What 392 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sportage Hybrid Hev

I was driving eastbound in my 2012 Kia Sportage on I-82 just past Benton City MP97 at about 11AM on Monday June 22, 2026, when my engine knocked twice, the red check engine light came on, and I lost power. I pulled over off the road next to a concrete barrier that was beside a rock roadcut. My flashers would not operate, I put it into park, turned off the ignition and immediately noticed the smell of burning oil or rubber. I had 2 half gallon containers of water on my front seat, so I popped the switch, lifted the hood, used the prop rod to hold the hood up as I started dowsing the flames that were popping up on the passenger side of my engine compartment near the firewall. After using both half gallons, I ran to the rear of the vehicle, opened the hatchback, and grabbed a gallon spray bottle of water and brought that back around to the front of the vehicle. By this point the prop rod holding the hood was bending and the flames were popping back up, I pumped the sprayer and directed a stream of water with my left hand and used my right to hold up the hood as the prop rod was not working. After the fire was completely out, I returned to the rear of the vehicle, donned my reflective vest, put a portable flasher on my vehicle, and at this point a Benton County fireman in a pickup arrived - he was called by a motorist that saw me pulling over with smoke trailing my vehicle. The fireman was followed by a large firetruck and crew. They propped up the hood with a bar and inspected the motor to verify the fire was completely extinguished. They took my information and left. A Washington State Patrol arrived, assessed the scene and offered assistance, but I already had called my wife so he left me to wait for her. He told me I had 24 hours to get the car off the interstate. I had the car towed to my driveway by A&E towing at about 2:30PM. I just realized this morning that I ought to report it to you. I haven't tried to start it, but I'm sure it won't.

NHTSA ODI 11746708

On XXX, my 2012 Kia Sportage experienced a catastrophic engine failure while traveling on the interstate. The connecting rod failed, breaking through the engine block, causing sudden and sever oil leak and heavy smoke. The safety of the occupants was put at risk due to the sudden powefr loss in high-speed traffic. This vehicle has two active federal safety recalls, SC200 snd SC 284, which are unrepaired. After the vehicle was towed to Auffenberg Kia in Cape Girardeau, MO I experienced an unreasonable delay of atr a mininum of 2 weeks or more before they could assess the damage, and they refused to provide a loaner vehicle while I was left without transport. Futhermore, they have stated they will not assist with anything until the inspection is complete and the exact cause of failure is determined.

NHTSA ODI 11744253

The car experienced sudden engine failure, flashing check engine light. The car was towed to the nearest mechanic and knock sensor code P1326, consistent with recall 20V750, was present. Kia Corporate refuses to authorize inspection and repair under the recall because the code was cleared after the event in order to get it towed to the dealer. The defect clearly matches the recall condition, but Kia is declining inspection in violation of recall obligations. Car has been maintained with regular oil changes at the scheduled intervals for the duration of it's life.

NHTSA ODI 11695866

VIN# [XXX] My recall has not been repaired because Kia claims the repair parts have not been made available to them yet. This recall is from Sept. 2023. Why hasn't this been taken care of yet? Ridiculous & DANGEROUS!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11680046

I was sold this car in April 2025. June 29 2025 my engine stopped working. Confirmed it is entirely blown. I was unaware of open unaddressed recalls when I purchased the car. Because of the recalls not being addressed by previous owners, kia and the warranty company refused to fix the engine.

NHTSA ODI 11670845

there were no warning lamps/lights/messages prior to the failure. I have been begging Kia Car pros Glendale to repair my engine since May 27 2025 as it qualifies under the settlement. I have requested in writing a response but they continue to use stalling tactics only calling me to convey they need the first 13,000mile oil change now. I have pictures and video timestamped I have documents to prove no negligence on my part for repairs and oil changes. I am a disabled veteran who lives on a mountain in a fire prone area. I have a service dog. I am not trying to endange my life, my service dogs or my neighbors. Email dated 21 June 2025: , I want to reiterate the full scope of documentation and context we have already provided in support of this case. To date, we have submitted: Over a decade of detailed maintenance and service records, covering 2012 through April 2023, demonstrating consistent oil changes and routine and meticulous upkeep; Confirmation that the KSDS upgrade was installed by Kia Glendale on June 6, 2022, and was fully operational at the time of failure; Proof of an oil change on March 7, 2025, at 98,798 miles; Photographic and video documentation dated March 27, 2025, showing the vehicle at exactly 100,000 miles with no check engine lights, warning indicators, or abnormal engine noise; A clear timeline showing that, just five weeks later on May 6, 2025, the vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure at approximately 101,000 miles—despite having had an oil change only weeks earlier. For your convenience, we have re-sent all supporting documentation in case any records were misplaced during what has now become a significantly drawn-out process. Importantly, the vehicle owner did not continue driving after any warning light appeared. They immediately pulled over and had the vehicle professionally towed, demonstrating responsible action at every turn.

