NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 40 complaints against the 2022 Kia Sportage. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2022 Kia Sportage complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2022 Kia Sportage has generated 80 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2022 Kia Sportage has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Kia pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2022 Kia Sportage have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 22 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “Had my oil changed less about 3k miles ago and my oil like flashed on and then off. I check my oil and I have no oil. I should be able to go 5k miles. Took it to Goodyear and he check for leaks and other things and it’s an oil consumption issue and said there should be a recall on my engine. I will be taking it to the dealership. My car has about 70k miles on it. It should not be burning through oil like this.” (NHTSA Complaint #11724879)
The 2022 Kia Sportage has generated 8 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Kia had come out with a recall immediately after purchasing and installing our tow hitch on our 2022 Kia Sportage. It has been almost 18 months with no remedy. I’ve taken it to the dealer multiple times and called Kia themselves both say they can’t do anything. Every single aftermarket tow hitch is completely safe to use other than the Kia branded one. I paid almost $700 to get a tow hitch installed at 14k miles and now nearing 40k miles and haven’t used it a single time. I have been running in circles trying to get any information. They say it’s a short circuit but why they haven’t adopted the method all other aftermarket parts have that have no issues makes zero sense after all this time.” (NHTSA Complaint #11557755)
The 2022 Kia Sportage has generated 6 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an explosion and observed that the moon roof glass had shattered, sending glass down into the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it had not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11682927)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2022 Kia Sportage has 6 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “I recently filed a safety problem concerning my brakes activating for no reason. It had happened 3 times before I filed. It want to report that it happened a 4th time. On New Year’s Eve, at approximately 6:20PM, I was driving on a 4 lane road about 35-40 MPH when my brakes slammed down hard. There was a long beeping sound only while the car was breaking but no other indicators. It was raining and dark. I braced myself for impact. I thought for sure my car was going to slide into something. There were no cars in front of me in either direction nor where any cars behind. Nothing obstructing the road. Nothing to give my car a reason to do that. Luckily there wasn’t anyone behind me or else I absolutley would have been rear ended. The brakes locked for approximately 3-4 seconds before they let up. I am very happy that I wasn’t on the highway at the time. I called Kia the day after New Year’s. This time I was offered to bring in the car and get a loaner to drive while they take a look at it. This is the 4th time in 3 months this has happened.” (NHTSA Complaint #11562998)
The 2022 Kia Sportage has generated 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “THE DEALER FAILED TO COMPLETE THE ANTI-THEFT DET IGNITION CYL PROTECTOR, NOW MY CAR WAS STOLEN. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THE RECALL WAS TAKEN CARE OF, THEY EVEN ADDED BOTH DECALS ON EACH WINDOW, THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS, THAT SAID ANTI-THEFT DECAL INSTALLATION COMPLETED, BUT THE MAIN REASON WE BROUGH IT IN WAS BECAUSE WE HAD RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL STATING THAT OUT 2022 KIA SPORTAGE HAD A RECALL ON ANTI THEFT KEY IGNITIONS. THE CAR WAS LEFT AT THE DEALER FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS, TOLD US IT WAS READY AND COMPLETED AND THAT WAS NOT TRUE!” (NHTSA Complaint #11711516)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2022 Kia Sportage by the NHTSA or Kia. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: TRAILER HITCHES
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A 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 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 cu
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2022 Kia Sportage:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Kia to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Kia must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2022 Kia Sportage qualifies as a lemon under California law, Kia may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Kia a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Kia dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Kia pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Kia a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Kia is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2022 Kia Sportage has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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