Car · Kia problems

2012 Kia Sportage problems

392 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Kia Sportage. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (84% of them). NHTSA also lists 105 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 10. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 392 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling330 · 84%
• Electrical system29 · 7%
• Other or unknown23 · 6%
• Power train (transmission and drive)21 · 5%
• Service brakes11 · 3%
• Fuel system7 · 2%
• Steering6 · 2%
• Air bags4 · 1%

9 smaller areas not shown (21 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 105 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2012 Kia Sportage. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_TRA046_R5Received April 23, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. TSB_TRA046_R4Received June 4, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

3. PS750Received October 1, 2023

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   PITSTOP: AWD system concern due to tire circumference - This Pitstop provides information regarding potential concerns with the All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system due to tire sizes of differing...

4. PI2103YZReceived July 5, 2023

   Subsequent repair action: engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI2103Y/Z) - This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published in (PI2103)...

5. CS2302Received February 2, 2023

   Customer satisfaction: anti-theft S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2302) - This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or...

6. TSB_TRA046_R3Received December 6, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Transmission fluid application guide - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

7. TSB_SST067_R2Received September 17, 2022

   Engine and engine cooling

   Bearing clearance tester (BCT) PROCEDURES - This bulletin provides information regarding test procedure of the Bearing Clearance Tester (BCT) Special Service Tool (SST).

8. PS720Received May 4, 2022

   Engine and engine cooling

   Pitstop: injector harness routing for PI1802Y/Z AND PI1803Y/Z ENGINE REPLACEMENTS - This bulletin provides information to address a no-start or hard start with poor running condition after engine...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Kia Sportage. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 20V750000December 2, 2020

   Engine

   An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

2. 19V101000February 15, 2019

   Engine

   The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage.

3. 17V224000March 31, 2017

   Engine and engine cooling

   Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.

See all 5 recalls for the 2012 Kia Sportage, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Sportage will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 330 complaints · 84%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 29 complaints · 7%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 21 complaints · 5%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Service brakes 11 complaints · 3%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your Kia Sportage

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2012 Kia Sportage: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Kia Sportage?

Of the 392 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Kia Sportage, 330 (84%) name engine and engine cooling, and 29 (7%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Kia Sportage reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 7 of the 392 complaints as involving a crash and 16 as involving a fire. They also reported 10 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Kia Sportage have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Kia Sportage. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 105 repair bulletins for the 2012 Kia Sportage.

More

• 2017 Sportage problems
• 2013 Sportage problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.