Kia · Sportage · 2001
2
Recalls
228
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2001 Kia Sportage has 2 recalls and 228 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: fuel system, gasoline (44 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2001 Kia Sportage page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is fuel system, gasoline with 44 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy Status
DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy Status
SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
I BOUGHT THE CAR 2 WEEKS AFTER I LEFT DEALER STARTED NOTICING A SMELL OF GAS THOUGH WAS. BECAUSE JUST PUT GAS IN .THEN WHEN TURNED ON HEAT SMELL WOULD GET WORSE ! A FEW DAYS AGO WENT TO FILL GAS AND A LOT GAS OVER.FILLED ONTO GROUND NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE SMELL GAS ...
Preview excerpt
BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11K MILES FROM AN ELDERLY COUPLE THAT HARDLY DROVE IT. NOW AT 21K MILES, THERE IS A GAS SMELL COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND ALSO OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. HAS A ROUGH IDLE AND GAS SPEWS OUT OF TANK WHILE I'M PUMPING GAS. THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SOU...
Preview excerpt
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO SHAKE, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEE...
Preview excerpt
JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY TEEN...WHEN FILLING GAS TANK IT BEGINS TO SPEW OUT ONTO HIM . ARE THE PERSON FILLING THE TANK.ALSO A BAD SMELL OF FUMES INSIDE OF CAR,,,,PLEASE HELP THE PROBLEM....*JS
THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME JUST BEHIND THE REAR SUSPENSION RUSTS FROM WATER THROWN UP BY THE TIRES. WHILE THIS MIGHT NOT NORMALLY BE A DANGER UNLESS YOU WERE TOWING, ON THIS MODEL IT'S WHERE THE FRAME CONNECTS TO THE WHEELS BELOW TO STABILIZE THE FRAME OVER THE SUSPENSION, WITHOU...
Preview excerpt
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL, WHICH CREATED FUMES IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOCATED THE LEAK UNDER THE FUEL TANK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED DUE T...
Preview excerpt
THE CAR KEEPS STALLING JUST QUITS WHEN I SLOW DOWN. I HAD TWO MECHANICS CHECK IT OUT. FILLED THE TANK WITH NEW GAS, AND NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THE ELECTRICAL CHECK. IT IS A MYSTERY WHY THIS KEEPS HAPPENING. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. AND I DON'T W...
Preview excerpt
JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER, THEY SMELLED AN ODOR OF FUEL EVER SINCE THEY ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE A MONTH AGO. PRIOR TO THAT IT WAS OWNED BY ONE OWNER AND GARAGE KEPT. THE FUEL TANK AND BOTTOM PROTECTOR WAS ROTTED AWAY AND IN DANGEROUS LEAKING CONDITION. KIA WAS...
Preview excerpt
I JUST TRIED TO GET MY KIA SPORTAGE INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT PLACES THE FRAME IS RUSTED RIGHT OUT AND I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE DRIVING IT. I JUST LOOKED ONLINE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THERE ARE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS AND FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ...
Preview excerpt
WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL GOING 30MPH, I REACHED DOWN TO PICK UP SOMETHING OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR( I WAS THE PASSENGER), WHEN I HEARD A SOUND LIKE BREAKING GLASS. WE THOUGHT WE HAD RUN OVER A GLASS OBJECT BUT WHEN I TURNED TO LOOK BACK THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I DI...
Preview excerpt
Showing 10 recent complaints from 228 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2001 Kia models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2001 Kia Sportage has 2 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 228 owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Kia Sportage.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2001 Kia Sportage.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2001 Kia Sportage are fuel system, gasoline (44 reports), engine and engine cooling (21 reports), air bags (15 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 2 recalls on record for the 2001 Kia Sportage. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.