2011 KIA SPORTAGE Unknown Or Other Problems

Update to NHTSA (ODI #11679186) Subject: Update to ODI Complaint #11679186 – Kia America Written Response Body: Dear NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am writing to provide an update to my ODI Complaint #11679186 regarding my 2011 Kia Sportage SX (VIN: [XXX] ), which caught fire while I was driving on [XXX]. On August 27, 2025, Kia America issued me a written response (attached). In this letter, Kia explicitly acknowledged: “Preliminary evaluation results show… the fire originated within the engine compartment area.” “The cause was unknown engine oil leaks allowing motor oil to contact hot exhaust surfaces of the engine that led to ignition.” Despite admitting the fire’s cause, Kia refused restitution, stating that the vehicle was “9 years and 163,000 miles outside of warranty.” I request that this letter be added to ODI Complaint #11679186 and considered in your analysis of Kia vehicle fire trends. I believe this documentation is significant in establishing that Kia recognizes the fire hazard but denies responsibility due to warranty expiration, which does not address the broader safety risk. Thank you for your review and for your ongoing work to protect vehicle safety. Respectfully, Daniel McAdams INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On [XXX], my 2011 Kia Sportage SX (VIN: [XXX] ) caught fire while I was driving. The vehicle rapidly filled with smoke, causing throat and eye irritation from smoke inhalation. My insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss. Kia America (Case #[XXX]) acknowledged the incident and confirmed that a fire inspection would be conducted. The inspection was completed, but Kia has refused to release the findings or determine the cause. On [insert date], Kia denied my claim without explanation, despite the vehicle being a complete loss due to fire. This is a critical safety issue that could have caused severe injury or death. I am requesting NHTSA investigate the cause of the fire and Kia’s handling of post-incident safety reporting. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2011 kia sportage had a recall #23V65200. On [XXX] my radio started smoking and my headlights would not shut off even with car off and keys out. You had to unplug cable from battery for lights to go off and not run battery down. I called kia in bloomington indiana they said to not drive and call customer service to have towed. i called on [XXX] and talked to a lady, she was very rude and dismissive. Said they would not tow due to my kia being a 2011 it was to old and they would only tow if above 2015. She then said I had to pay and only if the lights and smoke was because of recall they would pay. But I did not know or have extra money for this and nowhere in our papers about recall does it say it had to be a certain year to tow, only to stop driving and call. So my disabled husband drove it to the dealership in bloomington on [XXX] and dropped off even though they were at risk. I did not hear anything from kia and called to make sure they received auto. They had said they found my car and did not know it was there on June 19th. My husband told a person there he dropped it off and I guess they didn't get messages. After having my car and me telling them what had happened they then said they fixed recall but would have to run a diagnostic for them to see if the other problems were because of it. Bloomington then said they could not say it was not because of the recall this happened they did not know. So they sent my car to headquarters to engineers is what bloomington told me. Did not hear from them again until July 19th stating again they were not sure. And we had to pay for diagnostic check of 195.00. On Aug 6th they messaged us and said they found issues but it was not because of recall. And we would have to pay roughly 2500.00 to fix, yet they stated my washer fluid was fine when in fact it is not hooked up, line broke. How is that? I said I was going to talk with someone and get back with them. My car is still there. Not once did they offer INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

Kia dealership sold me a used vehicle with an active and very recent URGENT safety recall with no remedy at this time! Knowing I’d be driving to and from daughters school & work every day with my child in it. I started to smell burning so I looked up issues the car may have to find out this information.

It's been close to 6 months since they did the hydraulic brake switch fuse recall. This is a pretty big deal with cars catching on fire out of nowhere. How long do they have to come up with a solution?

I have replaced the control arms on my vehicle 5 times since 2019. Now my vehicle has brake and steering issues resulting from this and the control arms are needed replacing again. This has caused me to wreck once and luckily it wasn’t life threatening but I am now afraid to drive the car

the check engine light blinked and i lost power as i was driving. they replaced my engine and now i have 6 lights on my dash.

