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Kia Sportage power windows problems

36 of the 4,730 owner complaints about the Kia Sportage describe power window failure, most of them for the 2017 model year.

owner complaints
36
worst model year
2017
typical mileage
34,015
Is there a fix? There are 6 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

  • 2018
    1
  • 2017
    14
  • 2016
    1
  • 2014
    1
  • 2013
    1
  • 2012
    3
  • 2011
    1
  • 2002
    4
  • 2001
    1
  • 2000
    4
  • 1999
    1
  • 1998
    1
  • 1997
    2
  • 1996
    1

What owners say

Filed Jun 20, 2026 · Electrical, Lights · GA

Front headlights went out also rear brake lights now I have a problem with brake light and tailgate lamp staying on when car and lights are off. The suspension has had a issue ever since I bought it it makes awful loud noises when driving and especially hitting bumps in road. Passenger front and rear windows won't roll down. Had to replace battery as well. Inside door handles fell off as well as outside rear handles.tire pressure indicator light stays on as well as the park assist and drive train lights stay on.problem with car going in drive sometimes it locks up and have to restart and slam on brakes several times to unlock

Filed Jun 16, 2026 · Electrical · NY

Window regulator failure - power window could not be rolled up. Had to be replaced.

Filed Mar 3, 2025 · Electrical · WV

Driver power window regulator stopped working. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety is at risk because it can hinder my ability to exit the car in an emergency. In addition, it is exposing the car's interior and possibly interior electrical parts to the weather elements, and potentially leaving me vulnerable to theft or intrusion. The problem was intermittent at first, and I reported it to the dealer, but at that time of service, they were unable to reproduce the failure. The service department told me this is a fairly common problem with my model of car. The component has not been inspected by Kia, the police, insurance representatives, or others. The symptoms were intermittent at first prior to the total failure. The full failure happened at 101,500 miles, which is past the 100,000 mile warranty expiration.

Filed Jul 22, 2024 · SC

Kia has a problem with window motors and regulators why is this not a safety issue. The car made in 2015 and 2016 which is this 2017 model apparently has this issue they sent out memos to dealers yet are charging people to have them fixed. This is the second time I had the motor replaced in 2021 on this very window but it was under warranty then. This should be a safety issue and be addressed

Filed May 13, 2024 · TX

Four window regulators failed within a few days of each other. The first front widows failed at the beginning of December 2023 and the back two failed a week later. The back windows dropped down while I was driving. Thankfully, no children were in the backseat. There was no warning that this was going to occur. The regulators are independent of each other yet all four broke. The windows lost all power and could not be rolled up. I was not able to roll up any of my windows until I paid to have them fixed at a Kia dealership in April. This was a safety issue (theft, unpredictable windows falling, heat inside the car, extreme cold temperatures couldn't be blocked out, etc.) until they were fixed at a costly price-$2,168. Two Kia service advisors confirmed the four window regulators and/ or drums needed replaced. The service advisor was aware of the problem on other vehicles and was not surprised at that all four independent regulators broke. The four regulators have been fixed therefore I do not have the failed/broken part. I have my service record however. I contacted Kia headquarters to request a recall be made on their defective product but they were not responsive. I was given a case # but nothing else.

Filed Apr 25, 2024 · Electrical · FL

Window regulator drum or window regulator not responding saw open recall but my vin isn’t comming up under the recall SA-148 service from 2020

Filed Mar 7, 2024 · Electrical, Visibility · AR

All the windows have just randomly failed down. The last one was my passenger back window on my way to work with it pouring down rain this morning. The first incident was about a year and a half ago, the driver's side window fell, and the window shattered. Took to glass shop and they said regulator needed to be replaced and they put in when they installed new glass. I went to Texarkana Kia dealer ship were bought car and bought a regulator and thought problem was solved. Several months later the window did not work so took back to glass shop that fixed they said regulator not working again. The Glass Shop took off and I got a replacement one at Kia and talked to several people of how my windows were acting but no one said a word about my certain model did had a problem with the regulators.

