Home · 2015 Kia Sportage Phev Phev · Complaints

What 146 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 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 (146)Crash / fire / injury (18)Engine (84)Brakes (31)Electrical system (18)Fuel system (7)Transmission & drivetrain (6)Airbags (5)Speed control (5)Lights (3)Steering (3)Body & structure (2)

5 of 146 complaints match · Speed control · clear filters

Oct 14, 2023Speed controlEngine

Driving on the highway at 65mph, engine light started blinking then stayed solid and my speed declined to 40mph and would not go higher. Had to stay in slow lane to get off and get back on to make it home. I was unsure as to what was happening.It was the weekend so had to wait until Monday until i could find out and the dealership told me it was the valve cover gasket (which is brand new). I was also told they couldnt do anything else for me i need a long block assembly.

NHTSA ODI 11549981

Jun 13, 2023Speed controlEngine

Had vehicle worked on, on 4/11/2023 ( oil change &tuneup). On 4/17/2023 exiting 151 Hwy vehicle slowed down on me, then regained speed to safety at a Shell gas station. Vehicle started with a loud noise coming from the engine compartment. Got worried, had vehicle towed home. Have been trying to get a hold of kia but they don't answer phone or hang up on me, since I have no warranty on vehicle cause I couldn't afford it. Just wanted to pay it off since I only needed One more year at 140011 miles on it. My first kia lasted longer than that. I currently owe under 3,500 on it. Need help please.

NHTSA ODI 11526724

Mar 12, 2023Speed controlCrash

Sudden acceleration accident

NHTSA ODI 11511417

Sep 15, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

WHEN I ACCELERATE SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL JERK AND THE ENGINE WILL TRY TO STALL. THE CAR WILL STILL GO BUT STARTS TO SPUTTER AND START TO LOSE POWER. YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND SET THERE FOR A BIT AND RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT MAY DO IT AGAIN 2 OR 3 MORE TIMES AND IT MIGHT NOT DO IT FOR AWHILE. BUT VERY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. IT WILL ALSO DO IT WHEN YOU TRY TO SPEED UP TO PASS OR JUST GAIN SPEED

NHTSA ODI 11355082

Feb 15, 2016Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

WHILE ENTERING THE 290 FROM DOWNTOWN CHICAGO DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 50 MILES AN HOUR WE FELT A PULSE AND THEN AN AUDIBLE VOICE CAME OVER OUR RADIO WITH A DISPLAY ILLUMINATING AS WELL STATING THAT THERE WAS A "POSSIBLE CONDITION WITH OUR ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM DETECTED AND THAT WE SHOULD SCHEDULE A FULL SYSTEM CHECK WITH THE KIA DEALERSHIP." THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND THE INABILITY TO ACCELERATE AT ALL. WITH THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT THERE WAS AN EXTREME DANGER OF COLLISION AS THERE WAS NO WAY TO SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY COME OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE SITUATION. WITHOUT A SHOULDER TO PULL OVER ON WE THEN MADE OUR WAY TO A SIDE STREET AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND WE THEN HAD TO ARRANGE OUR OWN TRANSPORTATION FROM THE DISABLED VEHICLES LOCATION TO A PLACE THAT WAS OPEN AND WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE TRANSPORTATION. CALLING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE NEXT MORNING WE WERE MET WITH A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF IT BEING A "SENSOR" AND THEN AFTER WE PERSONALLY VISITED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAIN HOW WE DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN OUR VEHICLE THEY WENT ON TO SAY THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM AND WOULD LOOK AT IT. I AGAIN REITERATED THAT IN A NEW VEHICLE WHETHER IT WAS THE CAR ITSELF OR A FAULTY PART I DID NOT FEEL SAFE AS I HAD LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND IN ANY OTHER SITUATION WOULD HAVE NOT HAD THE OUTCOME I DID. THEN BEING TOLD THAT IT COULD BE A ECM THEY WOULD FURTHER LOOK INTO IT. I STATED AGAIN, NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM I WAS FEARFUL OF GETTING BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AS THIS WAS NOT A RESULT DUE TO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE BUT RATHER A FAULTY PART OF ANOTHER UNDISCOVERED ISSUE IN THE CAR THAT HAD NO WARNING BUT RATHER JUST AN IMMEDIATE OCCURRENCE. I STAND FIRM IN MY STATEMENT THAT KIA SHOULD LOOK AT WHY THIS HAPPENED AND NOT FURTHER BET ON THE CHANCE THAT THIS WILL NOT REOCCUR AND REPLACE THE VEHICLE IN FULL.

NHTSA ODI 10836265

Working with the data? Download all 146 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 2015 Kia Sportage Phev Phev verdict →