Home · 2012 Kia Sportage Phev Phev · Complaints

What 392 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sportage Phev Phev

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.

All (392)Crash / fire / injury (26)Engine (328)Electrical system (29)Transmission & drivetrain (21)Brakes (11)Fuel system (7)Steering (6)Airbags (4)Body & structure (4)Visibility & wipers (4)Speed control (3)

328 of 392 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 10 of 14

Dec 13, 2018Engine

ON 11/09/2018 OUR SON WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER VISITING HIS FATHER IN THE HOSPITAL.HE CALLED AND SAID THE KIA HAD BEGAN SHAKING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO HE IMMEDIATLY TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT .THE CAR MADE SOME LOUD NOISES AND COMPLETLY LOST POWER BEFORE HE COULD PARK IN A SPACE.THIS WAS AROUND MIDNIGHT AND HE IS A TEENAGER SO HE WAS REALLY UPSET .AS I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL WITH HIS DAD HE CALLED A FRIENDS PARENT TO PICK HIM UP .THE NEXT DAY WE HAD CAR TOWED TO KIA DEALER.THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE DEALER CALLED AND SAID ENGINE WAS UNREPAIRABLE .AS SOON AS MY HUSBAND WAS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL WE WENT TO DEALER ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY AND GOT QUOTE OF OVER 5000.00 TO FIX WITH A NEW SHORT BLOCK ENGINE.OF COURSE OUR VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS OF THIS ENGINE BUT WE FEEL CERTAIN THIS FAILURE IS THE RESULT OF KIAS FAULTY ENGINE.THIS CAR DID HAVE 144,000 MILES THAT WERE INTERSTATE COMMUTER MILES AND I HAD ALWAYS KEPT THE OIL CHANGED.PRIOR TO THIS THE ONLY THING REPAIRED WAS THE RADIO AND A NEW BATTERY.THERE WAS ZERO WARNING OF ANY APPROACHING PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE.IT DID NOT USE OIL,DRIP ANY FLUIDS OR GIVE ANY INDICATION ANYTHING WAS WRONG. FORTUNALTY THIS HAPPED LATE AT NIGHT WITH NO TRAFFIC AND NOT TO ME DURING MY DAILY INTERSTATE COMMUTE.

NHTSA ODI 11161262

Dec 4, 2018Engine

MARCH 2017 (89500 MILES) CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WAS ON. WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE VIBRATION AT HIGH RPMS, VIBRATIONS WHEN SHIFTING, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. KIA DEALER REPLACED TIMING CHAIN. JULY 2017 (94156 MILES) ENGINE IDLING LOUD AND ROUGH, ENGINE WHINES OUT, WOULD NOT SHIFT TILL REACHED HIGH RPMS. NO ENGINE LIGHT INDICATOR AT THIS TIME. KIA DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR COULD NOT DUPLICATE ANY CONCERNS. AFTER SCAN PERFORMED ON VEHICLE, NO CODES THROWN, SUGGESTED DOWN STREAM CATALYST BE CHANGED AFTER AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION. WE HAD CATALYST REPLACED AT MUFFLER SHOP. THE SHOP INDICTED THAT THE CATALYST WAS NOT FAULTY. DECEMBER 2018 (113000 MILES) ENGINE VIBRATION TURNED INTO ENGINE KNOCKING, DECREASE IN POWER, CONTINUE TO SHIFT AT HIGH RPMS. NO ENGINE LIGHT INDICATOR. RETURN TO KIA DEALER, INFORMED BY DEALER THAT WE NEED A NEW ENGINE. I FEEL MY ENGINE TROUBLES BEGIN IN MARCH OF 2017, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED APPROPRIATELY BY THE DEALERSHIP. LEADING TO AN OUTOFPOCKET EXPENSE FOR AN ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11155954

Nov 29, 2018Engine

AT 100,000 MILES, A KNOCKING SOUND COULD BE HEARD. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS FAULTY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE 2012 KIA SPORTAGE BUT MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT INDICATE THAT MY VEHICLE WAS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY MY VEHICLE WHICH IS AFFECTED BY THE SAME ENGINE FAILURE IS NOT COVERED?

NHTSA ODI 11154692

Nov 19, 2018Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000.

