2011 Kia Sportage problems and complaints
Owners have filed 181 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sportage. The most-reported areas: Engine (77), Electrical System (38), Service Brakes (25).
Key takeaways
- 181 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 7 involve a crash, 8 a fire, 8 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 77 | 43% |
| Electrical System | 38 | 21% |
| Service Brakes | 25 | 14% |
| Unknown Or Other | 23 | 13% |
| Power Train | 23 | 13% |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 7% |
| Hydraulic | 12 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 6% |
| Steering | 9 | 5% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 7 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 | 4% |
| Suspension | 5 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Kia Sportage SUV 4WD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2011 Kia Sportage SUV FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Suspension,electrical System,exterior Lighting - filed 2026-06-20
Front headlights went out also rear brake lights now I have a problem with brake light and tailgate lamp staying on when car and lights are off. The suspension has had a issue ever since I bought it it makes awful loud noises when driving and especially hitting bumps in road. Passenger front and rear windows won't roll...
Engine And Engine Cooling - filed 2026-06-17
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. While accelerating to overtake a vehicle driving under the speed limit, the vehicle started to stall. The check engine light was flashing, and the vehicle went into ECO mode. The contact associated the f...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2025-08-28
Update to NHTSA (ODI #11679186) Subject: Update to ODI Complaint #11679186 – Kia America Written Response Body: Dear NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am writing to provide an update to my ODI Complaint #11679186 regarding my 2011 Kia Sportage SX (VIN: [XXX] ), which caught fire while I was driving on [XXX]....
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More for the 2011 Kia Sportage
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.