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.
EPA Fuel Economy & Powertrain Specifications
Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by powertrain configuration
| Powertrain Group | Engine / Drivetrain | City MPG | Hwy MPG | Combined MPG | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 2.4L 4-Cyl Regular Automatic (S6) • Front-Wheel Drive | 19–23 | 24–30 | 21–26 MPG | $2,350–$2,950 / yr |
NHTSA NCAP Crash Test & Safety Ratings
Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP laboratory crash evaluations are not currently on file for the 2020 Kia Sportage.
Not Specified and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Not Specified in official NHTSA records for tested 2020 Kia Sportage models.
Reported Problems & Owner Complaints Summary (159)
Summary of 159 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2020 Kia Sportage problems & component breakdown (42 categories) →Official Safety Recalls (2)
Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA
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.
The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
- NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
- U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.