2023 KIA Sportage HEV

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/16/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  I was going 40 mph and tried to set the cruise control to my current speed. The cruise control set at 110 mph instead. I tapped the brake to stop the cruise control and it stopped. I tried to set the cruise control again multiple times and the same thing happened. I parked, turned the car off then on again and the cruise control worked like normal.

• 12/15/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  I have had three separate instances over the past year, most recently days ago, where I pressed the cruise control button, then pressed the cruising speed increase button, and the cruise control setting jumped to 110 mph. I could press the cruise control button again to turn off cruise control, but if I pressed cruise control again, it would immediately jump to 110 mph, no matter what my current speed was. Pressing the decrease cruise control speed button didn't lower the cruise control speed. The only workaround is to turn the vehicle off and the turn it back on. There are multiple online forum posts, and several YouTube videos, of other Kia Sportage owners experiencing the same problem.

• 12/09/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  Vehicle flashed with a "check hybrid system. Stop safely" warning and then forced me to slow until my vehicle stopped - I could no longer press the gas pedal. I was on a highway and luckily was able to pull over safely before the vehicle came to a complete stop, but that was not guaranteed. I ended up being towed to a Kia Dealership where they informed me this was an issue under recall, but that recall is not listed on your system nor was I ever informed of the recall by the manufacturer.

• 12/04/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Our vehicle’s windshield has needed replacing due to crack 3 times in 15415 miles!

• 12/02/2022· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  When starting car from behind stopped, the car would not speed up when pressing gas pedal and felt like stalling, but slamming on gas pedal jolted car to speed up again. If there were cars around, this could have been very dangerous. Car is in the shop now for mechanics to determine exact cause.

• 11/26/2023· STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE

  On several occasions the lane keeping assistance has attempted to steer my vehicle into energy absorbing barrier, both with me driving and with my sister driving. Vehicle speed approximately 40 mph, lane splitting, I was taking left lane. Forty feet from point of barrier, wheel jerks hard right, setting me up for dead center collision with point of barrier. If I had not immediately jerked the wheel left the results would have been catastrophic. I would have hit the barrier in a single second after the cars action. I took it to the Kia dealer service who claims he cannot disable "lane following". Additionally, that I have to disable it every time I start the car. Also, when going thru intersections the car will switch traffic lanes on it's own. I feel this is an incredibly unsafe system. For god's sake, the car just veers off on its own.

• 11/14/2024· POWER TRAIN

  Check AWD / 4WD error message while driving. Codes clear once vehicle is turned off. Dealership won't help unless they see error message. Error message only appears while driving. Potential drive train lockup issue.

• 11/12/2024· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Sunroof shattered while driving down the interstate.

• 11/10/2023· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  The Cruise Control and Limit Control system activates itself suddenly while driving on roads, streets, highways or any road, accelerating or decelerating unlimitedly; endangering my physical integrity, my family and the people around me. It reported this UNSAFETY Kia Sportage 2023 to Kia car dealer over 5 times and Kia America Corporation but nothing; also to BBB AutoLine, AGO (Attorney General’s Office) and as far this case waiting for... I don't know what or where else could I do or go??

• 11/01/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  Often hesitates when accelerating. Stalls from stopped position. LCD Screen changes by itself. Drops calls. Turns off if you make volume adjustment. Most recently, filled gas tank with full tank, just over 13 gallons. Gauge read only 1/2 tank and showed I had only 289 miles rather than normal 520 miles or so. That number kept changing throughout the next couple of days. ATTACHMENTS: show gas receipt at gas station that tank is filled. Gauge shows 1/2 tank. See subsequent photos. Safety issue for sure. This car cannot be trusted. Multiple problems with electrical system and engine stalling.

• 10/29/2025· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

  The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped. The contact noticed that the coolant level was low, and additional coolant was added. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a loss of fluid. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving on the highway, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The message “Hybrid System Failure” was displayed. The vehicle was restarted after several minutes. While driving, the vehicle stalled, and the contact was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to retrieve any fault codes. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. While driving in the center lane, the vehicle stalled. The driver turned on the hazard lights while coasting to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer, but the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 1,500.

• 10/24/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE

  I was driving east from Austin, Tx on [XXX], and as I approached a major intersection in Elgin, Tx., a warning light appeared on my dashboard that said "hybrid system failure: pull over safely". I was able to pull over into the left turn lane and then was barely able to make it over a curb and onto a highway median strip, before my car engine stopped and all dashboard lights went out. This happened in about 30 seconds. My two year old car with fewer than 30,000 miles on it went completely dead. It would not start even after several attempts. I called Kia roadside assistance, and was told I needed to have the car towed to a dealership. The tow truck driver backed the car into the space they indicated at the dealership, and it started to roll forward as it was apparently in neutral. He had to borrow a board to put under the back wheels. Days later I was told to come get the car, as it had been repaired. When I got there, it was in the same space with the board still under the wheels. I was told it just had needed a software update. (SA553A). I was never notified that my vehicle needed this update, and would just stop wherever: i.e. on a hwy with no shoulders, at night, etc. and that I would be unable to brake the car, or drive it, or put on emergency warning lights after 30 seconds. This was unbelievably unsafe. I am [XXX]. What if I were a family with children on board and it happened on a highway at night??? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 10/20/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  On a hot day, I noticed an oily bluish fluid leak underneath my pedals. I brought it to the dealership to diagnose the issue twice already but they found nothing was wrong. I posted the photos of the leak on a facebook group that owns the same model of my car and found out that some owners have the same issue. I just wanna make sure that this is not a defect on the same model of my car because that fluid leaking might start a fire or might cause the engine to seize anytime during use.

• 10/20/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  When I open the tailgate using any of the three methods (key, button on tailgate, or button inside cabin), the gate opens, then immediately beeps three times and closes. This has happened about 10 times with me *underneath the tailgate* including one time with my one year old son in my arms. In each of these instances I was able to throw my hand up and stop the gate from closing, but had to manually push it back to the fully open position in order to do this. If I had not been able to do so, or if someone less strong than myself were put in this position, the gate certainly would have struck them and caused bodily harm. The first time I brought this up with my dealership, I got a very passive response, not indicating any sense of urgency or even desire to fix the issue. A better quality dealership would have perhaps been much more concerned about such a safety defect and offered to check it out immediately. But it was happening so infrequently at that point that I chose not to have it addressed. Now that it's happening much more often, I brought the car back to be checked out. I showed them two videos of the defect occurring, including with my body under the tailgate. They reproduced the defect, but had to open a "tech ticket" or something with Kia, and so far, over 48 hours later, they have not received a response as to how to proceed. The dealer allowed me to take the car back until they receive direction on what to do (again, a bit surprising that they would let me do that, with such a safety defect). I have uploaded four screenshots of the video that shows the tailgate closing while I was underneath it. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? --> Not that I am aware of. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? --> No

• 10/13/2025· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  Fails to move when going from stopped to apply gas and moving forward there is a large delay and weak power. Shakes when idles and is really forcful switching from gas to battery or battery to gas,

• 10/12/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

  ISSUE WITH KIA SPORTAGE 2023 HYBRID (GAS AND ELECTRIC) Battery shut off. The battery turned off. I was driving on the fwy and the car started to drive rough so I exited off the fwy and barely made it over the intersection and the car shut off. (as the car was shutting off I opened my door) all other doors were locked and could not open. (had I not opened my car door I would have been locked in/out of my car) The emergency lights would not turn on. None of the electrical buttons work. I called a tow truck to come get me 20+ min in Arizona is a lifetime in the heat. (luckily my kids were not in the vehicle). My car could have stopped in the middle of the fwy and things could have really gotten ugly. My car is currently in the kia dealership parking lot (where the tow truck dropped it off 2+ weeks ago). The dealer got me into a rental but my vehicle won't get a battery till 2 + months. Even if it gets a new battery it doesn't solve the problem Kia knows these batteries have these issues yet they are still selling the vehicles and not letting the consumer know that they might have a battery issue. battery cost ($11,000+ after the warranty is over) I would have never bought this car if I knew this was a potential issue. complete driving hazard. There was a warning light that turned on seconds before my car shut off, "check hybrid system stop safely" then it shut off. a couple of times before this all the lights on the dash turned on for a few minutes then shut off. I HAVE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS WITH THE SAME CAR BOUGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND ARE IN RENTAL CARS TOO. THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST OR COME UP WITH A DEAL SO WE BREAK EVEN (THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL US ANOTHER VEHICLE AT MORE $$ A MONTH. Had we gotten a good vehicle we would not be trying to trade in the car for another one.

• 10/12/2023· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  When I achieved my desired speed while driving on the highway, I turned on my adaptive cruise control as I usually do. This time, the car began accelerating dramatically, set on 110mph instead of my desire 55mph. It did this twice, even after I turned off the cruise control. I parked on the side of the street and restarted the car before it returned to normal. My life was very much threatened while I was driving as well as the lives of my fellow highway drivers that night. I will be taking this to my dealership but I also need this reported.

• 10/06/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  On October 3rd, 2025 I was driving at approximately 15mph when my dash started to flash red while beeping. It displayed a message that stated "Check Hybrid System" Within 15 seconds the car shut off. There was no power to utilize the flashers to warn drivers behind me. The abrupt stop caused a near collision and left my car stranded in an intersection. After about 5 minutes I was able to utilize the 12v battery reset button and get the car safely to the side of the road. My car had an all points inspection in September and no issues were noted at that time. I searched 3 websites, including NHTSA, and all noted I had 0 recalls on my vehicle. However, there were multiple reports of this happening to other 2023 Kia Sportage owners over the past 2 years. Some reported that this happened to them on the highway. On October 6th, 2025 I took my car to the dealership to be serviced. Upon check-in the advisor stated I had 2 active recalls on my vehicle. (Safety Recall: Hybrid Control Unit Sw Upgrade (vesc) OEM code SC322 from January 2025 and Saftey Recall: Bms S/w Upgrade (vesc) OEM Code SC338 from June 2025) The first recall has to do with emissions, the second causes the exact scenario that happened to my vehicle. My concern is that Kia failed to report all affected VIN numbers, or failed to notify all affected customers within 60 days reporting the recall as mandated by the NHTSA and they should be held responsible for that. A car shutting off within 10 seconds could be catastrophic when traveling on busy highways. This could result in multiple injuries or even fatalities and needs to be further investigated.

• 10/01/2025· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  February 2024 (27,813 mi): Vehicle lost acceleration while driving, would not transition from EV to engine mode, entered limp mode. Dealer replaced high-pressure fuel pump under warranty after consulting Kia Tech Line (case #[XXX]). September 2025 (58,000 mi): Vehicle will not start without manually resetting 12v battery module integrated in hybrid battery system. Pattern suggests hybrid control system defects, not resolved by previous repair. Car has now been with dealer for 4+ days figuring out this issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 09/25/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  I've had two issues with my 2023 Kia Sportage cruise control. 1. When I press the 'set' cruise control button, it will set at a speed far grater than I'm driving and escalate to that speed. Example: I'm driving 65 on the highway. I set the cruise control. It sets to 100 mph and quickly gains to that speed. This has happened about 5 times. It doesn't happen every time I try to use cruise control. The last time it happened, I could click the 'set' button to disengage cruise control but it would never set to 60 mph- always 100. So I pressed 'set' at 60 MPH. It went to 100 MPH. Then I pressed Set to disengage. Then pressed 'set'again at 60 MPH and it went to 100 MPH. The only way to get it to actually re set was to pull over and re-start the car. 2. When you actually get it to 'set' to 60 MPH and then press the toggle to speed up, it will often toggle up to 90 MPH instead of to 65MPH. This has happened 3-5 times. This is super dangerous since it speeds up so quickly.

