2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid

Electronic parking brake switch has failed. Yes the switch is available for inspection. Electronic parking brake can no longer be manually activated. Failure of the electronic parking brake switch has been confirmed by a dealer (Citrus Kia, Ontario, CA). Electronic parking brake switch has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. No warnings have been given regarding function of the electronic parking brake switch.

NHTSA ID

11756367

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

My 2023 Kia Sportage EX Hybrid has experienced repeated engine-related failures since October 2022, requiring multiple dealer repairs. The safety issue escalated in 2026 when the vehicle experienced sudden loss of acceleration while driving on highways. In April/May 2026, the vehicle lost acceleration twice within approximately 10–15 minutes. Warning messages appeared, including Check Engine Light and "Check Hybrid System – Stop Safely." The accelerator became unresponsive, requiring the vehicle to be moved to the shoulder. The dealer diagnosed P0030 and P1120 and replaced the Bank 1 Sensor 1 oxygen sensor and valve cover assembly with manufacturer technical support involved. Several months later, another highway loss-of-acceleration event occurred. The vehicle would not respond to the accelerator, RPM remained around 1,000, and it had to be safely moved off the road. The dealer diagnosed P2138 and replaced the accelerator pedal assembly. The repeated unexpected loss of acceleration creates a serious safety risk. The root cause remains unknown despite multiple repairs.

NHTSA ID

11754862

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

NHTSA ID

11754033

Incident

Jul 10, 2026

Mileage

104,000 mi

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the engine seized. The hybrid engine message was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and parked. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle started. The contact reset the instrument cluster. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a busy four-lane highway. The failure was a persistent failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact stated that no diagnostic information was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced an EVAP leak in April 2026. The vehicle was at the dealer for two months and was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,445.

NHTSA ID

11752684

Incident

Apr 15, 2026

Mileage

45,445 mi

On XXX and XXX, while driving on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power. Flashing warning lights appeared on the instrument cluster, accompanied by a safety warning message instructing the driver to pull over and "Check Hybrid System" immediately. This sudden, uncommanded drop in propulsion on active, high-speed roadways created an immediate safety hazard, forcing emergency maneuvering to coast the vehicle safely to the shoulder. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized franchise dealer (Arapahoe Kia in [XXX]) on XXX, where it has now remained grounded for 31 consecutive days. The service department has verbally communicated extreme diagnostic confusion, stating they lack an on-site hybrid specialist to properly diagnose the high-voltage powertrain/HPV/hybrid battery system. The vehicle has historically received software updates under Campaign SC335A, and the symptoms reported here closely align with the loss of motive power issues addressed in Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign SC338. To date, neither the dealership nor the manufacturer (under Case #XXX) has provided a formal written diagnosis, a repair schedule, or an active resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11750948

Incident

Jun 12, 2026

The car's transmission became unresponsive and caused the car to lose the ability to accelerate. This happened twice on the highway before I could get it to the dealer. In order to recover, I had to pull over on the shoulder and turn the car off, wait, and turn it back on. The dealer, through the Kia warranty service, would only 'recalibrate' the transmission and refused to service it. After the recalibration, the dealership wanted to give me back the car. I insisted that they took it for an extended test drive in which it stalled for them as well. Kia warranty then authorized the replacement, and I am awaiting its completion.

NHTSA ID

11748310

Incident

Jun 16, 2026

Over the past 11 weeks, my 2023 Kia Sportage has experienced sudden, complete loss of acceleration on at least three separate occasions while driving at highway speeds. Each incident is accompanied by the battery gauge dropping to zero. I was forced to stop on the highway to restart my vehicle in order to drive it again. No error codes are stored because the fault clears on restart. I have taken the vehicle for inspection to a mechanic and Kia Dealership Marin, neither were able to diagnose or repair the issue.

NHTSA ID

11742981

Incident

Apr 22, 2026

REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS ON BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE: The seat belt would not fully pull out/extend, and allow the passenger OR the child safety seat to be properly secured. It would lock up, and once the belt was pulled out, it would lock up on the retraction and not allow any extension. I took to the KIA dealership - which took a total of 3 visits- DEMONSTRATED and recreated the issue- which confirmed there was a problem. This did not happen on each use, but once I realized the child safety seat could not be installed properly (fully extended seat belt, retraction/ratcheting of belt to secure seat) I returned, and asked the service manager also observe along with at least one of the service techs. They were skeptical and not even fully aware of how a child seat should be installed, and the full extension of the seat belt, and the SOUND of the ratcheting/locking of the belt once fully extended. A repair/replacement was eventually done- parts had to be ordered and I could not find this “defect” on any KIA or other websites. It took a number of days for the replacement/repair. There were no warning lights that there were any problems with the safety belts. I (retired) police officer with NHTSA safety seat instructor certification (not current) and have knowledge of this, and it wasn’t until I explained and demonstrated the system to these dealership employees the proper function did they “believe” me. I just read of the a KIA recall on their Telluride models, and it sounds like a similar problem. Until it was fixed, I had a couple of occasions where the passenger was unable to secure their belt, which was before I realized that there was a manufactured problem with this system.

NHTSA ID

11742895

Incident

Dec 31, 1969

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: KEY AND CYLINDER SET REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to replace the driver’s door lock and trunk lid key cylinders on some 2019-2024MY Kia vehicles listed below. On affected vehicles, the stored key code may not correspond to the mechanical key profile, which can result in incorrect key cutting when the original key is lost or damaged.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for supported vehicles (2021-2026MY All Models).

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software downloads and USB preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN5.0W DTC P17A000 DAIGNOSTIC PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information regarding a potential illuminated Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) accompanied by DTC P17A000 on some 2022-2025MY Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) equipped with AVN5.0Wide head units listed below. This condition occurs when the Global Positioning System (GPS) module within the Audio Video Navigation (AVN) head unit, sends an inaccurate signal to the Hybrid Power Control Unit (HPCU), causing the DTC to set. There are no drivability symptoms associated with this condition.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: AEWP INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT (SC325) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to inspect and, if necessary, replace the Auxiliary Electric Water Pump (AEWP), control harness wiring, and/or engine room junction box for coolant intrusion and/or corrosion on certain 2022-2023MY Kia Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles listed in the table below. The AEWP in the subject vehicles may crack internally and allow coolant to intrude into the AEWP circuitry. If coolant enters the AEWP circuitry, the Check Engine Light (CEL) may be illuminated with one or more DTCs listed on page 2. If the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, the Active Air Flap (AAF) warning message can also activate, and coolant may eventually migrate through the wiring harness to the engine room junction block. This may result in a reduction of motive power and may cause the vehicle to release air pollutants which exceeds Federal and California standards. These standards were established to protect the public health and welfare from the dangers of air pollution.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: BMS DISCHARGE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the ‘BMS’ system software on certain 2023-2024MY Sportage HEV (NQ5 HEV) vehicles produced from February 15, 2022, through December 15, 2023, which may experience excessive discharging of the 12V lithium battery while parked, potentially resulting in a no-start condition.