RoadVitals

2006 Kia Sportage Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Dec 21, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 111 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Kia Sportage submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalVisibility
Filed Dec 21, 2018
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLING FAN FAILED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR FAN WIRING HAD MELTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOM AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V015000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11162934
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
Mileage
70,000 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Apr 27, 2015

VEHICLES HEATING AND COOLING UNIT STARTED WORKING SPORADICALLY. THEN STOPPED AND YOU COULD SMELL A BURNING SMELL. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD WE WERE LUCKY THE VEHICLE HAD NOT CAUGHT FIRE. THE WIRE AND CONNECTOR TO THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER WERE MELTED AND FALLING APART. THE CONNECTOR ITSELF WAS MELTED. HE DISCONNECTED THE UNIT TO PREVENT IT FROM CATCHING FIRE. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD, BEING THAT MY DAUGHTERS FEET WERE DIRECTLY BELOW THE AREA THAT WAS SMOKING AND MELTING, ABOUT TO CATCH FIRE. IT IS JUST BELOW THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SIDE. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED MANY TIMES WITH THIS VEHICLE MODEL BY READING ONLINE REPORTS. I HOPE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE IS BURNT OR WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10713222
Incident
Apr 20, 2015
Mileage
129,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 26, 2014

DRIVER"S SUN VISOR SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN INTO FIELD OF VIEW. WILL NOT RETAIN POSITION OUT OF FIELD OF VIEW OF DRIVER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10585037
Incident
Mar 4, 2014
Mileage
40,100 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Nov 1, 2011

WIRING HARNESS FAILURE - DEALER DIAGNOSIS - CRACKED, BRITTLE, CORROSION - LOSE OF INTERIOR FAN RESULTING IN NO HEAT, DEFROST, AIR CONDITIONING. DEALER STATES HARNESS AND FUSE BLOCK REPLACEMENT REQUIRED. I HAVE NO HEATER OR DEFROST - IT WAS 22 DEGREES THIS MORNING - I DROVE 5 MILES BEFORE WINDSHIELD WAS CLEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10433802
Incident
Nov 1, 2011
Mileage
89,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 27, 2011

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISORS WILL NOT STAY UP. SAFETY EQUIPMENT ISSUE AS DRIVERS VISION IS IMPAIRED. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10409058
Incident
Jun 1, 2010
Mileage
75,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 17, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THROUGH A SNOW STORM AT NIGHT, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED OPERATING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. WHEN SLUSH STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE WIPERS WERE OPERATING, THEY FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WIPERS WERE EQUIPPED WITH A CLIP THAT DISCONNECTS TO KEEP THE MOTOR FROM BURNING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 22,800. UPDATED 03-05-08 *BF

NHTSA ID
10212095
Incident
Dec 13, 2007
Mileage
22,800 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 31, 2007

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR INOPERATIVE DURING A STORM WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR BROKE LEAVING ME WITH NO WIPERS THE DEALERSHIP HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ABOUT 10 OF THE SAME CARS DURING THE SAME STORM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10186631
Incident
Mar 16, 2007
Visibility
Filed Apr 4, 2006

THE REAR WIPER ARM OF THE KIA SPORTAGE IS MADE OF WEAK PLASTIC AND CANNOT WITHSTAND GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH. THE FIRST CAR WASH IT WENT THROUGH RIPPED OFF THE WIPER BLADE AND COVER OVER THE INSTALLATION NUT. THE SECOND CAR WASH THEN BROKE THE ARM. THIS RESULTS IN THE INABILITY TO CLEAR THE REAR WINDOW OF DIRTY/SNOW/RAIN RESULTING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY AND POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS NOT THERE PROBLEM AND REQUIRE THAT I PAY OVER $100 TO REPAIR AFTER WHICH I MUST HAND WASH THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10154500
Incident
Mar 6, 2006
Mileage
800 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Airbags38Engine23Electrical22Driver assistance16Brakes11

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .