What 158 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Sportage Phev

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Check Engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption, which resulted in spark plug fouling, and the vehicle exhibited an audible engine noise consistent with a potential engine failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs were serviced. The contact also reported multiple visits to the mechanic for oil additions. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11742806

I received a voluntary emissions update letter from kia, and although it was voluntary, the letter said failure to update could be considered lack of maintenance. The update was performed on XXX at Dorsch Ford/Kia in [XXX]. The vehicle ran poorly from that day forward. I gave it a couple of weeks to insure that the system could learn my driving habits. I then went to the Dorsch service department to report my issues. The service writer {Andy} said he hadn't heard of any issues with the update. I had him log in my issues to have a record that I complained. I returned several more times and talked to other service writers who told me that if they would check the vehicle and found nothing that I would have to pay service fees. the vehicle jerks and up/downshifts frequently and almost stalls sometimes when accelerating from a stoplight. It will lung periodically when navigating a parking lot at low speeds. It frequently searches for a different gear in traffic. To be clear, my car ran perfectly before this update. I asked them to put the previous tune back into the car but they said they can't do that. The car runs fine sometimes but the uncertainty of the jerking and shifting at improper times makes it dangerous to drive. Also almost stalling at an intersection is very dangerous too. I doubt that I am the only one to have this problem. Please help in any way you can to get this fixed without me having to spend money to correct a factory/dealer initiated problem Thank you for all your help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11741993

1. Component or System Malfunction & Availability Component/System Failed: An unidentified component within the engine compartment failed, resulting in a sudden, catastrophic thermal event (engine fire). Odometer Reading: 100,415 miles at the time of the incident. Available for Inspection: No. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the fire and is a total loss. 2. Safety Risk Assessment The vehicle was being driven at highway speeds on a major freeway by my 21-year-old son, Brennan Font, when the incident occurred. The sudden presence of heavy smoke and intense heat entering the cabin while traveling at high speeds created an immediate, life-threatening hazard. This forced an emergency pullover on the shoulder of a busy freeway. Moments after exiting, the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames, presenting a severe risk of explosion and injury to the driver and passing motorists. 3. Verification & Third-Party Inspection Reproduced/Confirmed by Dealer: No, the sudden and destructive nature of the failure prevented any prior diagnostic testing. Inspected by Manufacturer/Authorities: The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. However, the incident was handled and documented on-scene by local authorities. A formal police report was filed by the Ventura Police Department (Report Number: 26-31369, responding officer: Officer Steinberger). 4. Warning Symptoms and Timeline There were no prior warning lamps, dashboard messages, check engine lights, or abnormal symptoms leading up to the failure. The onset of heavy smoke and heat was sudden and instantaneous. 5. Detailed Incident Description Brennan immediately steered the vehicle to the shoulder of the freeway. As soon as he brought the vehicle to a stop and attempted to park, open flames breached the hood of the car. He successfully exited the vehicle without injury and immediately dialed 911. The vehicle burned completely before the fire could be extinguished. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

NHTSA ODI 11740223

Component/System Failed: An unidentified component within the engine compartment failed, resulting in a sudden, catastrophic thermal event (engine fire). Odometer Reading: 100,415 miles at the time of the incident. Available for Inspection: No. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the fire and is a total loss. 2. Safety Risk Assessment The vehicle was being driven at highway speeds on a major freeway by my [XXX] [XXX [XXX] incident occurred. The sudden presence of heavy smoke and intense heat entering the cabin while traveling at high speeds created an immediate, life-threatening hazard. This forced an emergency pullover on the shoulder of a busy freeway. Moments after exiting, the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames, presenting a severe risk of explosion and injury to the driver and passing motorists. 3. Verification & Third-Party Inspection Reproduced/Confirmed by Dealer: No, the sudden and destructive nature of the failure prevented any prior diagnostic testing. Inspected by Manufacturer/Authorities: The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. However, the incident was handled and documented on-scene by local authorities. A formal police report was filed by the Ventura Police Department (Report Number: 26-31369, responding officer: Officer [XXX] ). [XXX] ymptoms and Timeline There were no prior warning lamps, dashboard messages, check engine lights, or abnormal symptoms leading up to the failure. The onset of heavy smoke and heat was sudden and instantaneous. 5. Detailed Incident Description [XXX] immediat [XXX] red the vehicle to the shoulder of the freeway. As soon as he brought the vehicle to a stop and attempted to park, open flames breached the hood of the car. He successfully exited the vehicle without injury and immediately dialed 911. The vehicle burned completely before the fire could be extinguished. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11740228

