Home · 2023 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid · Complaints

What 182 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid

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 (182)Crash / fire / injury (26)Electrical system (43)Engine (36)Brakes (34)Driver assistance (24)Transmission & drivetrain (17)Fuel system (14)Visibility & wipers (13)Airbags (11)Backup camera & sensors (11)Speed control (9)

3 of 182 complaints match · Backup camera & sensors · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 2, 2026Backup camera & sensorsDriver assistanceCrash

While actively parking, my car accelerated and slammed into a wall an arm's length away. The collision was impactful enough to cause my seatbelt to engage and slam into my sternum. While attempting to turn off the car, the computer system glitched, engaging all three different drive modes (N, R, D). The breaking command I gave the vehicle was ignored, and the vehicle accelerated into the parking garage wall. No front collision assist or safety feature engaged. The vehicle is currently at a repair shop with the damage cost totalling $17K. The MFR recently inspected the car in Decemeber when the lease expired and I purchased the vehicle. Prior to that in October, the car came to a full stop and turned off on the highway.

NHTSA ODI 11721553

Jun 16, 2025Backup camera & sensorsCrash

While backing up, the vehicle’s rear camera and sensors failed to alert me to a low object. There was no audible warning, and the object was below rear window visibility. This resulted in a dent to the trunk. The camera system typically provides audio warnings, but it was silent during this event. I am concerned this could indicate a defect in the backup safety system. There have been similar recalls put out for other Kia models in this year which concerns me even more that I had this issue and that my car does not have a recall out.

NHTSA ODI 11667212

Nov 9, 2023BrakesBackup camera & sensorsCrash

I parked my car. It reversed slowly and hit a wall made of metal net. I started my car, drove a little forward, and parked it again. The car is now parked as normal. I took my car to the dealer and informed them about a brake problem. They verified that it was a brake booster problem. The repair process took 21 days. I am currently attempting to claim the accident, but the Kia company is providing various reasons for potential denial.

NHTSA ODI 11554455

Working with the data? Download all 182 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 2023 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid verdict →