What 380 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sportage Phev

ENGINE IS KNOCKING COMMON ENGINE FAILURE ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM?

NHTSA ODI 11243931

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY STALLED AND BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF WARRINGTON (1425 EASTON RD, WARRINGTON, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 11241792

MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 96,807 MILES STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY, FAST-MOVING STREET. THE CAR BEGAN TO STUTTER, LOSE ACCELERATION, AND A KNOCKING SOUND STARTED TO COME FROM THE ENGINE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS SEVERE ENGINE KNOCKING WHICH LED THE TO THE ENGINE STALLING. PER THE DIAGNOSIS FROM MY MECHANIC, UPON TEAR DOWN OF ENGINE THE MAIN BEARINGS HAD SPUN CAUSING EXCESSIVE PLAY ON THE PISTONS ALLOWING THEM TO HIT ON THE ENGINE WALL CAUSING THE KNOCKING. DURING THIS PROCESS, WE LEARNED THE GDI ENGINES WERE RECALLED BUT THE THETA ENGINES WERE NOT, FOR SOME REASON. EVEN THOUGH THE ISSUES ARE THE SAME. WE ALSO LEARNED THE THETA ENGINES FOR REPLACEMENT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND BECAUSE (1) THE ENGINES WERE DISCONTINUED AND (2) THE ISSUE IS COMMON AND SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NEEDING NEW ENGINES. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, WHICH COST $7,000 (DUE TO THE MECHANIC FINDING ONLY ONE USED ENGINE AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT - AT THE COST OF OVER $5,000 FOR THE ENGINE ALONE). THE CAR RUNS NORMAL NOW, BUT WE ARE OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND FAIL, GIVEN HOW OFTEN THIS IS OCCURRING WITH THESE ENGINES. KIA NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE WITH THE THETA ENGINES, AND REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO FIX THEIR CAR. WE DILIGENTLY SERVICED OUR VEHICLE WITH TIMELY OIL CHANGES, AND HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION TO BACK IT UP. CARS STALLING WHILE DRIVING IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND CANNOT BE STATED ANY OTHER WAY.

NHTSA ODI 11240828

DRIVING 65 MPH ON FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY ALL POWER IS LOST. THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY PROBLEMS, NO STALLING, BUCKING, STRUGGLING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR SYSTEM WARNINGS. KIA DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISED THE ENGINE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS FULL OF OIL AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO LEAKS, WAS ABOUT TO SEIZE. THE TECH COULDN'T TELL ME WHY HE DETERMINED THAT DIAGNOSIS, SUCH AS PISTON, ROD/LIFTER, METAL SHAVINGS, BLOCK?? QUOTED $7,000 FOR REPLACEMENT AND MORE FOR A USED ENGINE (HIGHER LABOR CHARGES). ADVISED THAT NO ONE WOULD EVER REPLACE ENGINE IN 2013 KIA SPORTAGE; SHOULD JUST BUY A NEW KIA. I STILL OWE NEARLY $7,000 ON THE LOAN AND HAD EXPECTATIONS OF 200,000+MILES ON A KIA. ONLINE I FOUND A RECALL FOR THE 2013 KIA SPORTAGE ENGINE FOR ENGINE SEIZING, BUT HE ASSURED ME THAT DIDN'T COVER MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE ENGINE THAT WAS "ABOUT TO SEIZE", EVEN THOUGH IT IS DOING THE SAME THING. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA FOR THIS REASON AND WILL JOIN THE ONLINE FORUM PETITIONING THE NHTSA TO ISSUE AN EXPANSION OF THIS RECALL. KIA SHOULD MAKE THIS RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11240515

7/12/19 WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MILES AN HR PICKING UP SPEED, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS ACTING A LITTLE STRANGE AND MAKING SOME ODD NOISES. MY CAR WAS DRIVEN HOME AND SAT UNTIL MONDAY WHEN IT WAS TAKEN TO THE GARAGE. THE GARAGE INFORMED MY THAT THURSDAY I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. THEY STATED THAT WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE AND SEARCHING FOR A NEW ENGINE, THEY DISCOVERED ITS WAS COMMON PROBLEM AND COULDN'T COME BY AN ENGINE FOR MY CAR. I AM ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED. SINGLE MOTHER WORKING HARD EVERYDAY. NOW I AM LEFT WITH NO VEHICLE. 2013 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 124,000 MILES THE NEWEST CAR IVE EVER OWNED. BOUGHT LAST YEAR, STILL OWE MONEY ON IT. NEVER AGAIN. DON'T BUY THIS CAR!!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11240588

AT ABOUT 122,000 MILES THE MOTOR THREW A ROD. THE ROD BROOK A PIECE OF THE MOTOR OFF. WE WERE TRAVEL AND WERE STRANDED IN BETWEEN TOWN IN THE COUNTRY.

