Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Sportage - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

I started my car and it started shaking violently, and would jolt back and forth, I would be on the highway and the speed would decrease rapidly and overheat slightly to pick up speed.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

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.

Car starting shaking violently while on the highway. Daughter pulled over and parked car on side of road. Had to have car towed as it would not restart. Engine failure.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

On [xxx] the vehicle randomly went into limp mode. Wouldn't restart until it was jumped. Previous to this, the vehicle had already done this twice before. Exact dates unknown. On [xxx], the vehicle went into system check while I was driving it on 3 different occasions. The car shuts down by itself. 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 contact owns a 2021 kia Sportage. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and was unable to accelerate. The contact's wife arrived at the destination where the failure persisted, prompting her to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 25v099000 (engine and engine cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 117,000.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

VIN# [xxx] my recall has not been repaired because kia claims the repair parts have not been made available to them yet. This recall is from sept. 2023. Why hasn't this been taken care of yet? ridiculous & dangerous!! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2012 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

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.

Purchased a cpo Sportage xpro April 2025. As I am unfamiliar with the mechanisms of kia, unbeknownst to me, my engine revved the first week of purchase. Since this incident, the engine has revved while braking on [xxx] while driving down a city street. The next incident occurred on [xxx] , while exiting the highway and coming to a stop. My passenger, who happens to be a mechanical engineer asked if bumped the gears for the engine to revv as it did, which I did not. The fourth occurrence was [xxx], while driving city streets and coming to a stop. I contacted kia after the [xxx] incident and they drove the car and could not duplicate my safety concern. When the engine revvs while braking, there are no malfunction warnings messages and goes back to normal within 30 seconds or when I shift back to park and drive. As the safety issue is intermittent, not sure if there is a scheduled duplication of the occurrence. Nonetheless, in review of several complaints via NHTSA, I see a similarities in NHTSA campaign 23-v-410 and wondering the applicability to my Sportage despite no recalls. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Blown engine p1236 knock sensor circuit.

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.

My truck consumes excessive engine oil.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

The engine light has turned on, I have taken it to different shops and they can’t find the issue.

Engine light came on flashing on the dash. Went to o’reily auto shop to get it checked and their scanner discovered p1326 code, “knocking sensor” and oil light came on and flashing as well. The motor oil was replaced about a month ago. Checked the oil dip stick and it was below the first dot.

The contact owned a 2017 kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 75 mph, she observed black smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and switch the vehicle off. After a visual inspection, she observed flames within the engine compartment emanating from a source unknown to the contact. Local emergency service arrived and were able to extinguish the fire, later attributing the fire to an unspecified equipment failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total lose by the contacts insurance provider. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 149,000.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Sportage. The contact stated that while coming to a gas station rest stop, making a left turn to the fuel pump, the vehicle lost power and coasted to the fuel pump. There were no warning lights illuminated. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic), which had a warranty extension for the engine to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer was unable to replace the engine and referred the contact to another mechanic to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the timeframe for the engine coverage extension had been exceeded, and the hecu not been replaced under NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The manufacturer opened a case regarding the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

See all problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the vehicle stalled and then lost motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the same diagnostic test information was provided. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000. The VIN was not available.

The fail that the kia Sportage 2025 had is that every time when accelerating the car would bounce back in a violent way. Safety was at risk on busy roads since car was not able to accelerate and instead bounced back making it more dangerous for the car behind. No problem has been confirmed. The car has not been inspected yet. The car seemed as normal without check engine lights or any manual transmission gear activated. Car was on drive and there was no alert or fail shown on screens.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sportage. The contact stated that he had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic for an oil change and was advised that the oil level was low. The contact stated no warnings had illuminated. The contact was advised by the mechanic to check the oil level on his vehicle frequently. The contact stated he had recently checked the oil level and had to add a quart of motor oil. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact had researched online and related the oil consumption to a known issue with the engine installed in his year and model of kia. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

The engine has been consuming oil. When I brought it to the attention of the dealership the recommendation was to oil consumption test and also to clean the combustion chamber. On this car they lost a class action lawsuit for these engines consuming oil. They are using their faulty manufacturing processes to get more money out of consumers. The only way they said they would approve an engine replacement is to have the engine seize up while driving. This is unsafe for the driver and also for the other motorists. This would put the driver and other motorists at risk because the car can become uncontrollable and could cause an accident. The car has been inspected by a dealer multiple times and they said they would not replace it until the engine seizes. Also kia corporate said the same thing even though they lost a class action lawsuit. The warning lights come on when the oil is low. Also check engine lights have been coming on for the oil issue. Kia should be replacing these faulty engines and the consumer should not have to pay for tests to be able to get the engine replaced that is under warranty.