• 09/12/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

  While driving, the car came to an abrupt stop. Lights and alarms flashed stating "Do not drive" "hybrid system malfunction". Car could not be driven. Had I been on the highway, which I just exited, I could have been dead with how suddenly the car stopped without prior warning. The warning came when the car was shutting down. It has now been at the dealership for 3 weeks and they are unable to pinpoint the problem. Apparently they are selling hybrids with no one to work on them. Smh

• 09/08/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Car shuts off error says check hybrid system

• 09/02/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I was driving on the highway going 75 mph and my panoramic sunroof exploded. My cover was not closed so glass came back in the car all over me. Luckily I didn’t have any passengers in the car but what if I had? Kia has been having this problem for years without doing anything about it.

• 09/02/2022· SERVICE BRAKES

  The vehicle flashed and alarmed a brake system warning while traveling on a freeway. Braking was soft. Took a longer than usual amount of time to stop the vehicle at that point.

• 09/01/2022· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  While driving 30-40 mph most of the Advanced Driver Assistance System warning lights came. The check engine light, service light, etc also came on. There was a notice that kept flashing do not drive vehicle. This has happened on three occasions. There were zero issues prior to this. On one occasion I was driving on a two lane mountain highway and had to continue driving the vehicle because there wasn't an emergency lane nor pull off. Having all the warning lamps flashing was extremely nerve racking and frightening. The vehicle has been at the dealership for two weeks. I'm told that a national ticket has been opened and there are no updates available as of this writing(09/01/22).

• 08/31/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  While on a 65 mph enforced highway, cruise control was turned on via the button on the steering wheel. The digital cruise control set itself at 110 mph and the vehicle began to accelerate to match the speed. Aside from turning on the cruise control, no other buttons on the steering wheel were pushed. The car’s cruise control feature had previously been set at 70 mph to match current conditions and was used regularly throughout the length of the trip. While the car continued to accelerate on its own to match the self-set speed, we tried to decrease the speed both by trying to set it at the current speed, and by holding the dial down to decrease the speed manually. The car did not reflect any changes in speed and a message popped up saying “Cruise Control conditions not met” and it tried to disengage cruise control and acceleration. Driver had to manually turn off the cruise control function. Upon additional attempts to use cruise control and set speed to match current driving conditions, the same issue occurred. A recording of the incident was taken to be able to show proof that the car’s digital functions are to blame. Had the cruise control function not been able to be manually disengaged, the car would have continued to accelerate on its own to dangerous speeds. Dealer has been unable to replicate issue and has escalated incident to Kia’s corporate office.

• 08/27/2026· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  I was driving my 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid when the vehicle displayed a "Check Hybrid System"/ "Stop Safely" warning and suddenly lost motive power/acceleration. I was unable to accelerate normally. I had luckily pulled of the road that I was going 55 mph into a parking lot prior to the lass of power or I would have stopped right on the roadway with cars going the same speed directly behind me. This created a serious safety concern because if this had occurred while traveling at highway speed or in heavy traffic, the sudden loss of power could have resulted in a collision. There had been no indication to me that the vehicle was about to lose motive power before the hybrid-system warning appeared. The vehicle is currently at an authorized Kia dealership for inspection and diagnosis. The cause has not yet been provided to me. The vehicle is available for inspection. I am reporting this because a sudden loss of motive power associated with a broad-system warning presents a significant safety risk. I have also learned that other Kia Sportgage Hybrid owners have reported similar hybrid-system warning and loss-of-ower incidents.

