general problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sportage - part 1

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the engine is experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle rapidly burns through engine oil between oil changes without visible external leaks. The condition appears related to the engine lubrication and internal engine components. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the excessive oil consumption creates a risk of sudden engine failure, engine seizure, loss of power while driving, or vehicle stalling in traffic. This creates a serious safety concern because the vehicle could lose acceleration or stop unexpectedly while driving at highway speeds or in traffic conditions, increasing the risk of an accident or injury. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the excessive oil consumption has been consistently reproduced during normal driving conditions. The vehicle requires frequent oil top-offs between oil changes. The issue has been discussed with a dealership/repair facility, and the symptoms are consistent with widespread kia engine oil consumption complaints. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? the vehicle will be inspected by a kia dealership or repair facility regarding the excessive oil consumption issue. No police or insurance inspection has occurred related to this issue. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? symptoms included rapid oil loss between oil changes, the need to frequently add oil, and concerns about low oil levels. Warning indicators related to low oil or engine performance appeared after the oil consumption worsened. According to service records from walmart dated December 29, 2023, the issue was present at that time and has progressively.

Consumes more than 1 liter of oil per 1000 miles.

I respectfully request that NHTSA review this issue for potential safety related defect trends involving excessive oil consumption that progress to catastrophic engine failure in 2020 kia Sportages equipped with the 2. 4l engine. The vehicle consumed oil at an abnormal rate between oil changes despite routine maintenance and regular oil level checks, and the condition ultimately resulted in a non-operational vehicle. Over the months leading up to the failure, I was forced to add oil at least monthly and began checking the oil level more frequently due to the rate of loss. I maintain my vehicle carefully and have consistently kept up with oil changes. In March 2026, the vehicle broke down after I experienced a sudden loss of power and stalling, and the engine ultimately failed and left the vehicle non-operational. When an engine consumes oil rapidly and then stalls or loses power unexpectedly, drivers can face an increased risk of a crash particularly if the failure occurs at highway speeds or in traffic. I have found numerous similar complaints posted online by other kia owners describing the same pattern of excessive oil consumption followed by sudden loss of power, stalling, and/or engine failure. While I understand online posts are not formal findings, the volume and consistency of these reports suggest a broader trend that warrants NHTSA review for potential defects and safety impacts. After the failure, I had the vehicle towed to kia of [xxx] . The service department advised that the engine requires replacement and quoted approximately $14,000 for the repair. The invoice I received (#xxx) states that the technician recommends “short block motor replacement,” but the dealership verbally stated they would not perform only a short block replacement and would instead replace the complete engine because, in their view, a short block-only repair would lead to additional problems. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2020 kia Sportage. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine made an abnormal knocking sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cylinder #4 misfire, a knock sensor, and bearing clearance measurement failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty because the warranty was on the vehicle with the previous owner. The dealer contacted the manufacturer and was advised that the repair could not be covered under warranty because the failure was considered the consumer’s negligence. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Car was driving, stopped at a stoplight, never moved again. 3 lights came on, check engine, check oil (which had been serviced previously by a month and a half), and check battery. Bob sight kia has stated engine issues associated with the rods failing and the starter not functioning due the the manifold, I am uncertain to the technical terms. It was late at night, the area only semi lit up and I had to wait for a tow in unsafe conditions as I was stuck in a turn lane. Prior to the failure, no issues. This is my only means of transport as a waitress, I had recently moved into this area and plan to move again at the end of year, so my car is much needed. From the theft issues of this car to the mechanical issues over the last year, I can honestly say I will not be buying a kia again. What I need to know now is has the threshold been met by the standards you have set through complaints by consumers like myself and the manufacturer information that a recall or a means of financially assisting this situation exist yet? the repairs quoted are literally almost half of what I owe on the car left and I do not know what to do, but am hoping to hear from you.

In April of 2025, it was noticed that my Sportage was consuming oil. There were no leaks or smoke just having to put oil in. Two mechanics stated that’s just kia. On the night of 1/30/2026 my Sportage had an engine light come on. After the winter storm, I was able to get the code read and it came back as a cylinder 1 misfire. In may of 2025 I replaced all coil packs and spark plugs. On 2/1/26 we replaced the coil packs and spark plug. On 2/4/2026, kia told me I have to replace the engine. I am still paying the vehicle off. This does seem to be an issue with kia engines 2. 4 from what I’m reading.

I came home from vacation and found my car completely dead. We took the battery in and ended up changing this. Soon later my cars power steering and dashboard would go in and out. I took it to mark kia who believed it to be the alternator, so they replace this. I picked the car up and not even 20 minutes later the same issues were occurring so I took it back where then they replaced the connector. I picked up my car and about a month went by and same thing occurred while I was driving even having my car completely die while driving it. I took it back in and now they believe it to be the engine harness.

I own a 2020 kia Sportage that is currently within the 100,000-mile power-train warranty. The vehicle has been experiencing excessive oil consumption, requiring oil to be added between scheduled oil changes, despite no visible leaks or warning indicators. I have consistently maintained the vehicle according to kia's recommended maintenance schedule. Oil changes were performed regularly, including some done at home. For those oil changes, I have kept vehicle maintained with regular oil changes and more the last 9 months. There is no evidence that improper maintenance caused the oil consumption. Will be reaching out to kia customer service to see what next steps are. Maintenance dept constantly wants to fix things on car that are not needed yet will not report issues with engine. Very disappointed customer.

Driving to grandmas christmas weekend on the highway all of a sudden my car couldn’t keep speed was shaking the check engine light came on. Now my cylinder one psi is only 50. I have noticed over 100 complaints with very similar car issues. I just bought this car 5 months ago from a dealership. I have barely put 4,000 miles on the car myself.

I own a 2020 kia Sportage that is currently within the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The vehicle has been experiencing excessive oil consumption, requiring oil to be added between scheduled oil changes, despite no visible leaks or warning indicators. I have consistently maintained the vehicle according to kia's recommended maintenance schedule. Oil changes were performed regularly, including some done at home. For those oil changes, I have provided bank statements showing the purchases of oil and filters from autozone, which is a valid form of maintenance. There is no evidence that improper maintenance caused the oil consumption. The vehicle was kept by the kia dealership for 18 days during their evaluation. Despite providing documentation and cooperation throughout the process, kia denied my warranty claim. Denying warranty coverage solely due to oil changes performed at home is not consistent with the magnuson-moss warranty act, which requires proof that improper maintenance directly caused the failure.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Sportage. The contact stated that while taking the vehicle in for an oil change, the contact was informed that the engine was not consuming oil, which caused concern because the vehicle had previously been fueled by the contact. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.

Engine started tapping/knocking and oil light started flashing. Once home I checked the dipstick. Appeared burnt with no oil on dipstick. Waited an hour to cool and started adding oil. Added 2 quarts nothing on dipstick. Added 2 half quarts and finally a touch on the end of dipstick. Added more oil and finally got it to the bottom the range. It would take at least another quart to get to proper levels. Took to dealership where I was told I needed a new engine. Prior to the failure there was never any indicator light letting me know oil was low. Just as a car goes low on gas and the gas light comes on you would think it would do the same for 'low oil'. . . . That never happened. This is a 2020 kia Sportage with a 2. 4l theta ii engine. There is a class action lawsuit for the years 2011-2019. I unfortunately, fall oustide of the covered suit. It's still the same engine with the same faults.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The engine oil light was flashing and turning on and off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed that an oil consumption test was needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

The engine failed catastrophically while the vehicle was in operation. The failure involved internal engine components and resulted in the vehicle losing power. The vehicle is currently at a kia dealership and is available for inspection upon request. I was driving at highway speeds with my children in the vehicle when the engine failure occurred. The sudden loss of power created a dangerous situation where I was unable to maintain speed with traffic, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision. I had to safely maneuver the vehicle out of traffic while vehicles were passing at high speed. Yes. The kia dealership confirmed engine failure after inspection. The engine was deemed inoperable and required replacement. The vehicle has been inspected by a kia dealership, and the issue was escalated to kia America. Kia reviewed the case and denied warranty coverage. The vehicle remains available for further inspection if requested by NHTSA or the manufacturer. There were no immediate warning lights or messages prior to the failure. The engine failure occurred suddenly while driving on the highway, without sufficient warning to prevent the unsafe condition.

I've had this car for a little over 3 years, after the 1st year of having the vehicle it started consuming more oil between oil changes. My low oil light would come on in-between oil changes and so I also carried extra oil with me. I just had a routine tune up with oil change and all new spark plugs and I new belt with pully motor 2 months ago. Now I need a whole new motor. It currently is only running on 3 cylinders and has exhaust coming up through the engine. All out of nowhere. Routine oil changes and tune ups, have all my receipts to prove how well kept up on it has been. Single mother without a vehicle and still 20 grand in debit over a car I can no longer drive.