My car has been burning oil way too quickly! I got the 10,000 mile oil to see if it way maybe that and by 3,000 miles there was hardly any one in there! it is not leaking out! my oil is changed faithfully! and I heard there is a recall on some newer model kia Sportages! this is craziness! I take care of my vehicle stay up on all of the maintenance! I’ve read complaints on here and there are others having the same issue it isn’t just me!.

My vehicle, 2013/ sl Sportage recently suffered catastrophic engine failure. I received a renotification from kia regarding the software updates. Barely a week, [xxx], my engine seized in traffic due to rod failure which the software update could have prevented according to metro kia of madison. I was also told by the same kia authorized dealer that the repair would cost me $11,000 out of pocket in addition to the diagnostic fees of $210. 87. I also contacted kia consumer affairs at 1-800-333-4542 regarding this issue, but the representative told me that the defect is my responsibility as the owner of the vehicle. I think this is absurd and unacceptable. I’m a student who relies on this vehicle to commute to school. With the semester beginning and winter approaching, I can’t imagine being left without safe transportation which places me in a severely disadvantaged position. I cannot and should not bear financial responsibility for a defect kia has already acknowledged. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On July 17,2025 while driving on the highway my vehicle stalled and the engine light came on. I called my local kia dealership and setup a diagnostic. My vehicle was dropped off 7/22/25 in which I was informed it was still under warranty and a claim would have to be filed. Days later I received a phone call stating I would have to provide maintenance records in which I have a personal mechanic who services my vehicle when needed. I was contacted multiple times and told kia was requesting more documents and on 8/7/25 I received a phone call stating I would have to pay $700-$1100 for kia to take out my engine and see if there was neglect to the engine on top of already owing them 663 for replacing my battery as well as the cost for the diagnostic. I am currently 7 months pregnant and can not drive my car due to the engine being out. On documents provided from kia it states the testing they are requiring me to pay was optional and I was informed if I paid the money there would be no guarantee kia would still fix the vehicle. I am now out of a vehicle and spent close to 2,000 on rentals and still have a car note and insurance to pay to a vehicle I cannot even drive. Being 7 months pregnant having doctors appointments and getting ready for a baby this has become stressful and a burden to my life and kia is making it hard for me.

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, however the contact was advised to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The cotnact stated that the failure occurred while traveling across two states. The vehicle was towed to the contact's brother's residence while waiting for a scheduled appointment with the dealer. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where the contact was informed that an unknown software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact was informed that the second unknown software update was part of an unknown special program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

Car shuts off as alert start flashing and beeping. Get a red flashing screen and a hazard message that states "check hybrid system. Stop safely". So far this has only happened while I was at a stop, but I have read in forums where it has happened to people while they are driver.

Burning oil. Having to put a quart of oil every 1-2weeks with less then 500 miles used. Local dealer won’t do anything about it.

