2019 Kia Sportage Complaints

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 07/03/2026

Vehicle suddenly entered recall limp-mode due to the ongoing engine campaign. Prior to this, the vehicle had immaculate maintenance records and zero driveability issues. The franchise dealership performed a short-block engine replacement under the safety recall, rushing the complete powertrain swap in less than a single afternoon.The dealership subsequently returned the vehicle in a dangerously malfunctioning and incomplete repair state. At delivery, the Check Engine Light was actively illuminated, and the car exhibited severe acceleration stumbles, power loss under load, and engine misfires (driving "punchy"). Because I am a non-mechanic, I gave the vehicle one week to settle, but the life-threatening acceleration stumbles persisted.Upon immediate return to the service center, the technician (Nathaniel) formally diagnosed failing intake manifold "butterfly" valves (Variable Charge Motion assembly). Nathaniel explicitly admitted to me that this auxiliary component failure was directly caused by the mechanical extraction and engine replacement process. Despite admitting their labor caused this defect, the dealership refused to complete the safety repair, demanding a fraudulent $900 out-of-pocket payment to correct it. Management then falsely claimed a simple manifold service would take two full days—directly contradicting their rushed afternoon engine swap.The dealership released the vehicle back to me with no confirmation of safety or roadworthiness. I escalated this to Kia Corporate Customer Care, but they officially responded via email refusing to intervene or facilitate any auxiliary repairs. Out of absolute necessity as a single mother working 12-hour shifts, I am forced to drive this vehicle short distances. It remains a major safety hazard due to unpredictable stumbling, chronic cylinder misfires, and high risk of sudden stalling in active traffic, leaving a federal safety recall completely incomplete. I have invoices and emails if needed

ENGINE — Filed 06/13/2026

The engine locked up about a year ago, and since we didn’t technically have a recall we didn’t know what to do. It was able to drive again after we had a technician work on it, but now it’s not driving anymore. It shakes hard when it’s idling and driving. We have waited over 2 weeks to be diagnosed with the problem. We have had to spend $1300 on rental cars because we can’t get a loaner until diagnosed. The car is not safe to drive and puts our lives at risk to drive it. We were lucky it didn’t start shaking while we were driving on a major highway, but it did still happen while driving and was terrifying. The car is at Williams Kia now, in Elmira NY. They still haven’t diagnosed the problem. The check engine light is on.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 05/14/2026

I did not have an incident yet. I was advised by my local State representative Jimmy Gordon's office. They stated were unable to help me get reimbursement for the $8000 I just paid my Kia dealer, but that I should make a complaint on this website. What happened is that I was hearing an odd noise and it was slipping. I went in thinking it was my tires and it needed alignment- so I had them replaced , etc in April. But the sound was still there so I went back in . Then the Kia St Cloud dealer diagnosed that the AWD transfer case was the cause (pd $4704 including $130 surcharge! ). When dealer called to say it was ready, they said bad news- your transmission is also damaged (pd $3197 including $90 surcharge ! ). This is a known failure of Kia/Hyundai models and needs to be addressed. You can lose control of your car and there could be an accident, especially on busy highways! I appealed to Kia corporate and also BBB auto line, but they both denied because too many miles (130k). The sound I heard /issue with transfer case & transmission happened as soon as my powertrain warranty was over! This is not right! I was someone who had given this vehicle 5 stars! I am the only owner and a multi- Kia owner who only brought this vehicle to a Kia dealer for all work. I have all records and that info was why Kia corporate originally told me i had "justification " for a goodwill reimbursement. [I currently am unemployed so I had to put all the repairs on a credit card (which meant being charged a 2.9% surcharge without informing me at the counter!)]. I hadn't heard so called June 2nd to Kia customer care and they said it was denied after all and would not give me any info except that they had negotiated with the dealership and it came back denied! I tried to call the GM at the dealer , but no answer back from my voice mail to Hector. Then BBB AUTO LINE also told me ineligible due to mileage. Well, this is still a dangerous issue and needs to be addressed!

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 12/16/2025

The vehicle is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption. The engine was found by the dealership to be low by 3 quarts of oil after about 1000 miles during an oil consumption test, indicating abnormal oil loss. The suspected failure involves internal engine components, possibly piston rings, allowing oil to enter the combustion chamber and burn. This condition creates a safety risk because the engine can become critically low on oil, without warning, potentially leading to engine damage, loss of power, or engine failure while driving. The problem has been reproduced and documented by the dealership during oil consumption testing. However, there are inconsistencies in the dealership’s reporting, as later documentation stated that no oil consumption was found despite earlier records showing excessive oil loss. This vehicle has been inspected multiple times by an authorized dealership and is currently part of an open case with the manufacture. The vehicle was also held at the dealership for approximately three weeks without clear documentation of work performed. There were minimal warnings indicators prior to the issue. The vehicle showed rough engine performance, which was consistent with oil fouling the spark plugs. No clear warning light reliably indicated the severity of the oil loss before the condition was discovered during testing.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 03/04/2026

WHEN I PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL SOME TIMES I GET NOTHING FOR A SHORT TIME WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,TRAILER HITCHES — Filed 12/23/2025

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sportage. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V703000 (Trail Hitches) and 21V137000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the recall repair requests were denied by the manufacturer. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, it failed to start as intended. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while her brother was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from under the hood. After restarting the vehicle, there was a burning odor coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it remained, and the contact was advised that a recall warranty had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the costs. In addition, the contact stated that the recall was initiated prior to owning the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 03/01/2025

I have a 2019 Kia Sportage with 41k miles on it and the paint is peeling. As of now, the roof spoiler is completely peeled off. The side view mirrors, and the door handles, have paint peeling and bubbling. I have reported it to Kia and they are unwilling to stand by their product and extend the warranty on the paint. Kia is fully aware of the problem but is not willing to fix it.

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — Filed 12/23/2025

This complaint is in reference to my vehicle which is involved with Federal Class Action Lawsuits and the fact that my engine was defective from the day it was built. My engine was consuming oil at a rate of 1 quart every 361.1 miles driven. I was advised to not put oil in it and drive it until it blows up. This would have put myself, my family, friends, or any other passengers or bystanders at risk. Kia is denying my claim solely on a non rod bearing failure.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 12/31/2024

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that the vehicle required 6 quarts of oil every 1,900 miles. The vehicle was recently taken to Valvoline, where an oil change was performed. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH the following day, the vehicle started shuddering and misfiring, and the failure increased significantly while idling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving at 60-65 MPH on the same day, and the engine stalled. The low oil pressure, the battery, and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving; however, the vehicle continuously shuddered and misfired. The vehicle was taken to Valvoline, where the contact was informed that the engine was misfiring. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving after the service appointment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the spark plugs and other unknown parts were replaced. The dealer then test-drove the vehicle; however the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to an unknown engine recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the cost of the repair would not be covered unless the failure was related to the engine rod. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 11/14/2025

The brake peddle keeps jamming and sticking . The steering wheel is now very lose and a lot of play . There is a steering wheel with exclamation point flashing on the dash . When the card turns off it makes electrical noises . It is consuming oil . A pint a week . It’s been towed twice in three weeks