What 181 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sportage Phev Phev

The engine light came on and it started making loud noise, then the car started pulling on its own and it stop in the middle of the road. My safety Issue was I had to keep my driver hood open so other visible drivers could know my car had an issue. later on, that day I took my car to the mechanic and the mechanic said I have an oil leak and that's why my car started acting like that. The mechanic told me my car was ready to go, so I paid him and left thinking my car was fine. I drive 6 miles away from the car shop and my car broke down in the middle of the road. so, I had to call the tow truck people to tow my car until I could really find out what's wrong with my car.

NHTSA ODI 11539580

PURCHASED VEHICLE AT A REPUTABLE DEALERSHIP IN MARCH 2019. ON JUNE 12,2020, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHILE STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY RESIDENCE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE DIAGNOSED DEAD BATTERY. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR TO REQUEST NEW BATTERY. THEY ARE STATING THAT THE CAR NOW NEEDS A NEW BATTERY AND A FUEL PUMP. I HAD NO ELECTRICAL OR FUEL RELATED BEFORE JUNE 12, 2020.

NHTSA ODI 11329897

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

SO I HAD PRETTY MUCH A FULL DAY OF DRIVING AND MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION 6 SPEED 2011 SPORTAGE, THAT UNTIL TODAY THE ONLY PROBLEM I NOTICED WAS THAT SOMETIMES TO ME IT FELT LIKE WHEN I UP SHIFTED OR BEGAN TO GO INTO FIRST THAT IT WASN'T GOING ALL THE WAY INTO GEAR; AND AT TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY IT WASNT ACCELERATING NORMALLY AND MY GAS MILEAGE IS ABOUT 50M LESS PER TANK THAN IT HAS BEEN THE PAST 5 MO.(FINANCED TO BUY AS OF MARCH). ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP ONLY 1 PREVIOUS OWNER AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT WORK HAD BEEN ON IT PRIOR TO THE DEALERSHIP WE ARE BUYING THROUGH. SO TODAY CAR USE IN TOWN RUNNING COMPLETELY NORMAL SINCE 11AM THEN SUDDENLY AROUND 6:30 STARTED MAKING ALL KINDS OF NOISE TO ME A KNOCKING SOUND PLUS AN ALMOST LIKE REVVING SOUND MIXED IN. WE CAME STRAIGHT TO A GAS STATION AND CHECKED THE OIL WITH YELLOW DIPSTICK, AS WE ARE ALMOST DUE FOR A CHANGE, ADDED ABOUT A HALF A QUART AND STARTED IT AGAIN TO RUN THE OIL THRU AND SAME SOUNDS BUT LOUDER. WE THEN TURNED IT BACK OFF CALLED A MECHANIC FRIEND AND HE CAME AND SAID WITHOUT TAKING ANYTHING APART HE FELT IT COULD B A ROD. I THEN CALLED MY MOM TO COME PICK UP MY 3 YOUNG KIDS WITH ME TO TAKE THEM TO HER HOUSE OUT OF THE TX HEAT WHILE WE ATTEMPT DRIVING HOME. STARTED IT UP AGAIN AROUND 8:30 TO HEAD THE HALF MILE HOME AND VERY FAINTLY COULD HEAR STILL A KNOCKING AND ACCELERATED SLOWLY. IM MOT A CAR GENIUS OR ANYTHING BUT NOT KNOWING THE VEHICLES PERSONAL HISTORY PRIOR TO MARCH OF THIS YEAR I AM WORRIED TO DRIVE ON HIGHWAY THE 40-50 MILE DISTANCE TO GET TO THE NEAREST KIA WORKSHOP. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED MY SOCCER MOM CAR UNTIL TODAY AND NOW IM AFRRAID TO DRIVE IT AFTER READING THE RECALLS. IS MY VEHICLE A PART OF ANY RECALL? MY CLUTCH IT NEW AND MY FUEL PUMP AS WELL ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP WE ARE BUYING THROUGH SO I KNOW IT ISNT THAT. JUST WANT TO FEEL SAFE AND HAVE MY COMMUTE BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN...WHAT'S GOING ON??

NHTSA ODI 11242177

ONE DAY MY EX WIFE DROVE WHAT IS NOW MY 2011 KIA SPORTAGE HOME, WHICH SHE SAID RAN FINE UP UNTIL THAT POINT. THE NEXT DAY SHE WENT OUT TO START IT AND FROM THE SOUND IT WAS MAKING THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE ENGINE WAS TURNING AND THE TOP HALF WAS NOT, WHICH WE HAVE VERIFIED THAT SLACK APPEARS TO BE PRESENT IN THE TIMING CHAIN UPON TAKING THE VALVE COVER OFF TO INSPECT. I AM SEEING HINTS OF ENGINE RECALLS ON THIS YEAR KIA ON THIS WEBSITE AND AM WORRIED THAT MY CAR MAY BE ONE OF AN UNIDENTIFIED BATCH OF CARS THAT HAVE HAD THAT PROBLEM, WHICH IF I CONTINUE TO FIX THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY CAR WOULD LIKELY REPEAT THE PROBLEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS IF THIS IS TRUE THE UNDERLING PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN FIXED. THIS CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR OVER TWO YEARS AS I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS REPAIR COMPLETED YET.

