2007 Kia Sportage Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 2007 Kia Sportage most often describe the ESC or ABS warning light staying on, and brake lights that do not light or stay on; some link the brake light problem to stop lamp switch recalls. Complaints also describe power steering and battery warnings after driving through water, brakes that lock up or do not respond, and cruise control or accelerator problems. Mileage varies widely across the complaints, and the sample also includes reports of vehicle fires and airbag warning lights.

1. 1
   Electronic stability control

   ESC or ABS warning light stays on

   • 16 complaints (21%)
   • median 56,511 mi at 6.5 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2023

   Owners report that the electronic stability control (ESC) warning light stays on, comes on by itself, or lights up together with the ABS light. Some link the light to the stop lamp switch, and say the cruise control or brake lights were also affected. In some complaints, the dealer or manufacturer said the VIN was not covered by a recall that owners said matched the symptoms. Where mileage is given, it ranges from 700 to 119,570 miles, and the light is often described as coming on while driving, sometimes in cold weather.

   What to check: Check whether the ESC or ABS light stays on after startup and during a brake test, and ask the dealer to read any stored fault codes. Ask whether the stop lamp switch recalls apply to the VIN, since some owners were told they do not.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brake lights are not operating and the electronic stability control system malfunction light stays on. Kia has a recall sc098 (nthsa number 13v114000) for this exact problem, when I took the car to the dealer they informed me my VIN does not fall in that recall, I spoke to Kia and they informed me the same, yet my car has the identical problems described in the recall notice they have also informed me the hydraulic electronic control unit and the recall has verbiage of hydraulics. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10762335, filed 2015-09, 45,000 miles

   “My SUV was in motion and the ABS, ESC and the diagram of the whole drive train lit up. I was backing out of my driveway when all of these lights came on at the same time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10790084, filed 2015-11, 53,023 miles
2. 2
   Exterior lighting

   Brake lights fail to light or stay on

   • 14 complaints (18%)
   • median 62,787 mi at 5.5 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2009–2023

   Owners report that the brake lights do not light when the pedal is pressed, sometimes with no warning on the dash, and that some lights stay on after the pedal is released. Complaints describe a stop lamp switch replaced under an earlier recall that failed again, and bulb replacements that did not stop the problem. Some owners say the dealer charged for the repair after the warranty ended, or that the manufacturer said their VIN was not covered by the recall. Where mileage is given, it falls between 11,185 and 119,570 miles, and some complaints describe the lights failing again after a repair.

   Recall 13V114000Recall 09V1300002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have someone press the brake pedal while you watch every brake light, and repeat the check after the car has been driven for a while. Ask whether the stop lamp switch has been replaced, and whether any service bulletin on the stop lamp switch or bulb life has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My complaint is with Kia motors america. They were required to issue a recall on the 'stop lamp switch' in 2009 for certain Kia models including my 2007 Kia Sportage. I had my vehicle serviced in june of 2009 for this issue. Since then the warranty expired on the part and it is now broken again (I have no functional brake lights). The dealer indicated that they must charge me the full $160.00 to fix it. However, there is a back order on the part, so I cannot drive my car legally for at least a week until the part comes in. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10422395, filed 2011-08, 70,000 miles

   “The stop lamp switch was recalled & mine was replaced in 2010, but the part they replaced it with was faulty also and I’ve been driving without brake lights for years without knowing it. Then when I contacted KIA escalated customer “service,” they double-talked and gaslit me.”

   NHTSA complaint #11523559, filed 2023-05
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Power steering and battery light after wet driving

   • 6 complaints (8%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2013–2018

   Owners report that after driving through puddles or on wet roads, the battery or charging warning light comes on and power steering assist drops out or locks up. Some describe the engine stalling with a loss of power assist to both steering and brakes, and say the problem returned over time. According to complaints, dealers tried to recreate the problem, and an owner was told the symptom was normal. Where mileage is given, it falls between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, and the complaints describe the problem after driving through puddles or on wet roads.

   What to check: On a test drive in wet conditions, watch whether the battery light or power steering warning appears after driving through standing water. Ask the dealer to test the charging system and the power steering electrical connections after water exposure, and ask for the results in writing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving through a puddle of standing water in october 2012, a 'splash' of water entered the engine compartment caused the engine in my 2007 Kia Sportage to stall, resulting in the loss of power assist to both steering and brakes. This occurred several times in 2012 and 2013. But, in 2014, it has happened much more often. Enough to force me to take my Sportage into a Kia dealership to see if they could diagnose the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10644855, filed 2014-10, 69,000 miles

   “When driving in rainy weather, I will loose power steering after driving over a puddle. The battery light will come on and my power steering will go off. It comes back after a minute or so, but when it goes out, the vehicle becomes very difficult to control.”

   NHTSA complaint #10504205, filed 2013-03, 92,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brakes lock up, freeze, or do not respond

   • 12 complaints (16%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2024

   Owners describe wheels that lock up or brakes that stay applied, sometimes at highway speed or when pulling away from a stop. Some report the car would not move, even in neutral, and that the wheels had to be freed by hand or by a tow truck. Complaints also describe a brake pedal that did not slow the vehicle, and components reported to have failed, such as an ABS pump or a brake control module. Where mileage is given, it falls between 24,000 and 214,967 miles, and the complaints describe the brakes locking or not responding while driving or when pulling away from a stop.

   What to check: On a test drive, check the brakes at a slow pull-away and from road speed, and watch the ABS and brake warning lights at startup. Ask a mechanic to inspect the ABS pump, the brake control module, and the brake fluid, and ask for records of any work on those parts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The ABS pump, caused my brakes to lock on all four tires causing rubber to burn and smoke. I was driving the car when I noticed something happened and felt like I had emergency brakes would not drive any more than 10 miles an hour, was close to home and completely locked up as I drove into my driveway. No emergency light was given on my panel.”

   NHTSA complaint #11328019, filed 2020-06, 60,000 miles

   “Stopped at a red light to make a left turn. Once the light turned green the brakes apparently locked up and the car would not go forward or reverse and couldn't be moved in the nuetral position and was impossible to move from traffic lane without tow truck help. When loading onto flat bed tow truck front drivers side wheel and passenger side rear wheel wouldn't turn and slid on flatbed metal. Same true at home. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11341506, filed 2020-07, 169,562 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Car accelerates or cruise control does not release

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2019

   Owners report that the car surged or accelerated while the brake pedal was pressed, or while stopped at a light, and a complaint describes a car that struck the vehicle ahead. Some describe a cruise control that would not turn off when the brake was pressed, or would not switch on. According to a complaint, a dealer reported that a plastic piece in the accelerator cable had failed and the pedal stuck. Where mileage is given, it falls between 13,500 and 132,163 miles, and the complaints describe the problems while braking, at road speed, or while stopped at a light.

   What to check: On a test drive, press the brake with cruise control on and confirm it disengages, and check that the throttle returns to idle when the pedal is released. Ask the dealer to inspect the accelerator pedal and cable, and whether any part was replaced for a sticking pedal.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I stopped behind a SUV in the turning lane, waiting on light change when for no reason, the Kia surged forward and hit the SUV in front of me. Total amt of damage to both cars was $8,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10472606, filed 2012-08, 80,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2007 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated while the brakes were depressed. The contact mentioned that he was able to shift into park but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 94,684.”

   NHTSA complaint #10470582, filed 2012-08, 94,684 miles

Buying note. Used-car buyers should test the brake lights, the ESC warning light, and the brake and cruise control behavior on a test drive, and ask for records of any stop lamp switch or brake repairs. Owners also report power steering and battery warnings after driving through water, so check the car after a wet drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.