2013 Kia Sportage Problems, Recalls & Reliability
449 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Kia Sportage, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 68/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 101,234 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2013 Kia Sportage sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1995, 2005, 2019, 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 2013 sits among all Sportage years
What owners report
“On 4/18/2019 i was driving on a narrow 2-lane highway at 55 mph when my vehicle suddenly lost power and would not restart. I had the vehicle towed to a kia dealership and i was told the engine had failed and needed to be replaced at a cost of $8,800. The engine had 83,000 miles on it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Sportage
“Sunroof of 2013 kia sportage randomly and violently exploded while driving down the highway.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Sportage
“The contact owns a 2013 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, 2013 Sportage
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 318 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 94,532 miles. Half of those reports fall between 70,000 and 122,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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 2011-2017 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…
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
167 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2013 Kia Sportage. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2013 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 2013 Kia Sportage reliable?
The 2013 Kia Sportage drew 449 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 68/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2013 Kia Sportage problems?
The top reported problems for the 2013 Kia Sportage are engine (314 complaints), other (28), and brakes & stability (25).
At what mileage do 2013 Kia Sportage problems show up?
Owners most often report 2013 Kia Sportage problems around 94,532 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 70,000 and 122,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Kia Sportage have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 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.