2023 Kia Sportage Owner Complaints

On [XXX] my 2023 KIA Sportage ran hot on me it shut off immediately. I pulled off the road and let it cool off. I raised hood took the cap off the water reservoir and this brownish reddish clay looking stuff shot out all over me and burned my face, my arm, finger, hand, and leg the water reservoir was filled with really thick clay looking stuff so I had my uncle bring his trailer and towed it to my house. I then got on google to see what could make the liquid inside the water reservoir look like clay that’s when I learned about the electric oil pump then went to the Kia at site to purchase the part and it asked me if it was a Kia ES or LX I had no idea I got on the Kia app to find out if it was an ES or LX that’s when I noticed it had a recall for this particular part I then called Kia dealership and scheduled to bring it in into them on Monday October 19th at 7:15am I had it towed to there on Monday oct 19th at 6 am through the Kia connect app. I didn’t hear anything back from Kia so wed. I called them they at first said they didn’t have my car I made other calls to find my car when in fact they actually did have my car. The lady I spoke with Sharon said they would take a look at it. The following day I received the invoice saying it needed a new engine I explained to her that I don’t feel I’m at fault because the engine was being starved of water from the defected recall part on the Kia we exchanged several text messages back and forth and I told her I was just gonna contact me a lawyer to handle this matter because had the engine not of been starved of water this never would have happened. I travel for work and it has left me in a huge bind not having a vehicle. Not to mention being burned on my arm, hand, finger, face, and leg when I removed the cap off the water reservoir. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11777003

Incident

Oct 14, 2026

Driving on hwy, hybrid battery light comes on. Car basically dies you have to pull over, shut car off, hit battery reset and start . Very dangerous It's been happening off and on for a while. Started about 28000 miles , now have 42000. Dealership is 1 1/2 hrs away, very heavy traffic. Plus our only car and have to work various hrs. No rental car avail. Can happen 6-7 times one day then a month goes by nothing.

NHTSA ID

11775511

Incident

Nov 3, 2026

I am filing a safety complaint regarding our 2023 Kia Sportage, VIN [XXX], with approximately 51,331 miles. The vehicle began experiencing shaking and vibration while driving at speeds below approximately 40 mph. The check-engine warning light also illuminated. This raised serious concerns about the vehicle's reliability and safe operation, particularly because my daughter regularly drives this vehicle to and from school. I am concerned about the possibility of an unexpected loss of power, breakdown, or other mechanical failure while she is driving. On XXX, the vehicle was inspected at Napleton's River Oaks Kia in [XXX]. According to Repair Order #XXX, diagnostic testing confirmed engine misfires in cylinders 2 and 4. The technician swapped ignition coils, performed additional testing, and documented that the misfires returned. Carbon buildup was identified on the cylinder 2 spark plug, and all four spark plugs were replaced at a cost of $406.17. Although the shaking and vibration stopped following this repair, the underlying cause of the misfires remains a concern. I subsequently learned about an investigation involving alleged defective fuel injectors in certain 2023 Kia Sportage vehicles and Kia Technical Service Bulletin FUE068. I do not know whether our vehicle has a defective fuel injector, and the dealership's invoice does not indicate whether the injectors were tested. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident to determine whether the engine misfires could be associated with a broader vehicle safety defect. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Kia dealership, and the repair documentation is available upon request. The original spark plugs' availability for inspection is UNKNOWN. My primary concern is the safety of my daughter and other motorists should a similar malfunction occur again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11775289

Incident

Nov 2, 2026

02/2025 Engine light on - dealership said it was a coolant sensor has not repaired 2026 I was driving my car as normal went to a store and whole driving I went to try to use my turn signals and nothing wouldn’t light up wouldn’t do anything, I attempted to use my emergency lights also were not working I had to pull over I got off another store went back in car and they started working fine as if nothing accured. This has happened multiple times many calls to dealership that will only look at it if I leave my car but no loaner car unless I pay ridiculous amount. The car has touch screen climant control / radio volume that goes in and out, touch screen will not respond this is hazardous when driving I cannot signal other drivers or put my emergency lights on. I’ve reached out multiple times to dealership and no one seems to care but this is a problem I could cause an accident I’m in fear something else will happen

