Complaint volume
149 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Kia Sportage Complaints
149 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Kia Sportage, grouped by component category.
149 Total complaints
11 Crash reports
11 Fire reports
7 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, unknown or other, engine and engine cooling. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 11 crash reports, 11 fire reports, 7 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 35 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 32,724 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, unknown or other, engine and engine cooling?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Kia Sportage?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Kia Sportage
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Kia Sportage complaints?
11 Crash
11 Fire
7 Injury
0 Fatality
11 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Kia Sportage complaint categories?
ENGINE 52
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 6
STRUCTURE 5
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 5
SERVICE BRAKES 4
STEERING 4
149 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | On [XXX] had oil change at Kia of Orangeburg, SC. On [XXX] travelled to Summerville, SC on [XXX]. Exited at the [XXX] exit and stopped at the traffic light. Observed smoke coming from under the hood. Pulled over at gas station on right. My daughter opened the hood and there was fire under the hood. Dropped hood and called 911. Fire Department arrived and put the fire out. There were no warning lights in dash board or unpleasant odors observed while driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | When pulling out of a parking area the vehicle accelerated without me pressing the gas pedal. Attempts to stop the vehicle by pressing the brake were unsuccessful. The vehicle stopped when we struck a building. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The Kia with big radio screen suffers of delamination on the screen. The issue is noted on all Kia vehicles with the big screen radio. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FIRERELATED | As I was driving down the road,I started to see steam/smoke coming out of the enginge. I went to pull over and lost my brakes. I ended up tapping the car in front me. My car started to fill with smoke and then engulfed in flames. By looking at the pics, it appears the fire started on the driver's side. The car is a total loss. | Crash: Yes Fire: Yes Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Car has barely any power and it will not accelerate more than 40 mph. It stutters from a stop to moving at a red light like it’s going to stall out. Will not do steep hills without almost no power and a stalling sound and bucking. Not sure what’s wrong but I think I was sold a lemon and I am not happy. I need my vehicle to continue working to make money to support my family! The car is not that old and has less than 30,000 miles. It’s a 2020 and has been getting worse and worse. I’ve had a few issues since I got it only 6 months ago. It was a used vehicle from 1 owner and should not be having so many issues already. Please help | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle overheated, and the contact was able to pull over. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle revved up and idled rough. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 12,000 |
| Dec 2023 | ENGINE | Check engine light intermittently turned on for years. Took to dealership numerous times with no resolution. Was driving and vehicle overheated to the point I thought I was going to catch fire. Pulled over, had towed to dealership. They replaced 51 + parts and spent $15,900 on repairs just to give me back a vehicle that is a lemon. Car engine Revs louder than before. Terrifying after what was experienced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | ENGINE | Engine started to consume oil. I'm now going through a quart or more of oil in a couple hundred miles. Dealerships are aware of an oil consumption issue with kids engines. This needs to be a recall because it can cause engine to sieze while driving or cause a fire. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed at night, she became aware that the headlamps failed to provide adequate illumination, severely compromising vehicle safety while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the headlamps were within vehicle safety compliance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 6,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Nov 2023 | STRUCTURE | MY KIA 2020 SPORTAGE IS JUST OVER 3 YEARS OLD. THE PAINT AND CLEARCOAT IS PEELING ON THE LT AND RT DOOR MIRRORS AND REAR HATCH SUNSHADE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 26000 MILES ON IT. KIA IS REFUSING TO FIX THIS PAINT PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY SAID THEIR PAINT WARRANTY IS ONLY 36 MONTHS. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM- LOOK ONLINE AND SEE ALL OF THE PAINT PEELING COMPLAINTS KIA HAS. THEY JUST TURN A BLING EYE TO THIS BIG PROBLEM. I HAVE A SHOP ESTIMATE FOR $800.00 TO REPAINT KIA'S POOR WORKMANSHIP. SORRY, SORRY CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM KIA. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | STEERING | I had my 2020 Kia Sportage in for the anti-theft recall. They installed the necessary information. My concern is I would also like the steering wheel lock harness free of charge to me. How do I go about receiving one of these? Also my SUV insurance has gone up because of this and I would like it to go down next year with me having this on my SUV. Thank you for your help, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My 2020 KIA SPORTAGE WAS STOLEN AFTER THE RECALL WHERE KIA INDICATED THE RECALL WOULD DETECT THAT A KEY WAS NOT INSERTED AND WOULD SHUT DOWN CAR. THIS DID NOT WORK BECAUSE MY CAR WAS STOLEN AFTER THE RECALL!!! CAUSING EXTREME DURESS AND FINCIAL DISTRESS. THIS RECALL WAS JUST A SMOKE SCREEN TO LET EVERYONE THINK IT WAS FIXED AND THAN TACK A COUPLE SECURITY STUFF ON THE WINDOWS. WHEN IS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND THE NHTSA FINALLY MAKES KIA RECALL THERE CARS AND INSTALL AN IMOBILIZER AS PER NHTSA CODE. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | On August 22, 2023, without warning the panoramic sunroof of our 2020 Kia Sportage exploded. There was a loud bang, and glass flew into and out of the vehicle. Most of the glass was expelled from the vehicle upon the sunroof exploding. The edges of the glass that remained point upward, indicating an outward force. Thankfully, the cloth sunscreen on the underside of the roof was closed and kept the remaining debris from falling further into the vehicle. My husband and I were in the front of the vehicle looking out the windshield at the time of the incident and did not see any object come in contact with the roof that could have reasonably caused such a large explosion. Our concerns are twofold. First, the sunroof exploded. It would seem that the sunroof should be made of the same type of laminated tempered glass as a windscreen, which does not shatter - even if the glass is cracked by some object. Again, we did not see any external force impact the sunroof such that it should have completely shattered. Second, the glass shards that were left behind were relatively large pieces (1"x2" to 1"x3"). Had the sunscreen not been closed, my husband and I could have sustained serious bodily injury. Additionally, the shock and noise associated with the explosion significantly impacted safe driving, which was along a major interstate with moderate traffic. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | On the evening of Saturday, August 5, while driving to dinner with my wife, an unexpected and startling incident occurred with my 2020 Kia Sportage. The sunroof of my vehicle suddenly exploded with a sound resembling a gunshot. There were no apparent signs of debris or any external force from another vehicle that could have caused the glass to shatter. This incident was both unexpected and concerning, highlighting a safety issue that requires investigation and potential resolution by the manufacturer or authorized service center. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | The brake pum liquid is low i add more of 2 times the break liquid. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | I am concerned with the liftgate/trunk panel latching/operation. On our liftgate/trunk it falls sometimes and comes down on you while you are still in the way. My wife was slightly injured on her head, when it malfunctioned, and she was in the way when it came down. Several times it just started coming down on me while I was unloading items from the cargo hold. Sometimes the lift cargo door will just open on its own and you go outside and see it, or a neighbor will see it and come let us know. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| Jun 2023 | ENGINE | Engine failure. Check engine light illuminated for the first time at 2:30pm on 2/11/23 while traveling at 65mph, light then begins flashing and speed immediately decreased to 25mph on a 2 lane bridge. There was a loud unusual knocking sound coming from the engine that had never been heard prior to the engine going into limp mode. I limped the vehicle home at 25mph to find that the oil level was critically low even after adding oil just 3 days prior due to an issue with the vehicle that began consuming an excessive amount of oil following repairs made to the engine by the dealership due to an auto accident in 2022. Information found on kias website stated that the vehicle could be driven while the light is flashing so after limping home and finding the oil had been completely consumed, oil was added to bring it back to the recommended level then it was driven a mile away to auto zone to have the code read. It threw code P1326. The vehicle was then driven back home where just 2 blocks away from home the engine completely seized and would no longer start and had to be towed home. The warranty has run out due to high miles on the vehicle. So the vehicle sits in the driveway with payments still being made and the repairs being too costly to take care of out of pocket. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | KIA America sent a letter to me dated May 8, 2023 regarding the interim repair to mitigate the spontaneous fire hazard for vehicles equipped with the Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory with which my 2020 KIA Sportage is equipped. I made the initial appointment on May 9, 2023 with the local KIA dealer, Westgate KIA Wake Forest, NC, to have the interim fix done. When we arrived at the dealer, the service manager told us they had not been notified of an interim fix. We made another on May 26, 2023 at the same dealership to have the interim fix done and this time bought the May 8, 2023 Interim Notice Update letter with us which noted that the dealer would change the fuse associated with the trailer wiring harness. The service tech told me again that nothing would be done but agreed to examine our vehicle. When I picked up the vehicle, the service tech told me that nothing had been done, that the vehicle did not need a fuse change as noted in the letter, and that our vehicle would be noted at KIA as "Recall Completed". The KIA connect website, https://owners.kia.com/us/en/recalls.html, updated through May 27, 2023 still shows our vehicle as "Recall Incomplete". We plan a trip and cannot leave our vehicle parked in the street as required by KIA. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | A vehicle failed to the right of way to me and resulted in a front end collision. Upon collision the airbags deployed and immediately began smoking. I thought my car was about to catch fire and smelt as if was going to. The airbags heat alone resulted in the entire arm of my jacket to completely melt and I now have a permanent scar on my left wrist from where I was burned. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| May 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he would experience uneven braking upon depression of the brake pedal, without warning. The contact stated that the brakes was pulling to the left and then to the right, before coming to a complete stop. The contact had performed several brake repairs which included the replacement of the brake pads, rotors, and hoses; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was then notified of the failure and provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact was also informed that the brake repair would not be covered under warranty. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 91,000 |
| Apr 2023 | STEERING,TRAILER HITCHES | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds and turning, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that after an hour, the steering wheel was unlocked. There were no warning lights illuminated. While taking the vehicle to the local dealer, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle drove over the curb. The contact was unsure of the diagnostic result or the repair. Additionally, while driving, a passenger noticed wires hanging from the tow hitch. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 400. | Crash: No Fire: No | 400 |
| Mar 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The genuino Kia Tow Hitch Harness accessory si un ruso of fire02 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled and would not accelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 19,019. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,019 |
| Mar 2023 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, it was discovered that a crack had developed on the front windshield. The contact stated that no rock or object had impacted the windshield to cause the crack. The contact stated that the crack started at the lower section of the windshield and extended up approximately 6-inches. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |