2022 Kia Sportage: What to check before buying

Oil runs out between changes, and the engine then knocks, ticks, or locks up. A flashing check engine light and a sudden drop to crawling speed on the highway are common symptoms. Most of these cases end with the engine being replaced. Kia often denies warranty claims over maintenance records when oil changes were done outside the dealer. Two fires start under the hood, one while parked and one while stopped at a light. Other reports describe hard starting, sputtering, and overheating.

The car shuts off while driving or will not start, and one parked car catches fire with no warning. Other reports describe a shaky idle, long cranking, a touchscreen that goes black, and false forward collision alerts that apply the brakes. Two crashes fall in this category. In one, the brakes stop responding and no warning lights come on. In the other, the forward collision warning never lights before a rear-end impact. Dealers sometimes find nothing wrong.

Most reports in this category are about a recall on the Kia-branded trailer hitch, not a failure on the road. The repair part is not available, and both dealers and Kia confirm the shortage. Waits stretch to almost 18 months, which leaves a paid-for hitch that cannot be used. One report says a short circuit is the reason for the recall. Most say no failure has happened.

Automatic emergency braking slams on with nothing ahead at around 35 to 40 mph, and the only warning is a long beep. The events repeat over months, including in rain and darkness, and dealers do not find a fault. The opposite failure also shows up: the forward collision warning stays silent before a rear-end crash. Hard braking at speed can throw the driver out of position and invites a rear-end hit from following traffic.

The engine drops into limp mode and loses power until the car crawls along or stalls. Reports mention a flashing warning light, code P1326, and a cylinder 3 misfire that turns into internal engine damage needing a full engine replacement. Oil loss between services appears before one failure. Two of the reports involve losing power on the freeway, which is a real collision risk.

Sunroof glass shatters without any impact, sometimes at highway speed, and glass falls into the cabin. The break looks like it came from the inside, with no rock strike or debris. The reports include a car at 4200 miles and another at 42,000 miles. One car also loses a side window when the door is closed. None of these reports includes a diagnosed cause, and one says Kia offers no remedy.

Deployment fails in serious crashes. In a rollover after a side impact, every bag deploys except the one in the steering wheel, and the driver suffers fractured bones. In a separate highway collision, emergency braking, the collision alert, and the air bags all fail to activate. Both reports involve crashes, and neither describes a warning light beforehand.

Both reports in this category are about theft, not a steering defect. Thieves treat the car as an easy target. One theft linked to a social media trend ends in a crash, and another leaves the owner wanting out of a lease. Neither report describes a mechanical problem with the steering.