RoadVitals

2007 Kia Sportage Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting 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.
9
Latest May 23, 2023
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.
12%
of 77 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.
0
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 headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Kia Sportage submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 exterior lighting

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

Exterior lighting
Filed May 23, 2023

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 ID
11523559
Incident
May 23, 2023
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 30, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THE LIGHTS HAD TO BE PLACED IN A HIGH BEAM SETTING IN ORDER TO SEE ANYTHING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE VISIBILITY WAS IMPAIRED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT BULB WATTAGE NEEDED TO BE INCREASED AND REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID
10928843
Incident
Nov 12, 2015
Mileage
68,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 24, 2015

TAKATA RECALL; CAN PULL CAR INTO PARK OR DRIVE WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKE. TOOK TO PELHAM KIA TO BE FIXED DUE TO RECALL BUT THEY NEVER FIXED IT. DESPERATELY NEED FIXED.

NHTSA ID
10806643
Incident
Jul 6, 2015
Mileage
100,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jul 23, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10736042
Incident
Jul 23, 2015
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsExterior lighting
Filed Mar 5, 2014

MY KIA SPORTAGE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WON'T COME ON FOR A FEW SECONDS. IT WON'T COME ON AT ALL. I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR AIR BAG LIGHT. THERE IS A PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. KIA DEALERSHIP NEED TO STOP PUTTING IT ON THE OWNERS EXPENSE. MY HUSBAND SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP CONCERNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND HE WAS TOLD THEY NEED TO PUT IT ON A MACHINE TO ANALYST THE PROBLEM. I'M SURE THEY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ? TO ANALYST IT IS GOING TO COST US SOME MONEY. WHY ??? *TR

NHTSA ID
10567142
Incident
Jan 3, 2014
BrakesDriver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Jul 14, 2012

HI! I JUST TOOK MY 2007 KIA SPORTAGE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE TODAY, JULY 14, 2012 AND INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE BURNT OUT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT MY VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AT ALL. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND OUT THAT KIA RECALLED 2007 SPORTAGE IN 2009 BECAUSE OF EXTERNAL BREAK LIGHTING ISSUES. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL BY THE KIA DEALER WHATSOEVER AND HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR THREE YEARS. I AM COMPLETELY BESIDE MYSELF THAT I DROVE A CAR FOR THREE YEARS WITH A MAJOR SAFETY RECALL. AT THIS POINT, I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I GUESS I SHOULD CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I HAVE TO SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT IS NOT RIGHT TO KEEP THIS INFORMATION FROM CONSUMERS. IT IS NEGLIGENT AND IRRESPONSIBLE TO SELL A CAR TO SOMEONE IF IT HAS A SAFETY RECALL AND NOT TO NOTIFY OR WARN THEM ABOUT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465670
Incident
Jul 14, 2012
Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Aug 29, 2011

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. THIS IS CONCERNING, WHY IS THE STOP LAMP SWITCH CONTINUING TO FAIL? OBVIOUSLY SINCE THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER THERE SEEMS TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM - THE RECALL SEEMS TO HAVE FAILED! I CONTACTED KIA MOTORS DIRECTLY TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP. THE RESPONDED ABSOLUTELY NOT, IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WOULD HAVE TO INCUR THE EXPENSE. HOW DO I KNOW ONCE IT'S FIXED IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE SAFETY CONCERNS: 1) DRIVING WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS AND BEING UNAWARE; 2) THE ESC MALFUNCTION CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO FAIL/NOT SHUT OF WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE. I AM CONCERNED THAT PEOPLES SAFETY IS AT RISK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10422395
Incident
Aug 29, 2011
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed May 10, 2010

ESC LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK, ON PRIOR RECALL LIST, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID
10329734
Incident
May 9, 2010
Mileage
80,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 22, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. HE CHECKED THE BULBS ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY WERE WORKING NORMALLY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,574.

NHTSA ID
10256036
Incident
Jan 21, 2009
Mileage
65,574 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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .