What 380 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sportage Phev

My daughter has a 2013 Kia Sporage. Last week she was driving and the engine kept cutting off on the highway. She has had the recalled engine replaced last year and has 33,000 miles on it. When we took it to be checked out the guy said it could be the timing chain. The dealership said that was unlikely. It sounds like it’s not getting gas, so we put fuel injector cleaner in and it still isn’t running.

NHTSA ODI 11570386

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed gas cap. The contact was informed that the gas cap needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred after a month. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the gas cap was replaced a second time, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that he recently received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated the vehicle was scheduled for a appointment at the dealer in several days. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11556412

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 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

AROUND THANKSGIVING I NOTICED A KNOCKING/ RATTLING/ CLANKING SOUND UNDER MY HOOD IN THE ENGINE AREA, WHICH OCCASIONALLY INCREASED/DECREASED WHEN THE RPMS MOVED. DUE TO COVID AND NOT TRAVELING I DIDNT DRIVE IT FOR A FEW DAYS. I WENT TO THE STORE ON 11/30 AND THE SOUND WAS LOUDER AND MORE STARTLING. I HAD MY HUSBAND CHECK IT WHEN HE GOT HOME. WE NOTICED RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE BUT MY VIN NEVER REGISTERED. BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS USED TO TRANSPORT CHILDREN, MY HUSBAND ASKED ME TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP ASAP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I MADE THE APPOINTMENT FOR 12/1. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY TO GET TO MY APPOINTMENT THE SOUND PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE - THEN ALL LIGHTS WENT ON IN THE DASH AND THE GAS STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS LIKE MY VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS. IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I WAITED OVER AN HOUR FOR A TOW TRUCK; ON THE SHOULDER OF A BUSY HIGHWAY, DURING RUSH HOUR. IT WAS DROPPED AT THE DEALER AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING ON A REPORT AS TO WHATS WRONG. WE BELIEVE IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT RECALLS.

NHTSA ODI 11377412

WHEN THE BATERY IS NOT CHARGE DAMAGED A/C IS NOT COOLING AND THE SUPENSION IS HARD AND DAMEGE THE BOTTLES

NHTSA ODI 11160662

VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DURING USE

NHTSA ODI 11151507

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

NHTSA ODI 10679564

WE EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN THE INTERIOR CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED A FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND HAS PERSISTED EVER SINCE DESPITE 3 REPAIR ATTEMPTS AT KIA DEALERSHIPS (22AUG2012, 07JAN2013, 30JAN2013). BECAUSE IT IS INTERMITTENT (OCCURRING ONCE OR TWICE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS) AND WITHOUT AN OBVIOUS PATTERN, THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE SMELL ON THE DAYS WE'VE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN. ON THE 3RD REPAIR VISIT (30JAN2013), THE TECHNICIAN WAS "UNABLE TO VERIFY SMELL, BUT INSPECTED AND FOUND FUEL AROUND INTAKE AT THE FUEL INJECTOR BASES." THEY REPLACED O-RINGS TO ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUE. FOR A WEEK OR SO WE THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS FIXED, BUT SINCE THE 3RD VISIT HAVE ON AT LEAST FOUR OCCASIONS NOTICED A PROMINENT RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN THE CABIN. THE CLOSEST TO A PATTERN THAT WE'VE NOTICED IS THAT ON DAYS WHEN THE SMELL OCCURS, IT IS STRONGEST AND MOST OBVIOUS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING WITH THE HEATER/AC FAN ON. WE ALSO THINK, BUT ARE NOT SURE, THAT THERE MAY BE A CORRELATION WITH DAYS INVOLVING PRECIPITATION (SNOW/RAIN). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10499483