• 08/27/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  When using cruise control and raising the speed, the cruise control gets maxed out to 110 MPH, and requires the driver to disengage the CC to stop. It keeps reoccurring until the car is restarted. I did not take pictures, but there is are multiple Reddit threads at the below URL's with multiple users having the same issue. Some have reported to Kia who claim it's a known issue with no fix. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 08/21/2026· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. Drop in power/acceleration! Upsetting, stressful & unsafe. Purchased brand new, Nov 2023. When this occurred approx. 35695 miles. I left work, got on the freeway, (only maybe 1-2 miles away) and was trying to accelerate to merge with traffic flow and could only go approx. 52-54 MPH. I tried to "floor" the pedal, but with no further acceleration. No check engine light turned on, only display message noting depleted battery/drained warning. Since power was limited, and unsure of safety of driving further or if the car would literally stop, I pulled to the shoulder of the freeway. It is a miracle that I was in the slow lane already! Unsettling! It was towed to a Kia Dealership. They had it for 2 days. The technician said there were two error codes (P017100 - System Too Lean, and P019100 Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance). They were unsure how/why this incident occurred. They said some kind of glitch in the system. I asked if they have had other cars with this similar issue brought in, and the technician said he did not know of any. The issue was not replicated upon initial diagnostics. Technician cleared codes, reset the engine adaptive values and road tested, and deemed the vehicle "safe to drive". But said if it occurs again, try turning off the engine, wait a bit and try driving! WHAT?! Also if it occurs again to bring it back and a technical ticket should be opened to investigate further. I have read online forums of this SAME issue, and it is a KNOWN ISSUE "especially early-production 2023-2024 models, and hard for dealers to reproduce issue after a reset". It is also noted that "many cases resolve with the free BMS software update or related module/control unit work under warranty. Some report reoccurrence even after updates". I found this information AFTER the fact, otherwise I would have pushed for the software update or related work to be done. I plan to seek that out next!

• 08/21/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  I will be driving 70mph on the freeway and suddenly the "check hybrid system" alert flashes and I have about 20 seconds to safely pullover. Once stopped it will not drive over 5-10 mph for about a half a mile, then completely dies. If I jump start it, it will start, but the car is limited to ~40mph and may not start again once turned off. Has been to the Kia dealership three times in the past month and they say there are no codes to fix regarding the Hybrid battery or system and keep returning it to us. It is exceedingly dangerous to drive and we are afraid to drive on the highway now.

• 08/18/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  In the afternoon, when the sun is at the perfect angle in the sky, it shines in the through the window, onto the glossy Center, Console gearshift panel and reflects sun right into my eyes. Several times I have had to close my eyes/look away abruptly. I find it extremely hazardous while I’m driving.. whenever the sun is at that angle, I have to find something to lay over the console so that it doesn’t reflect into my face or keep my hand where the sun is shining on it. All of the high gloss finishes should be matte.

• 08/16/2025· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  This morning, when I got into my 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige to go to work, I started the car to let it warm up. Suddenly, I heard a noise that sounded as if something had fallen on the roof or struck the windshield. While the car was warming up, I was looking directly at the windshield and did not see anything hit it. I opened the sunshade to check the roof, but there was nothing there. A few minutes later, while driving, I heard a similar sound. Again, I looked around and saw no sign of debris. Shortly after, I noticed a crack forming at the bottom of the windshield. This was extremely surprising because I did not see anything strike my windshield while I was parked or driving. After researching online, I found that this seems to be a frequent issue with my particular model. I am concerned that this may be a stress crack caused by a manufacturing defect or an installation error.

• 08/12/2024· STRUCTURE

  The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the driver's side roof molding had detached from the vehicle. The contact had learned of a recall with the NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (Structure). The dealer was contacted to schedule an appointment however, the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer yet. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure where it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (Structure). The failure mileage was 15,000.

• 08/11/2026· SERVICE BRAKES

  Electronic parking brake switch has failed. Yes the switch is available for inspection. Electronic parking brake can no longer be manually activated. Failure of the electronic parking brake switch has been confirmed by a dealer (Citrus Kia, Ontario, CA). Electronic parking brake switch has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. No warnings have been given regarding function of the electronic parking brake switch.

• 08/08/2023· SERVICE BRAKES

  The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the check braking system message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no failure was found. The contact was informed that the battery was not fully charged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 1,700.

