2023 Kia Sportage Complaint Log

Purchased the vehicle 2nd hand January 29th 2025. Since then she has been in and out of multiple shops including Kia. Check engine light, loss of power on fwy, shifting/brake changes from a stop. From jerking, lunging, studder, taking off fast, not wanting to go at all. I was on these dips that I encounter almost daily and the collision warning went off. There wasnt anything in front of me. 2 weeks later I was cut off and had to swerve to avoid. Collision warning DID NOT go off. Driving on the fwy and the gas pedal pulled away from my foot as if it was accelerating. Kia has done a hard carbon, changed all fuel injectors. Last time they stated there was a factory defect with the rotors, changed all 4 rotors. Still she drives like this. Carmax, Kia and Daniels Tires NO ONE can tell me what is wrong! I have driven a 2024 same make and model and the car drove beautifully. Something is wrong with my particular vehicle. This is becoming frustrating. Please help. I drive often, I hike a lot. We are always on winding roads. I can't afford to sell it as I still owe. I love the vehicle, aside from this, like I'm just waiting for disaster to occur. Miles started at 14.5k and it's now 33k. Speeds have been anywhere from a complete stop to go and fwy speeds of 55 to 80.

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.

The infotainment screen remained blank while in reverse. I wasn’t able to detect pedestrians or objects while backing up. After driving less than a mile, the infotainment screen started to work. After stopping at a stop sign, an “air flap warning” light appeared, then the vehicle stalled shutting completely off while in drive. It cranked after the 3rd attempt. We returned home and parked. Around thirty minutes later, the car would not start and my brother had to boost the vehicle, but we decided not to drive it. The vehicle stalled last week while making a left turn into oncoming traffic, but the dealership stated that they could not duplicate the problem!

On November 25, 2024, the dash and infotainment screen went blank while at the traffic light. A few seconds later the car stalled shutting completely off while making a left turn onto Cox Rd in Evans, GA. We were able to coast out of traffic and came to a complete stop on the side of the road. We attempted to restart the vehicle and multiple warnings appeared on the dash such as check forward safety system, two cars colliding, check blind spot safety system, traction?, ABS, lane departure, seat belts, Auto Hold, and other symbols not understood. On the second attempt, the vehicle restarted and more warning symbols appeared as soon as it was put in drive. The vehicle was shut off and restarted again with no warnings. We proceeded and drove it to Kia of Evans for service. The service Rep reported that the vehicle was driven 5 miles and they were not able to duplicate this issues. The infotainment screen has blanked out several times since purchase and this is the second time the vehicle has stalled at a traffic light. On this incident, this could have been a traffic situation turning left and losing power into oncoming traffic.

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.

My sun roof just exploded and shattered everywhere! It could’ve caused me to wreck with my 4 month old I thought someone shot at us! There was no reason at all for this to happen.

The rear cross traffic system does not alert driver when objects are approaching or when backing close to objects. There is no flashing warnings on the camera or alarms to notify driver.

The engine shut completely off after stopping at a traffic light with a message “auto stop not working.” There was another message, but I wasn’t able to capture it due to trying to restart the vehicle in the midst of traffic. The engine restarted after two attempts.

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)

After owning our car for about a year when we started noticing abnormal pitting and chips in our windshield. I inquired to the dealership I bought it from and they said it was normal. Consequently the pits, chips and cracks got worse at an alarming rate. I took pictures from when the worst crack started and from February 2025 to August 2025 the crack has spread to 3/4 of my windshield. The windshield also rattles and whistles where the beginning of the crack is.

on [xxx], I was told MY 2023 Kia Sportage has an engine Failure. The car needs a new engine. The car has been in the shop for over 30 days. I went to the Kia Oursman of Alexandria VA to get an update on the car. I was told they don't know what's wrong with the engine. The only thing they know is there is a defect in the engine where the engine is misfiring. I was told they can't tell me anything yet about the engine. They have my car in the shop for over 30 days, and they still can't tell me what's wrong with it except that it has an engine defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

At startup or during driving, all safety features will go into warning mode and disable, including lane following assist, forward collision avoidance, electrical parking brake malfunction, electronic stability control malfunction, automatic braking, and downhill brake indicator. All warning lights illuminate on dash until car is stopped and turned off. And even then they may come on again upon restart. This has happened intermittently since I purchased the vehicle and Kia says they don't know the source nor can fix it. Most recently, the car engine stopped while stopped at a traffic light when the warning lights started to cycle on.

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.

I RECEIVED A LETTER LAST YEAR ABOUT BRAKE BOOSTER . KIA HAD A RECALL ON THIS I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS A RECALL. I'M WONDERING WILL KIA STILL VALUE THE RECALL. I WILL BE GETTING MY CAR SERVIE AND INSPECTED ON 8-13.