NHTSA ODI 11152463

Nov 15, 2018Engine

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A BUSY 4 LANE ROAD THE CAR LOST POWER AND THE STEERING AND BRAKES BECAME STIFF AND HARD TO ACTUATE. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A TOW TRUCK TOWED MY CAR TO THE KIA DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A SEIZED ENGINE. MY SPORTAGE HAD 86000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE SEIZURE. I AM NOW WAITING FOR PARTS TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. MY SPORTAGE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THIS MAY TAKE 60-90 DAYS! I WILL NEED TO PAY A $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. I FEEL KIA SHOULD REPAIR THIS DEFECTIVE ENGINE FOR FREE AND ALSO PAY MY RENTAL CAR COST. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THEIR KIA SPORTAGE AND OTHER KIA MODELS.

NHTSA ODI 11151775

Oct 30, 2018Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A METAL CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE STATED THAT THE ENGINE THEN STALLED BUT WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER HYMAN BROS KIA (11901 MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE, MIDLOTHIAN, VA 23113, (888) 473-0358) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11144105

Oct 29, 2018Engine

REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 17V224000, I WAS DRIVING MY KIA ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE TOTALLY STOPPED.

NHTSA ODI 11143775

Oct 29, 2018Engine

ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO CRANKSHAFT BEARING FAILURE. CAR WAS MOVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN IT FAILED.

NHTSA ODI 11143848

Oct 28, 2018Engine

DRIVING OUT OF TOWN AND ENGINE FAILED

NHTSA ODI 11143475

Oct 26, 2018Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE NOISE WAS SO EXCESSIVE THAT THE CONTACT CAREFULLY DROVE THE VEHICLE 45 MPH DUE TO A LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DOLAN KIA (9455 S VIRGINIA ST, RENO, NV 89511, (775) 825-1013) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: RQ17003 (ENGINE), ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT'S FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11142947

Oct 23, 2018Engine

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK ONE MORNING AND I HEARD A WEIRD FAINT KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM OUTSIDE MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE STRAIGHT TO ROYAL KIA IN TUCSON WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR 4 YEARS AGO AS A "CERTIFIED" USED CAR. AT 3P THAT AFTERNOON THEY CALLED TO TELL ME THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. IT HAS 78000 MILES ON IT. THEY CLAIM MY WARRENTY WAS "DEFAULTED" ON BECAUSE OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS I WAS LATE GETTING THE OIL CHANGED TWICE. I CALLED CORP KIA AND THEY BASICALLY SAID TOO BAD AND INSINUATED THAT BECAUSE THE LATE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. I ALSO SPOKE WITH TGE GM OF ROYAL KIA AND HE INSISTED THE SAME THING. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF MECHANICS AND THEY SAID NO WAY CAN THAT CAUSE AN ENGINE TO GO WITH THE LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE ALSO HAD EVERY SERVICE DONE ON THE CAR FOR 4 YEARS. THE ONLY ISSUE WAS THE TWO LATE OIL CHANGES. I BROUGHT THE RECALL UP TO THE DEALER AND HE SAID THAT IT WASN'T THIS ENGINE. I SAY SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $7000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND THAT IT REALLY WASN'T "WORTH IT". THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF ENGINE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE. MAYBE ANOTHER CLASS ACTION SUIT SHOULD BE PURSUED.

NHTSA ODI 11142236

Oct 22, 2018Electrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE DRIVER. WHILE DRIVING AND SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN TRAFFIC. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE PISTON ROD WAS DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11141842

Oct 20, 2018Engine

DRIVING FROM FLAGSTAFF AZ TO PHOENIX AZ ON HIGHWAY 17. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER SO I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO FLAGSTAFF AT A COST OF $390. THE DEALER THERE SAID THE ENGINE SEIZED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE STATED THAT THEY ARE HAVING A HUGE RECALL ON KIA ENGINES BUT MINE IS NOT ONE OF THEM. IT WOULD COST 5-6 THOUSAND . I HAVE CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID "THIS CAR IS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLS THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO". I HAD THEM SEND MY COMPLAINT TO THEIR ESCALATION DEPT. AND THEY BASICALLY SAID THE SAME THING. I ASKED THEM TO SUBMIT IT TO A HIGHER SOURCE IF THERE IS ONE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING THEY CAN DO AND TO GIVE THEM 3-4 BUSINESS DAYS. THAT WAS ON 10/12/18. I CALLED THEM ON 10/19/18/ AND ONLY GOT VOICE MAILS

NHTSA ODI 11141582

Oct 16, 2018Engine

I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR AROUND 6 YEARS AND 75K MILES. ENGINE QUIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE KIA 2012 SPORTAGE ON A HIGHWAY. I WAS DRIVING, AS USUAL. I FELT A BIT BUMP(?). SUDDENLY, GAS PEDDLE DID NOT FUNCTIONALLY WORK(IT WORKED PHYSICALLY PUSH AND RELEASE). THE ENGINE LIGHT AND SEVERAL LIGHTS CAME ON. I MOVED ON THE SIDE AND TURN IT OFF. AND THEN, I DID TRY BACK IT ON. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. FINALLY, I HAD THE SPORTAGE TOWED TO KIA SERVICE CENTER

