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2015 Kia Sportage

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 Sportage.

Body SUV

The 2015 Kia Sportage is a compact SUV that takes 5.0 quarts of oil, with recommended viscosities of 5W-20, 10W-30, or 5W-30 API. Its 146 owner complaints—predominantly engine-related—and two recalls place it in a moderate position within the model’s reliability history spanning 1995 to 2026, far from the 394 complaints of the 2017 high point but not as trouble-free as the 2003 low of just four complaints, indicating a fairly typical ownership experience for this generation.

Model year2026 2025 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2015

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124R · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124R · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified

Tire sizeP235/55R18OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	174.8 in
Overall width	73.2 in
Overall height	65 in
Wheelbase	103.9 in
Curb weight	3426 lb
Track (front / rear)	63.4 / 63.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	58/42

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sportage of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 2015 SX T-GDI

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2015	SX T-GDI 2.0L Turbo I-4	7.60 sec	15.80 sec	260 hp	AWD
2017	SX T-GDI 2.0L Turbo I-4	6.70 sec	15.10 sec	240 hp	FWD
2017	SX T-GDI 2.0L Turbo I-4	6.90 sec	15.40 sec	240 hp	AWD
2017	SX T-GDI 2.0L Turbo I-4	7.10 sec	15.40 sec	240 hp	AWD
2017	FE LX 2.4L I-4	8.00 sec	16.30 sec	181 hp	FWD
2017	SX T-GDI 2.0L Turbo I-4	8.10 sec	16.20 sec	240 hp	AWD
2017	EX 2.4L I-4	8.60 sec	16.80 sec	181 hp	AWD
2017	EX 2.4L I-4	9.00 sec	16.90 sec	181 hp	AWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, Shell Spirax X in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	8.24
Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7.5
Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	Shell Spirax X
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	1.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	123-130 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	123-130 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	36
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	14
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	22.0-29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts	17.4-24.6 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	29.0-43.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	29.0-43.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	145-202 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	145-202 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	600-800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	580-780 rpm
Ignition Timing	6 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	10 degrees
Ignition Timing	6 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	10 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	18.56-20.32 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	3.72-4.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	70.0-75.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	72-73 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	70-75 psi
Engine Compression	psi 135-156 / max variation 15 psi
Engine Compression	psi 171 - 192 / Max Variation 15 psi
Intake Valve Lash	0.0067-0.0090 in
Exhaust Valve Lash	0.0126-0.0150 in
Intake Valve Lash	0.0067-0.0090 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque	Front or rear: 16-23 / 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque	Front: 58-; Rear: 47-
ABS Sensor Torque	7 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement	Front: .960; Rear: .330
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation	.0002
Maximum Rotor Runout	Front: .0010; Rear: .0012

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Do not allow oil on cylinder head bolts. Apply Loctite 5900H or equivalent on the front edge of the cylinder head gasket. Both the upside and the down side. Assembly of the cylinder head must be completed within five minutes of applying the liquid gasket compound.

1	24.0-27.0 ft. lbs.	24–27 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees-95 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees-95 degrees	90 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	24.0-27.0 ft. lbs.	24–27 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees-95 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees-95 degrees	90 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	24.0-27.0 ft. lbs.	24–27 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees-95 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees-95 degrees	90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi.

At 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 5,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 mi	Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Suspension System (torque)
Every 7,500 mi	Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
At 30,000 mi	Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Suspension System (torque)
Every 30,000 mi	Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 37,500 mi	Differential (inspect fluid level) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2015 Kia Sportage sits in a notable valley within the generation's complaint arc: complaints fell sharply from 392 in 2012 and 380 in 2013 down to 122 in 2014 before ticking back up slightly to 146 in 2015, while recalls similarly declined from 5 in 2012 to 2 in 2015. Investigations also dropped from a peak of 4 (2012–2013) to 2 in 2015, and the 153 TSBs on record for this model year indicate ongoing technical service bulletins addressing persistent issues. However, 2017 would later surge back to 394 complaints and 4 recalls across the same generation, suggesting the improvements were not permanent fixes. Within the 2015 model specifically, the top complaint areas are Engine (55), Service Brakes Hydraulic (24), and there were 11 fire-related complaints and 7 crash-related complaints recorded. Compared to both the 2012–2013 peak (which saw nearly triple the complaints) and the 2017 resurgence (which had the highest complaint count in the dataset), the 2015 Sportage represents a comparatively calmer year within a generation prone to recurring issues. The takeaway: the 2015 Sportage is among the better-conditioned model years within its generation on the basis of complaint and recall counts, though the ongoing TSB volume and fire/crash complaints warrant a thorough pre-purchase inspection of the engine and brake systems before committing to purchase.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

153

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

146

Owner complaints

7 involved a crash · 11 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14’15’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 146 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine55

Service Brakes, Hydraulic24

Unknown Or Other9

Unknown Or Other,Engine6

Electrical System,Engine5

Air Bags4

Electrical System,Unknown Or Other4

Fuel/Propulsion System3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V907000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 19/12/2018

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor… Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer…

22V051000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/ModuleReported 02/02/2022

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 K900 and 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an… Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse for the HECU circuit board, free of charge. Owner…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 153 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
CS2312_TSB_R2	2026-06-08	Structure	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER…
TSB_CS2312_R1	2026-02-18	Structure	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER…
TSB_CS2312	2025-12-17	Structure	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER…
CS2312_OWNR	2025-12-17	Structure	CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner…
PS797	2025-12-09	Back Over Prevention	PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sportage. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 124R battery Vehicles taking 5.0 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2015 Sportage take?

5.0 qt of Preferred oil-5W-20 SM API Certification. Above 0 degreesF 10W-30 SM API Certification. All temperatures 5W-20 or 5W-30 SM API Certification., per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 Sportage have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

2015 Kia Sportage

Quick specs

Fitment & sizes

Full specifications

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Performance & power Independent road tests

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Lubricants & capacities

Engine torques

Chassis torques

Ignition

Battery & A/C

Service checks

Brakes

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Common OBD-II trouble codes

VIN tools

Vehicles with shared specs

Reference guides

Related vehicles

Other years

Frequently asked