I feel shaking when I apply the brakes. I took it to Vision Kia in Canandaigua, NY, where I purchased it brand new, and they said the rotors are warped because of braking and heating up. They said that they are not under warranty. My car has 16,000 miles on it, the brakes should not be bad already.

Rotors are warping on car. Started after 5k miles and progressively got worse.

The brakes become extremely stiff, making it difficult to start the vehicle. Once the vehicle is running, the brakes leak air when pressed, and stopping distance has been noticeably increased.

Purchased a brand new 2023 Kia Sportage and at 10,000 miles my brakes felt like they were worn out, the car had a wobbling to it and a grinding sound. Took it into the dealer and they told me my brakes and rotors are worn out. They wanted $900.00. I complained to the manager and he said they would do it as a courtesy. Now again at 20,000 I am having the same issue. Again took it back and they told me they need to talk to me about my braking habits! Also they said they will do it again as a courtesy, which I am extremely grateful! But I do not want to change out my brakes and rotor every 10,000 Miles... We have purchased 3 brand new Kia for my family in the last year as we love them. But I am not feeling so safe driving my Sportage right now. I have had many cars [XXX] and never once had to replace brakes and rotors every 10,000 miles! 20,000 , 30,000 or even 50,000 Miles..The braking system is not correct and it has a wobble to it. I have read many complaints on line about the same issue. It needs to be looked into. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

While my niece was driving the vehicle, the sunroof shattered. No rock or other debris hit the sunroof. It simply shattered

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.

Excessive body roll causes instability and loss of control. While driving on the interstate at normal speeds, driving over bumps such as bridge joints cause instability. Dealer investigated concern but stated this is normal on all sportage.

I had my vehicle take to Coughlin Kia in Dublin Ohio on [XXX] and got my vehicle back on [XXX]. The service center at Coughlin claimed I had bad gas, they took it upon themselves to approve services I did not approve of. When I got my vehicle back on [XXX] I found wires under my hood and caps left under my hood as well. Then on 4/26/24 my vehicle started having problems, my vehicle would have the RPMS jumping from 500 to 1,000 while sitting in park and driving. Not once did I ever mess with my vehicle under the hood. I notice this problem getting worse as the days went on. On 4/23 my vehicle wasn't getting any better, the engine was shaking while sitting in park and it was shaking the whole car. On [XXX] on my way back from a lunch break my car stalled out and stopped in the middle of traffic. I called Great Lakes dealership in Columbus Ohio, and have my vehicle taken there. My vehicle declined in speed while moving on a high speed highway. Putting my safety and my families safety at risk. Kia won't own up to any mistakes, they claim this as bad fuel and I have been putting high octane gas in my vehicle. I do believe my vehicle was messed with by someone at the Coughlin Dealership and now I'm facing safety issues I can't drive my vehicle because its unsafe and my vehicle has only 23,600 miles on it. I'm highly disappointed I reached out to the director of operations Michele Cameron and she refuses to respond back to me and return my phone calls. I can't get anyone from Kia Corporation to respond back to me. I was told by Kia Connect that they wouldn't provide me a tow truck last night when my vehicle was on the side of a busy highway. I have warranty on my vehicle and I get free tows and was told they couldn't provide one. No safety vehicle would sit with us on the highway to make sure we were safe. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Moonroof exploded while I was driving.

Engine failure problem. Also, windshield just cracked for no reason and continously spreading

The front windshield glass is very brittle compared to any other vehicle glass. This allows for frequent chips and cracks that are very costly to repair/replace.

fallaron los frenos

I took the car to the dealership on 3/22/2024 for the recall and the car is good no repairs was needed

Experience vibration/pulsation when braking creating poor braking ability, increased braking distance,potential loss of control. Dealer replaced original front rotors and brake pads at approximately 12000 miles. Now at 23000, the condition exists again. I believe there is a material or design issue causing premature brake wear and pulsation causing an unsafe condition.

After driving my normal route, I stopped at a red light, before light went green, the car shut off. No lights on the dash, completely blank. The car was in drive, and foot was on the brake. There was no brake lights, flashers would not operator, the horn did not work and I could not move the car. The car was dead. After a few minutes stranded the car decided to start again. This has happened no less than 6x since I have owned this vehicle in similar situations. I have taken it to the Kia dealership where I purchased it and it has been inspected and kept for days multiple times with the result always being "nothing is wrong"

The front passenger window will periodically fail to operate. We took the Sportage to the dealership for repairs and they attempted to fix the problem, but failed. They tried to reproduce the problem on other 2023 Kia Sportages in the lot and duplicated the problem on them. Apparently, Kia Corporate has not addressed this issue, or has failed to find a solution with an accompanying recall. These are safety and property damageable risks. When the window is down and unable to go back up into a closed position, anyone could easily gain entry to vandalize or assault the occupants. Likewise, failures in raising the window will lead to property damage in rainy or snowy conditions. Our Kia dealership is returning the Sportage back to us at this point because they can not figure out a solution and they don't have any more alternatives to pursue at this time.