NHTSA ODI 11668822

While accelerating engine just shut off and seized. No warning. No check engine light before or after during the incident. Temp was normal. Next day a check engine light did come on while car was in "on" position (engine still not turning over) but no code was generating. No evidence of leaking oil. Dipstick showed normal oil level.

NHTSA ODI 11654248

Purchased a used 2012 Kia Sportage in Nov 2023 took in for an anti theft update in that same month. My update was done at a Kia dealership . They informed me about the anti theft update.Now ffw to Aug 2024 I get a check engine light for knock sensor. I have no idea what this is. Took it back to dealership I was told that the KSDS update was done the same time the anti theft was done and the warranty had expired. How was I supposed to know what the knock sensor update was or the details of a warranty when the dealership did tell me they even done the update. Now I am sitting with a car that needs a new engine because they failed too inform me of the sensor I will be getting an attorney

NHTSA ODI 11611490

Recall was issued 09/23 for a possible engine fire and the replacement parts for repair have yet to be provided as of 5/24.

NHTSA ODI 11587324

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 60–65 MPH, the engine seized. The contact stated that there was no oil entering the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the engine. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11569058

I was driving on the freeway when the vehicle wanted to stall and shut off. I was able to get it to the side of the highway and had it towed back home where my son checked the vehicle and said that there was no compression in the motor and to not drive it anymore until it is fixed.

NHTSA ODI 11560083

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys, where it was diagnosed that the speed sensor had failed. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the speed sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer determined that the contact qualified for a free engine replacement; however, the part was not available. The contact stated that the vehicle remained at the dealer for 6 months. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11558925

On June 26th 2023 my Malfunction Indicator Lamp engine light came on. I went to Goodyear and they had to entirely replace a main component of my engine which cost me over $1400. Earlier in June I received a letter in the mail about a Kia settlement stating that I could report a claim of engine failure and be fully compensated; however, they denied me compensation. Meanwhile, I just received another letter in the mail from Kia regarding a safety recall stating that once the remedy part is available I can get it replaced at no charge, yet I paid for this part back in July.

NHTSA ODI 11558194

As I approached a red light, releasing the gas and engaging the brakes, the car shut off. It never cranked again. I had to flag down a passing police officer and workers from a nearby auto shop pushed my car from the redlight and through the intersection. The car was taken to Playground Auto Services, a local repair shop, and I was told that the "motor was bad" and the repairs are estimated at $8200. There were no indications of a problem prior to the engine turning off. There were no warning lights, no performance issues, or anything else that would have warned me that my vehicle was not functioning properly. This happened on July 3rd, 2023. I purchased the vehicle used in December 2022 and took it to Auto Zone early in 2023 to run a diagnostic check after the check engine light came on while getting gas. The diagnostic indicated that the O2 sensor was alerting to a fuel issue. They recommended adding a fuel treatment additive. I did and the check engine light went away and NEVER came back on. There were 0 performance issues even with that light coming on that would indicate that my vehicle would stop working while I was approaching a red light at a busy intersection. Thank goodness the light was actually red. Had it been green and my vehicle just stopped, I could have caused a serious accident harming myself or anyone else, if not worse.

NHTSA ODI 11535086

Just purchased KIA Sportage used and was informed they run for hundreds of thousands of miles. Less than three months later the engine blows up due an engine defect according to the dealer. The dealer wrote, "This letter is in reference to a repair that was done on a 2012 KIA Sportage Vin Number [XXX]. The Customer referenced is [XXX]. We sold the vehicle to him in ApriI of2019. On June 24, 2019 the vehicle was brought in for a noise in the engine. Not having proper diagnostic tooIs to identify and repair the problem we subject the repair to Overturf KIA at lO16 W. CoIumbia Dr. Kennewick, WA 99336 for diagnosis and repair. The vehicle needed a short-bIock to complete the repair. The total of the repair was $5040.48. As a dealer we agreed to assist the customer financially with the repair. The customer paid $3200.00 and Corwin Ford paid $1840.48. Attached are copies of the invoice from Overturf KIA for the total amount Of the repair and a copy of the Visa receipt." I have received numerous letters from KIA stating there was an issue, but when I make a claim it says my vehicle was unaffected. Obviously this is incorrect. Looking for guidance on how to hold KIA accountable. I have the same engine, model and year of the other complaints. My make, model and year are even listed on the latest paperwork sent out. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11529943

