Does the 2019 Kia Sportage have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2019 Kia Sportage, the most recent reported on September 19, 2022 (Trailer hitches). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Kia Sportage?

Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (37 complaints), followed by unknown or other (15).

How many 2019 Kia Sportage complaints mention a crash or fire?

3 of 71 complaints report a crash and 3 a fire; 4 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2019 Kia Sportage recalls and problems

2 recalls and 71 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Sportage.

recalls

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2019 Kia Sportage recalls

Trailer hitches

NHTSA campaign 22V703000 · reported September 19, 2022 · Kia America, Inc. · 70,887 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: 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.

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/module

NHTSA campaign 21V137000 · reported March 4, 2021 · Kia Motors America · 379,931 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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 risk: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: 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.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Engine37
Unknown or other15
Electrical system11
Fuel/propulsion system7
Power train7
Service brakes, hydraulic4
Air bags3
Exterior lighting3
Service brakes3
Trailer hitches3

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Oct 19, 2026 · Electrical system
I have a 2019 Kia Sportage with a conventional ignition key. Three times in five years, the engine has apparently started by itself while parked. The key was not in the ignition. I stopped the engine by inserting the key, turning it ON, then OFF. I bought the vehicle used from CarMax, and I don’t know whether an…

Sep 13, 2026 · Engine
The car engine is losing oil without any leaks being found. I got my oil changed and was told to have it done every 3k miles. Within a month of that oil change, my engine ran hot. I had all of my components checked. Radiator and coolant was fine but they found that my engine was 2 qrts short of what should be in…

Aug 4, 2026 · Engine
The vehicle is have issues every time I get and oil change the vehicle loses about 2 qt of oil there are no leaks that are notice but the lost of engine oil still happens this oil could cause the engine to turn on fire it is nerve reacting to every often to check the oil level dealership are brushing this problem as…

Jul 7, 2026 · Unknown or other
Vehicle suddenly entered recall limp-mode due to the ongoing engine campaign. Prior to this, the vehicle had immaculate maintenance records and zero driveability issues. The franchise dealership performed a short-block engine replacement under the safety recall, rushing the complete powertrain swap in less than a…

Jul 3, 2026 · Engine
The engine locked up about a year ago, and since we didn’t technically have a recall we didn’t know what to do. It was able to drive again after we had a technician work on it, but now it’s not driving anymore. It shakes hard when it’s idling and driving. We have waited over 2 weeks to be diagnosed with the problem…

Sportage model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2016	2	134	8	5
2017	4	403	14	28
2018	3	165	7	12
2019	2	71	3	3
2020	2	164	11	13
2021	2	54	3	7
2022	1	46	6	2

Across all years, the 2017 Sportage has the most complaints (403). All Kia Sportage years →

Questions

Does the 2019 Kia Sportage have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2019 Kia Sportage, the most recent reported on September 19, 2022 (Trailer hitches). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Kia Sportage?: Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (37 complaints), followed by unknown or other (15).
How many 2019 Kia Sportage complaints mention a crash or fire?: 3 of 71 complaints report a crash and 3 a fire; 4 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 19, 2026.