2020 KIA SPORTAGE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
184
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
35
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE
The 2020 KIA SPORTAGE has received a total of 184 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 8 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with TRAILER HITCHES. 35 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (61 complaints), Unknown Or Other (30 complaints), and Electrical System (16 complaints).
Recalls for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE
NHTSA has recorded 8 recalls for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, potentially affecting up to 876,140 vehicles.
Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 22V703000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 70,887 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short,...
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed...
View full details →Recall 21V137000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
| 379,931 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
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 equipped with an electronic parking...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE
184 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Car was driving, stopped at a stoplight, never moved again. 3 lights came on, Check Engine, Check Oil (Which had been serviced previously by a month and a half), and Check Battery. Bob Sight Kia has stated Engine issues associated with the rods failing and the starter not functioning due the the manifold, I am uncertain to the technical terms. It was late at night, the area only semi lit up and I had to wait for a tow in unsafe conditions as I was stuck in a turn lane. Prior to the failure, no issues. This is my only means of transport as a waitress, I had recently moved into this area and plan to move again at the end of year, so my car is much needed. From the theft issues of this car to the mechanical issues over the last year, I can honestly say I will not be buying a Kia again. What I need to know now is has the threshold been met by the standards you have set through complaints by consumers like myself and the manufacturer information that a recall or a means of financially assisting this situation exist yet? The repairs quoted are literally almost half of what I owe on the car left and I do not know what to do, but am hoping to hear from you.
Car was driving, stopped at a stoplight, never moved again. 3 lights came on, Check Engine, Check Oil (Which had been serviced previously by a month and a half), and Check Battery. Bob Sight Kia has stated Engine issues associated with the rods failing and the starter not functioning due the the manifold, I am uncertain to the technical terms. It was late at night, the area only semi lit up and I had to wait for a tow in unsafe conditions as I was stuck in a turn lane. Prior to the failure, no issues. This is my only means of transport as a waitress, I had recently moved into this area and plan to move again at the end of year, so my car is much needed. From the theft issues of this car to the mechanical issues over the last year, I can honestly say I will not be buying a Kia again. What I need to know now is has the threshold been met by the standards you have set through complaints by consumers like myself and the manufacturer information that a recall or a means of financially assisting this situation exist yet? The repairs quoted are literally almost half of what I owe on the car left and I do not know what to do, but am hoping to hear from you.
I came home from vacation and found my car completely dead. We took the battery in and ended up changing this. Soon later my cars power steering and dashboard would go in and out. I took it to Mark Kia who believed it to be the alternator, so they replace this. I picked the car up and not even 20 minutes later the same issues were occurring so I took it back where then they replaced the connector. I picked up my car and about a month went by and same thing occurred while I was driving even having my car completely die while driving it. I took it back in and now they believe it to be the engine harness.
I came home from vacation and found my car completely dead. We took the battery in and ended up changing this. Soon later my cars power steering and dashboard would go in and out. I took it to Mark Kia who believed it to be the alternator, so they replace this. I picked the car up and not even 20 minutes later the same issues were occurring so I took it back where then they replaced the connector. I picked up my car and about a month went by and same thing occurred while I was driving even having my car completely die while driving it. I took it back in and now they believe it to be the engine harness.
In April of 2025, it was noticed that my Sportage was consuming oil. There were no leaks or smoke just having to put oil in. Two mechanics stated that’s just Kia. On the night of 1/30/2026 my Sportage had an engine light come on. After the winter storm, I was able to get the code read and it came back as a Cylinder 1 Misfire. In May of 2025 I replaced all coil packs and spark plugs. On 2/1/26 we replaced the coil packs and spark plug. On 2/4/2026, Kia told me I have to replace the engine. I am still paying the vehicle off. This does seem to be an issue with Kia engines 2.4 from what I’m reading.
Safety Rating for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE
The 2020 KIA SPORTAGE received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE
Kia America, Inc. has issued 35 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
SC340_OWNR_QL101 — ENGINE
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC340 FLIGHT 101 / QL) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions software logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) for certain 2017-2022 MY Sportage vehicles equipped with 2.4L Gas...
CS2302_TSB_R4 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2302) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the...
TSB_ELE299 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: REAR COMBINATION LAMP INSPECTION AND SOFTWARE UPGRADE - This bulletin provides the procedure to inspect, and if necessary, replace the rear combination lamp holder and wire harness, and update the software logic of the Smart Junction Block (SJB) system on some 2020-2022MY Sportage (QL) vehicles produced from...
TSB_ELE299 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: REAR COMBINATION LAMP INSPECTION AND SOFTWARE UPGRADE - This bulletin provides the procedure to inspect, and if necessary, replace the rear combination lamp holder and wire harness, and update the software logic of the Smart Junction Block (SJB) system on some 2020-2022MY Sportage (QL) vehicles produced from...
SC222_TSB_R1 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL REPLACEMENT (SC222) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label...
SC222_TSB_R1 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL REPLACEMENT (SC222) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label...
SC222_OWNR — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label on 2020 MY Sportage vehicles equipped with the 2.0L Turbo engine and produced from December 19, 2018 through...
SC222_TSB — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL REPLACEMENT (SC222) - This bulletin provides information to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label on some 2020MY Sportage (QL) vehicles with 2.0L T-GDI engines produced from December 19, 2018 through May 13, 2020. An incorrect VECI label was...
SC222_DP — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label on 2020 MY Sportage vehicles equipped with the 2.0L Turbo engine and produced from December...
SC222_DPSM — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label on 2020 MY Sportage vehicles equipped with the 2.0L...
Showing 10 of 35 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2020 KIA SPORTAGE
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the KIA SPORTAGE
- 2015 KIA SPORTAGE — 190 complaints
- 2016 KIA SPORTAGE — 181 complaints
- 2017 KIA SPORTAGE — 516 complaints
- 2018 KIA SPORTAGE — 203 complaints
- 2019 KIA SPORTAGE — 95 complaints
- 2020 KIA SPORTAGE (current)
- 2021 KIA SPORTAGE — 42 complaints
- 2022 KIA SPORTAGE — 57 complaints
- 2023 KIA SPORTAGE — 276 complaints
- 2024 KIA SPORTAGE — 82 complaints
- 2025 KIA SPORTAGE — 63 complaints
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- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints
- KIA RIO — 1,784 total complaints