The vehicle was towed to KIA in Mobile AL Engine approximately 25K miles engine had to be replaced manufacturing problem. They did everything to not have to do repairs They said they would but now after I paid they will not pay for my rental promptly they keep making excuses and giving an unreason time frame I will never again buy KIA and I don't think I will ever see that money

Transmission slips or hesitates when going from a stop to first gear. When turning left across oncoming traffic it is dangerous. The dealership looked at it and said that they couldn't get it to slip after having it for two days. No codes were thrown and no lights on the dashboard. Only slips occasionally like once a week. Always from a dead stop before going into first gear.

Car wouldn’t accelerate, could be problem if turning left into traffic. Trip to Florida, 1000 miles, the Engine accelerated by itself, one time the mph was into the 90’s before I got it under control. This happened 3 times on my drive Florida from Indiana

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle speed control failed to accelerate above 50 MPH. Pushing down on the accelerator would continue to increase RPMs, but instead the car would coast. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This malfunction made it impossible to reach highway speeds, which meant I was traveling 20-25 MPH slower than the rest of traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem persisted for the entire driving session; however, after turning off the car and turning it back on, the problem has not reproduced. A passenger recorded a video of the issue occurring, and the dealer reviewed the video and confirmed that it is definitely a safety hazard, but since the issue was not reproducible, they stated they could not take any action based on Kia's service policies. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by a Kia dealer, but not by any other parties. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Before this problem occurred, the engine Auto-Stop icon appeared amber - which means engine Auto-Stop vehicle conditions were not met so the engine wouldn't automatically shut off at stoplights. This is the only time I've observed this icon appear amber instead of white.

2023 Kia Sportage misfires, engine will stall and shut off. Afterwards, I am unable to start the car. It has happened three times. (11/23/24, 3/05/24 and 5/05/24). Each time the dealership blamed poor fuel quality (three different gas stations). Not covered under warranty. First incident almost $8,000 in repair cost. Second incident $1,300 in repair cost. Third incident the dealership took responsibility. I had been without my car for a total of 6 months or more. Each time the vehicle is repaired within 13/14 days it happened again. I just got my car back (third time) about a week ago. I am uncomfortable driving it, because I fear it will misfire and shut off again while I am driving and the dealership will say it’s poor fuel quality. Vehicle has 28,900 miles on it. I’ve had it for over 2 years. The contact stated it began to misfire, again! This is the 4th time in about 7 months and each time the dealership repairs it, it happens again.

Purchased vehicle used 11/18/2023. Two days later vehicle went into limp mode on the highway. No brakes. Engine continued to shut off. Towed to dealer. Replaced injector. 11000 miles. 12/27/23 Vehicle was returned. 11/14/2024 Vehicle went into limp mode. Engine would not run. Vehicle was blowing white smoke thru exhaust. Another highway incident. Towed to dealership. This condition is very dangerous on the highway not only for me, my family and other motorist. As of today the vehicle is still at dealership. Do not have the repair orders or my car.

My 2023 Kia Sportage AWD has several ongoing safety issues that have been happening for over a year. The car stalls or hesitates at low speeds and during acceleration. I hear grinding or whining noises from the front end and drivetrain. My brakes wore out very early and still feel inconsistent, and the automatic braking acts unpredictable. The AWD system sometimes feels unstable when I try to accelerate. The tire pressure warning light comes on often even when the tires are fine. These issues happen randomly and make the car feel unsafe to drive. I am reporting this for safety investigation.

I turned on the car and put the car in Reverse and when I let the brake go the car went forward instead of going backward. It does not do this everytime. It just happened once or twice. I believe this is related to another problem I have with the car which is… when I press the start button it sometimes sputters and has a hard time turning on. Lights come on at times. Warning lights come on when the problem is happening but that’s all. I’ve taken the car to Kia and they cannot find the problem since lights and issue is not showing when I go there.

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated and then decelerated. The contact also stated that the back over prevention camera was inoperable and displayed a black screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that she had previously experienced the failure with the vehicle before and the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure; however, the dealer replaced the aftermarket floor mat with the original Kia Sportage floor mat. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,800.