NHTSA ID

11774581

Incident

May 1, 2026

I was driving on the highway going about 70mph and the car completely shut off. When off I couldn’t accelerate or brake. I put my hazards on and pulled over. The car continued to turn off and on. It couldn’t stay on. Still don’t know what’s wrong with it but a HUGE safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11774550

Incident

Oct 28, 2026

On Saturday,XXX, my vehicle was serviced (oil change and tire rotation) at Berwyn Kia, [XXX]. Shortly after leaving the dealership, I noticed a vibration that developed into a thumping noise from the right rear, worsening at highway speed. I pulled over and found three lug nuts missing from the right rear wheel, and most of the remaining lug nuts could be turned by hand. The wheel was at risk of separating from the vehicle. The dealership sent a technician to help me get back on the road. I have not driven the vehicle since. I am reporting this so there is a record of a wheel-retention safety failure following dealer service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11772292

Incident

Oct 17, 2026

Power lose while accelerating (Especially on the highway), misfire causing rough idle. Code reading P0301 for fuel injector in cylinder 1. Kia is aware of this issue and has a TSB out for it however will not cover for the cost to replace the fuel injectors. Because of this issue my car does get up to speed in an appropriate amount of time causing a safety concern no only for me but for cars around me. This is also not a constant misfire and is unpredictable when it will happen.

NHTSA ID

11769815

Incident

Oct 7, 2026

The rear cargo window spontaneously shattered while car was parked. The car was taken for repair to Auto Glass Systems in Springfield Illinois. They do all the repairs for the Kia dealership locally. Upon inspection, they reported that the glass had no point of impact and was caused by an internal defect which was confirmed by the shatter pattern. They said they have had numerous repairs for the same spontaneous, shattering in Kia Sportage windows and suggested that we file a report.

NHTSA ID

11768224

Incident

Sep 14, 2026

When driving at speeds slightly above 50 mph between 1,700 and 1,900 RPM, maintaining light pressure on the accelerator pedal causes a noticeable physical vibration and shaking throughout both the pedal and the vehicle. To mitigate these concerning symptoms, I intentionally have to press down harder on the gas pedal, which helps immediately stop the shaking. This issue has been occurring consistently over time. While it has not resulted in an accident so far, it could raise safety concerns. I have reported this condition to Kia Customer Care twice, but no appropriate action or resolution has been provided.

NHTSA ID

11764939

Incident

Sep 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the message "Brake Carefully" was displayed. The contact slightly depressed the brake pedal to test the brakes and continued driving; however, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the failure was an electrical issue. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P1BB200 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the hybrid braking system had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V410000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 43,000.

NHTSA ID

11764793

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

Mileage

43,000 mi

I am reporting a recurring and unresolved acceleration issue with my 2023 Kia Sportage. The vehicle intermittently continues to accelerate or maintains elevated RPMs even after I release the accelerator pedal. This has occurred multiple times and creates a serious safety concern because the vehicle does not decelerate as expected. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Kia dealership multiple times for the same concern. Several components have been replaced, including the throttle body, but the acceleration problem continues to occur. The issue has also been observed during a dealership visit. Because the problem continues despite repeated repair attempts, I would like to formally document and investigate this safety concern and provide a permanent resolution. I am increasingly concerned about the safety and reliability of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11763894

Incident

Sep 8, 2026

My daughter’s 2023 Kia Sportage SX Prestige has an instrument cluster that intermittently goes completely black while the vehicle is being driven. When this occurs, the driver cannot see the speedometer, warning indicators, or other critical vehicle information. Ferguson Kia inspected the vehicle and documented that the “cluster side of screen [is] INOP.” The technician reset the screen, performed variant coding, verified systems were up to date, removed and inspected the head unit/connectors, verified pin tension and fuses, and found no DTC codes. The screen remained inoperative. Ferguson Kia diagnosed an “internal electrical failure” and recommended replacement of the head unit. I paid $199 for this diagnosis and was advised the replacement would cost approximately $10,000. I am concerned because Kia previously issued Safety Recall SC270/NHTSA Recall 23V-298 involving instrument clusters that may become blank in certain 2023 Kia Sportages. I understand this vehicle may not be included in that recall and may use a different instrument cluster. I am not claiming it is necessarily the identical defect. However, this is a documented blank instrument-cluster failure in the same model year that creates a similar safety hazard. I am reporting this because loss of the instrument cluster while driving prevents the driver from seeing critical driving and safety information. I am concerned that 2023 Sportages not included in the existing recall may also be experiencing blank instrument-cluster failures.

