What 380 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sportage Phev

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at 45 MPH, the daughter collided with another vehicle after the vehicle aggressively merged in front of her. The collision was at the front driver and passenger side of the vehicle. The contact added that the collision threw her daughter forward and backward, and the contact's daughter sustained neck, shoulder, and lower back injuries, and surgery on her neck was needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the residence and parked. The vehicle was then towed to a body shop. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11700646

In 2022, my 2013 Kia Sportage (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a spontaneous engine compartment fire while parked. I was unaware of any existing recalls at the time. The vehicle was stationary and turned off when the incident occurred. I extinguished the fire myself. There was no crash involved, but the damage rendered the vehicle inoperable. I later discovered that this exact vehicle is subject to Recall 23V652000, related to an electrical short in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) that can result in an engine compartment fire while the vehicle is parked or driving. As of now, the recall remains open and unrepaired under this VIN. I was never notified of this critical safety recall before the incident. Kia’s authorized dealer in Puerto Rico (MOTORAMBAR) confirmed the recall but declined responsibility for the damage already caused, offering only the standard fuse replacement. I have submitted a written complaint to Kia and am now documenting this safety failure with NHTSA. This fire was not caused by misuse or wear-and-tear — it occurred under normal conditions and clearly matches the exact language of the recall defect. I believe this represents a serious failure of notification and manufacturer accountability. I am seeking resolution and accountability through both Kia and the NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11661375

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while at a stop light, smoke was present from the vents inside the cabin. Later, while attempting to park more smoke was coming from under the hood and the neighbor also witnessed flames coming from the front of the vehicle. No further information was available. The contact indicated that the fire self extinguished and no fire department was contacted. The cause of the fire was not determined and the vehicle was not yet towed away. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 218,000.

NHTSA ODI 11635109

We were driving down the road and heard a whine. About 2 minutes later there was a pop in both front wheels locked we could not move and we cannot get them to unlock

NHTSA ODI 11580042

I have a Kia Sportage Ex 2013 and this motor vehicle has a fire and explotion in the road.

NHTSA ODI 11562489

While driving on the highway there was a 'pop' sound and then the smell of smoke. After pulling over to the side of the highway, roughly 20 seconds later, smoke was pouring out of the front of the vehicle and within a minute it was engulfed in flames.

NHTSA ODI 11518710

My car caught on fire on the highway due to a kia recall and kia isn't willing to fix my car because i was unaware of the recall. I was on the highway driving my 9 month old baby to her fathers home and then i heard a rattling under the hood. all of a sudden my car stopped driving and it caught on fire thankfully I had my partner with me so he put out the fire. At the moment the KIA dealership has been brutally rude to the point that they've raised their voices at me and threaten to charge me more fees for my car being there because I was waiting to hear back from KIA. On top of everything i called the dealership that i bought the car from and has cursed me and sent me to hell because they did not go over the car fax with me or even advise me this vehicle had an open recall. he practically took my money, charged me and at the end of the service threw papers on the desk said here is your car fax and told me to have a nice day. I am getting no sympathy for my daughter being in the car and i don't know much about cars so thankfully i had someone with me who notice the fire, on top of my financial hardships right now because of my car being at KIA. I waited 3 weeks for KIA corp to tell me my engine has no warranty and there is nothing they can do to help please tell me you can help me with this if not a referral to someone who can.

NHTSA ODI 11505990

At first i heard a knocking noise as if something fell from under the hood then my car stopped accelerating then the engine light went off oil light as well. Mind you I'm in the car with my 9 month old baby in the middle of the highway i stop my car where it was smoking i lifted my hood and there was a fire i had to put out because if i didn't my car would have blew up then the car never turned back on other then the urgency of my situation i dropped my car off to a kia dealership completely rude and unsympathetic and still haven't heard a word back about my car or even trying to get me into a rental worse experience of my life I almost die and kia fails to act like they give a damn.

NHTSA ODI 11501625

I was driving down a hill within miles of our home on route 50 with my teenage son in the passenger seat when my kia downshifted, and just quit working, and then we noticed smoke under the hood. We got it to the side of the road. When popping the hood we couldn't tell what was going on but there was a spark/fire that we extinguished with a soda I had. I did not have to call fire or police. Thank goodness there were no other cars around and we were not injured. It was around 10:30am and was pretty scary. There were no warning lights or sounds at the time of the incident. I had just had all new brakes, rotors, and tires put on in over the summer. We did get it towed to All body auto near where the incident occurred. They said there was a hole in the engine that is not fixable. I notified my insurance company and he said to contact the kia dealership where i bought it because of the recalls. The dealership said they couldn't do anything because I missed a sensor recall P12103 in the last 2 years so I cant get the SC141. and I am over the 150k miles. I also called the kia company number who told me the same thing. I told them that I moved and never received anything about either recall. But they won't tow my car or fix it at no charge like the recalls online said they would do. They also said my vin doesn't get the SC253 recall. They said my kia needs to go to a dealership but they won't tow it. They said i may be reimbursed. I am just super frustrated. I can't leave my kia at the auto body shop. So I sent my kia claim up to national and am waiting on a return call. but i don't think anything will get done.