My vehicle has the same problems as the vehicle covered under NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23V531000. The memo states 2023 Kia Sportage but Kia says this particular vehicle is not affected. The description listed below is what is happening to my vehicle 2023 Kia Sportage LX Model An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire The oil was hot like it wasn't circulating and the transmission would not change gears the vehicle came to a stop with the dashboard stating the vehicle was shutting down. I guess this is a safety feature to protect the engine. You can reach me at [XXX] for futhure infomation. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

driving on the highway in the left lane with driver assist engaged. crashed into car driving in the right lane when the kia driver assist turned off without warning.

Leased NEW Kia Sportage on 1/1/22 Went in for oil change on 11/11/22 3 hrs later told a "forced" update "burned" out the computer and car was not driveable On 11/30/22 was driving to work on LI expressway, car shut down without warning while I was driving, smelled something burning, called 911, car towed to dealer. Told it was defective fuel injector. 1/29/23 I reported brakes grinding and vibration sound coming from engine, RPM's rev up but car doesn't accelerate. Brakes needed to be cut. Was told since there was no "code" nothing could be done about engine sound/rpm increasing. Car was in for service 3 times because of this issue. 9/10/23 car shut down while I was driving without warning and gas smell in car was nauseating. Car would briefly start & shut down. Car towed to dealer. I have reached out to Kia Corporate numerous times expressing I am afraid to drive the car, the car is dangerous and my life and the lives of others at risk. When car shuts down, ther is NO warning, it just STOPS. I have had nightmares and lost sleep. I travel on highways & busy roads everyday. Kia wanted me to sign waiver releasing them of everything in lieu of 3 months lease payments. Expressed my life & lives of others are worth more than 3 payments. Car has had 2 recalls on top of these issues. I have reached out for help and have been ignored. 9/12/23 told by KIA corporate it would take 2 weeks to escalate my complaint. Car is currently at dealership. PLEASE HELP!

While driving my Kia Sportage 2023 w/ just 9000 miles brand new car the entire display screen went black. The car continued at the same speed, but I was unable to see any navigation such us my speed, signaling, etc. I was unable to pull over due to my location in the highway. It was terrifying. Within 10 seconds the screen came back to normal. As of right now KIA is refusing to examine the issue in my car until I provide them with evidence of the problem. Therefore, I need to continue to drive it until I can record it in a video (while driving) and present it to them. My car as of right now is not recalled. Please help address this issue with these models and the lack of responsibility Kia is taking by risking drivers to get on accidents due to this issue. Thank you 1

My Kia Sportage suddenly unintentionally accelerated hitting the building in front of me. As I was parking my vehicle at Dunkin Donuts, pressing on the car brake, the car did the opposite of braking and accelerated and hit the building. My vehicle didn't stop until it hit the building. Witness was there and police was called.

The contact was driving a 2023 Kia Sportage loaner vehicle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH and pressing the brake pedal the braking system malfunctioned and the brake pedal extended to the floor causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle sustained front-end damage but the air bag did not deploy. Also, during the crash, the second vehicle was pushed into the rear of a third vehicle. No injuries were reported and no police report was taken. The cause of the failures was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the crash. The manufacturer has not yet contacted us. The failure mileage was 450.

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving forward into a parking space at a very slow speed and while pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove over the stop bump and a curve before crashing into a building wall. During the crash, the contact sustained a head injury which later required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was driven away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 37,000.

Vehicle: 2023 Kia Sportage Issue: Service Brakes / Premature Rotor Failure / Grinding Within approximately six months of purchasing my vehicle new, I experienced brake grinding and premature rotor failure. This condition has reoccurred multiple times despite repair attempts at authorized Kia dealerships, including rotor replacement under a Technical Service Bulletin. Multiple dealerships acknowledged the issue. A Kia service manager advised that factory brake and rotor components are prone to premature failure and stated that reinstallation of original parts would likely result in recurrence. They recommended aftermarket brake components to correct the defect. Despite this acknowledgement, Kia America has failed to provide a permanent fix and continues to rely on reinstalling the same materials associated with repeated failures. The defect remains unresolved and presents an ongoing safety risk due to compromised braking performance. This issue appears consistent with known defect patterns affecting Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured between 2022–2024, with widespread consumer complaints reporting premature brake wear, grinding, vibration, and repeated rotor failure. I am submitting this complaint due to the safety implications of repeated brake failure, Kia’s failure to implement a corrective remedy, and the risk posed to drivers and the public.

I parked my car. It reversed slowly and hit a wall made of metal net. I started my car, drove a little forward, and parked it again. The car is now parked as normal. I took my car to the dealer and informed them about a brake problem. They verified that it was a brake booster problem. The repair process took 21 days. I am currently attempting to claim the accident, but the Kia company is providing various reasons for potential denial.