The oil was leaking somewhere not on the motor not under the car not blowing black smoke. I kept adding oil to it. No oil light. I was told not to park between 2 houses or in my garage it could catch on fire. I took it in several times and they did all kinds of stuff motor wash knock sensor was replaced wiring harness was corroded was slipping out of gear and other issues. And now it doesn't run because of the motor issue and they refused to fix it because I didn't have oil change receipts they are the ones that took care of that there was no oil to change I kept adding it. I have all of the detailed work invoices of what they did to it. I've been without a car for a year now they said it's not under warranty my car has several of the recalls. They wouldn't do all of the stuff they did if it wasn't necessary and trying to locate the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11738238

My Kia Sportage has developed a loud engine knocking noise, which I understand is a known issue with Kia engines. I am concerned that this indicates internal engine failure and could lead to sudden engine seizure while driving, creating a serious safety hazard. The dealership denied repair assistance due to lack of oil change records, but the issue appears consistent with widespread engine defects reported in similar vehicles. I am requesting investigation into this issue due to the safety risk it poses.

NHTSA ODI 11729596

I've had an oil leak for a couple of years, typically having to put in 5 - 7 quarts of oil in between oil changes. In 2025 I had my spark plugs and some oil seal replaced it was quite expensive to have done. 6ish months later my 4th cylinder started misfiring. I took it to the repair shop. They performed an oil wash and it seemed to fix the misfire issue at the time. 3 months later it started to misfire again. I took it back to the repair shop and had them replace all 4 of the ignition coils, which did not help. They recommended I take it the Kia dealer. They believe the engine is burning oil which why it has such high oil consumption and that they believe the engine should be under a warranty. I need a safe vehicle for work and travel and frustrated that I am having to pay so much money just trying to get my vehicle repaired so it is.

NHTSA ODI 11727555

On 1/26/2024 approximately 9am, my husband had been driving on the highway for about 2 hours and pulled over to shut his eyes for a few minutes. He shut off the engine, closed his eyes and immediately smelled smoke. Black smoke began coming from under the hood and quickly got worse. He quickly got out of the car and walked away. He heard a loud pop sound and the engine area was engulfed in flames. He called 911. It took about 10 min for the fire dept to arrive and by then, the fire was being fed by the gas in the tank. They tried to put out the fire but the car burnt completely due to the gasoline. No one was hurt, thank goodness. There were no active lawsuits that I could find to get some compensation for this loss. We had to pay our high deductible and lost personal belongings in the car. This car did have an ongoing oil consumption issue. We had to replace the oil more frequently than normally required and it used much more oil than normal. We were told we had to wait for engine failure to get any kind of resolution.

NHTSA ODI 11727238

2018 kia sportage had oil consumption issue but did not notify car owners, lead to complete engine failure of my car at only 117,000 this car is part of a class action lawsuit due to bad engineering , kia would not replace the engine on this even though i submitted all maintenance records, they had terrible communication when i was calling for months to file a claim with corporate, wouldnt return phone calls, supervisors not doing their jobs, car was sitting on lot for almost three months, still have loan on it, was at loss of work income etc..they should be held liable for bad engineering of cars sportage only had 117,00 miles when engine went out and we had oil changes, maintance and kept it in great shape this was confirmed at montrosse kia complete engine failure

NHTSA ODI 11722699

At 113,000 my engine failed. It was determined that low compression occurred due to the first cylinder failing. I’ve been having excessive oil consumption since about 60k.

