2020 Kia Sportage recalls

2 safety recalls, 166 owner complaints and a 5-star NHTSA crash rating. Official NHTSA data.

2Recalls
166Complaints
24Crashes & fires reported
5/5NHTSA overall rating

Not every 2020 Kia Sportage is affected by every recall. Check your VIN to see open recalls on your exact vehicle.

Check my VIN

2020 Kia Sportage recall list

Trailer Hitches recall

Park outside22V-703
September 19, 2022 · Kia America, Inc.
Problem
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Safety risk
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic recall

Park outside21V-137
March 4, 2021 · Kia Motors America
Problem
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Safety risk
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.

2020 Kia Sportage owner complaints

166 complaints filed with NHTSA, including 11 crashes, 13 fires, 8 injuries and 0 deaths.

Problems by component

Engine79
Unknown or Other31
Electrical System20
Structure10
Steering9
Engine and Engine Cooling9
Fuel/Propulsion System8
Service Brakes7
Forward Collision Avoidance6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6

Recent complaints

October 28, 2026SteeringEngineFuel/Propulsion System

"While driving to work and actively attempting to pass another vehicle, the battery light suddenly illuminated out of nowhere. A short time later, while slowing down at a stoplight coming into town, the engine completely stalled out and died in the middle of a busy, active intersection. I lost all acceleration and power steering capabilities, and narrowly avoided an accident while coasting blindly across traffic to safety. The vehicle has had a chronic, active P0420 Catalytic Converter efficiency code caused by a known Kia manufacturing defect of massive, excessive oil consumption (requiring constant oil additions to maintain operation). The excessive oil burning directly fouled the exhaust

October 28, 2026Engine

On Saturday, XXX, while driving on XXX in [XXX], my 2020 Kia Sportage (2,4 L engine, 152,245 miles) suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power. The vehicle actively entered Limp Home Mode at high speed, dropping velocity rapidly and creating an immediate traffic hazard that my husband and I stranded 6.5 hours away from home. The vehicle was brought back to [XXX] on Sunday XXX, to Stokes Hodges Kia in [XXX], where a diagnostic scan pulled faulted code P0404. No low-oil pressure warning light or dashboard oil alerts were illuminated prior to or during the failure. The engine suffered a sudden internal mechanical failure directly relating to the vehicle's progressive, severe internal

October 25, 2026Engine

My vehicle's check oil light repeatedly lit up on several occassions before my next scheduled maintenance. Contacted my vehicle's manufacturer for assistance and unfortunately got a lukewarm response.

October 22, 2026Electrical SystemService BrakesEngineFire

I was driving and my vehicle and saw smoke and it caught on fire and burnt..

October 12, 2026Engine

Rod Bearing failure June 29,2026 with prior Kia manufacturer recalls June 19,2023: (1.) SC206, HECU fire Recall, a serious safety recall regarding the Hydraulic Electronic Control unit. The circuit board can short out and cause an engine bay fire even when the vehicle is parked. (2.) SC249B (Tow Hitch Harness Fire Recall): Another active safety recall. Moisture or debris on the Tow Hitch accessory circuit board can short-circuit and spark a fire. March 11, 2024 Recalls (1.) SC340(Engine Emissions ECM Ligic Improvement). This is a voluntary service campaign to upgrade the software logic in your engine control module (ECM(. It is iften tier directly to how your car judges engine diagnostic fau

2020 Kia Sportage crash test ratings

VersionOverallFrontalSideRollover
2020 Kia Sportage SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
2020 Kia Sportage SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Driver aids on the tested 2020 Kia Sportage: electronic stability control standard, forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard. Rollover risk: 15.5%.

2020 Kia Sportage recall FAQ

Does the 2020 Kia Sportage have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for the 2020 Kia Sportage. The most recent, filed September 19, 2022, concerns the trailer hitches.

What are the most common 2020 Kia Sportage problems?

Owners have filed 166 complaints with NHTSA. The most reported area is engine (79 reports), followed by unknown or other.

Is the 2020 Kia Sportage safe?

The 2020 Kia Sportage earned up to a 5-star overall safety rating in NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program crash tests.

How do I get a recall fixed on my 2020 Kia Sportage?

Contact any authorized Kia dealer. Recall repairs are free, even if you are not the original owner or the warranty has expired.