Electrical System Problems of Kia Motor Sportage - part 2

The car continues to burn oil and have to put oil in it although not time for oil change. I took the vehicle to dealership several times because whenever I get gas it won’t let me start it right away or stutters after getting gas. Whenever the car is in park or idle it’s making a knocking noise and shaking really bad. The check engine light keeps going off and on but this most recent time it is not on. Initially I was advised they could only diagnose when check engine light on but that’s the issue because light does not stay on. I was on the freeway going about 70mph the car started declining in speed so had to hurry and pull over. Pulled over and turned off the car then it took several times to start back up. Vehicle currently at dealership waiting for more info but said it’s something related to the engine misfire.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

The contact owned a 2018 kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into first gear. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle jerked and briefly lost motive power before slamming into gear. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an abnormal burning odor was coming from under the hood and entered the vehicle through the a/c vents. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The thermostat and the electric switch on the driver’s side window were replaced. The contact stated that while driving uphill or going downhill, the rpm fluctuated, and the engine revved abnormally. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

Traveling at 70 mph on [xxx] in traffic, the vehicle suddenly lost power and I was forced to unsafely maneuver to the shoulder of the road as the vehicle decelerated through the traffic. As soon as I stopped, the vehicle lost all power. I had difficulty engaging the parking brake as I was on a hill and the vehicle started to roll back. The brake pedal did work so I could stop the car but I could not exit the vehicle in fear of it rolling back into traffic. I called 911 to explain the situation. After 20 more minutes I engaged/disengaged the parking brake several times and it finally held. I still would not leave the vehicle because I could not trust it at that point. Another 20 minutes passed and a road ranger arrived and placed a wooden block behind the wheel and at that point I felt comfortable to get out of the car. I was told by kia service the issue was related to recall sa553a but I was never notified. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

The rear hatch door no longer opens. This could pose a safety risk in an emergency situation. Upon research it appears to be very common issue among kias from this year.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

Since day one of my purchase I noticed all warning light turned on and goes off while driving over an hour I thought it was normal as it’s my first kia so continue to drive and it did same when ever I go on long drive and after 2 months it started vehicle to loose power and I always has to stop and restart the engine. Continued with same issue and all of a sudden it stopped on interstate and this time the car bogged out and engine shut off which was a dangerous situation for my whole family as cars behind would have hit us and cause multiple car collision I called my dealership to add this issue on my appointment for first service so it can be taken care of and I dropped off the car at dealership and after road test they confirmed that yes it has issue where multiple lights comes on and off so they don’t really know what’s causing the issue but will try to change the infotainment screen which they think is the issue might solve it so they kept my car for more than 90days and got my car back with scratches on dash and digital display bit shaky but according to milestones look like they tested if the issue been solved. ????.

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

Which disables the backup camera, tge the entire infotainment screen is blank, therefore, I am unable to view objects on camera in reverse. This has been an ongoing issue since purchasing the vehicle. Last week, kia's service department said the blank screen was due to a dead battery which was replaced, but the issue persists. This is a safety concern that needs to be taken seriously and investigated properly besides blaming it on the battery or test driving the vehicle for a couple of minutes and stating they’re unable to duplicate the problem.

After starting the vehicle, backup camera and infotainment screen would not work. Car shut off and would not restart with “check system” message. Vehicle had to be towed.

I was driving my vehicle on the freeway when all of a sudden I got a warning light that came on that said check hybrid system it looked up my brakes and steering the car completely shutdown in the middle of the freeway it happened so fast I couldn't get to the shoulder my car completely just stopped. I spoke to kia and took it to the dealership and they ended up saying because it needed a update which I then called kia and let them know the situation that I almost got in a accident and that I didn't feel safe in that car and they didn't want to help.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 22v051000 (service brake, hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer stated that an appointment would be scheduled; however, the contact had not yet heard back from the dealer. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the low battery warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to decelerate. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the recall repair could not be completed because the mileage on the vehicle had been exceeded. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that an engine replacement recommended by the dealer was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was 134,644. Parts distribution disconnect.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

Problem with the bcm, my signal lights, headlights and beeper is not working. My power lock doesn't work nor my beeper.

