2009 KIA SPORTAGE Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Kia Sportage. This model year has 80 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Electrical Faults.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2009 Kia Sportage Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Electrical Faults
Brake System
Airbag Malfunctions
Considering a 2009 Kia Sportage?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2009 Kia Sportage. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 18 | — | 7 | — | |
| Brake System | 16 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 16 | 3 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 14 | — | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 10 | — | 4 | — | |
| Hydraulic | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 4 | — | 1 | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 | — | 1 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
| Fuel System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2009 Kia Sportage. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 80 most recent complaints
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT DOESNT WORK
WHILE THE CAR WAS OFF AND PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE MOTOR. THE ENTIRE FRONT PART OF THE CAR WAS TOTALED.
AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES THE CLOCK SPRING MALFUNCTIONED DISABLING THE AIR BAGS AND HORN.
LEFT SIDE FRONT CORNER UNDER THE HOOD STARTED SMOKING. HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY TO MAKE IT STOP. CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF
I GOT THIS VEHICLE BACK IN AUGUST 2019. FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE PASSANGER SIDE WINDOW WOULD ONLY ROLL UP FROM DRIVERS SIDE SWITCH, WOULDN'T ROLL ITS DOWN BUT WILL ROLL UP AND DOWN FROM ITS DOOR SWITCH AND THE BACK DRIVERS DOOR WINDOW WOULDN'T ROLL UP OR DOWN AT ALL FRO…
THE CAR HAS A ROUGH IDLE. IT WILL STALL RANDOMLY, SOMETIMES WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NUMEROUS SENSORS HAVE BEEN CHECKED. THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN DECEMBER 2009. IT WAS FIXED BUT BEGAN HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FALL OF 201…
HEADING DOWN HIGHWAY 198 FROM MABANK TX TO CANTON TX WE HAD HIT DEER TWO JUMP OUT ABOUT 2 FEET IN FROM OF US . WE MISS THE FIRST DEER AND SECOND ONE WE HIT DEAD SMACK IN FRONT OF CAR, IT DID SO MUCH DAMAGE HAD TO REPLACE MOST OF THE FRONT END INCLUDING RADIATOR AND COOLING …
WHEN I PULLED IN MY YARD I HEARD A CLICKING IN THE WHEEL AND WHEN I GOT OUT THE WHEEL HAD SQUATTED OUT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT.AXLE IS OFF. I WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT HAPPENED
THE CLOCK SPRING IS NOT WORKING WHICH DEACTIVATES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND HORN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL IMMEDIATELY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALER KOCOUREK (2700 N. 20T…
AIRBAG ABOVE PASSENGER CURTAIN HAS DEFECTIVE MODULE. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 53375 MILES ON IT, IS ALWAYS GARAGED. KIA HAS ISSUED 507,000 VEHICLE RECALL FOR AIRBAGS DEFECTS, GOING BACK TO YEAR 2010. NORMAL WARRENTY IS 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES. KIA TOLD ME I AM NOT A LOYAL KIA CUSTOMER …
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2009 Kia Sportage.
Recalls for 2009 Kia Sportage
3 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2009 Kia Sportage. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2009 Kia Sportage — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2009 Kia Sportage reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2009 Kia Sportage has 80 NHTSA owner complaints, 4 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Electrical Faults (18 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Kia Sportage?▾
#1: Electrical Faults (18 complaints). #2: Brake System (16 complaints). #3: Airbag Malfunctions (16 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2009 Kia Sportage?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2009 Kia Sportage?▾
The 2009 Kia Sportage has 4 crash-related complaints and 8 fire reports out of 80 total NHTSA complaints. 6 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2009 Kia Sportage have any recalls?▾
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2009 Kia Sportage. The largest issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2009 Kia Sportage?▾
The 2009 Kia Sportage has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Electrical Faults issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Kia Sportage reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2009 Kia Sportage
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.