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)

7 of 182 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 29, 2026BrakesDriver assistanceCrash

This is a statement from my daughter: I was driving and noticed a vehicle stopped in front of me. When I attempted to brake, I could feel my brakes sink all the way to the floor. I also didn't receive an alert from the Front Collision Avoidance system or any assistance from the Automatic Emergency Braking system. The vehicle was a CPO that had always been serviced at the dealership. Because of various surgeries I have had, depending on the severity of the crash, I could have been paralyzed for life.

NHTSA ODI 11740925

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

Sep 25, 2023BrakesDriver assistanceCrash1 injury

My Kia Sportage suddenly unintentionally accelerated hitting the building in front of me. As I was parking my vehicle at Dunkin Donuts, pressing on the car brake, the car did the opposite of braking and accelerated and hit the building. My vehicle didn't stop until it hit the building. Witness was there and police was called.

NHTSA ODI 11546480

Sep 11, 2023AirbagsBrakesCrash

The contact was driving a 2023 Kia Sportage loaner vehicle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH and pressing the brake pedal the braking system malfunctioned and the brake pedal extended to the floor causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle sustained front-end damage but the air bag did not deploy. Also, during the crash, the second vehicle was pushed into the rear of a third vehicle. No injuries were reported and no police report was taken. The cause of the failures was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the crash. The manufacturer has not yet contacted us. The failure mileage was 450.

NHTSA ODI 11543768

Aug 29, 2023BrakesCrash

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle however, the brakes was inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle started spinning and landed in a ditch and struck a wooden fence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,887.

NHTSA ODI 11541532

Aug 22, 2023BrakesCrash1 injury

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, attempting to merge onto the roadway, and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to decelerate. As a result, the vehicle crashed into semi-truck on the driver's side. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The driver was transported to an area hospital and treated for whiplash and back pain. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who did not diagnose the failure. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number 23V410000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,000.

NHTSA ODI 11540084

Jun 4, 2023Speed controlBrakesFuel systemCrash1 injury

On the morning of May 16 2023 while making a turn at 17 th Avenue and Bayshore Drive my car continued to accelerate in spite of me trying to brake. I was projected into a stone wall and knew I was going to crash . I crashed into the wall,all my airbags were deployed and the car smelled like smoke. My accelerator got stuck and was sideways .I was unable to get out of the car from inside but a Good Samaritan had opened the door from the outside and I crawled under the airbags and got out . The car did not go on fire but was still on when I was able to then turn it off . Police were called and I was checked at the hospital .

NHTSA ODI 11525243

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 →