See all problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

My 2023 kia Sportage hybrid, with only 22,000 miles, has been experiencing a recurring "check hybrid system stop safely" error, causing sudden and complete loss of acceleration while driving. This issue first occurred in November 2024, while I was driving at highway speeds (60 mph), and has recurred multiple times since. The sudden loss of power puts my safety and others’ at serious risk by leaving the vehicle stranded in traffic, increasing the chance of accidents. On December 30, 2024, I brought the car to kia of west nyack for diagnosis and repair, providing video evidence of the error. However, the dealership claims they cannot replicate the issue and has not completed any repairs. While the dealership has stated since last week that a techline case was opened, kia corporate confirmed no such case exists, highlighting a lack of accountability and coordination. For over two weeks, no progress has been made, and the issue has not been escalated to a specialist. Despite being under warranty, I have not been offered a loaner vehicle, significantly impacting my daily life, work, and family responsibilities. This issue is further complicated by kia’s inability to log intermittent errors, as the "check hybrid system stop safely" message disappears when the car is restarted. This design flaw has allowed the dealership to dismiss the error as unreproducible, despite video evidence provided. This situation has left me questioning whether my car is safe to drive and when it will be repaired. This defect is not isolated to my vehicle. Many other kia and Hyundai hybrid owners have reported the same error, highlighting a widespread safety issue. Despite its warranty obligations, kia has failed to act promptly to address this defect. Immediate action is needed to ensure the safety of this vehicle and others affected by this recurring problem.

Often hesitates when accelerating. Stalls from stopped position. Lcd screen changes by itself. Drops calls. Turns off if you make volume adjustment. Most recently, filled gas tank with full tank, just over 13 gallons. Gauge read only 1/2 tank and showed I had only 289 miles rather than normal 520 miles or so. That number kept changing throughout the next couple of days. Attachments: show gas receipt at gas station that tank is filled. Gauge shows 1/2 tank. See subsequent photos. Safety issue for sure. This car cannot be trusted. Multiple problems with electrical system and engine stalling.

On October 27th my 5 year old daughter and I were driving home just after leaving tiresplus getting four brand new tires and an oil change. On the way home out of no where my vehicle caught fire. Driving down the highway, once noticing the car was on fire, no warning no nothing- until I hit the breaks which did not work cause they were completely burnt. Within moments of thinking how I am going to get to my child in her car seat and save myself I went into the median of the highway thinking grass would slow me down. Once the car was going about 30 mph I opened my driver door fearing we would be locked in the burning vehicle. As soon as I opened my door my legs were burning, I unbuckled my seat belt and jumped out of the car. Only to get up and chase the vehicle to get my 5 year old out. The car was fully engolfed in flames when approaching the vehicle thinking my daughter was dead. By the grace of god she unbuckled her self, climbed through the center counsel out the driver door and jumped into my arms! we were down to seconds of dying. Breaks didn’t work, nothing told me the car was hot, the trauma we endured. No one has taken responsibility for this and it’s frustrating that I owe money on the vehicle with full coverage and gap insurance still.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

We had ~2100 miles on our vehicle. We had been driving on the highway for an hour when engine temperature warning light came on. We pulled over and turned off the car. We waited 30 minutes then opened the hood to inspect the coolant level. The coolant level was at "min. " we looked under the car to see if any coolant was leaking and no coolant was visible under the car. We turned the car back on and sat in park for ~1 min. The engine temperature warning light came back on. We turned the car off and waited one hour. We turned the car back on, stayed in park, and the engine temperature warning light came back on. We called kia and were towed to the nearest dealer. They inspected the car the next day and found no issues. Looking online, it appears that others have experienced similar issues with kias and I am writing this in case it is a systemic issue that can help myself and others.

The contact owns a 2023 kia Sportage. The contact state while driving 70 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 30 mph. Additionally, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The vehicle was started and driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was started, and the vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the contact was driving on a major four-lane highway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that a failure was possible with the computer system; however, no fault code was displayed. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice regarding the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

I was driving east from austin, TX on [xxx], and as I approached a major intersection in elgin, TX. , a warning light appeared on my dashboard that said "hybrid system failure: pull over safely". I was able to pull over into the left turn lane and then was barely able to make it over a curb and onto a highway median strip, before my car engine stopped and all dashboard lights went out. This happened in about 30 seconds. My two year old car with fewer than 30,000 miles on it went completely dead. It would not start even after several attempts. I called kia roadside assistance, and was told I needed to have the car towed to a dealership. The tow truck driver backed the car into the space they indicated at the dealership, and it started to roll forward as it was apparently in neutral. He had to borrow a board to put under the back wheels. Days later I was told to come get the car, as it had been repaired. When I got there, it was in the same space with the board still under the wheels. I was told it just had needed a software update. (sa553a). I was never notified that my vehicle needed this update, and would just stop wherever: I. E. On a hwy with no shoulders, at night, etc. And that I would be unable to brake the car, or drive it, or put on emergency warning lights after 30 seconds. This was unbelievably unsafe. I am [xxx]. What if I were a family with children on board and it happened on a highway at night??? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Stopped at traffic light, light turned green and went to accelerate. Car died, all lights came on dash in oncoming traffic and car would not restart for minutes.