NHTSA ODI 11721192

My vehicle broke down on my family 2 hours away. The suv started engine failure with the engine light coming on then the rpm’s reved up to 4000 and started chugging. We stoped at the gas station shut the vehicle off and got it towed home to a local shop. I have the 2.4 engine and less then 130,000 miles on it and the shop said my piston is gone and my engine is bad.

NHTSA ODI 11720802

Took my car for the theft recall and had it performed, my vehicle was stolen last night and the theft used a USB charging cable to steal it, the recall did not fix this

NHTSA ODI 11713189

My vehicle suffered from a catastrophic engine failure while driving on the highway. The vehicle stalled at highway speeds (55mph), during rush hour. Causing a near rear end collision. From this point on my vehicle was unable to reach speeds of 30 Mph. This failure is consistent with a defect in the Theta II engines that has been subject to recalls. The Theta II engine recall is under a soft recall. It is not known to the public unless it happens to the owners vehicle. This sudden stall at highway speeds jeopardized the safety of the driver (myself) and the people and vehicles behind the driver.

NHTSA ODI 11711020

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed after an oil change was recently performed on the vehicle, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated with the message "Service Engine" displayed, and the vehicle made a dinging sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where 5 quarts of oil were added to the engine; however, the failure recurred while driving the following day. The contact's son added 3 quarts of oil to the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an oil consumption test was started. The contact returned to the dealer after 1,000 miles. The dealer informed the contact that two more 1,000 miles tests were required to complete the oil consumption test. The contact declined to pay the fee to complete the test and was advised to trade the vehicle in at the owner's expense. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased from the dealer as a certified pre-owned vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

NHTSA ODI 11703319

My 2018 Kia Sportage (2.4L Theta II GDI engine) suddenly triggered diagnostic trouble code P1326 (Knock Sensor Detection System – Detection of Excessive Connecting Rod Bearing Wear) and entered limp mode at 111,595 miles on Sep 13, 2025. The vehicle is now speed- and RPM-limited to protect the engine from catastrophic failure. This is the exact failure mode covered under the well-documented Hyundai/Kia Theta II engine defect that has led to thousands of engine seizures and, in some cases, vehicle fires. Kia implemented the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update (Campaign SC200) on this VIN, yet the system has now correctly detected excessive connecting rod bearing wear. Despite the vehicle falling squarely within the class vehicles listed in the 2020–2023 Hyundai/Kia engine litigation settlement (In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation II), Kia’s settlement VIN-check website [XXX] ) incorrectly states this VIN “has not been matched with an eligible Class Vehicle.” I am concerned this may be used as a pretext to deny the lifetime short-block warranty repair that other identically-equipped 2018 Sportage owners have received at no cost. Continued driving risks sudden engine seizure or fire, which NHTSA has previously investigated under PE21-003 and related actions. I am forced to keep the vehicle parked until Kia honors the repair or provides clear justification for denial. I can no longer safely use the vehicle for normal transportation Requested action: I request that NHTSA investigate Kia’s inconsistent application of the Theta II lifetime warranty and settlement benefits, particularly when the KSDS system (installed by Kia) has triggered the exact warning it was designed to detect. This appears to be a continuing safety defect affecting 2011–2019 Kia vehicles equipped with the 2.4L Theta II GDI engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11702785

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sportage. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) and 21V137000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the contact was possibly charged for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The KSDS warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact became aware of abnormal oil consumption. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and DTC: P0010 was retrieved. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense; however, the local dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the camshaft needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11700368

Due to excessive oil consumption and blow thru to catalytic converter, and burning of oil in the converter clogged up my catalytic converter as seen in pics causing exhaust fumes to enter cabin and engine not run properly. Driver or passenger must open windows to get fresh air. I had to have converter replaced. There is still periodic fumes that enter cabin even with new converter because engine is still consuming excessive oil . This should be addressed to and rectified through KIA corporation. Thanks

NHTSA ODI 11696918

I purchased a 2018 Kia Sportage and ever since the last few years the paint is starting to come off of this vehicle. I do not go through any type of car wash. I washed it at home. It is getting worse and worse than certain spots, I do not want any monetary for this I would just appreciate getting what I should have, which is fresh paint that last. The paint in the front bumper underneath the hood area is all coming off and it’s like white. Then on the roof of that vehicle, there’s white spots of the clearcoat actually coming off the whole vehicle. If you look also at my hood of the vehicle, you can see spots as well.

