IllustrationI WAS DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BRAKE, AND STEERED RIGHT WHILE DRIVING 40-50 MPH, HITTING THE CURB AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEFINITE DEFECT IN THE STEERING/FUEL/BRAKES/ELECTRONICSTABILITYCONTROL, AND OTHER MINOR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. *TR
2005 Kia Sportage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Kia Sportage do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 122.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sportage years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
110–25K
625–50K
750–75K
875–100K
15100–150K
4150K+
51 reports with mileage · 17 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
3 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD ENGAGE. IN ORDER TO DISENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE CONTACT HAD TO MOMENTARILY APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ESP COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATE…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD ENGAGE. IN ORDER TO DISENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE CONTACT HAD TO MOMENTARILY APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ESP COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A SHARP RIGHT TURN WHILE IT WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V318000 (PARKING BRAKE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL # 05V120000 (SUSPENSION:AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC)). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES ARE NOW SQUEALING AND THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSPECTED WHEN THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ROTOR HAS GLAZED OV…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL # 05V120000 (SUSPENSION:AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC)). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES ARE NOW SQUEALING AND THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSPECTED WHEN THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ROTOR HAS GLAZED OVER. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000.
Official recalls
305V318000 · Parking Brake
Jul 8, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET PAWL WAS NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND MY DAMAGE THE TEETH OF THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET. DAMAGED PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET TEETH MAY PREVENT THE PARKING BRAKE FROM ENGAGING OR MAY ALLOW THE PARKING BRAKE TO RELEASE AFTER IT HAS BEEN ENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE INABILITY TO ENGAGE, OR THE INADVERTENT RELEASE OF, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER MAY ALLOW YOUR VEHICLE TO ROLL WHILE IT IS PARKED AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
05V212000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage
May 3, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE O-RING INTO THE INTERNAL VAPOR CHAMBER LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK AT FULL TANK CONDITIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE ENGINE MAY STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL BE HARD TO FILL THE GAS TANK AND EXTERNAL FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE EVAPORATIVE AIR FILTER INLET. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE THE CHARCOAL CANISTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
05V120000 · Electronic Stability Control:automatic (asc)
Mar 29, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP), THE YAW RATE SENSOR MAY BECOME TOO SENSITIVE AND MAY RECALIBRATE INACCURATELY. WHILE DRIVING THE ESP PROGRAM MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO REDUCE POWER AND MAY CAUSE A BRAKE AT ONE OF THE WHEELS TO BE INAPPROPRIATELY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE APPLICATION CAUSED BY INADVERTENT ESP ACTIVATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ESP HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 13, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.