The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 3 official safety recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Sportage in AutoUtility's current federal dataset. The primary affected vehicle systems include Body & Structure, Brakes & Traction Control, Fuel & Propulsion System. NHTSA records include 2 campaigns carrying an official Park Outside safety advisory.
Key Recall Findings
- • Official Recall Campaigns: 3 campaigns on file with NHTSA
- • Primary Affected Subsystems: Body & Structure, Brakes & Traction Control, Fuel & Propulsion System
- • Urgent Safety Advisories: 2 campaigns carry urgent Do Not Drive or Park Outside instructions
- • Official Remedy: Detailed per campaign in official NHTSA records below
- • Most Recent NHTSA Report: September 19, 2022
VIN-Specific Notice: Safety recall campaigns apply to specific production date ranges and vehicle identification numbers (VINs). A campaign listing on this model-year page does not establish that every vehicle or trim is affected. Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or with an authorized dealer to verify whether a safety repair is needed.
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Body & Structure
NHTSA records also contain 6 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
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Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Brakes & Traction Control
NHTSA records also contain 12 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Fuel & Propulsion System
NHTSA records also contain 10 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Other / Miscellaneous
NHTSA records also contain 14 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
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Domain Mapping Methodology: A single NHTSA recall campaign may involve more than one vehicle subsystem (such as electrical wiring affecting fuel delivery), so domain totals can exceed the total number of unique recall campaigns. Complaint and recall counts are grouped by broad vehicle system; component co-occurrence does not establish that an individual owner complaint is related to a specific recall campaign.
NHTSA Campaign #22V703000 Other / Miscellaneous
⚠️ Park Outside Advisory
Affected Component: TRAILER HITCHES
NHTSA Report Date: September 19, 2022
Safety Defect Summary: 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, which can result in a fire.
Safety Risk / Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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 August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #21V137000 Body & StructureBrakes & Traction Control
⚠️ Park Outside Advisory
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
NHTSA Report Date: March 4, 2021
Safety Defect Summary: 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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 brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #18V907000 Fuel & Propulsion System
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
NHTSA Report Date: December 19, 2018
Safety Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Safety Risk / Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Source Data Notice: Campaign summaries, safety consequences, and remedy descriptions are direct text extracts published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation.
Historical Reporting Note: Recall campaign counts are shown by model year and should not be interpreted as a vehicle reliability score. Campaigns may cover multiple model years, and newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time for new safety campaigns to be issued.
Safety recall campaigns on this page are associated with this make, model, and model year in NHTSA federal records. A campaign may apply only to certain vehicles based on production date, equipment, manufacturing details, or other campaign-specific criteria.
AutoUtility cannot determine whether a particular VIN is affected or whether a recall remedy has already been completed.
For vehicle-specific recall status, check the 17-digit VIN using NHTSA's official recall lookup or contact an authorized dealer. Campaign-specific remedy information shown above is reproduced from official NHTSA recall records.
Official NHTSA Safety Resources:
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 711)