Home · 2011 Kia Sportage Phev Phev · Complaints
These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
3 of 181 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters
WAS DRIVING IN CRUZE CRONTROL STEPPED ON THE GAS AND VEHICLE DIED. I PUSHED THE START BUTTON NOTHING BUT A WARNING SIGN ON DASH SCREEN THAT WOULD GO BLANK BEFORE I COULD SEE WHAT IT SAID. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND CHECK THE BATTERY CABLES THEY WERE ON TIGHT GOT BACK IN THE TRUCK PUSH THE BUTTON NOTHING SMELLED WIRES BURNING SEEN SMOKE TOP OF MY MOTORS ON FIRE. I WAS HEADING NORTH ON I-5 NEAR THE DUPONT EXIT.
NHTSA ODI 11279767
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. DURING EACH FAILURE, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. THE CONTACT RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM BYSTANDERS AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SCOTT KIA OF SPRINGFIELD (321 BALTIMORE PIKE, SPRINGFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA 19064, (610) 544-0100) WHERE IT WAS INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPON A SECOND ASSESSMENT, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WIRES WERE LOOSE IN THE VEHICLE, AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLE THAT ANIMALS/RODENTS HAD EATEN AWAY AT THE WIRING OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRES WERE BURNT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 12749312. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.
NHTSA ODI 11123298
THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I POPPED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS NO SMOKE PRESENT UNDERNEATH. THE CAR THEN STARTED ITSELF WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE BACK REAR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE REAR WINDOW WIPER STARTED GOING. AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF. THE SMOKE WAS GETTING WORSE. THE RADIO WAS TURNED ON AND AGAIN THERE WAS NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. I HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DISCONNECTED MY CAR BATTERY ALONG WITH SPRAYING WATER ON THE FUSE PANEL TO GET IT TO STOP SMOKING. AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE FUSE PANEL WHICH STARTED THE INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD BY THE TOW COMPANY THAT MY VEHICLE WAS THE FOURTH KIA SPORTAGE THAT THEY HAD TO TOW FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON, A SHORT IN THE FUSE PANEL. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10531503
Working with the data? Download all 181 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026