Driving 25-30 MPH engine died, no warning lights illuminated prior to the engine stopping. The vehicle drifted to a stop on the side of the road. There was no loss of power steering. Safety was at risk due to sudden engine loss while driving on a road. Vehicle was towed to nearby service center for evaluation. Motor is seized per service center.

NHTSA ODI 11526956

I have a 2012 kia sportage. Well I found out 2012 kia sportages have a recall on the knock sensor. I found this out because while going 75 mphs on the George bush turnpike in tx, my car all of a sudden shut off and came to a complete stop! If there had been others around me I would have been in a serious car accident. When I finally got my car started again it wouldn't go over 30mph without having major problems and trying to shut down again. I had to nurse my car home that day. I had a panic attack thanks to that incident and am still shaking. After that I took it to have codes checked on it to find the problem. Come to find out the knock sensor is not working properly. We were informed by the mechanic those had been recalled on our model car back in jan 2021. Well we called kia and they said there is no recall for that part. Yet we had just received mail about that part having been recalled on our car and the lawsuit. My child and I could have DIED because the part is faulty and kia says they won't fix it.

NHTSA ODI 11526670

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an intendent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the engine had no compression and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the dealer stated that the timing belt and the exhaust needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11516905

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact's husband arrived on the scene and attempted to jumpstart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who performed an unknown repair. The contact later replaced the battery; however, the failure recurred. Upon investigation, the contact was made aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the dealer declined to perform the recall repair due to the previous owner's failure to keep up with routine maintenance and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance due to the previous Owner's failure to keep up with routine the maintenance of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11514781

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle started to stall. The contact depressed the brake pedal, stopped, and parked the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The contact shifted into neutral and pushed the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart upon attempting to jumpstart vehicle with the assistance of a friend. The vehicle was towed to the Mazda dealer where it was purchased. The dealer diagnosed that the engine, the starter, the battery, and unknown parts needed to be replaced. The Kia dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

NHTSA ODI 11506228

Vehicle has never had any issue. No noises, no misfiring, no warning lights. Drove vehicle home one say and parked it. Next day would not start. Had towed to Kia dealership.. They are stating that they put a starter in and now my timing chain is snapped and my valves are bent. Stating it is not their fault and now I need a new engine. I did have the Knock Sensor Detection System update installed 2 years ago. Now I don't have a vehicle because they are stating that this has nothing to do with NSDS recall and I cant afford to fix. What do I do now?

NHTSA ODI 11500924

It died when we turned it on but we didn’t think it started so we started it again and it was fine. Then 1 hour later we were driving and check engine light came on and it turned off then the car was dying. When I pulled over to let it cool down the car wouldn’t turn back on and when I checked under the hood there was oil all over the engine and the cap was there, it was smoking.

NHTSA ODI 11499012

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving approximately 70-75 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and stalled. The contact was able to coast the vehicle off the road where she noticed a fuel odor. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to her residence and then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was excessive wear on the bearings and seals caused by the engine consuming oil. The failure produced diagnostic trouble code: P0301 (Cylinder #1 Misfire). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case manager and informed that the failure was not related to a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11497004

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he heard an abnormal tapping sound. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle emitted an abnormal screeching sound. The contact veered to the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as he had failed to complete the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update under NHTSA Campaign number 20V750000 (Engine). However, the contact stated that he was unaware that the VIN was included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000

NHTSA ODI 11489174

- Engine issue, there is an problem with engine - kia bulletin TSB PI1803Y/zrev6. - I was in dangerous situation. I was on highway and my car automatically slow down. I was driving alone. it was very stressful situation and it was Saturday night. I was not able to find any safe place to stop by. It was very risky as people was driving behind me and there was not the shoulder of the highway where I can stopped. - I went to Kia dealership and they confirmed this issue. - It was inspected - Engine light just turn on 2 minutes before the car slowed down by itself to 20 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11488660