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2021 Kia Sportage recalls

2 recalls are on record with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Sportage, including a "park outside" fire-risk advisory.

2021 Kia Sportage recall lookup visual: Vehicle rear underside raised on a dark service lift with cool metal light and red reflection
NHTSA advises parking affected vehicles OUTSIDE, away from buildings, until repaired — a fire risk exists even when parked.

Methodology: recall and complaint counts are pulled from NHTSA public data by make, model, and model year during the site build. This page is not a VIN-specific open-recall status.

Sources and review: source: NHTSA recalls and complaints datasets. Last reviewed June 2026; author: VinSleuth editorial desk; reviewer: Vehicle public-records review.

2 Open recalls
44 Complaints
0 Fire reports
0 Crash reports

Recall details

Park outside SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE #21V137000 Reported 04/03/2021

NHTSA advises parking this vehicle outside and away from structures until repaired — a fire risk exists even when parked.

Defect

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.

Risk

An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.

Free fix

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.

Park outside TRAILER HITCHES #22V703000 Reported 19/09/2022

NHTSA advises parking this vehicle outside and away from structures until repaired — a fire risk exists even when parked.

Defect

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.

Risk

A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Free fix

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.

Check your exact VIN

Decode a specific 2021 Kia Sportage VIN to see its spec, recalls, complaints, and crash ratings together.

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Other Kia Sportage model years

Recalls differ by model year — check the years near yours.

What owners complain about

Top components in 44 NHTSA complaints for the 2021 Kia Sportage.

ENGINE 14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3
TRAILER HITCHES 2
POWER TRAIN 2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1

Frequently asked

How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Sportage have?

2 recalls are on record with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Sportage, including a "park outside" fire-risk advisory. Recall repairs are always free at a franchise dealer.

Do I have to pay to fix a Kia recall?

No. Federal law requires manufacturers to repair safety recalls for free at any authorized dealer, regardless of who owns the vehicle or its warranty status.

Is this recall list specific to my VIN?

This page lists recalls reported to NHTSA for every 2021 Kia Sportage. To confirm whether a recall is still open for one specific VIN, enter it in our decoder or check with Kia. NHTSA has no public by-VIN recall feed, so we look up the make, model, and year.

2021 Kia Sportage crash ratings All recalls