Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles.
NHTSA listings: SPORTAGE, SPORTAGE HYBRID, SPORTAGE PHEV. Kia campaign SC361.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2026 Sportage. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Electrical system9 · 26%
Brakes7 · 20%
Forward collision avoidance6 · 17%
Most named: warnings (4)
Engine5 · 14%
Fuel and propulsion system5 · 14%
Body structure4 · 11%
Most named: body (4)
Powertrain3 · 9%
Unknown or other10 · 29%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Kia Sportage recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2026 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2023 Sportage drew the most (244).
Owner complaints
2026: 35 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Kia Sportage
Model year
Complaints
2016
131
2017
399
2018
164
2019
70
2020
160
2021
51
2022
46
2023
303
2024
101
2025
70
2026
35
Safety recalls
2026: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Kia Sportage
Model year
Recalls
2016
2
2017
4
2018
3
2019
2
2020
2
2021
2
2022
1
2023
7
2024
3
2025
1
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
KIA SPORTAGE HYBRID SUV HEV AWD
Rollover risk 16.9%
KIA SPORTAGE HYBRID SUV HEV FWD
Rollover risk 16.9%
KIA SPORTAGE PHEV SUV PHEV AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
KIA SPORTAGE SUV N/A AWD
Rollover risk 16.9%
KIA SPORTAGE SUV N/A FWD
Rollover risk 16.9%
Questions
What are the most common 2026 Sportage problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: electrical system (9), brakes (7), forward collision avoidance (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2026 Kia Sportage safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2026 Kia Sportage earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Sportage has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Kia dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SPORTAGE, SPORTAGE HYBRID, SPORTAGE PHEV.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.