We had to take the car to a mechanic to have the engine replaced because it started making a loud noise and then stopped running. They advised us that because it has less than 150,000 miles, it should be covered by kia. We spoke to kia and they told us that because we missed 2 recalls that we were never notified about it would not be covered. If the recalls would have been done, they would cover the damages. We purchased the car a couple of years ago from my sister in law who got it when my father in law passed away in 2019. I checked with her and she never received the recalls and we never received them. Therefore, since neither of us knew about the recalls they were not done. I spoke to someone at NHTSA and they advised me to file a complaint. They don't have records of where the recalls were mailed. We are having to pay $4500 out of pocket due to this issue. Please advise if there is something that you can do to help get kia to reimburse us or the damages that should be covered by them. My cell # is [xxx] . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I have documented oil consumption issue since 65,000 miles. Every time I got an oil change after that, I would have very low oil. When I told kia, they told me that the engine would have to "blow up" for anything to be done. This all occurred before my 100,000 mile powertrain was expired. On July 2, 2025, my car began shaking and jumping while I was driving and any time I had the brake on at a red light. I took it to midas for a diagnostic test and they said that 3 out of the 4 cylinders were misfiring. They told me to take it immediately to kia. When I took it, they said they would do a diagnostic test. They said that one of the cylinders were misfiring and that I would need a new engine. At this time I was at approximately 113,;000 miles. I opened a claim with kia and for a month, the only correpondence I had with them was when I called either kia corporate or kia service where my car was. They never helped me, only told me I could get a new car and they would give me "a deal". I finally got in touch with a local mechanic and he said he wanted to look at the car. When I went to kia to pick it up, it would not start, even when one of their mechanics jumped it. The local mechanic towed it for me, but not before kia made me pay over $400 to take a car that did not run. They would not give me the keys until I paid. The local mechanic found that I had a cracked spark plug and had my car running in a day. I am appalled at how I was treated and how kia would not stand by their car and then tried to get me to buy a new one. My car was well taken care of and it should not have needed a new engine, had oil consumption problems or should have been sitting in service for a month. Something needs to be done so that this does not happen again. There is a facebook page dedicated to kia engines and the stories are very similar to mine. This is not right.

2 problems occurred within 1 month from each other: - kia Sportage engine started to randomly stall. I needed to do a full stop in the middle of the road and restart the car to continue driving. I had 3 stalls happen within 2 weeks before I had time to take it to the dealer. The kia dealer held it for over a week and drove it but could not find any issues. They mentioned low oil, which was strange considering I recently replaced it. I also forced the dealer to do ignition tuning which seemed to have resolved the issue. - in a month after the first problem with stalling I experienced issues with the engine of unknown origin (so far). This happened this week. While going downhill cruise control shut off. After that the engine started to decelerate and the amber blinking engine light came off. Transmission started to be jerky. Dropped it off at the dealer again. I was very luck to not get into any major car accidents so far, but I was very close! smells, sounds, and looks like a potential recall that kia does not want to recognize.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sportage 🔎.

Excessive oil consumption and the engine is part of a "silent" recall. I would like my engine to be replaced before it blows up and causes serious injury or death. I do regular oil changes and I can't keep adding oil daily. If they knew about this issue why wasn't there a mass recall to get this fixed.

I was sold this car in April 2025. June 29 2025 my engine stopped working. Confirmed it is entirely blown. I was unaware of open unaddressed recalls when I purchased the car. Because of the recalls not being addressed by previous owners, kia and the warranty company refused to fix the engine.

My 2018 kia Sportage (VIN: [xxx] ) triggered a check engine light and entered limp mode. Diagnostic scan revealed dtc code p1326, which is associated with the knock sensor detection system (ksds) and often linked to engine bearing failure in many affected kia models. This happened at approximately 120,000 miles while driving under normal conditions. The car now runs in reduced power mode, making it unsafe for highway use or commuting. I contacted my local dealership, who confirmed no recall or campaign was active, despite this being a widely known and reported safety defect in kia’s 2. 4l gdi engines. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate this issue further, as many kia and Hyundai vehicles with this engine have experienced sudden failures due to this defect. Kia should extend warranty support or issue a recall to prevent dangerous engine shutdowns. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The hybrid powertrain system failed. Specifically, the vehicle remains stuck in ev mode and does not switch to the gasoline engine under acceleration, leading to complete loss of power while driving. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This malfunction caused the vehicle to lose all forward power in traffic. I had to pull over into emergency lanes and restart the vehicle multiple times. This is extremely dangerous and could lead to a crash, especially on highways or during merging. It puts both myself and others on the road at risk. The kia authorized service center was able to reset the adaptive system, and the hybrid warning light turned off temporarily. However, the issue reappeared the same day. The dealer claims they cannot reproduce it and refuses further diagnosis without replication. The vehicle was only inspected by a kia-authorized dealership. Kia consumer affairs has not yet conducted a manufacturer-level inspection or assigned a field technician. Yes. A “check hybrid system. Stop safely” warning message appears before the failure occurs. Then check engine light was on. It first appeared immediately after a routine service (oil change, tire rotation, multi-point inspection) on 26th June 2025, just 2 days after my regular service. The warning disappears after restarting but returns intermittently, typically after the ev battery is fully drained and the car fails to switch to gas mode.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v907000 (fuel system, gasoline, engine); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 103,000.