2012 Kia Sportage Problems And Complaints

2012 Kia Sportage User Complaints and Problems

Mechanical Complaints

• Engine- Engine seizures and failures have been a widespread issue on the 2012 Kia Sportage. Multiple owners complained about the engine knocking and stalling while driving flashing the malfunction warning light with it. All the affected engines needed replacement and the worst part, the replaced units, due to errors in reassembly are prone to fuel leaks and thereby engine fires. At least 10 engine fire cases have been officially documented by the NHTSA. The automaker has initiated 4 major recalls just for the engine on the 2012 Kia Sportage that extends as late as the year 2020. All catastrophic engine failures were reported at an average mile of around 40,000-miles.
• Transmission- Not as common as the engine issue here, but occasional jerks and sputters from the transmission have been reported by many owners. The SUV also falls out of drive occasionally sending the engine RMPs high without any reason. Even though most faults were traced to TCU software glitches, a decent percentage of owners did need a transmission replacement.

Electric System complaints

• ECU- The 2012 Kia Sportage is prone to ECU issues as mileage clocks in. Owners have complained about the engine randomly stalling and the loss of all cabin power intermittently on the vehicle. Most cases needed ECU replacement as firmware updates did not resolve the issue for many users. The owners also complained about the delay in repair, given the high backorder the dealer has on that specific part.
• Air conditioning- Compressor noise, clutch failure, and blower failure are pretty common issues on the 2012 Kia Sportage. Most cases require a blower or compressor replacement and owners complain about warranty void by the dealer in this case.
• Infotainment- Bluetooth issues are common on the stock head unit on the 2012 Kia Sportage, especially when paired with an iPhone. Owners complain about the unit not detecting the phone while trying to pair. If paired, the connection is dropped frequently and the phone fails to notify the user about incoming calls through the head unit. Unresponsive steering mounted controls are also an issue noticed by many owners while paired with a2012 Kia Sportage phone.

Structural Complaints

• Windshield/ sunroof- Glass housing has been a common point of failure on the 2012 Kia Sportage. Cracked windshield, rear glass, and sunroof have been a common occurrence on this SUV. Issues were spotted on vehicles as new as two months old. Owners who got replacement windshields complain about the issue recurring.
• Door Locks- Premature failure of door lock solenoids has been a common problem bugging many 2012 Kia Sportage owners. The locks are said to work perfectly fine while using the key manually but the key fob fails to do the same. Either the wireless receiver or the door solenoids were culprits here and needed a replacement to fix the issue.

2012 Kia Sportage Recalls

S. No	Date	NHTSA ID	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks	Remedy
1	2nd December 2020	20V750000	Engine damage may cause a fire.	Fuel or oil leaks, when comes in contact with hot surfaces can increase the risk of an engine fire.	The dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2021.
2	15th February 2019	19V101000	An engine oil leak may cause a stall or fire.	The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage and also increases the risk of a fire.	The dealers will replace the oil pressure switch with an improved one, free of charge. In addition, dealers will inspect the oil pan for any oil leaks, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2019.
3	19th December 2018	18V907000	High-pressure fuel pipe may leak.	In engines that got a previous replacement or rebuilt, the high-pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.	The dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2019.
4	31st March 2017	17V224000	Bearing wear may result in engine seizure.	Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine causing an engine seizure and increasing the risk of a crash.	The dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2017.

Should you buy a used 2012 Kia Sportage?

The short and straight answer to this question is no. The 2012 Kia Sportage is very infamous for engine seizures and failures. With even the replacement engine units flagged for their high risk of fire, recalls existing for this vehicle nearly four years after this specific generation has been discontinued. So, for those who are looking for a decent midsize SUV in this price bracket, we highly advise you to skip the Sportage, specifically this model year. Alternatives like the Honda CR-v or the Toyota RAV4 would be much better options for almost the same price if you value peace of mind ownership.