NHTSA ODI 11192519

2011 KIA SPORTAGE AT TIMES WON'T START BUT ALL LIGHTS AND RADIO AND ELECTRICAL STUFF WORK. HAD NEW BATTERY PUT IN AND CHECKED OUT IT IS NOT BATTERY. IT IS DOING THIS MORE AND MORE AND I HAVE TO LET IT SET FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME THEN IT WILL START. IT CAN'T BE BOOSTED OFF EITHER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT STARTED AND HAS NEVER STOPPED.PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI 10937920

STEP ON GAS, RPM GOES UP BUT NO ACCELERATION, AT TIMES CAN NOT GET OVER 35MPH. ON EVEN TERRAIN WITH CRUISE ENGAGED SPEED WILL DROP AND THEN REV BACK UP. THIS ONLY HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY. HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER X3 BUT WITH NO ENGINE CODES FIRED THEY CAN'T LOCATE THE PROBLEM. SAFETY CONCERNS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEEDS ON INTERSTATES AND COUNTY ROADS. SEVERAL CONSUMER FORUMS STATE COMMON CONCERNS RELATING TO POSSIBLE TURBO, TRANSMISSION AND/OR GAS LINE ISSUES. KIA NOT RESPONSIVE TO CONSUMER CONCERNS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10670621

WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, IT FELT LIKE THE CAR LUNGED STOPPED AND LUNGED AGAIN. THE CAR DID NOT MOVE, BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE STILL ENGAGED. THE REVIEW CAMERA DID NOT TURN ON. I BACKED OUT AND PULLED BACK INTO MY SPOT, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, PUT IT INTO REVERSE AGAIN, AND THE LUNGING OCCURRED AGAIN. I CHECKED THE REVERSE LIGHTS, AND THEY WERE NOT ON. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR REVVED TO A HIGH RPM, AND THEN ENGAGED THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE TIRES TO CHIRP. I ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO ACCELERATE TO PROPER SPEEDS, AND THE HIGH REV PRIOR TO ENGAGING THE TRANSMISSION OCCURRED EVERY TIME. I NOTICED THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE ODOMETER DISPLAY WAS MISSING. WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION, I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THEN I TURNED IT BACK ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY.CAMERA, REVERSE LIGHTS, AND GEAR INDICATOR WAS WORKING. I STARTED DRIVING AND ATTEMPTED A PASSING ACCELERATION, WITH NO ISSUES. I DID NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS NOT HAVING THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10526419

THE CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION FROM ZERO TURNING INTO TRAFFIC. IT IS VERY SCARY AND HAPPENS OFTEN.. THE DEALER (EVERGREEN KIA) WAS NOTIFIED ON NOV. 29, 2012. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10491861

I PURCHASED A 2011 KIA SPORTAGE MAR 2011 W/ 12 MILES ON IT. THE MPG RANGE ON THE WINDOW STICKER WAS 22 CITY/27 HIGHWAY (18 MIN/32 MAX). SHORTLY AFTER THE GAS MILEAGE WAS POOR. I DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR 500 MILES FIGURING THAT SHOULD BREAK IT IN AND HOPED THE GAS MILEAGE WOULD IMPROVE. IT DIDN'T, BUT GOT WORSE. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER IN MAY, THE VEHICLE HAD 504 MILES ON IT AND WAS GETTING 12 MILES PER GALLON. DEALER RAN A FUEL CONSUMPTION TEST AND ECM UPGRADE STATING THAT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I DROVE IT ANOTHER 700 MILES BUT THE MILEAGE DIDN'T' GET BETTER. THE SERVICE MGR STATED THAT A BCM UPGRADE WAS PERFORMED AND THAT IT WAS GETTING 29.3 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY AND 24.5 MPG IN THE CITY. I HAVE NEVER MPG IN THE 20 RANGE. IT HAS BEEN IN THE TEEN RANGE ON THE COMPUTER & IN ACTUAL CALCULATIONS. THE SERVICE DEPT MGR TOLD PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE COMPUTER ON THE CAR, YET IT HAS BEEN ACCURATE W/ THE ACTUAL MILEAGE. WE DROVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF STATE, THE MPG WAS NOT CONSISTENT. UPON OUR RETURN FROM OUR HIGHWAY TRIP THE MPG DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY TO RANGE FROM 13.3 TO 15.70 DRIVING IN CITY. WE RETURNED THE CAR A 3RD TIME IN AUG 2011, THE DEALER DID A FUEL CONSUMPTION TEST AGAIN. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 11 DAYS. THE ONLY THING THEY DID WAS REPLACED THE COMPUTER ON THE 2ND TO THE LAST DAY NOT KNOWING WHAT ELSE TO DO. CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR, THE HIGHEST MPG I GOT WAS 16.89 MPG. WHEN I FILL UP THE GAS TANK, THE COMPUTER ON THE CAR SHOWS THAT I SHOULD BE GETTING 308 OR 309 MILES ON THE TANK OF GAS, BY THE END OF THE TANK, I ONLY GET ~ 200 MPG. NO EXPLANATIONS ARE GIVEN FOR THIS. I LOSE 100 + MILES PER TANK. I FILED A LEMON LAW CASE AND LOST BECAUSE THIS WASN'T A SAFETY ISSUE. KIA USA HAS REFUSED TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE AT HAND. SINCE THERE ARE NO "CODES" BEING ISSUED BY THE CAR, KIA SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO. AS OF TODAY JUNE 2012, THE MPG IS STILL 15.87 MPG.*JB

NHTSA ODI 10461944