• 08/04/2026· POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  My 2023 Kia Sportage EX Hybrid has experienced repeated engine-related failures since October 2022, requiring multiple dealer repairs. The safety issue escalated in 2026 when the vehicle experienced sudden loss of acceleration while driving on highways. In April/May 2026, the vehicle lost acceleration twice within approximately 10–15 minutes. Warning messages appeared, including Check Engine Light and "Check Hybrid System – Stop Safely." The accelerator became unresponsive, requiring the vehicle to be moved to the shoulder. The dealer diagnosed P0030 and P1120 and replaced the Bank 1 Sensor 1 oxygen sensor and valve cover assembly with manufacturer technical support involved. Several months later, another highway loss-of-acceleration event occurred. The vehicle would not respond to the accelerator, RPM remained around 1,000, and it had to be safely moved off the road. The dealer diagnosed P2138 and replaced the accelerator pedal assembly. The repeated unexpected loss of acceleration creates a serious safety risk. The root cause remains unknown despite multiple repairs.

• 07/31/2026· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

• 07/31/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  Good morning, I'm writing with a vehicle safety risk that my wife and I experienced on Sunday while driving home in our 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid SUV that we purchased new in August 2022. On one of the surface streets in Olympia, WA where we live, I turned on the cruise control to set it at the speed limit for that street. Instantaneously, upon turning on the cruise control, it set itself to 110mph and immediately started rapid acceleration. I was able to immediately turn off the cruise control. I tried turning it on again to see if the behavior repeated itself, and again it automatically set itself to 110mph and began acceleration. I tried turning the cruise speed setting to a lower mph, but the set speed would not adjust off 110mph. At that point, I turned it off, and we made it home without any problems. However, upon getting home, I immediately started to search online to see if other people are experiencing this problem. A number of users on Reddit with either Kia's or Hyundai's (same parent company) have dealt with the same exact issue. I'm including some links to Reddit threads and videos below: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] From what I can see online, this is likely a software issue that Kia/Hyundai aren't making any moves to acknowledge or fix. However, it's an EXTREMELY dangerous issue. It looks like it's also happening to people who are using features like adaptive cruise control as well. It poses immense safety risk to drivers/passengers, as well as others on the road if the car randomly starts accelerating when it should be holding its speed steady in cruise. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 07/31/2023· AIR BAGSCrash

  I was in a motor vehicle accident this morning and it was an impactful accident yet my air bags failed to go off which was a surprise to me and the police officers given the force of the accident. The police officers even commented on it several times since it’s a new car and recommended I address it. The other drivers air bags went off and she got hit from the side whereas I collided with the car head on and they did not go off. My car was impacted to the point of not being to drive off in my car from the scene due to the damage and it had to be towed.

• 07/24/2026· ENGINE,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the engine seized. The hybrid engine message was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and parked. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle started. The contact reset the instrument cluster. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a busy four-lane highway. The failure was a persistent failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact stated that no diagnostic information was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced an EVAP leak in April 2026. The vehicle was at the dealer for two months and was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,445.

• 07/24/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

  Car shuts off as alert start flashing and beeping. Get a red flashing screen and a hazard message that states "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. STOP SAFELY". So far this has only happened while I was at a stop, but I have read in forums where it has happened to people while they are driver.

• 07/24/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER

  I purchased this car in October of 2022 it is less than a year old, this weekend the windshield spontaneously cracked on the lower passengers side in a straight thin line and has gotten bigger everyday, now exceeding 12 inches. The windshield was not impacted or hit in any way, the cracking occurring with no explanation and now requires a full replacement.. I believe I am not the only one having this problem and it’s a recall waiting to happen. I called the dealership to alert them of the problem and was hung up on twice, I am in the process of getting the car inspected and a replaced replaced by a glass repair shop/ my insurance.

• 07/23/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  I purchased my car in August 2022, and the cruise control issue began in September 2023. It occurs randomly and significantly makes me feel UNSAFE in my vehicle. I have not been able to enjoy full use of my vehicle. Kia has been aware of this issue since at least April 2024 (when they first called me), even though I made my report to the NHTSA in October 2023 (NHTSA ID: 11549711). Today, Kia informed me that the video that I risked my life to take of my car almost killing me and other road drivers was not enough and that they could not replicate the issue. The response time from my case manager has literally been atrocious. These issues have significantly limited my use and enjoyment of the vehicle, making me regret my purchase. I did not expect to rely on rentals without the features that led me to choose this car, especially due to delays in addressing my case.

