What 181 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid

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

THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THIS VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONS. THE MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH HAS CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. ADDITIONALLY, THE MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH HAS RESULTED IN INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF THE PUSH-BUTTON START FEATURE. FAILURE TO ILLUMINATE THE STOP LAMPS DURING BRAKING OR INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10631138

AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE PREVENTING THE SHIFTER FROM BEING MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND CAUSING THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. FAILURE TO ILLUMINATE THE STOP LAMPS DURING BRAKING OR INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. KIA WILL SEND AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS IN MAY 2013. *TR ***SPOKE TO OWNER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO CRASH

NHTSA ODI 10596320

WHILE CHANGING THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB, I NOTICED THAT THE CONNECTOR HAD BURNED AND THAT THE WIRES GOING TO THE CONNECTOR WERE NOT CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER DUE TO THE BURNING. I NOTICED WHEN BARELY GRABBING THE BACK OF THE BULB, THAT THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS FOR THE MAIN LIGHT WOULD SPARK AND STARTED TO SMOKE CAUSING THE HEADLAMP ENCLOSURE TO FILL WITH SOOT AND SMOKE. SMALL SPARKS CAN BE SEEN WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE THE HEADLIGHT BULB ITSELF AS WELL AS WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST THE WIRES. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIRING HAS NO DEFECTS OR DAMAGE. *TT

NHTSA ODI 10583420

THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT START DUE TO A FAULTY BRAKE SENSOR SAFETY SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10573927

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 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

PUSH BUTTON START WOULD NOT ENGAGE - CAR WAS IN PARK- AFTER GETTING SHIFTER TO MOVE - CAR STARTED - TOOK IT TO DEALER REPLACED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH - I SEE WHERE UK HAS RECALLED 25K VEHICLES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM INCLUDING SPORTAGE NHTSA SHOULD ALSO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS MODULE WHILE WAITING ANOTHER CONSUMER REPORTED SAME PROBLEM BUT HAD A RECALL ON THEIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10520414

I BEGAN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY 2011 KIA SPORTAGE NOT STARTING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I DIDN'T PUSH THE BRAKE AND PUSH CORRECTLY. BUT THIS BECAME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT AS TIME WENT ON. IN APRIL 2012, IT DIDN'T START 3 TIMES IN ONE DAY. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THAT MORNING IT STARTED FOR THEM TO MOVE IT INTO THEIR GARAGE AND IT DIDN'T START AGAIN FOR THREE WEEKS. THE DEALERSHIP NOR TECH SUPPORT HAD ANY IDEA OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, SO THEIR NEXT STEP WAS TO BEGIN REPLACING PARTS, FIRST THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE DASH, THEM SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMPUTER PARTS. THEY ENDED REPLACING 5 DIFFERENT PARTS IN THE CAR BEFORE THEY GOT IT STARTED. WHEN I ASKED WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW AND WOULD BE TURNING ALL THE "REPLACED" PARTS OVER TO THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT DEPT TO INVESTIGATE THE PARTS. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE TECH FOLKS COMPLETED THEIR INVESTIGATION. THE SERVICE MGR TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT EVER BE NOTIFIED BY KIA TECH ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I ASKED WHY, THEY SAID THAT KIA JUST NEVER TELLS THEM. SO IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN, THEY HAVE NO WAY OF IDENTIFYING THE ISSUE FOR ME OR ANY OTHER CUSTOMER. I HAVE NO FAITH IN KIA MOTORS NOR THEIR DEALERSHIPS. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10461945

WE HAVE HAD OUR CAR IN TO BE SERVICED FIVE TIMES AND THE PROBLEMS ARE STILL NOT FIXED. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS THAT IT WAS RANDOMLY HESITATING AND THERE WERE A FEW TIMES WE ALMOST WERE IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. ON ONE OCCASION THE CAR WOULD NOT GO PAST 40MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLOORED, WE TOOK IT IN AND WERE EVENTUALLY TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, AFTER MY HUSBAND PROVIDED A FEW SERVICE BULLETINS TO THE ALOHA KIA SERVICE DEPT. (ON OUR SECOND TRIP IN) EACH TIME WE HAVE HAD OUR CAR "FIXED" THE PROBLEMS HAVE RETURNED WITH MORE PROBLEMS SOMETIMES IMMEDIATELY AFTER, SOMETIMES IN A DAY OR TWO. WE HAVE YET TO BE TOLD WHAT IS WRONG. THE FOLLOWING ARE PROBLEMS WE ARE EXPERIENCING: RANDOMLY NOT ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE LOCKING UP IN PARK, LOSS OF POWER, A ROLLING FEELING WHILE DRIVING, WHINING NOISE, GRATING FEELING IN STEERING AND GAS PEDAL, SHIFTING IS REALLY LOUD AND TAKES LONGER THAN IT SHOULD, BRAKES ARE NOT RELIABLE SOMETIMES THERE IS LITTLE RESISTANCE IN THE PEDAL, WE ARE GETTING 200 MILES TO THE TANK, YOU CAN FEEL A PATTERN OF BUMPS WHILE DRIVING IT IS LIKE SMOOTH BUMP SMOOTH BUMP BUMP SMOOTH BUMP ETC... ( I DO NOT KNOW HOW ELSE TO DESCRIBE IT AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD WHAT IS WRONG) ON THE LAST OCCASION MY CAR WAS SERVICED I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FIXED AND ALL OF THE PROBLEMS TIED INTO THE BRAKE SYSTEM, THE COMPUTER HAD TO "RE-LEARN" WHAT IT SHOULD KNOW. I DROVE FOR THREE MILES BEFORE EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEMS AGAIN, AND THEY ARE GETTING WORSE. I FEEL THE SERVICE DEPT. DOES NOT WANT TO ADDRESS THE REAL PROBLEM, THERE IS A TERRIBLE DEFECT WITH A MAJOR COMPONENT(S) OF THIS CAR. I HAVE TAKEN VIDEO OF MY INSTRUMENT PANEL WHILE DRIVING TO REFLECT THE IRREGULAR SHIFTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10452841

I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THE HORN OF THIS VEHICLE IS VERY LOW AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL> I WAS READING ONLINE AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER SIMILAR CASES, WHERE PEOPLE JUST CAN'T HEAR THE HORN. BY THE CALIFORNIA LAW, THE HORN HAS TO BE HEARD BY A MINIMUM DISTANCE, I HAVE NOT TESTED, BUT I DON'T THINK THE HORN IN THIS CAR MEETS SPECIFICATIONS. VERY DANGEROUS. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THE HORN 'VOLUME' IS NORMAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10447534

CHECK ENGINE IS ON LIGHT. NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS PEDAL. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. PREVIOUSLY DEALERSHIP SCANNED FOR CODES. CODES THAT WHERE PRESENT INDICATED TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR AND ADJUSTED EWGA ROD.B. *KB

NHTSA ODI 10441703

ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY GAS PEDAL. DEALER PULLED CODES FOR OB2 AND FOUND P2562 TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR. REST BOTH ADPAT VALUES. AFTER RESTING AND REBOOTING ECM DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED DEALER IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVER. DEALER STATED YES AND SAID THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE WINDOW. AFTER PULLING OUT ON TO A MAJOR BUSY 6 LANE HIGHWAY I DISCOVER I HAD NO TURNS SIGNALS. PULLED CAR OFF THE ROAD AND CHECKED TO IS WHAT OTHER LIGHTS WHERE NOT WORKING. I DISCOVERED I HAD NO DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, FOG LIGHTS AND POWER DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK. DEALER STATES BAD BCM AND REPLACED IT.

NHTSA ODI 10417326