We only have 58,000 on our car . We had extremely low oil and light never came on it blinked randomly. We still had 2,000 miles left before oil change was due . Car was almost bone dry if we did not check we would have been in big trouble. We were told these cars are known to burn oil and we should come in every 3/4 weeks depending on how much we drive to have oil added . This is ridiculous! if this place is right about burning oil that should be recalled and fixed and covered . If this is the case, and not honored repair we will never get a kia ever again . I am reaching out to others as this is clearly a big issue ,not being addressed by anyone:(.

In October of 2025 my husband noticed that our car was idling roughly and checked that there was plenty of oil in the system. The dipstick was pretty much empty so my husband added approximately 3 quarts of oil to bring it up to a little over half. After a thousand miles he checked to make sure it was still holding stead just in case. When he did so the dip stick again showed nearly empty. On approximately October 13, 2025 we took our vehicle into the local kia service center and they informed us that we would have to do an oil consumption test. The results of this test were that we were losing 2 quarts of oil per 1000 miles. We asked what could be done to remedy the situation and were told we would have to pay $900 for a chemical treatment that "might fix the problem". They said if the $900 cleaning did not work we would have to pay to have the engine repaired/replaced which we simply can't afford. Upon doing some research online we found that this was a problem that a lot of people had not just with our product year but that previous cars of the same make and model had a class action lawsuit due to similar issues. We drive 85 miles per day 5 days a week and feel that this is a major safety hazard. We also have a [xxx] daughter who would potentially be impacted if something happened while driving on the interstate. This is our only vehicle and is essential to our jobs as I work as a rehab director and occupational therapy assistant in a memory care facility and my husband is an assistant manager with a local business that requires him to use our car daily. We sent certified letters to kia corporate on Monday may 11, 2026 after attempting to deal with the dealership directly regarding these problems with no remedies offered there. Yesterday, my husband called kia corporate and they claimed that they hadn't received the letter. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My kia Sportage was stolen, however a couple of years ago I had the kia anti theft logic software updated on the car. I’ve been told that although it does not prevent anyone from breaking in, they should not have been able to move the car. Prior to this, the engine is running on 3 cylinders instead of 4 which has caused major issues with the car burning oil rapidly.

In 2024 the car was losing power. I took the car to the shop. I had to replace some type of rings. The cost was like 600. 00. Then the car stated using oil like crazy. When I went in for a oil changed I told the man that was doing the oil change. The looked over the car and said that everything was fine. I continued to drive my car. But I was getting oil changes early and having to add oil to car. Then on October 3 2025 my car powered down and was towed to the shop on October 6th. Then on October 9th I was told my car engine was gone.

On Sunday, [xxx], I was driving my 2020 kia Sportage on [xxx] in California at approximately 75 miles per hour. Without warning, the engine made a loud, abnormal noise and the vehicle suddenly and dangerously lost power. My speed dropped abruptly to around 62 miles per hour, nearly causing a rear-end collision as surrounding vehicles were traveling at freeway speed. I was forced to immediately pull over to the shoulder to avoid being struck. At that point, the engine was running extremely hot, creating a hazardous situation. Out of concern for my safety, and with fear that the vehicle could potentially catch fire, I exited the vehicle and waited at a safe distance until I could arrange for a tow truck. This incident placed me and other motorists in serious danger. The abrupt loss of power at freeway speed could have easily resulted in a major accident. It is important to note that this Sportage has been meticulously maintained, with 12 documented service records in just 2. 5 years of ownership. This clearly demonstrates proper care and maintenance, ruling out negligence as a cause of the failure. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving uphill on interstate 15 north near temecula, California, the vehicle suddenly lost engine power without warning. My speed dropped from approximately 75 mph to around 60 mph in heavy traffic. This unexpected loss of acceleration created an immediate safety hazard, as vehicles behind me were traveling at freeway speeds and I was nearly rear-ended. I had to maneuver from the far-left lane to the shoulder while the vehicle continued to lose power. Once stopped, the check engine light was flashing, and the engine temperature gauge showed extreme heat, raising concern for a potential fire. The vehicle was towed to a kia dealership, where technicians confirmed a complete engine failure and recommended a full short-block replacement. The vehicle has been regularly serviced and has more than a dozen documented service visits, including visits for ongoing oil-consumption concerns. Despite this, the low oil warning light never illuminated when the engine oil level was low; the only alert that appeared was the routine maintenance reminder. The lack of a low oil warning contributed to undetected oil loss and sudden engine failure. This failure occurred at approximately 92,000 miles and mirrors previously reported engine and bearing defects in similar kia models. The vehicle and documentation are available for inspection upon request.

