1996 Kia Sportage problems
The 1996 Kia Sportage has 98 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (23%) concerns brakes. Next are engine (11%) and air bags (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 98 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 13 and 3
- Injuries and deaths
- 31 and 0
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 13 complaints mention a crash; 3 complaints mention a fire; 31 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 93% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 20th most-complained-about out of 30 model years of the Kia Sportage with enough data (67 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
When the brakes were applied in a panic stop pedal was normal, and vehicle experienced extended stopping, causing a collision which resulted in injuries. Also, airbags did not deploy. The dealer and manufacturer have been notified and will not cooperate at all.
Consumer was traveling about 40 MPH on highway and another vehicle veered into her vehicle, causing an accident. Upon impact, frontal airbags didn't go off. There were slight injuries.
Consumer was traveling at 25 MPH in foggy conditions when suddenly she lost sight of the road and proceeded to strike a tree head on. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy.
Received recall 02 v 216 000 concerning front seat belts, but rear seat belt failed in this vehicle. Dealership was not replacing the rear seat belt under the recall remedy.