This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The seat belt sensor for the air bags has gone out 3 times. The first time happened about 2500K miles and was under warranty, the second time was after 60K miles and we had to pay for it about $100, the third time it went out was about 80K miles. I was quoted $300 to have it replaced again but when I complained they offered to do it for $100. I think this is a safety issue and it appears to need a recall on the part. I do not think that we should have to pay to have this part replaced and in the mean time we are driving around without the sensor working for the air bag. Good job Kia!
Started the vehicle one evening and the drivers side air bag light came on. There were no accidents or anything of that nature. I just purchased this vehicle about 3 weeks ago and carfax guaranteed no accidents. No one is sure how it came on or what to do to turn it off.
The drivers side air bag light started blinking and then came on constant. Took to dealer and they were not sure what would fix it. They reset light and it stayed off until passenger raised up to get something off dash and passenger air bag light came on and then the drivers light came on and stayed on again. I have researched and found that in Jan the optima and rio had total recalls for the same problem but they did not include the Sportage. I believe from website research that this is a looming large scale problem with Kia's air bag system especially in the 2006 models. I would like to see a recall since this is an astronomical cost to have repaired and the dealers won't guarantee the repairs since so far the repairs don't fix or keep fixed the faulty system. If all repairs are done that were explained to me then just getting them "possible" repaired could cost as much as $5000 total. Please issue a demand for recall on the 2006 Kia Sportage.
2006 Kia Sportage. Consumer writes in regards to malfunction of airbag light. The consumer was informed the connections were bad, which caused the air bag light to illuminated. The cruise control stopped working, the ESC light illuminated, and the radiator cover was broken. The dealer agreed to fix the consumer's vehicle at no charge. Updated 01/07/13
- Denver, CO, USA
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I was parked in a parking lot at a grocery store inside shopping and came out to find my vehicle was hit in the rear bumper and the other driver drove off without leaving there information. I got in the car and started it noticed that my air bag light came on and did not go off.
Air bag warning light comes on intermittently for several months. Now it is on all the time. Appears to be a common problem, internet searches claim the problem is likely in the seatbelt sensor.
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the passenger air bag sensor mat was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 46,000. Updated 09/05/14 updated 9/8/2014
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sportage. The contact was driving 45 mph when the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic but was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 89,000.
Driver side air bag lamp will come on while driving. Once stopped and engine turned off and restarted the light will not be on. Then occasionally while driving the lamp will again come back on.
Vehicle has never been in a crash. Airbag light came on when I got into my car and stayed on. I took the car to my mechanic a day or two later. They cleared code and reset the system. Airbag light came on again a few days later. Took the car back to my mechanic. They researched problem and determined the issue to be with the passenger side belt tension sensor and that this had caused the airbags to deactivate. Mechanic told me to take the car to Kia because it was a safety issue and should be under lifetime warranty. Kia would not cover the repair because I have over 60,000 miles on my car. I went back to my mechanic and had them replace the belt tension sensor - part was almost $400. Mechanic said that according to Kia specifications, if this doesn't fix the problem, the driver's airbag module would have to be replaced. If that doesn't fix it, the entire SRS unit would have to be replaced. Mechanic indicated that there is no way to test to figure out specifically which part is faulty. In the meantime, I'm not sure if my airbags are working or not. This seems to be a common problem with the 2006 Kia Sportage. Unfortunately, many people just continue to drive with the airbag light on, most likely unaware that their airbags are no longer activated and would not deploy in a crash.
Air bag warning light - mechanic and Kia dealership stated it was a sensor. Car is out of warranty, dealership will charge me over $400 to "fix" the air bag warning light but would not guarantee the fix. After researching on this website and others, it appears that this is a defect on various models of 2006 Kia's. I was told that the air bags will not deploy in an accident. The dealership first stated to me that my car must have been in an accident, it was not and never has been. I was told that if the "fix" did not work that I would have to replace my front seats for a cost of over $1,200. Kia cannot guarantee a fix for this problem. This is evidenced by researching the internet. This is a safety item and needs a recall.
After being fixed by the dealer, my airbag light came back on again within days. Took it back and they told me the sensors built into the seat are failing. An internet search indicates that they are failing at an alarming rate. If the light is on the airbags will not deploy. The light will stay on as long as the sensors are not working right. The sensors can only be repaired by replacing the entire seat apparatus: Almost 1200$ just for the part! this should be a recall, and I do not understand why it isn't. note that the dealer has been very sympathetic and aggressive in trying to identify the problem, though it sounds like the people they are talking to at Kia aren't being very forthcoming with how prevalent the problem is.
I have a 2006 Kia Sportage and the airbag light keeps coming on I have been to the dealer going on six times now to get this fixed. It has been going on since Oct 07 to current. The last time it was fixed was on 08/07/2009. Now I am going to dealer again because it was supposedly fixed and airbag light has come back on again and I am concerned for the safety for my family if we are in an accident because the airbags will not deploy when they need to. So far I have had the buckles assy replaced more than once and the sensor assy more than once. Problem may be fixed for a little while then light comes on again and I have to go back to the dealer again. This is a safety hazard.
Both drive and passenger airbag lights were lit. This occurred 5 times, all of which I was told by the dealership was "fixed." The sixth time the dealership had my car for 72 hours, claimed to "be fixed" yet again, once both seats were supposedly replaced. Within 2 weeks both lights came back on. The lights are on, yet again, for the seventh time...I am consulting an attorney!
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sportage. While driving between 10-35 mph, the contact's vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver was wearing a seat belt, but sustained bumps and bruises over her entire body caused by the steering wheel and column. There were no prior warning indicators. The vehicle was towed and determined to be destroyed by the insurance company. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer. A police report was filed. The contact has pictures. The current and failure mileages were 6,000.
My daughter hit the rear of a large vehicle while driving my 2006 Kia Sportage. The investigating officer and the body shop repairman both told me they had never seen a vehicle so heavily damaged fail to deploy its air bags. None of the air bags deployed. The vehicle was a total loss.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Littleton, CO, USA