Subject: complaint regarding excessive oil consumption in kia vehicle I am writing to formally report a persistent safety and reliability concern regarding my kia Sportage. Despite diligently maintaining the vehicle according to kia’s recommendations, the engine has been excessively consuming oil. This issue has been ongoing for approximately two years, causing repeated inconvenience, potential safety risks, and significant concern regarding the vehicle’s reliability. I reported this problem to kia multiple times, seeking a resolution under the warranty and for guidance on repair or remediation. Unfortunately, my concerns have been consistently minimized or dismissed, and no meaningful solution has been offered. I was informed by kia representatives that the issue does not warrant action, despite evidence that similar engine oil consumption problems have affected other vehicles of the same make and model. This situation has left me without recourse and raises concerns about the safety, durability, and quality of this kia vehicle. I respectfully request that the national highway traffic safety administration investigate this matter to determine whether it constitutes a defect that could affect the safety or reliability of kia vehicles and to ensure that affected consumers are protected. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

There were no known issues with my vehicle not even a check engine light or anything was on. I was driving then the car randomly stopped accelerating. It would only go up to about 25 miles per hour. Something started rattling under the hood and it cut off in the middle of an intersection. I was almost hit because it was a 4 way intersection which put myself and all of the other cars on the road at risk. A police offer had to direct traffic until a tow truck made it. I had to get my car towed to a mechanic shop and I was told my engine blew. I checked for engine recalls using my VIN but nothing came up but my car had the same issue and symptoms as all of the 2020 kia Sportages that did have recalls.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle lost automotive power and was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who discovered metal shavings in the engine oil. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who confirmed that the piston rings had failed and informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 55,445.

Driving 70mph on the freeway and check engine light started flashing. Car immediately went into “limp mode” and within a few hundred feet went from 75mhp 30mph. Used odb reader and code p1326 came up for “engine knock sensor”. Engine was two quarts low on oil. No low oil warning. I just had an oil change a month ago and there is no apparent oil leak. When I opened the oil cap small amount of smoke was visible coming up from engine. Car has 75400 miles on it. I reset the code, put 2 quarts of oil and drove 2 miles to a kia dealership. The said they couldn’t look into it since I reset the code. I drove another 4 miles and the same code and symptoms showed up. Having my car towed home because the dealer can’t inspect until next week. Other kia’s have had this same error code and were recalled with engine replacement.

The contact owned a 2020 kia Sportage. The contact stated that driving at 25 mph with her daughter, another driver on the opposite lane, alerted them that the engine was on fire. Upon checking the rearview mirror, the contact noticed black smoke. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and exited. The front hood had partially opened on its own, revealing flames coming from the engine. Coolant was leaking from under the passenger side of the vehicle. The contact called 911. No warning lights were illuminated before or after the incident. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was required. The contact has experienced panic attacks and issues sleeping as a result of the vehicle fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed, but the report number was unknown. The vehicle was towed off the scene to leo's auto body parts. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 63,120.

I was driving home and the car kind of jerked, like it was down shifting, and the engine light came on. If I had to stop, it would almost stall out. When I got home I checked the oil and it was bone dry, however, my oil light never came on and I am diligent about oil and filter changes. I added oil to it, but the engine light still is on (flashing). The recall shows two, one for the hitch and one for an engine fire. I only received one for the hitch.

Update: after second opinion from another auto shop they said my car entered limp mode to prevent fire. Again, I had no warning! kia tried to tell me the engine light must have came on and cleared itself (engine lights don’t clear themselves) and they refuse to check the recall fix of the hecu. They tell me the recall has been fixed so it can’t be the problem. Myself and my kids were put at risk as this problem causes risk of wrecks or even fires and kia is not wanting to take any responsibility for it. These are the same issues as other kia’s but because of my VIN number they won’t even speak to me (literally, called kia clarksville and left a message with a woman for service to call me back for repairs and they won’t even call me back to schedule the repair - they are charging me over $6000).

