6 complaints reported

2020 Kia Sportage Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
6
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 70,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 107,000 while having a routine oil change. The service records indicated that the mileage had been altered.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2026
May 2023

KIA America sent a letter to me dated May 8, 2023 regarding the interim repair to mitigate the spontaneous fire hazard for vehicles equipped with the Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory with which my 2020 KIA Sportage is equipped. I made the initial appointment on May 9, 2023 with the local KIA dealer, Westgate KIA Wake Forest, NC, to have the interim fix done. When we arrived at the dealer, the service manager told us they had not been notified of an interim fix. We made another on May 26, 2023 at the same dealership to have the interim fix done and this time bought the May 8, 2023 Interim Notice Update letter with us which noted that the dealer would change the fuse associated with the trailer wiring harness. The service tech told me again that nothing would be done but agreed to examine our vehicle. When I picked up the vehicle, the service tech told me that nothing had been done, that the vehicle did not need a fuse change as noted in the letter, and that our vehicle would be noted at KIA as "Recall Completed". The KIA connect website, https://owners.kia.com/us/en/recalls.html, updated through May 27, 2023 still shows our vehicle as "Recall Incomplete". We plan a trip and cannot leave our vehicle parked in the street as required by KIA.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
Mar 2023

The genuino Kia Tow Hitch Harness accessory si un ruso of fire02

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2023
Jan 2023

The Kia lacks engine immobilizers. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard states that vehicles must be equipped with a starting system that prevents the activation of the engine and either steering, forward mobility, or both, whenever a car's key is removed. The purpose of the law is to decrease the likelihood that a vehicle will be stolen or accidently set in motion, and the statute applies to all passenger cars, trucks and multipurpose passenger vehicles in the country. Kia knew or had knowledge to add an engine immobilizer or similar device to the cars but failed to do so despite knowing how dangerous it was to be with the critical theft prevention measures. My 2020 Kia is not safe and reliable and considered dangerous. Due to insurance companies not renewing policies on Kia vehicles and the extreme decline in value of my Kia, have made my vehicle not safe, undriveable, and not reliable. Kia falsely stated the cars are fit for their normal and intended use despite they lacked engine immobilizers at the time of sale. All of this in violation of the law and the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. I have a vehicle worth $12,000 less than I bought it 8 months ago and will soon not be able to insure my vehicle and will be unable to drive it.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2022
Jun 2021

I WAS DRIVING AND I BEGAN SMELLING A BURNING SMELL WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES. THE SMELL HAS GOTTEN STRONGER AND NOT GONE AWAY. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP AFTER FINDING OUT THERE WAS RECALLS ON VEHICLE THAT WERE MY MAKE AND MODEL AND THE RECALL DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT HELPFUL. THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT GOTTEN A RECALL ON MY SPECIFIC CAR YET AND THOUGH THEY COULD DETECT AN 'ODOR' THEY WEREN'T CERTAIN WHAT IT WAS FROM AND LITERALLY TOLD ME TO NOT PARK INDOORS. AND IF MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE TO EXIT QUICKLY. I ALSO CALLED KIA AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING AND THAT I COULD TRY ANOTHER PLACE FOR A SECOND OPINION. I TOLD THEM THERE WAS A RECALL AND MY FUSES NEEDED TO BE CHECKED. NO ONE WANTED TO HELP ME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2021
Jan 2021

ANIMALS ARE CHEWING ON THE WIRES, CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES IN A CAR LESS THAN A YEAR OLD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Kia Sportage has 6 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.