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)

11 of 392 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Dec 31, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11633380

Aug 7, 2024Brakes

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ODI 11607076

Apr 24, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11584998

Mar 8, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11576158

Feb 15, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while driving the vehicle there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who informed the contact that the vehicle was under recall and referred the contact to the dealer. The dealer was contacted and stated that a diagnostic test could not be performed until March 2024. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11572043

Feb 15, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11572047

Feb 2, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11569466

Jan 12, 2024Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11565211

Nov 29, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11557401

Oct 27, 2011BrakesWheelsCrash3 injuries

BRAKE PEDAL GRIP PADDING FALLS OFF, LEAVING A SLIPPERY SURFACE AND A FALLEN GRIP PADDING BLOCKING BRAKE PEDAL. WHILE DRIVING IN FREEWAY AT 65 MPH. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SWERVING INTO TWO TOLL LANES & CRASHING INTO SEVERAL RUBBER DIVIDERS. AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE BRAKE PEDAL GRIP PADDING HAS CONTINUED TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. KIA DEALERSHIP & SERVICE DEPARTMENT DENIED A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN TGHE VEHICLE WITHOUT EVEN INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. *TT

NHTSA ODI 10432967

Sep 16, 2011Brakes

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW AND ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AS I WAS APPROCHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE BRAKES MADE A VERY VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO STOP AFTER BRAKES WERE APPLIED SO I HAD TO PUT MUCH MORE THAN NORMAL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I CARRIED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED (DID NOT MAKE THE NOISE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP) AND AFTER CHECKING IT I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO MAKE THE NOISE AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE MADE THE SAME MALFUNCTION ONCE (LOUD BRAKE GRINDING NOISE AND HARD TO STOP) BUT DID NOT DO THE SAME THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER DROVE THE VEHICLE AND AS THEY WERE APPROCHING STOPPED TRAFFIC AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE MADE THE SAME MALFUNCTION WITH THE BRAKES MAKING THE LOUD GRINDING NOISE (AS SHE SAID IT SOUND LIKE CHAINS WRAPPED AROUND THE BRAKE CALIPERS IT WAS SO LOUD) THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO STOP AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN THE NORMAL MANNER AND SHE ALMOST HIT THE STOPPED VEHICLES IN FRONT OF HER BEFORE SHE COULD GET IT STOPPED (TRAVELING AT 45 MPH) AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH ON AND OFF. PLEASE NOTE THIS BRAKE MALFUNCTION HAS HAPPENED (3) TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW AND WE HAVE ONLY DRIVEN IT APPROX. 80 MILES AND MY CONCERN IS WHEN THE MALFUNCTION OCCURED WE WERE ONLY TRAVELING AT APPROX. 45 MPH AND COULD HARDLY GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURED - SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE DISTANCE REQUIRED TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. *TT

NHTSA ODI 10425730

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 →