What 380 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sportage Phev

Driver side door will not open from the outside. Handle no longer operates.

NHTSA ODI 11728871

INTERIOR DOOR PANELS EXPANDED DUE TO WEATHER (HEAT IN CALIFORNIA) AND DOORS CANNOT BE PULLED OPEN. IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, PASSENGERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR DUE TO THE EXPANDED INTERIOR DOOR PANELS.

NHTSA ODI 11252445

ENGINE SEIZED WHILE ON EXPRESSWAY. MILEAGE 58K. CHANGE OIL 30 DAYS AGO. NEW BATTERY. CALL FOR RECALL SINCE 2007. DEALER KIA IN BAYAMON PR, REPLIED THERE WAS NO A RECALL. JUST A NOTE BUT NOTHING FOR PR. CALLED KIA AND SAID MY VIN # IS NOT ON THAT RECALL. PR IS NOT INCLUDED ON DEALERS TO CHANGE ENGINES LIKE ALL OTHERY STATES. PLEASE VERIFY AND INVESTIGATE

NHTSA ODI 11163414

I WAS DRIVING 50MPH ON A WINDY DAY. A SEMI PASSED US AND THE AIR PRESSURE IMPLODED THE FRONT SUNROOF. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS OTHER THAN SHATTERED GLASS IN THE INTERIOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10690025

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH RUNNING BOARD THAT ARE "FLUSH" WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS. ANY TIME THERE IS SNOW OR ICE, WHILE DRIVING THE SNOW AND ICE WILL BUILD-UP ON THE RUNNING BOARDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS. IF A QUICK EXIT WERE REQUIRED IN POOR WEATHER OR IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT. WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THE DEFECT WITH PHOTOS AND CONTACTED THE DEALER AND AUTO MAKER REPEATEDLY, AND ALWAYS RECEIVE THE SAME MESSAGE, "WE ARE CONTACTING OUR FIELD TECHNICAL ENGINEER." HOWEVER, WE NEVER RECEIVE ANY OTHER CORRESPONDENCE. ON ONE OCCASION, WE HAD OUR GRANDCHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AND LITERALLY COULD NOT GET THE DOORS OPEN TO GET THEM OUT ON A ROUTINE STOP. IMAGINE OUR CONCERN IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10585830

MY KIA SPORTAGE WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY EMPLOYER HERE IN EVERETT, WA. IT WAS NOT A HOT DAY, ONLY AROUND 78 DEGREES. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY SPORTAGE AROUND 3:30 PM I NOTICED THE FRONT SUNROOF GLASS PANEL WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED. IT LOOKED LIKE AN EXPLOSION HAPPENED. NOTHING FELL ON THE GLASS, NO VANDALISM. I HAD THE CLOTH INTERNAL LINER CLOSED AND THAT SAVED THE INTERIOR FROM MILLIONS OF PIECES OF GLASS. THIS SUNROOF (OR PANORAMIC GLASS PANEL) EXPLODED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANYTHING CONTACTING IT. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. THERE ARE MANY OTHER REPORTS ON THE INTERNET OF SIMILAR EXPLOSIONS ON KIA AND HYUNDAI PRODUCTS. IS THERE ANY SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS HAPPENING ON THIS ISSUE? THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10532797