The dashboard with all the instrumentation goes blank while driving causing loss of all instrumentation gauges and headlights shut off. This has happened repeated times since the car was purchased new in June 2024 and has been in the service department since October a total of six times. They have replaced fitments, the dashboard cluster, the phone charging pad and have done multiple software updates and it continues to go blank while operating. The dash then lights back up with system check and all the instruments lights in dash glow and it stays like that for several seconds. I am repeatedly told they cannot recreate the problem to properly diagnose so they have been cherry picking solutions to fix and it’s dangerous to drive. I have filed a complaint with the nc attorney general, a bbb auto complaint, a complaint with the manufacturer directly and they are telling the dealer to return car to me because they can’t recreate the problem and so in their opinion nothing is wrong when I have video of this happening while driving. Please help me.

Dear NHTSA defects and recall team, my name is [xxx] , and I am writing this email along with my wife, [xxx] , to report a serious safety issue with our 2023 kia Sportage. I am writing to bring a serious, ongoing vehicle safety issue involving a kia Sportage to your attention. My family and I are facing repeated, hazardous malfunctions with our vehicle that have led us to fear for our lives, as well as the safety of others on the road. Since mid-September, our 2023 kia Sportage has experienced sudden, unanticipated shut-offs both while parked and, most dangerously, while driving. During these incidents, the brake pedal becomes completely unresponsive, hazard lights fail to activate, and the vehicle is left stranded and inoperable. Most recently, while driving in traffic, the car shut off without warning, leaving us in an extremely vulnerable position. These repeated failures could lead to a catastrophic accident, especially considering we often travel with our [xxx] child in the vehicle. Despite notifying kia and seeking assistance from their customer service team, the issue remains unresolved, and their response has been unacceptably slow. Given the severity of these malfunctions and their direct impact on public safety, we respectfully request your support in addressing this matter. We believe kia has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its vehicles and to take immediate action when serious safety risks arise. We request that the NHTSA investigate the issue and consider any necessary recalls or further action to ensure public safety. We would appreciate any guidance or assistance your office could provide in helping us resolve this life-threatening issue. Sincerely, [xxx] and [xxx] [xxx] | [xxx] kia Sportage x line awd [xxx] purchased date: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owned a 2019 kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle started overheating and smoke started emitting smoke from the hood. No warning lights were illuminated. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed leaving only the framing. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the vehicle was inspected; however, the inspector did not find a defect in the vehicle. The vehicle was also inspected by the fire department who determined that the cause was in the rear passenger window. The failure mileage was unknown.

When driving, I get random flashing lights on the dashboard with a warning indicator: ”check hybrid system. Stop safely”. It happened at least on 7 occasions while driving at high speed on a highway and while stopped at a traffic light. When the issue happens, the car triggers aggressive warning sounds forcing me to stop on the side of the road, placing the car into park and having to turn the vehicle off. On every occasion, the vehicle appears to have corrected itself after being shutoff. In all cases while driving on a highway, the issue happened when driving on gas mode (not ev) and the rpm’s show 0. 0 for more than 2 minutes. In the cases when I am stopped at a traffic light, the car is in ev mode and rpm’s are fluctuating. There should not be any rpms when stopped. Due to theses multiples dangerous situations while driving, I took it to the dealership to get fixed ASAP. On October 5th 2024, coral springs kia (dealer) accepted my car with same complaint mentioned on this letter, and they told me that this is a known issue, that another kia owner came earlier that day with exactly the same problem. The dealer issued the service invoice# [xxx]- miles in 10636/miles out 10649-, stating: “code 10643 inspected the customer concern by checking the engine performance. Found the vehicle performance normal and no warning symbol came on when performing a long road test. Check for dtc and found no codes within the system, found the vehicle operating normal and was unable to duplicate customer concern”. After retrieving my car from the dealership on October 5th 2024, I continued to have the exact same scenario of warning indicators. Since [xxx], the issue has happened at least 3 more times. This is clearly a glitch on the phev system and very dangerous to deal with, mostly when you are driving in a highway on high speed. A simple google search indicates that is a known a common complaint from kia owners. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6.

I received a recall notification last year, I live about an hr and a half away from the nearest kia dealer, so I wasn’t able to get my car in to be inspected until last spring at the kia in medford. Then I got another notice in the mail stating my vehicle was amongst the ones that needed the hecu recall service done. I called the kia dealer in eugene and the earliest they could get me in was August 2024. A day or two before my long awaited appointment, they called to inform me that the part was on back order and that they would call me once it became available again. I haven’t received any communication from them as of yet. My car has been mostly parked since then and I’ve been borrowing a friends vehicle because I don’t want to risk my daughter and I’s safety. I received another notice from the corporate of kia, stating I haven’t gotten it done and they strongly urge me to get it taken care of, I’ve tried booking another appointment online twice and there’s no availability and I’ve called 3 times with no return call. On the last notice I received, I see it says to submit a complaint to safercar. Gov.

Kia issue a recall for my vehicle. Visited the dealership as instructed and the replacement part was not available. After a month and a half, they still don't know when they will receive the part. Driving a car with a safety recall (fire possible) is not ideal.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

Engine is seized due to overheating.

The digital instrument cluster panel goes blank intermittently and without warning while I am driving. Within moments, the instrument panel reads: "system reset". The information then reappears on the panel, displaying important information (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc. ). My speed, however has been significantly reduced. I was driving on the highway at 70 mph when the instrument panel shut down (went blank). When it reappeared after "system reset", I was going 48 mph. I believe this is a safety issue as it fails to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standards 101 "controls and displays and 138, "tire pressure monitoring systems". Also, the car is dangerous as I have no control over my speed. I could easily get rear ended by another vehicle which is another safety issue because the lithium batteries in this hybrid plug-in are in the back of the vehicle. This has occurred four times. The 2023 kia Sportage plug-in vehicles were recalled due to this same problem. I am requesting the 2024 kia Sportage plug-in vehicles are issued a recall also.

There were two incidents where the engine sounded sluggish and was difficult to start over the past two weeks (7/22/24 & 7/30/24). After speaking with kia service rep three days ago, an appointment was made to check the battery. On yesterday and today (8/1/24), the engine would not start at all or even make a sound although the air conditioner and radio would work. I had to get the vehicle jumped off to drive it to the service department. After the service rep checked the battery, they couldn’t find anything wrong and stated the battery was o. K.

Often times the dash/screen won’t turn on. (the screen with gps, settings, and the lower a/c controls) the car has to be power cycled in order to get it to come on.

The infotainment screen goes out randomly while driving and can stay off for the entirety of the trip. That includes the speedometer, check engine light, fuel gauge, etc.

All the windows in the car do not go up and down, I can hear the motor moving but no movement with the windows. Started with the rear passenger window, then front passenger, followed by rear driver and ultimately driver window.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

I was driving my car and it stalled out and stopped and never cranked back up so I had it pulled in and my mechanic said it was a burnt starter and motor locked up.

My 2011 kia Sportage had a recall #23v65200. On [xxx] my radio started smoking and my headlights would not shut off even with car off and keys out. You had to unplug cable from battery for lights to go off and not run battery down. I called kia in bloomington indiana they said to not drive and call customer service to have towed. I called on [xxx] and talked to a lady, she was very rude and dismissive. Said they would not tow due to my kia being a 2011 it was to old and they would only tow if above 2015. She then said I had to pay and only if the lights and smoke was because of recall they would pay. But I did not know or have extra money for this and nowhere in our papers about recall does it say it had to be a certain year to tow, only to stop driving and call. So my disabled husband drove it to the dealership in bloomington on [xxx] and dropped off even though they were at risk. I did not hear anything from kia and called to make sure they received auto. They had said they found my car and did not know it was there on June 19th. My husband told a person there he dropped it off and I guess they didn't get messages. After having my car and me telling them what had happened they then said they fixed recall but would have to run a diagnostic for them to see if the other problems were because of it. Bloomington then said they could not say it was not because of the recall this happened they did not know. So they sent my car to headquarters to engineers is what bloomington told me. Did not hear from them again until July 19th stating again they were not sure. And we had to pay for diagnostic check of 195. 00. On Aug 6th they messaged us and said they found issues but it was not because of recall. And we would have to pay roughly 2500. 00 to fix, yet they stated my washer fluid was fine when in fact it is not hooked up, line broke. How is that? I said I was going to talk with someone and get back with them. My car is still there. Not once did they offer information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information.

On 05/13/24, the infotainment screen blanked out and the brake lights warning indicator appeared twice on the instrument panel while driving. This happened on two separate occasions.

Wiring harness that goes to the battery and alternator had melted plastic, fried battery and alternator.

On may 4, 2024, a message appeared on the screen “contacts download unsuccessful” while trying to make a call. The bluetooth would not connect and I wasn’t able to make hands free calls. On may 5, 2024, the screen blanked out for several minutes while driving. This isn’t the first time this has happened.

On 4/19/24 had oil change at kia of orangeburg,SC. On 4/20/24 travelled to summerville,SC on I-26 east. Exited at the 199-b exit and stopped at the traffic light. Observed smoke coming from under the hood. Pulled over at gas station on right. My daughter opened the hood and there was fire under the hood. Dropped hood and called 911. Fire department arrived and put the fire out. There were no warning lights in dash board or unpleasant odors observed while driving.