Filed Feb 20, 2023 · Electrical, Visibility · PA

In researching my vehicle I came across a recall/investigation for Kia window regulators. My 2014 Sportage has had the same issue and the dealership told me 'my door panel is fried'. I do not have any issues with the drivers window...it can go up/down. The passenger side is functional less often than the rear windows which will at times get stuck half way or stuck down all together. I own a 2014, am the original owner - the issue is includes more than just the 2017 models. The dealership dismissed my concern that the driver side window is functional while the remaining three windows are functional at times. If the door panel was fried wouldn't that mean that ALL functionality would be lost?

Filed Oct 13, 2022 · Electrical · OH

All four power windows stopped going up or down in a six-week period. Safety is an issue because in the event of an accident when doors are damage, how can one exit the car if the windows do not go down. Dealer said it was the regulator. No warning lights, driver's side went broke, then a few weeks later, the rear left window stopped working, then the driver passenger side window and then the rear right window. Car had only 41,000 miles on it at the time. This issue is all over the internet regarding the 2017 Sportage and Optima vehicles. Children ride in this car also. Safety is definitely compromised by these inoperable windows.

Filed Aug 22, 2022 · Electrical, Lights · FL

My 2017 KIA Sportage was purchased in 2016 and does not have any recalls showing under my VIN number for this issue but I have all of the signs of a serious malfunction and the dealer won't respond. My car has less than 23k miles on it, I barely drive it because I work from home and all of the ABS warning lights are on including the ABS, Hill Descent, Tire Pressure, Traction/Stability Control, Emergency Brake Light. My dashboard light to Check TPMS also pops on the screen consistently and there is a weird smell coming from my dashboard. My husband is a certified mechanic for Largo Honda and he claims it is a safety issue in the vehicle that should be recalled. In addition to this issue, my windows will not go down and this will be the third time I have to take the car to the dealer to get fixed in the short period that I've had the car.

Related recalls

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelReported January 26, 2026 · 42,677 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on on February 9, 2026.

Recall number 26V046000 · Recall details

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelReported April 26, 2023 · 108,936 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk
A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Recall number 23V298000 · Recall details

Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulatorReported August 29, 2022 · 19,701 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The alternator battery positive terminal nut may loosen, which can result in an engine stall or an electrical surge.
Risk
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash, and an electrical surge increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the alternator battery positive terminal nut, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 23, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC248.

Recall number 22V651000 · Recall details

Electrical system: wiringReported November 10, 2016 · 71,704 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured August 9, 2007, to May 13, 2009. The wire harness cover on the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may be improperly sealed allowing water to get onto the HECU circuit board. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as could occur from melted snow, the wire harness connector pins may corrode and the circuit board may short circuit.
Risk
If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector pins for corrosion, if no corrosion is found, the connector cover will be replaced. If corrosion is present, the dealer will replace the HECU assembly and the connector cover, free of charge. The recall began on November 28, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC138.

Recall number 16V815000 · Recall details

Electrical systemReported July 27, 2000 · 66,482 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicle. These vehicles were distributed with owners manuals with an incorrect jump start diagram. The written instructions for jump starting are accurate. However, the diagram depicts the jumper cables attached to the wrong polarity terminals. If the diagram were followed without reference to the instructions, the resulting improper connections could cause the battery to rupture aggressively due to increased internal pressures.
Risk
This could cause potential serious injury to bystanders.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with an adhesive label with the correct illustration to permanently affix to their respective owners manuals.

Recall number 00V205000 · Recall details

Electrical system: wiringReported November 19, 1999 · 76,986 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The wires connected to the c123 and c124 connectors can be put under tension by movement of the engine, thus pulling the wires and connectors, loosening them and resulting in a loss of circuit continuity.
Risk
This condition can cause engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install spring clips to lock the connectors together. In addition, the dealers will be instructed to solder a splice in the wire harness.

Recall number 99V325000 · Recall details

Questions about the Kia Sportage power windows

Which Kia Sportage years have power window failure problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2017 (14 complaints), 2000 (4 complaints) and 2002 (4 complaints).

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