NHTSA ID

11763798

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

My child is [XXX] old, and as he has grown, I have noticed significant problems with the way he is positioned and supported in this car seat. He frequently sits too far forward and does not appear to have adequate support to keep his head and body in a safe, comfortable position.There have been multiple occasions during car rides when my child has choked or struggled because he is positioned so far forward. The design of the base does not seem to allow him to lean back sufficiently, which causes him to slump forward rather than remain properly supported. This is especially concerning when he falls asleep. His head falls completely forward, and the seat does not appear to provide adequate head, neck, or upper-body support to prevent this.This was not something I noticed when my child was younger. He previously tolerated the car seat without significant issues. However, as he has gotten bigger, the positioning and lack of support have become increasingly obvious. His discomfort has also increased considerably.I have also experienced a separate concern with the installation of the car seat. After connecting the base to the vehicle's lower anchors and tightening the straps as instructed, I have noticed that the straps gradually loosen slightly during a car ride. While the amount of movement may appear minor, I consider any loosening of the installation system during use to be a serious safety concern. A car seat base should remain securely installed throughout the entire trip and should not become less secure during normal use.The combination of these issues is extremely concerning to me as a parent. I purchased this product with the expectation that it would securely restrain and properly support my child during a vehicle crash or sudden stop. Instead, I have observed my child repeatedly being placed in a forward-slumped position, including while sleeping, as well as an installation component that appears to lose some tension during use. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C

NHTSA ID

11761992

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

I own a 2023 Kia Sportage Pro While driving to work, I heard an explosive sound that sounded like a gunshot on the top of my vehicle. I pulled over to see that my sunroof had exploded. I checked for any objects that may have hit it, and the only thing that was in the top of the roof was glass. Thankfully, my cover was closed on my sunroof for a glass would have been all over causing possible injury.

NHTSA ID

11761797

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

I was driving my 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid when the vehicle displayed a "Check Hybrid System"/ "Stop Safely" warning and suddenly lost motive power/acceleration. I was unable to accelerate normally. I had luckily pulled of the road that I was going 55 mph into a parking lot prior to the lass of power or I would have stopped right on the roadway with cars going the same speed directly behind me. This created a serious safety concern because if this had occurred while traveling at highway speed or in heavy traffic, the sudden loss of power could have resulted in a collision. There had been no indication to me that the vehicle was about to lose motive power before the hybrid-system warning appeared. The vehicle is currently at an authorized Kia dealership for inspection and diagnosis. The cause has not yet been provided to me. The vehicle is available for inspection. I am reporting this because a sudden loss of motive power associated with a broad-system warning presents a significant safety risk. I have also learned that other Kia Sportgage Hybrid owners have reported similar hybrid-system warning and loss-of-ower incidents.

NHTSA ID

11760098

Incident

Aug 27, 2026

Main 12V electrical system failed completely. The engine stalled, the entire dashboard blacked out, and all auxiliary safety power was lost. The vehicle is currently located at Parkway Family Kia and is fully available for inspection. At rush hour freeway speeds, the engine stalled and total electrical failure occurred. Navigating across active lanes without engine power or power steering was extremely difficult. The total blackout killed my hazard lights, preventing me from warning other high-speed drivers. The dead car blocked an active lane on the feeder road, and an inattentive driver nearly struck my stalled, unlit vehicle. With zero hazards, I had to abandon the car and flee to the roadside to avoid a rear-end collision. Additionally, all passenger doors permanently locked, creating a severe entrapment hazard. Not yet. The vehicle was towed to Parkway Family Kia on Tuesday and is currently awaiting an official manufacturer diagnostic inspection by their service technicians. No advance symptoms prior to the day of the incident. At the moment of failure, the dash suddenly lit up with multiple warning lights. Within a tight 1 to 2-minute window, I completely lost power steering, making the vehicle extremely heavy and difficult to maneuver off the highway. Immediately after those 2 minutes, the dashboard and all electrical components went completely dark.

NHTSA ID

11756745

Incident

Aug 11, 2026

I was driving the vehicle yesterday, had no problems and then when making a right hand turn the vehicle completely locked up. The brakes and steering column locked and the vehicle completely shut done. The dashboard lit up and the windows still worked but there was not power to the engine. Attempted to JUMP the car, unsuccessful, ultimately called a AAA who used a battery box and the car started. This happened once previously when the car was 6m-1year old and it spontaneously worked. I took for service told unclear what happened, no issues. The car gave no warning lights or indicators there was an issue. This was a very concerning and unsafe situation. I was in the middle of a busy intersection, making a right hand turn. again no warning or lights just vehicle shut down and unable to restart.

