2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid Problems

Vehicle experiences intermittent stalls when accelerating at freeway speeds. This is my second NHSTA report on this vehicle. Kia replaced the engine to try to fix the problem but it persists.

COMPONENT: Shift-by-wire transmission selector / hybrid control system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: Intermittently, after starting the vehicle, it will not engage Drive or Reverse. The selector input is accepted but the vehicle remains in Park/Neutral and does not move. The only way to clear it is to shut the vehicle off and restart it, sometimes up to 10 times, or by waiting a few hours, before a gear will engage. This has occurred repeatedly since purchase in November 2025. Vehicle currently has approximately 2,800 miles. SAFETY RISK: The vehicle can become unable to move without warning. If this occurs after a stop in traffic, at an intersection, or on a railroad crossing, the vehicle would be stranded in the roadway. It also prevents moving the vehicle quickly in an emergency. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Reported to a Kia dealership ion 09/02/2026. Dealer attempted to reproduce by starting the vehicle 10 times and reported it worked each time. No diagnostic trouble codes or module data were documented. Problem not confirmed by dealer. I have found other owners of the same model year and powertrain reporting the identical symptom online. OTHER INSPECTION: Not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance. A case has been opened with Kia consumer affairs requesting a field technician inspection. WARNING LAMPS: None. No warning lights, messages, or chimes before or during the failure. UNKNOWN cause.

COMPONENT: Shift-by-wire transmission selector / hybrid control system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: Intermittently, after starting the vehicle, it will not engage Drive or Reverse. The selector input is accepted but the vehicle remains in Park/Neutral and does not move. The only way to clear it is to shut the vehicle off and restart it, sometimes up to 10 times, or by waiting a few hours, before a gear will engage. This has occurred repeatedly since purchase in November 2025. Vehicle currently has approximately 2,800 miles. SAFETY RISK: The vehicle can become unable to move without warning. If this occurs after a stop in traffic, at an intersection, or on a railroad crossing, the vehicle would be stranded in the roadway. It also prevents moving the vehicle quickly in an emergency. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Reported to a Kia dealership ion 09/02/2026. Dealer attempted to reproduce by starting the vehicle 10 times and reported it worked each time. No diagnostic trouble codes or module data were documented. Problem not confirmed by dealer. I have found other owners of the same model year and powertrain reporting the identical symptom online. OTHER INSPECTION: Not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance. A case has been opened with Kia consumer affairs requesting a field technician inspection. WARNING LAMPS: None. No warning lights, messages, or chimes before or during the failure. UNKNOWN cause.

Falsification and/or alteration of repair logs, service dates, and/or mileage records across dealership diagnostic networks and third parties. Evasion of warranty and/or other maintenance requirements. Poor dealership and corporate treatment of military veterans. Suspected unauthorized non-factory wiring harness splices and/or other devices tapped directly into primary Controller Area Network (CAN-Bus) control modules on current model-year (2026) passenger vehicles. Disruption of primary vehicle (and total loss of secondary vehicle) control units resulting in inconvenient intermittent faults, potential safety hazards, severe mental distress, and time/financial losses. Vehicle currently in use as needed only for family requirements, pending purchase of a new vehicle outside the kia motor corporation and West hills dealership network. Both compromised vehicles will then be parked pending investigations.

COMPONENT: Shift-by-wire transmission selector / hybrid control system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: Intermittently, after starting the vehicle, it will not engage Drive or Reverse. The selector input is accepted but the vehicle remains in Park/Neutral and does not move. The only way to clear it is to shut the vehicle off and restart it, sometimes up to 10 times, or by waiting a few hours, before a gear will engage. This has occurred repeatedly since purchase in November 2025. Vehicle currently has approximately 2,800 miles. SAFETY RISK: The vehicle can become unable to move without warning. If this occurs after a stop in traffic, at an intersection, or on a railroad crossing, the vehicle would be stranded in the roadway. It also prevents moving the vehicle quickly in an emergency. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Reported to a Kia dealership ion 09/02/2026. Dealer attempted to reproduce by starting the vehicle 10 times and reported it worked each time. No diagnostic trouble codes or module data were documented. Problem not confirmed by dealer. I have found other owners of the same model year and powertrain reporting the identical symptom online. OTHER INSPECTION: Not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance. A case has been opened with Kia consumer affairs requesting a field technician inspection. WARNING LAMPS: None. No warning lights, messages, or chimes before or during the failure. UNKNOWN cause.

When I start the car and use the dial to shift into drive or reverse gear quickly, it fails and locks up. I have to turn the car off and/or open the door before restarting the car and wait a few seconds until the "Ready" message appears on the instrument panel. Then, it did not fail to shift into gears so far. However, this is a major safety hazard if I need to quickly move the car to avoid an imminent danger. I can understand the car may not be ready to shift into the gear within a couple of seconds of starting, but it should accept the shift command when it's ready and not lock up, forcing the driver to take additional time to restart. At times, it made me panic.

i PURCHASED BRAND NEW 2026 KIA SPORTAGE HYBRID END OF MAY 2026 FROM A KIA DEALERSHIP RAIRDON KIA IN BURLINGTON, WA. IT HAS LESS THAN 2,000 MILES CURRENTLY AND THERE IS A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE BRAKES. I CALLED THE KIA DEALERS (IN RENTON, WA AS WELL AS BURLINGTON, WA) AND THEY SAID THAT UNLESS IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IT IS NOT COVERED. I CAN NOT IMAGINE HAVING BRAKES MAKING SQUEAKING NOISE JUST WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF PURCHASING BRAND NEW VEHICLE.