• 07/21/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  After driving for roughly 7 hours upon activating my cruise control, after using the entire drive with no issues, it went up to 110 mph as soon as I hit the button and would not allow me to adjust the speed down. It would turn off upon pressing pause, cruise control, or brakes but would rise to 110 mph everytime. I searched for recalls for this and could find none. But I did find posts of other people with the same issue. The only thing I could find was an emissions campaign that seems like it may be related. This appears to me to be much more of a safety issue especially if the driver is not paying attention. Or for example let's say you're driving behind someone and turn cruise control on you could very easily rearend someone at a high rate of speed. I will be trying to get my car into the dealership to try and resolve the issue, but my main point for filing a report is to see if this rises to the level of a safety recall versus a tsb or emissions campaign. My vehicle is available for inspection if needed. No warning lights came on or anything of the sort. I do have a video of this but does not appear I can upload it. Any assistance is greatly appreciated thank you and have a great day

• 07/20/2025· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  While driving on the highway at 80 mph, the accelerator suddenly stopped working and was completely unresponsive. The dashboard displayed the message "Check Hybrid system. Stop safely" and a warning ding sounded. The gas engine was still operating and showing RPMs on the dashboard, but all acceleration and/or engagement with the engine was lost. I was able to coast and safely pull over to the side of the road. After pulling over, I turned off the engine and pushed the 12v battery reset button. The car restarted, and I was able to continue driving. The issue repeated about 20 miles later and again on a different drive four days later. Each time, there is no early warning or noticeable issue with the vehicle before the sudden warning and loss of power.

• 07/16/2026· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  On XXX and XXX, while driving on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power. Flashing warning lights appeared on the instrument cluster, accompanied by a safety warning message instructing the driver to pull over and "Check Hybrid System" immediately. This sudden, uncommanded drop in propulsion on active, high-speed roadways created an immediate safety hazard, forcing emergency maneuvering to coast the vehicle safely to the shoulder. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized franchise dealer (Arapahoe Kia in [XXX]) on XXX, where it has now remained grounded for 31 consecutive days. The service department has verbally communicated extreme diagnostic confusion, stating they lack an on-site hybrid specialist to properly diagnose the high-voltage powertrain/HPV/hybrid battery system. The vehicle has historically received software updates under Campaign SC335A, and the symptoms reported here closely align with the loss of motive power issues addressed in Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign SC338. To date, neither the dealership nor the manufacturer (under Case #XXX) has provided a formal written diagnosis, a repair schedule, or an active resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 07/15/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  Often times the dash/screen won’t turn on.(the screen with gps, settings, and the lower a/c controls) The car has to be power cycled in order to get it to come on.

• 07/15/2024· STRUCTURE

  My sunroof glass exploded and manufacturer refuses to warranty

• 07/11/2025· SERVICE BRAKES

  I have received a warning 3 times saying “Rotary Shifter stuck. I searched and information says bring to dealer for immediate repair the brakes can lock and can cause an accident . I brought it in the first time and was told they can’t determine the issue unless the warning is on when I come in. It never happens when they are open. I read other stories and this problem is not just me having the issue. One person was told the same thing and his car has stopped in traffic and would not restart for a long time They need to find out what is wrong with the rotary shifter

• 07/04/2026· POWER TRAIN

  The car's transmission became unresponsive and caused the car to lose the ability to accelerate. This happened twice on the highway before I could get it to the dealer. In order to recover, I had to pull over on the shoulder and turn the car off, wait, and turn it back on. The dealer, through the Kia warranty service, would only 'recalibrate' the transmission and refused to service it. After the recalibration, the dealership wanted to give me back the car. I insisted that they took it for an extended test drive in which it stalled for them as well. Kia warranty then authorized the replacement, and I am awaiting its completion.