NHTSA ODI 11696946

The original factory engine is malfunctioning, causing excess oil consumption -- at or over one quart consumption per 1000 miles -- believed to be caused by fouled piston rings. It is a known defect for this and similar KIA engines. Issues and remedies outlined in KIA Technical Service Bulletin 222. The vehicle and engine are available for inspection upon request. Our safety and the safety of others is continuously at risk in the event of engine failure and/or vehicle breakdown in city or freeway traffic, and in our rural location. Safety is also a factor in the event of vehicle breakdown which would put vulnerable passengers (five year old granddaughter, etc.) in danger if such event occurred in traffic or during weather extremes. The oil consumption problem has been confirmed by Butler KIA. The engine was inspected by the manufacturer via Butler KIA only in the form of three 1000-mile oil consumption tests from May through October 2025. Dealership personnel began the first test with an oil change, and then inspected/verified excess oil consumption at each 1000 mile interval. An oil warning light illuminated between regular (4489 historical average interval vs 7500 manufacturer-specified intervals) oil change intervals, and immediate inspection revealed the engine oil was 2.5 quarts low. Oil was added and owner tracking was commenced, verifying excess oil consumption.

NHTSA ODI 11696475

There has been High oil consumption after 100,000 miles and the low oil light has shown. It will burn more than a quart in less than 1,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11695968

My vehicle make and model has been documented to have had engine issues which has caused car fires from the engine compartment from what has been documented this is my best guess.

NHTSA ODI 11695264

The code P1326 keeps popping up on my dash board even after changing it that part out which is claimed to be the knock sensor.I researched it and it said something with the rod bearings and my mechanic personal mechanic had mentioned it’d be best to swap the engine, and told me about Kia recalls on certain make and model. My vehicle falls into the recall list of year and make and model… but my vin isn’t on the recall list, yet it is doing the same exact thing that has been listed up for recall. I am concerned about my safety, engine stalls and looses power, how can I go about this?

NHTSA ODI 11693750

This vehicle has a safety issue with the headlights. Basically, the low beams for both, driver and passenger sides are not functioning at all. Several diagnostic have been done to repair the existing issue such as replacing new light bulbs, new OEM turn signal switch, replacing whole new headlight assembly for both driver/ passenger sides, checking the relay, replacing new fuses, though, the issue still exists to date and the vehicle is undrivable in the dark. On a side not, only high beam works and turn signals, that is basically it. Several auto service centers have advised me to submit a report as a safety issues since all options have been exhausted. With that said, this safety issue concerning headlight should be addressed with the manufacturer. Thank you for taking this matter seriously!

NHTSA ODI 11693945

My 2018 Kia Sportage (VIN [XXX] ) experienced complete engine failure due to low compression/internal combustion chamber failure. The vehicle lost power while driving on Sept 30, 2025, and had to be towed to [XXX] Kia in Dayton, OH. This same dealership previously performed an oil retention test in Aug 2024 which failed, identifying a defective engine. Kia was aware of the issue but declined to replace the engine at that time. The failure pattern matches Kia’s known engine defect. Kia Consumer Affairs (Case #25572677) has denied goodwill assistance despite this safety-related engine failure and prior diagnostic documentation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11692091

I started my car and it started shaking violently, and would jolt back and forth, I would be on the highway and the speed would decrease rapidly and overheat slightly to pick up speed

NHTSA ODI 11685150