YearToAvoid

2010 Kia Sportage Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2010 Kia Sportage has 20 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 5, ranking it 20th worst out of 21 model years. It carries a Caution verdict, capped because of a park-outside recall, despite a low complaint count.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
5/100
#20 of 21 Sportage years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
20
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
2
1 Park Outside
Crashes
3
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
6
Top issue
Brakes
Best nearby year
2007
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
19 city / 24 hwy
Injuries / deaths
6 / 1

Top 2010 Kia Sportage problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes7 (35%)
  2. Airbags4 (20%)
  3. Engine3 (15%)
  4. Seat Belts3 (15%)
  5. Electrical System2 (10%)
  6. Other2 (10%)
  7. Structure & Body2 (10%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain2 (10%)
  9. Steering1 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Brakes reportedly failed to respond during a panic stop, contributing to a crash after a deer entered the road.
  • Side curtain and front airbags reportedly failed to deploy in side-impact and frontal collisions, including one crash resulting in a passenger death.
  • Owners reported the key could become stuck in the ignition, allowing gears to shift without pressing the shift button.
  • One owner reported the engine stopped turning over after intermittent knocking and no oil was found, following an intermittently lit oil light.
  • Seat belts were reported to fray near the buckle area, which the dealer attributed to rodent damage while owners disputed that explanation.
  • Owners reported illuminated passenger airbag warning lights traced to defective seat occupant and seat belt tension sensors.
2010 Kia Sportage complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2011Dec 2013Jan 2018Jul 2018Oct 2018Feb 2021Jan 2024Apr 2024
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2011 to May 2024; peak Jan 2018 (2).

2010 Kia Sportage recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V652000Sep 25, 2023Brakes1,730,192 vehiclesPark Outside

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    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 Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

    Risk: An engine compartment 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 replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

  2. NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    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 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

2010 Kia Sportage fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,100
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Sportage years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Caution3598321
2009Caution4580321
2010Caution520221
2011Caution65181623
2012Avoid90392523

All Kia Sportage years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Kia Sportage reliable?
NHTSA lists 20 complaints for the 2010 Sportage with a complaint index of 5, the second-lowest among the 21 model years tracked. However its verdict is Caution rather than Good because of a park-outside recall affecting the brakes.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Kia Sportage?
Brakes are the top problem area with 7 complaints (35% share), followed by airbags with 4 complaints (20% share) and engine issues with 3 complaints (15% share).
Does the 2010 Kia Sportage have a recall?
Yes, it has 2 recalls: a 2023 brake-related campaign that tells owners to park outside and away from structures, and a 2013 electrical system recall.
How does the 2010 Sportage compare to other Sportage years?
The 2010 model year ranks 20th out of 21 years by complaint index (5), making it one of the lower-complaint years, though its verdict is capped at Caution due to the park-outside recall rather than complaint volume.
What is the median mileage for brake failures in the 2010 Sportage?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 82,797 miles at the time brake complaints were reported.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.