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Recall Campaigns
2
Federal recall campaigns
Urgent Safety Directives
2
Do Not Drive / Park Outside
Affected Subsystems
3
Body & Structure, Brakes & Traction Control
Authorized Remedy
100% Free
Mandated dealer repair by law
Federal Safety Campaign Analysis

Executive Recall Findings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 2 official safety recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Sportage in AutoUtility's current federal dataset. The primary affected vehicle systems include Body & Structure, Brakes & Traction Control, Other / Miscellaneous. NHTSA records include 2 campaigns carrying an official Park Outside safety advisory.

VIN Specificity Notice: Safety recall campaigns apply to specific production date ranges and vehicle identification numbers (VINs). Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or with an authorized dealer to verify whether a safety repair is open.
Campaign Status & Legal Rights
  • • Federal Authority: Recalls administered under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301.
  • • Free Dealer Remedy: Under federal law, safety defect repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers.
  • • High-Priority Warnings: 2 campaign(s) include urgent Do Not Drive or Park Outside instructions.
  • • Latest Campaign Filing: Recorded on September 19, 2022.
Federal Directives

Official NHTSA Recall Campaigns (2)

Complete safety campaign filings including defect descriptions, safety hazards, and free dealer remedies

⚠️ PARK OUTSIDE ADVISORY — Park outside and away from structures until remedy is completed.
NHTSA Campaign #22V703000 TRAILER HITCHES
Filed: September 19, 2022

What is defective?

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 Free Dealer 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 August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.

Manufacturer 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.
⚠️ PARK OUTSIDE ADVISORY — Park outside and away from structures until remedy is completed.
NHTSA Campaign #21V137000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Filed: March 4, 2021

What is defective?

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 Free Dealer 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 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 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.
Subsystem Scope

Vehicle Systems Involved in Recalls for 2021 Kia Sportage

Distribution of official safety recall campaigns across automotive subsystem domains

01 1 CAMPAIGN

Body & Structure

Safety campaign directives specifically targeting components within the Body & Structure subsystem.

02 1 CAMPAIGN

Brakes & Traction Control

Safety campaign directives specifically targeting components within the Brakes & Traction Control subsystem.

03 1 CAMPAIGN

Other / Miscellaneous

Safety campaign directives specifically targeting components within the Other / Miscellaneous subsystem.

14 Consumer Complaints →
Fleet History

Recall History for Kia Sportage

Official safety recall campaign volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Recalls NHTSA Complaints Detailed Report
2015 Kia Sportage 2 146 View 2015 Recalls →
2016 Kia Sportage 2 130 View 2016 Recalls →
2017 Kia Sportage 4 399 View 2017 Recalls →
2018 Kia Sportage 3 162 View 2018 Recalls →
2019 Kia Sportage 2 69 View 2019 Recalls →
2020 Kia Sportage 2 159 View 2020 Recalls →
2021 Kia Sportage Current Page 2 50 Current
2022 Kia Sportage 1 45 View 2022 Recalls →
2023 Kia Sportage 7 296 View 2023 Recalls →
2024 Kia Sportage 3 98 View 2024 Recalls →
2025 Kia Sportage 1 68 View 2025 Recalls →
2026 Kia Sportage 1 0 View 2026 Recalls →
Consumer Checklist

VIN-Specific Recall Verification

How to confirm whether an individual vehicle requires an authorized safety repair

Safety recall campaigns apply to specific vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and manufacturing date ranges. To verify if your individual vehicle has an uncompleted safety recall:

  • Locate your 17-character VIN on the driver's side door jamb or dashboard.
  • Enter the VIN into the official NHTSA recall lookup at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
  • Contact any franchised Kia dealership to schedule a free remedy appointment.
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 711)
Related Workstations

Related Official Reports for 2021 Kia Sportage

Explore owner problem reports and crash safety ratings for this model year

← 2021 Kia Sportage Overview

Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.

2021 Kia Sportage Owner Complaints (50) →

NHTSA defect complaints breakdown across all vehicle subsystems and recurring symptoms.

2021 Kia Sportage Safety & Crash Ratings →

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover ratings.

2021 Kia Sportage MPG & Range →

EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Safety Recalls & Federal Directives for the 2021 Kia Sportage

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Kia Sportage

How many safety recalls are on file for the 2021 Kia Sportage?

The 2021 Kia Sportage is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns, affecting systems including Body & Structure, Brakes & Traction Control, Other / Miscellaneous.

A recall campaign listing indicates that a safety defect or noncompliance standard was determined for specific production runs of this vehicle model year.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

Are there urgent 'Do Not Drive' or 'Park Outside' warnings for the 2021 Kia Sportage?

Yes. Federal recall records for the 2021 Kia Sportage include 2 campaigns with high-priority safety directives including a Park Outside advisory.

Urgent directives are issued when an unreasonable risk of severe injury or fire exists prior to authorized dealer repair.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database

Are recall repairs free for the 2021 Kia Sportage?

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge.

Federal law (49 U.S.C. Chapter 301) requires manufacturers and franchised dealers to provide authorized safety recall repairs at no cost to the vehicle owner. Because campaigns apply to specific production runs and option packages, vehicle owners must verify their 17-character VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or through an authorized dealership to confirm individual applicability.

Source: National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. Chapter 301)

Does a recall campaign apply to every 2021 Kia Sportage?

Not necessarily. Model-year recall campaigns typically apply to specific vehicle production date ranges, assembly plants, or optional equipment packages.

AutoUtility's model-year records describe campaign scope; owners must check their individual 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or through an authorized dealership to confirm if an open recall applies to their specific vehicle.

Source: NHTSA VIN Lookup Service
Official US Government Data Provenance

Recall records published on this page are retrieved directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Safety Recalls Database under 49 U.S.C. 30118.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.