NHTSA ID

11753463

Incident

Jul 28, 2026

The roof strip above the driver side of the car is no longer attached and flew off somewhere. Unknown of the date it may have happened.

NHTSA ID

11752097

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-35 MPH on the highway, the engine and oil check warning light was illuminated. The Kia App alerted the driver to check the engine when convenient. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. There was a loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal rod bearing failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and declined to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 120,100.

NHTSA ID

11747362

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

Mileage

120,100 mi

It was roughly 2000 miles since my last oil change on my Kia Sportage. A spot of oil appeared in my driveway. I thought it could be from a delivery truck. I started parking my car in another spot and didn’t see anymore oil on the pavement. Three days later the low oil light came on. I had my car towed to a Mavis tire center they found that the oil drain plug was loose. They told me the car needed to go back to the dealership. They gave me a copy of a memo that they have sent to all of their shops reporting that NHTSA is investigating this problem with Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The Kia dealership is not concerned about this. The documentation for this service says last visit we did not tighten the drain plug properly and another shop confirmed that. Please check oil level, drain plug, and filter to ensure proper levels/tightness and report MISC drain plug was found loose. They observed it for two hours. They also noted that mileage coming into the shop was 61212 mileage, out of the shop was 61212. Please note they had not done previous oil change as noted in their documentation. I have a service contract with this Kia dealership where I bought the car. I stopped going there because they recommended that three of my brakes needed to be changed on March 4, 2025. In spring of 2025 I had two different mavis shops. Tell me that my brakes did not require changing. One set had 30% wear, the other set had only 20% wear. It is now June 25, 2026. My break still have not required being changed. That was not recommended Service today either.

NHTSA ID

11746544

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

Seat warmer started to catch on fire

NHTSA ID

11746500

Incident

Apr 29, 2026

I have had repeated failure/wear of my rotors on my 2023 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige, starting at about 12k miles and recurring roughly every 3 months from there. I have had multiple dealers look at it and they keep blaming me for the problem. I am not a rough driver, I drive mostly freeway, do not brake constantly or hard unless absolutely needed, etc. The symptoms are that typical vibrating of the car when stopping and the brakes have been squeaking terribly since the first replacement, they have never not squeaked even though I asked them to address it. Neither the dealer or Kia Corporate are helpful, this is obviously a defect as multiple online forums talk about the issue consistently with this car. I had a case open with Kia to find the cause so I can stop fixing the system, but they were unsuccessful in doing so. I just want it to be fixed so I can stop wasting time and money, I bought a brand new car for the first time ever to avoid worrying about repairs for a while. Biggest regret ever and based on how I have been treated I will never buy Kia again.

NHTSA ID

11744137

Incident

Sep 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that upon coming to a stop at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond, and the infotainment screen was turned off. The contact stated that the vehicle became operable after approximately two minutes. The contact stated the failure was recurrent. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

NHTSA ID

11743585

Incident

May 17, 2026

Mileage

48,000 mi

This is a statement from my daughter: I was driving and noticed a vehicle stopped in front of me. When I attempted to brake, I could feel my brakes sink all the way to the floor. I also didn't receive an alert from the Front Collision Avoidance system or any assistance from the Automatic Emergency Braking system. The vehicle was a CPO that had always been serviced at the dealership. Because of various surgeries I have had, depending on the severity of the crash, I could have been paralyzed for life.

NHTSA ID

11740925

Incident

May 11, 2026

I had gotten my windshield replaced by safelite last year. On a cold day while driving to work, I went to adjust my rearview mirror and the rearview mirror came off from the windshield. It completely detached. I was adjusting it as I would any other time I adjusted the rear view mirror. This obviously left me in a lurch because I had to go to work. So I drove without a rear view mirror until I could get a replacement after the work day. This is obviously a dangerous situation to be in. I reached out to safelite because they have a lifetime warranty. They informed me that they will not cover replacement because a small piece of glass came off of the windshield which according to them means it must have been a result of force.

NHTSA ID

11740567

Incident

Mar 3, 2026