2011 Kia Sportage Problems, Recalls & Reliability
264 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Kia Sportage, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 40/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 99,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2011 sits among all Sportage years
What owners report
“The check engine light blinked and i lost power as i was driving. They replaced my engine and now i have 6 lights on my dash.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sportage
“The rear lights are turned on for night driving they all blink randomly as well as rear license plate light”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sportage
“Kia dealership sold me a used vehicle with an active and very recent URGENT safety recall with no remedy at this time! Knowing I’d be driving to and from daughters school & work every day with my child in it. I started to smell burning so I looked up issues the car may have to find out this…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sportage
“The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sportage
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 166 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 75,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,182 and 117,785 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Kia Sportage vehicles. The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage.
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will replace the oil pressure switch with an improved one, free of charge. In addition, dealers will inspect the oil pan for any oil leaks, replacing it if…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product…
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011 Sportage vehicles manufactured March 7, 2011, to June 8, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the brake light switch may intermittently fail.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number…
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009…
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge.…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Model years named: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 17V224000.
Technical service bulletins
172 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2011 Kia Sportage. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2011 Sportage TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Kia Sportage reliable?
The 2011 Kia Sportage drew 264 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 40/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2011 Kia Sportage problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Kia Sportage are engine (84 complaints), electrical (50), and other (29).
At what mileage do 2011 Kia Sportage problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Kia Sportage problems around 75,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,182 and 117,785 miles.
Does the 2011 Kia Sportage have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Kia Sportage. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.