NHTSA ODI 11231548

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, STARTED MAKING WEIRD TICKING NOISE, STARTED TO LOSE ACCELERATION, VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TURNER KIA SAYS THAT I NO LONGER HAVE THE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY(I'M OVER BY LESS THAN 1K MILES) AND WANTS $129 JUST TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS AND FROM LOOKING AT THIS WEBSITE, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED!?

NHTSA ODI 11228383

DRIVING MY KIA AND IT LOST POWER LIGHTS CAME ON AND I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. IT DIED, ALL THIS OIL WAS RUNNING OUT OF MY CAR. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED!!!! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! THIS HAPPENED ON A REGULAR ROAD. I DO NOT KNOW, WHY THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS NO WARNING, THAN IT LOST POWER. VERY SCARY SITUATION!!! I THAN CALLED FOR A TOW. WAITED THERE 3 HRS. FOR THE TOW TRUCK!!! THE TOW GUY SAID, HE JUST PICKED UP ANOTHER KIA AND NOW MY KIA AND HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO TOW ANOTHER KIA...

NHTSA ODI 11221842

I WAS DRIVING ON THE BENICIA BRIDGE WITH MY 9 AND 5 YEAR OLD WHEN THE CAR LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THERE WAS A QUIET TICKING UNDER THE HOOD THEN WITHIN 30 SECONDS IT SOUNDED LIKE A HAMMER SMACKING OVER AND OVER. I PULLED DO THE SLOW LANE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED OVER THE BRIDGE UNTIL THERE WAS A SAFE SHOULDER. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11221849

LEFT REAR WHEEL MAKES A NOISE LIKE IT'S AN OLD OLD CAR, AS YOU DRIVING LOW SPEED. OR EVEN IF IT IS STATIONARY, IT MAKES THAT NOISE AS YOU GET IN OR GET OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. CAN'T PIN POINT, WHERE THE SOUND COMING FROM. ANNOYING.

NHTSA ODI 11221384

SUV HAS 125,000 MILES ON IT SB'S THE ENGINE FROZE. HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH (THE SPEED LIMIT HERE). JUST LOST ACCELERATION AND HAD TO GLIDE TO THE SHOULDER, WHERE IT WOULDN'T RESTART (OBVIOUSLY). THE MECHANIC AT KIA IN LAKE CHARLES SAID HE'S NEVER SEEN AN ENGINE GO OUT THIS EARLY. NO PRIOR ISSUES OTHER THAN THE SUN ROOF MECHANISM.

NHTSA ODI 11220952

PURCHASED VEHICLE ON APRIL 22ND, 2019 FROM ANAHEIM MITSUBISHI. PURCHASE PRICE 8,995.00, MILEAGE 101,527. ON MAY 15TH 2019 WHILE ON INTERSTATE 5 IN GRAPEVINE AUTO SUFFERED SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE. THE VIN OF THIS VEHICLE IS NOT LISTED UNDER CURRENT KIA RECALL BUT SAME EXACT PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11220731

DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN THE MOUNTAINS, THE CAR STALLED 3 TIMES WHEN I WOULD LET OFF THE GAS. IT BEGAN MAKING A NOISE LIKE THE MUFFLER WASN'T WORKING, THEN A KNOCKING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE NOISE UNDER THE HOOD GOT LOUDER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP. HE TOLD ME THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE OVERHAULED OR REPLACED. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER, THE SAID THE SAME THING. THEY WANT $9,800 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11219297

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING METAL ODOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL WAS CHANGED REGULARLY EVERY 3,000 MILES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11218244

MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 66,000 MILES STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. I PULLED IN TO A MECHANIC SHOP IMMEDIATELY. MECHANIC ADVISED ENGINE TROUBLE AND RECOMMENDED TO TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALERS IS CURRENTLY HOLDING THE CAR AND WILL ADVISE. HIS INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AT 66,000 MILES WHAT A BIG DISSAPOINTMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11218116

THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND MY HUSBAND WAS IN OUR DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY. HE PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE SO OUR SON-IN-LAW COULD LEAVE FOR WORK AND THE ENGINE STALLED (LATER FINDING OUT IT SEIZED). NOT KNOWING THE PROBLEM, THEY TRIED TO JUMP START THE CAR WITH NO LUCK. WE CALLED AAA AT 10AM AND TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, AFTER 4 AAA CALLS, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SHORKEY KIA DEALERSHIP. WE HAD TO PAY $119 FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THEN WERE TOLD THE BATTER WAS BAD ($172). AFTER THE BATTER WAS PUT I, WE WERE TOLD THE STARTER WAS BAD (DIDN'T GET THAT PRICE). AFTER THE STARTER WAS PUT IN WE GOT A CALL THAT THE CAR STARTED AND IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE SEIZED. BECAUSE THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF THE KIA SPORTAGE HAD RECALLS THAT DIRECTLY RESULTED IN THE ENGINE SEIZING, WE CHECKED FOR THIS RECALL, BUT THE VIN NUMBER IS NOT LISTED AS A RECALL. HOW MANY RECALLS ON THE SAME PROBLEM MUST OCCUR BEFORE ANOTHER VIN NUMBER IS ADDED TO THE LIST? MY HUSBAND COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE PARKWAY WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED OR IN A DANGEROUS LOCATION AND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR IN A WRECK. SHORKEY SAID KIA IS NOT COVERING ANYTHING AND WE NEED A NEW ENGINE FOR $10,000. THE CAR MILEAGE IS UNDER 56,000 MILES AND IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT AN ENGINE SHOULD SEIZE AND BE BAD AT THIS LOW MILEAGE LEVEL UNLESS THERE'S A FLAW IN MANUFACTURING, WHICH THERE OBVIOUSLY IS SINCE OTHER 2013 KIA SPORTAGES HAVE BEEN RECALLED (THE RECALL WHICH CAUSED OTHER KIAS TO HAVE THEIR ENGINE SEIZE AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11217796

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO COME TO THE SCENE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED FIRST KIA (2081 FIRST ST, SIMI VALLEY, CA 93065, (805) 526-9776) AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,042.

NHTSA ODI 11217488

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A BIG BOOM. SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD THERE WAS OIL LEAKING AND A SMALL FIRE. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11210094

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GATEWAY KIA OF DENVILLE (LOCATED AT 3101 NJ-10, DENVILLE, NJ 07834, (973) 361-0400) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13175736. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11209459

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE TRAVELING UP A HILL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA ODI 11208642

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE, EXITED, AND NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A HOTEL PARKING LOT. THE CONTACT CALLED GARDEN GROVE KIA (LOCATED AT 13731 HARBOR BLVD, GARDEN GROVE, CA 92843, (888) 992-1833) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11208266

THERE IS A "CLICKING" SOUND IN THE MOTOR - THIS BEGIN SUDDENLY. THIS IS HEARD WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11207812

MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT AND THE RIGHT FRON AXEL HAS BROKEN, ADDITIONALLY THEY THINK THE TRANSMISSION MAY BE BAD AND THEY SAY MY BREAK PADS, ROTERS AND TIRES ARE BAD. I PURCHASED TWO TIRES IN 2016 AND TWO IN 2017 AND DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES A YEAR. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND I AM A VERY SAFE DRIVER. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SAFETY ISSUE I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR, TWICE THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED, THEY FIXED THAT AT NO COST BUT THE FACT THAT IT HAPPENED TWICE AND COULD BE SO DANGEROUS SHOULD BE NOTED. SUPPOSEDLY I HAVE A 100,000 - 10 YEAR LIMITED POWER TRAIN WARRANTY BUT THEY ARE TELLING ME I HAVE TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING AND THAT THEY WON'T KNOW ABOUT TRANSMISSION UNTIL THEY REPLACE AXLE. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE CARS, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I AM DEALING WITH KIA OF CAPE COD IN SOUTH YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS

NHTSA ODI 11207440

THE ENGINE SEIZED, A ROD BROKE AND PIERCED ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. KIA HAS SEVERAL RECALLS ON THEIR VEHICLES FOR THIS BUT MINE WASN'T RECALLED AND IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THOSE RECALLED. THIS COULD OF CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD IT BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE BUT I HAPPENED TO BE IN NEIGHBORHOOD.

NHTSA ODI 11207304

BLOWN ENGINE

NHTSA ODI 11205799