NHTSA ODI 11491908

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 73 mph, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact parked on the side of the roadway and saw smoke coming from under the hood. The contact opened the hood and saw fire around the engine. The contact stated that her boyfriend extinguished the fire with bottles of water she had in the vehicle. The police and fire department were called to the scene. A fire report was filed. The contact was not aware of a police report being filed. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to two independent mechanics and remained at the second location. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

NHTSA ODI 11426124

MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE THE GAS PEDAL DIDNT WORK I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WAS SMOKING BECAUSE IT WAS ON FIRE

NHTSA ODI 11407958

TL* THE CONTACT'S CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER MOTHER WHO OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE SEIZED AND SAW SMOKE EXITING THE FROM THE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER DAYTONA KIA (510 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114: (386) 252-7000), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11396745

AT 97,XXX MILES, THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS FAILED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE FAILURE RUPTURED THE OIL PAN, SPRAYING OIL ON THE ENGINE, EXHAUST HEADERS, AND THE ROAD. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS, NOISE, OR PERFORMANCE LOSS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE SEEMS SIMILAR TO OTHER FAILURES WITH KIA AND HYUNDAI ENGINES, HOWEVER THIS SPECIFIC ENGINE WAS NOT LISTED IN A NHTSA RECALL. KIA HAS REFUSED TO WARRANTY THE FAILURE, STATING IT WAS NOT "DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT". THE ENGINE MODEL IS A 2.4L DOHC MPI THETA-II. OTHER THETA-II ENGINES HAVE BEEN RECALLED, JUST NOT THIS VERY SPECIFIC TYPE.

NHTSA ODI 11343638

DRIVING BACK FROM A SHORT RUN TO DO A GROCERY PICK A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE BURNING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FIREWALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328943

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN HWY 75 S THE CAR WAS ON CRUSE CONTROL , THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP SO I TOOK THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF , THE CAR BEGAN TO KNOCK SO I WAS MAKING MY WAY TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD WHEN FLAMES AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR . OTHER DRIVERS BEGAN TO CALL 911 AND REPORTED MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. AT THIS TIME I HEARD A LOAD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE BLEW .I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE . POLICE , FIRE AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ALL SHOWED UP . MY KIA AND THE YEAR ARE AMONG THE RECALL ENGINE BUT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT , SO KIA CONSUMER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME . I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH ON HERE AND HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER KIA ENGINES ON HERE THE SAME AS MINE THAT HAVE DONE THE SAME EXACT THING BUT NOT BEEN IN THE RECALL . IT IS TIME KIA STEPS UP AND DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS .THERE WAS ONLY 92 THOUSAND MILES ON MY ENGINE ALL OIL CHANGES WERE GOOD NEW AIR FILTER JUST INSTALLED AND TIRES JUST ROTATED , I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR IT WAS NOT ABUSED . BUT KIA IS OFFERING NOTHING TO HELP . THEY DID STATE THAT THEY WILL SEND IT FURTHER UP THE CHAIN . THAT COULD TAKE WEEKS .

NHTSA ODI 11291604

ON JUNE 26, CAR PARKED IN SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE (UNDER HOOD) WHILE I WAS AT WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11271022

'TAKATA RECALL' GASOLINE SMELLS COMING FROM THE OIL DIPSTICK WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL I COULD SMELL GASOLINE INSIDE MY OIL , MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONED IN MY DRIVEWAY UNDER MY CARPORT.

NHTSA ODI 11252660

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

NHTSA ODI 11243931

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

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THERE WAS A LOUD CRACKING NOISE AND MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD I COULD SEE SOME FLAMES IN THE ENGINE BAY. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL THAT HAD LEAKED OUT AFTER PULLING OVER. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. I AM STILL WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11204015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT HAD TO IMMEDIATELY EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT WAITED A FEW MINUTES, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO PRODUCE SMOKE. THE VEHICLE ALSO LEAKED OIL AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND THEN TOWED TO KIA OF AUGUSTA (1770 GORDON HWY, AUGUSTA, GA 30904, (706) 312-9200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD ROD ARM OF THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE ROD ARM KNOCKED A WHOLE IN THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED THE OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND TWO COMPLAINTS WERE FILED WITH KIA CORPORATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

NHTSA ODI 11171811

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH MY KIA SPORTAGE WENT DEAD. I PULLED OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN BUT IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER THAT, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE KIA WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND CHECKED BY MECHANICS, WHO SAID THAT THE ROD BEARING WENT BAD AND IT SEIZED THE ENGINE. THE STARTER WAS ALSO FRIED IN THE PROCESS. KIA AGREED TO REPLACE THE PARTS BUT WOULD NOT AGREE TO PAY THE APPROXIMATELY $2500 LABOR COST. THE VEHICLE STILL SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIR. IT'S BEEN OVER 2 MONTHS NOW. I PLAN TO PURSUE HAVING KIA PAY FOR THE LABOR AS WELL. I NOW OWE $7000 ON A CAR THAT WILL NOT RUN.

NHTSA ODI 11152115

VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DURING USE

NHTSA ODI 11151507

THE ENGINE OF MY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED JULY 10TH. AS OF OCTOBER 29TH I AM STILL AWAITING ITS REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11143966

I HIT A PATCH OF ICE AND RIKASHADED OFF A GUARD RAIL FLEW ACROSS THE HIGHWAY WAS TBONES BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND WENT INTO THE DITCH. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL CAUSING BRUISING AND PROBLEMS WITH THE RODS IN MY BACK.

NHTSA ODI 11080067