Kia · Sportage · 2009
3
Recalls
80
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2009 Kia Sportage has 3 recalls and 80 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: steering (11 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2009 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 steering with 11 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.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2008-2009 Sportage vehicles previously recalled under recall 16V-815. An engine compartment fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may occur while parked or driving.
Remedy Status
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and other vehicles until the recall repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the HECU, its wiring harness, and its fuses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC253.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured August 9, 2007, to May 13, 2009. The wire harness cover on the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may be improperly sealed allowing water to get onto the HECU circuit board. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as could occur from melted snow, the wire harness connector pins may corrode and the circuit board may short circuit.
Remedy Status
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector pins for corrosion, if no corrosion is found, the connector cover will be replaced. If corrosion is present, the dealer will replace the HECU assembly and the connector cover, free of charge. The recall began on November 28, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC138.
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Remedy Status
Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
In 2018 my I was driving home when it just shut off and wouldn’t start. Smelled like burning and had it towed to my house and had several mechanics look at it and couldn’t find the problem then as it was parked on day it started to smoke and the engine was burning I put out the f...
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The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V800000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was determined that parts were not yet a...
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The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle in the dealer's parking lot after the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V815000 (Electrical System) and 22V800000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) had been completed, the HECU, the ABS, th...
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The frame has rusted out on this vehicle. The passenger side frame above the rear axle is completely rusted out. I can put my thumb through the rear frame on the driver's side. The exhaust system on this vehicle is still intact - ironic that the frame would rust out before th...
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The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V800000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for...
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I was parked at the grocery store with the car idling in park. The engine suddenly died and smoke was coming out from under the hood. I honestly thought the car was about to burst into flames. A good Samaritan looked under the hood and it was still smoking but eventually stopped....
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Reference Kia SC138, Rev 1: DTC code C2380 has been pulled and the recall specifically calls for replacement of the HECU should this code occur. My dash panel's brake light, ESC light and ABS light all have come on alerting me to my car's problem. This recall was initially add...
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6 months ago air bag indicator light came on for 2 days. That went out and another one came on (can't remember which one) and that stayed on for 2 days. Then all was good for 5 months. Now air bag indicator light is on again. Yes, it's available upon request. Have appt with deal...
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The brakes lock up with pressure and will not allow me to brake when immediate breaking is needed. When continuing to try to break hard to prevent hitting the car in front of me, the brake pedal immediately drops to the floor releasing the exuberant brake pressure still not allo...
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BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT DOESNT WORK
Showing 10 recent complaints from 80 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2009 Kia models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2009 Kia Sportage has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 80 owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Kia Sportage.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2009 Kia Sportage.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2009 Kia Sportage are steering (11 reports), air bags (11 reports), electrical system (7 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2009 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.