NHTSA ODI 11140625

Oct 11, 2018Engine

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA SPORTAGE DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND SAW SMOKE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, THANKFULLY, AND ALL THE OIL BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE. ULTIMATELY WE HAD A HOLE IN OUR ENGINE. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE 2 YEARS BUT NOW IT IS RENDERED USELESS. SEEING THE RECALL, I IMMEDIATELY CALL KIA, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT OUR VIN # WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR AN ENGINE, ONE IS $8000 AND THE OTHER $12,000! HOW DO I KNOW THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN?? I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT, I STILL OWE ON IT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. THIS WAS OUR FAMILY VEHICLE. I'M BESIDE MYSELF.

NHTSA ODI 11139888

Oct 9, 2018EngineFire

ENGINE FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AND SAME AS CURRENT RECALL FOR WHICH MY VIN IS SUPPOSEDLY NOT AFFECTED. REGULAR MAINTENANCE AS BEEN PERFORMED. 1 DAY AFTER MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE, ACCELERATED TO ENTER INTERSTATE. HEARD A POP THEN SEEN BLACK SMOKE. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF INTERSTATE AND POPPED THE HOOD ONLY TO FIND A SMALL ENGINE FIRE. VERY GLAD THIS WASN'T A VERY BUSY TIME ON THE ROAD AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.

NHTSA ODI 11139189

Oct 9, 2018Engine

2012 SPORTAGE LX WITH 75,560 MILES ON VEHICLE. I AM NOT THE PRIMARY OWNER BUT A SECONDARY OWNER SO KIA SAYS THE 100,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY DOES NOT APPLY TO ME. THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND ON SUNDAY SO I HAD IT TOWED TO ROUND ROCK KIA (N AUSTIN TEXAS). KIA DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE IS A BAD/WORN CONNECTING ROD BEARING WHICH IS THE IDENTICAL CAUSE OF FAILURE AS "RECALL 17V224000" | "KIA'S RECALL NUMBER "SC147". THE RECALL IMPACTS 2012 SPORTAGE FAILING IN IDENTICAL WAYS BUT BECAUSE MY VIN IS SUPPOSEDLY OUTSIDE THE RECALL POOL THEY ARE SAYING IT'S NOT COVERED AND WANTING ME TO PAY 4,200 FOR A NEW ENGINE BLOCK. THE DETAILS OF THE RECALL EVEN MENTION THE ENGINE ROD "DURING MACHINING OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AND CRANKPINS, METAL SHAVINGS MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT WITHIN THE CRANKSHAFT OIL PASSAGES, AND THE CRANKPINS THEMSELVES MAY BE TOO ROUGH ON THE EDGES. AS A RESULT, OIL MAY BE BLOCKED AND CAUSE THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS TO WEAR, WHICH WOULD THEN CAUSE THEM TO FAIL AND SEIZE THE WHOLE ENGINE."

NHTSA ODI 11139268

Oct 4, 2018Engine

THE ENGINE LOCKED UP ON MY VEHICLE JUST AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. KIA REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE "IT WAS NOT ON THE LIST". THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH VEHICLES TO INCLUDE IN THE RECALL. MY VEHICLE IS STILL SITTING IN MY GARAGE AND I AM STILL PAYING A MONTHLY NOTE.

NHTSA ODI 11133279

Sep 25, 2018Engine

PURCHASED 2012 KIA SPORTAGE 2 YEARS AGO FROM ORIGINAL OWNER. IT IS NOW 80,000. WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN ON A HWY THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE AND LOST POWER, I WAS ABLE TO SQUEEK IN SLOWLY TO THE NEAREST TOWN. KIA DEALERSHIP DETERMINED BLEW UP. NO WARNING. HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE. KIA RECALLED THESE YEARS OF THE SPORTAGE BUT ONLY FOR THE GDI ENGINE. HOWEVER AFTER RESEARCH IT IS APPARENT THAT MANY OWNERS O THE DOHC HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY ARE SAYING THE VIN IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11131602

Sep 17, 2018Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 59 IN HOUSTON IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND MY OIL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. AFTER IT FLASHED IT STOPPED AND THEN IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. AFTER I NOTICED IT WAS NOT ACCELERATING I BEGAN TO GET OFF THE MAIN HIGHWAY ONTO A SERVICE ROAD. BY THE TIME I GOT ONTO THE SERVICE ROAD THE TRUCK WENT COMPLETELY DEAD. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED THE OIL AND I HAD OIL ON MY DIP STICK. I HAD GOTTEN AN OIL CHANGE ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2018.

