no report yet
Front: buckle assembly
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
1996 Kia SportageProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 57 owner complaints about the 1996 Kia Sportage, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 23, 2004. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1996 Kia Sportage has problems
57 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
14Service brakes, hydraulic2 crash/fire/injury
11Power train
10Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
9Air bags9 crash/fire/injury
8Seat belts3 crash/fire/injury
7Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
5Vehicle speed control
3Suspension
3Equipment
149 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 14 | 2 |
| Power train | 11 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 10 | 1 |
| Air bags | 9 | 9 |
| Seat belts | 8 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 1 |
| 9 other systems | 14 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
1996 Kia Sportage recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Hatchback/liftgate: lock
Risk. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, SECURITY FROM UNWANTED INTRUSION INTO THE VEHICLE IS LOST.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR TO HOLD THE THROTTLE PARTIALLY OPEN, RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.
Best & worst years
1996 vs. every other Sportage year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sportage median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1996 Kia Sportage, and the recalls they led to.
- FUEL TANK LEAKAGENo recall
- SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONLed to recall 02V-216
In owners' words
What Sportage owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
WHILE DRIVING, SEAT BELT DETACHES. WHEN DRIVING MORE THAN 35-40 MPH CONSUMER HAS TO DEPRESS BRAKES HARDER THAN USUAL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE BELTS DETACHING 2-3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT, CONSUMER…
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN A PANIC STOP PEDAL WAS NORMAL, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING, CAUSING A COLLISION WHICH RESULTED IN INJURIES. ALSO, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND WILL NOT COOPERATE AT ALL. *AK
TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. WOULD BE SLIPPING EACH TIME. THE "HOLD" LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD COME ON & STAY WHILE VEHICLE IS OPERATIONAL. THE PVS LIGHT COMES ON ALSO. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP, VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. *AK
Own a 1996 Sportage?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.