miles. Complaints peaked in 2026 with 20 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that after an oil change, while leaving the dealer and driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact pulled o”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2026 · Engine and engine cooling
“My 2021 Kia Sportage is in Limp Mode at 2,000 RPM, and my mechanic confirmed it has the P1326 Knock Sensor code stored. Vin [XXX]. I need to see if my car can be added to the list of vehicles regardin”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 29, 2026 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2021 Kia Sportage (Sportage AWD, Sportage FWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 21–26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19–23 / 24–30 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2/2.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
Compare Kia Sportage model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Sportage model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 Kia Sportage | 2 | 56 |
| 1996 Kia Sportage | 3 | 57 |
| 1997 Kia Sportage | 3 | 181 |
| 1998 Kia Sportage | 3 | 303 |
| 1999 Kia Sportage | 3 | 284 |
| 2000 Kia Sportage | 2 | 304 |
| 2001 Kia Sportage | 0 | 228 |
| 2002 Kia Sportage | 1 | 234 |
| 2003 Kia Sportage | 0 | 4 |
| 2005 Kia Sportage | 3 | 68 |
| 2006 Kia Sportage | 1 | 111 |
| 2007 Kia Sportage | 2 | 77 |
| 2008 Kia Sportage | 3 | 98 |
| 2009 Kia Sportage | 3 | 80 |
| 2010 Kia Sportage | 2 | 20 |
| 2011 Kia Sportage | 6 | 181 |
| 2012 Kia Sportage | 5 | 392 |
| 2013 Kia Sportage | 3 | 381 |
| 2014 Kia Sportage | 3 | 123 |
| 2015 Kia Sportage | 2 | 146 |
| 2016 Kia Sportage | 2 | 132 |
| 2017 Kia Sportage | 4 | 401 |
| 2018 Kia Sportage | 3 | 164 |
| 2019 Kia Sportage | 2 | 70 |
| 2020 Kia Sportage | 2 | 161 |
| 2021 Kia Sportage | 2 | 54 |
| 2022 Kia Sportage | 1 | 46 |
| 2023 Kia Sportage | 6 | 191 |
| 2024 Kia Sportage | 3 | 73 |
| 2025 Kia Sportage | 1 | 52 |
| 2026 Kia Sportage | 1 | 27 |
Checking a specific 2021 Kia Sportage
How do I know if my 2021 Kia Sportage has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2021 Kia Sportage; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 21V137000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Optima7,512 complaints
- Soul5,553 complaints
- Forte2,553 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
- Rio1,291 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.