NHTSA ODI 11129855

Sep 10, 2018Engine

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A CITY ROAD AT APPROX. 45 MPH, CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN SPUTTERING AND MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND SEEMS TO BE LOSING POWER AND FEELS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AND COMES BACK ON.

NHTSA ODI 11128445

Aug 29, 2018Engine1 injury

AT ONLY 97,000 MILES OUR 2012 KIA ENGINE SEIZED AND THREW A ROD ONTO THE INTERSTATE. IT WAS 97 DEGREES OUT AND OUT 1 YO WAS STRANDED WITH US ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE UNTIL HELP ARRIVED. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS KIA AND HYUNDAI ENGINE. THERE WAS EVEN A RECALL. UNFORTUNATELY KIA SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS AND THAT OURS WANT PRODUCED AT THE SAME PLACE. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF THIS SAME ISSUE. IT'S OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN ISSUE OR A LARGER PRODUCTION ISSUE. I CANNOT EXPRESS THE ECONOMIC BIND THIS PUT OUR FAMILY IN AND KIA MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY DON'T CARE. THEY WERE EVEN RUDE AND DISMISSIVE ON THEIR CUSTOMER CARE LINE.

NHTSA ODI 11123283

Aug 28, 2018Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS HIGH SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LURCHED FORWARD. JIM BONE KIA (1255 SANTA ROSA AVE, SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA 95407) WAS CONTACTED, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000.

NHTSA ODI 11123109

Aug 24, 2018Engine

WENT OUT TO GET IN MY CAR AND COME HOME AND IT WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD ROLL OVER BUT NOTHING. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO COME TOW IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE RADIATOR WITH A HOLE IN IT BUT WITH FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO IT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. NO WORNING SIGNS THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG . THE HEAT GAUGE NEVER MOVED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. NO LIGHTS NOTHING BEFORE LEAVING IT SIT FOR ABOUT 30 MIN AND COMING OUT TO A CAR THAT WOULDN'T START.

NHTSA ODI 11122115

Aug 21, 2018Engine

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING 70 MPH MY ENGINE STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE. AT FIRST IT SOUNDED LIKE MY CAR WAS DRAGGING SOMETHING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE THE ENGINE WENT OUT. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE CAR, AND CHECKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THEN CHECKED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO SMOKE AND FLUIDS WERE GOOD AND EVERYTHING ELSE LOOKED GOOD. BUT AS I TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR AFTER 20 MINS THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE POPCORN POPPING. AT THAT POINT I CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE TOW TRUCK GUY ASKED IF HE COULD CHECK THE OIL. WHEN HE DID HE FOUND SMALL METAL SHAVINGS IN IT. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP (WHICH IS NOWHERE NEAR WHERE I CURRENTLY LIVE). TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT I JUST SERVICED MY CAR FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTHING WAS WRONG AT THAT TIME. I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH MY FACTORY MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES ON TIME AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM. NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY OTHER ISSUES WITH MY CAR. WHEN I CALLED A KIA REPRESENTATIVE THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID MY VIN HAS NO RECALLS FOR THE SC147. IT ONLY COVERED THE 2011-2013 KIA SPORTAGE 2.0L ENGINE NOT THE 2.4L ENGINE THAT I HAVE. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. READING THROUGH OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIMILAR ISSUES IT SOUNDS LIKE NOT ONLY SHOULD KIA BE RECALLING THE 2.0L ENGINE BUT ALSO THE 2.4L ENGINE. JUST BECAUSE THE 2.0L AND 2.4L ENGINES ARE BUILT BY TWO MANUFACTURERS AT TWO DIFFERENT FACILITIES DOESN'T MEAN CUSTOMERS WITH THE 2.4L ENGINE SHOULD BE IGNORED. KIA NEEDS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP AND DO SOME INVESTIGATION WITH THE FACILITY THAT BUILT THE 2.4L ENGINE. THE 2.0L AND 2.4L ENGINES ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TODAY TO GET STATUS AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO ETA AT THIS TIME BECAUSE KIA HAS THE ENGINE BACKLOGGED. SO RIGHT NOW I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I WILL BE GETTING MY CAR BACK. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING.

NHTSA ODI 11121265

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Working with the data? Download all 392 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Kia Sportage Phev Phev verdict →