While I was driving on a very busy road (hurstbourne parkway in louisville ky) during 5:00pm rush hour traffic my car stalled and died on me. We tried to jump it but it would not turn on and I had to have it towed. My life was put at risk as this was a high traffic area during rush hour traffic ( I have anxiety and even had an anxiety attack). I had no warning! no warning lights came on, no noises causing concern. I did not even have time to pull over to a safe spot. It literally shut off right there and would not come back on again. The dealer says it needs a new engine. My car is only 5 years old/ I’ve only have it for 9 months with no issues detected at purchase. My car was running fine with no issues, no concerning sounds or lights until it did this. I have taken very good care of this car and can show proof of oil changes upon request. I feel unsafe driving this vehicle with my 6 month old son and 3 year old daughter in it.

My 2020 kia vehicle experienced a potential engine failure while driving, entering “limp mode. ” it was towed to kia on the boulevard (philadelphia, PA) on August 3, 2025, under warranty coverage. The vehicle has remained inoperable since. Kia initially accepted my oil change receipts but later rejected them for alleged “nonconformance to PA invoice regulations. ” this change in requirements was never disclosed before submission. The rejection appears intended to delay or deny warranty coverage, leaving me without transportation and creating ongoing safety concerns if the vehicle were to be returned without proper repair. The service manager stated in writing that the warranty is “not denied” yet still invoiced me for diagnostic fees. I have not received the requested warranty denial letter, copy of my warranty, or the specific clause supporting their rejection of my receipts. This raises concerns over kia’s warranty handling practices, which could leave other consumers at risk if safety-related repairs are delayed or denied on similar grounds.

The car started making a knocking noise. I got it checked out and nothing showed up on the diagnostic. Today I was driving and it wouldn’t go over 65 and the engine light keeps blinking.

My car has the same issues as the kia soul and kia sorento. Kia has issued recalls for certain soul and sorento models due to various issues. A significant recall involves the 2020-2021 soul and 2021 seltos with 2. 0l nu mpi engines, where the piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, potentially leading to engine damage and even fires. Additionally, some 2021-2022 sorento and 2021-2023 k5 models have been recalled due to a potential loss of drive power caused by a faulty transmission oil pump. I purchased my car within the same time frame between 2020 - 2021 as well. Many mechanics have also told me the fast oil burn issue has been happening to a lot of kia Sportages as well. I have also been told by kia dealership they have stopped selling my particular model for a while now as well. My engine is having issues, and the air in my car is also not working as well. Please help assist in this concern of mine and the issue that is very relevent and related to the kia soul and kia sorento. Thank you!.

My car is a 2020 kia Sportage with 65,000 miles. We bought it bran new. Since we bought the car we've had problems. We took it to the kia dealership and they did an oil consumption test. They said the car needed a new engine. Kia cooperation refuses to replace the engine and want us to pay for it because they due to lack of documented oil changes.

Vehicle: 2020 kia Sportage issue: excessive oil consumption — TSB #tsb_eng222 I am reporting a recurring issue involving excessive engine oil consumption in my 2020 kia Sportage. The engine is consuming oil at an abnormal rate between scheduled oil changes, requiring me to add approximately 2. 5 quarts of oil every month to maintain safe operating levels. This issue first began approximately 6 months ago and has been ongoing since. The affected component is the engine system, specifically related to abnormal oil consumption. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue poses a serious safety risk to me and my children. If the oil level drops too low, it can lead to sudden engine failure, loss of power while driving, or engine seizure. This creates a dangerous situation, especially when driving at highway speeds or in traffic, increasing the risk of an accident. The problem has been consistent and reproducible. It has been confirmed by an independent service center, which verified that the vehicle is consuming oil excessively beyond normal operating standards. I have brought attention to this issue through service evaluations, but no permanent repair has been provided to resolve the root cause. Prior to the issue, there were no clear warning signs. In some instances, the oil warning light only illuminates after oil levels have already dropped to a critically low level, limiting my ability to prevent potential engine damage or failure. This ongoing defect raises serious concerns about the safety, reliability, and longevity of the vehicle.

My car shut down in the middle of the road one day to work on the 4/17/25. I toll the SUV to dealer and I paid $299 to find out what is the problem and the problem is that I need a new engine that cause $10000 . I am cover under power train warranty to fix my engine and dealer warranty refuse to give me a new engine. They told drive to drive it home. While driving home it broke down again on 5/19/25. I paid $75 to toll it to my house. The first time it broke down I paid $139. 05. While it was at the dealership I paid $1520 for rental. Kia knows that these engine is on recalls and refuse to repair instead they in danger my life every time the kia break down. These are all out of pocket expenses that I paid when it broke down and they refuse to help me.