2021 Kia Sportage Problems
Electrical issues:
- Rodent issues: The wiring harness in the Sportage is made of soy-based material that makes it vulnerable to rodent attacks. People report electrical issues due to rodents attacks. The issue is reported to the manufacturer and remedial steps are prescribed by the dealerships.
- Headlight issues: The headlights in the 2021 Kia Sportage do not follow the curvature of the roads, making it very difficult to drive at night. People say that the corners of the roads are under-lit and do not give an idea of how the road curves. Although no crashes have been reported, the issue is bound to cause some.
- Infotainment issues: The Kia Sportage’s infotainment system intermittently goes blank and doesn’t show anything. This affects all the related functions, including the backup camera, and makes driving dangerous. The system also drops any smartphone connections and causes a lot of distraction.
- Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) fires: There have been numerous reports on the 2017-2021 Kia Sportage catching fire due to a short-circuit in the HECU. The issue also includes the Kia Cadenza from the same time period. A recall is initiated and can be referred via NHTSA Campaign ID 21V137000.
- Key fob issues: Another alarming thing affecting the owners of the 2021 Sportage is the ability of the car to be driven without a key fob. New cars are geographically limited and are disabled once they cross a certain perimeter set by the user but the same is not the case with the Sportage. This technical flaw makes the crossover a pretty popular choice among thieves.
Mechanical issues:
- Engine bearing failure: Owners of the 2021 Sportage have faced bearing failures which, straight-up, seized the engine and required a replacement. The issue isn’t an isolated one and gets the people by surprise. On many occasions, these bearing failures resulted in smoke and, eventually, turned the car into a fireball. Thankfully, no casualties have been reported due to this. The manufacturer is aware of the issue and a remedy is being worked upon.
- Transmission shudders: The Sportage transmission is reported to shudder a lot at lower speeds and cause the vehicle to stall. The shuddering is violent and reduces the speeds drastically. There have been rear-end collisions reported due to the engine stalling on a busy street.
- EVAP canister and fuel line contamination: The Kia Sportage is a pretty popular vehicle among people, thieves, and spiders. Yes, spiders. Yellow sac spiders. The spiders contaminate the EVAP canister and the fuel lines. This causes the system to throw a check engine light and error code P242200. The dealerships refuse a parts replacement under warranty since it is an “environmental cause” and advice people to flush the fuel lines.
Exterior issues:
- Shattering sunroof: There have been many complaints regarding the panoramic sunroof on the Sportage “exploding” and filling glass inside the cabin. The explosive sound startles the people and causes a lot of distraction while driving. There have been reports of injuries due to the glass shards entering the cabin.
2021 Kia Sportage Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
March 4, 2021 |
21V137000 |
Service Brakes |
A short-circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may ignite the engine compartment, increasing the risk of injury. |
The dealers were instructed to replace certain fuses in the electrical box. For the vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake, the HECU software was to be updated. The manufacturer advised the owners to park outside any establishments as a precautionary measure. The recall began on April 30, 2021. |
Should you buy the 2021 Kia Sportage?
The 2021 Kia Sportage is a real doozy. Although it is a very well-rounded package with good value, it is prone to catch fire. If the car is safe from a fire, there’s a high chance it is gonna get stolen. If you suffer from arachnophobia, folks, you might come face to face with your worst fear. Although the last issue is rather isolated, the other two aren’t. There is one active recall with a warning issued by the manufacturer for the engine fires but the steering column flaw is unaddressed. The 4th generation of the Kia Sportage might be a good deal but the major issues and neglect by the manufacturer make it a no-go for us.
