2024-2025 Kia Sportage Trailer Hitch Recall (25V874)
Kia America, Inc. · 5,046 vehicles · Reported December 17, 2025
Kia America, Inc. is recalling 5,046 2024-2025 Kia Sportage; 2023-2025 Kia Sportage PHEV vehicles. 2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays." An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V874 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V874000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | SC359 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | December 17, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Kia America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2024-2025 Kia Sportage; 2023-2025 Kia Sportage PHEV |
| Units affected | 5,046 |
| Component | Trailer Hitches |
| Safety risk | An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2024-2025 Kia Sportage in recall 25V874?
2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Is it safe to drive a 2024-2025 Sportage with recall 25V874?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Sportage shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the trailer hitches, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V874?
Recall 25V874 covers 5,046 vehicles: 2024-2025 Kia Sportage; 2023-2025 Kia Sportage PHEV.
NHTSA lists 5,046 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | Kia | Sportage |
| 2023-2025 | Kia | Sportage PHEV |
What is the fix for the Sportage trailer hitch recall?
Yes. Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge.
Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
When was recall 25V874 announced?
Kia America, Inc. reported recall 25V874 to NHTSA on December 17, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as February 13, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 11, 2023 | First affected vehicle built (per Kia America, Inc.'s filing). |
| December 17, 2025 | Kia America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V874000. |
| February 13, 2026 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 9 months ago. If your Sportage was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Sportage is part of recall 25V874?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V874 is open on your Sportage, it will be listed there.
Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 25V874000 is open on your Sportage, it will be listed there, along with Kia recall number SC359. You can also ask any Kia dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.
What should Sportage owners do about recall 25V874?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V874000 applies to your Sportage.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Kia dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Keep a simple log of any trailer hitches symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Sportage owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 48 of them about the other equipment.
Since recall 25V874 was reported on December 17, 2025, owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the other equipment on these vehicles. 1 of them (6%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the other equipment and were received on or after December 17, 2025, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related other equipment issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 156 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 48 of them involve the other equipment. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2024 Kia Sportage: 71 complaints in total, 20 about the other equipment
- 2025 Kia Sportage: 52 complaints in total, 21 about the other equipment
- 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV: 15 complaints in total, 3 about the other equipment
- 2024 Kia Sportage PHEV: 12 complaints in total, 4 about the other equipment
- 2025 Kia Sportage PHEV: 6 complaints in total, 0 about the other equipment
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
The doors won't lock. The button on the handle won't work sometimes. It's just random. This has happened 4 times in the last 2 years I have owned the car. I have to use app to lock and unlock the car. Once I drive it again everything is fine.
2024 Kia Sportage owner, SD, NHTSA complaint 11652592, filed April 3, 2025
I bought the vehicle in february 2025 and the windsheild cracked (rock hit it) within 3 months of purchase. It immediately spread to be in my view of the road which was a safety concern for me and others, and too big to have repaired.
2024 Kia Sportage owner, AR, NHTSA complaint 11667306, filed June 16, 2025
The panoramic sunroof glass spontaneously shattered upon entry in to the vehicle and closing the driver door. If the privacy cover closed, my daughter would have been showered with glass. I have tried reaching out to a Kia Dealer directly but have not received a response.
2024 Kia Sportage owner, FL, NHTSA complaint 11682154, filed August 21, 2025
Can recall 25V874 make my Sportage a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
Even an equipment recall can matter in a lemon law claim if the problem keeps coming back or the 2024-2025 Kia Sportage spends many days at the dealer.
This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 22V703000.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Sportage been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Kia Sportage recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 25V874
Did the recall 25V874 fix work?
Since recall 25V874 was reported on December 17, 2025, owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the other equipment on these vehicles. 1 of them (6%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed February 13, 2026.
Is the 25V874000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Sportage is part of recall 25V874000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 25V874000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Kia. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.