The gear shift get stuck in park or drive.

Airbag Clock Spring does not work properly. It has been recalled on other KIA's but not mine. I was told to just turn the steering wheel to get the cruise to work, but don't know if that will make the airbag work in case of an accident if it's not fixed!!

Oil pan leak caused by faulty gasket and failed indicator

THE CAR SHUT OFF AT A RED LIGHT ON A MAIN HIGHWAY AND AT AT STOP SIGN AND THERE WAS NO ADVANCED WARING

Mileage: 74

VEHICLE HAS PLASTIC BURNING SMELL FROM TIME TO TIME AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE TRACED AS OF YET. THE SMELL FREQUENTLY APPEARS AFTER CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND COMES AND GOES.WE LOOKED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS BEFORE REPORTING THIS ISSUE.

Mileage: 102,000

WE WERE PARKED WITH THE CAR RUNNING AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO PARK ONLY TO HAVE THE SHIFTER BUTTON GET STUCK INSIDE THE SHIFTER PREVENTING US FROM TURNING THE CAR OFF. WE HAVE HAD TO PRY THE BUTTON OUT TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT GETS STUCK NOW WHEN PUSHED IN CAUSING IT TO STAY IN WHILE DRIVING POSING A HAZARD IF THE SHIFTER IS BUMPED OR MOVED WHILE IN MOTION. IT IS STEADILY GETTING WORSE AND SOMETIMES WE ARE UNABLE TO GET THE BUTTON TO PUSH IN ENOUGH TO SHIFT THE CAR.

Mileage: 124,000

ENGINE HEATINGS AND COOLING

BEARING PREMATURELY WORE OUT AND I HAVE TO GET A SHORT BLOCK MOTOR FOR $5405.00 AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP COUGHLIN IN NEWARK OHIO SO I HAD TO GET A NEW CAR. NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON AND IT NEVER SMOKED OR OVERHEATED.IT SHUT OFF IN IDLE AND DID IT SEVERAL TIMES. WE TOWED IT TO DEALERSHIP. THEY NEVER MENTIONED A RECALL. I'VE BEEN ONLY OWNER. ALWAYS CHANGED OIL, IT NEVER GOT HOT OR MADE SOUNDS INDICATING A MOTOR WAS ABOUT TO BLOW AND NO TROUBLE LIGHT INDICATORS CAME ON.

Mileage: 160,000

I FEEL MY VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING BY IT SELF SOMETIMES IT JERKS WHEN I AM IN FREEWAYS I FEEL VIBRATING ENGINE WHEN IS STATIONARY IT'S THE SECOND TIME WHEN I STOPPED A RED LIGHT AND MY VEHICLE TURNED IT SELF WITHOUT WARNING I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON

PIERDE FUERZA Y LE SUENA MUCHO EL MOTOR

Mileage: 5

WHILE DRIVING CAR JUST DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC GOING LIKE 45MPH COAST OFF THE ROAD. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS FUEL ENGINE WILL TURN OVER BUT NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER JULY 17,2017 WAS TOLD IT COULD BE ONE OF TWO THINGS THE FACTORY SECURITY SYSTEM OR THE ECM SO THE DEALER CHANGED OUT THE SECURITY SYSTEM THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST SO ECM IS NEXT WAS TOLD SORRY THERE ARE NO ECM,S FOR YOUR VEHICLE IN THE US. WILL HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURE COUPLE DAYS LATER THEY TELL ME IT HAS TO BE BUILT THERE ARE NONE IN STOCK AND THE EARLIEST WE WILL GET ONE WOULD BE AUG.23,2017. TODAY AUG.24,2017 CALLED TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF THE PART AND GOT A NEW DATE (A PROMISE DATE) OF SEPT.2,2017 BUT THAT'S NOT GUARANTEED ????? THIS CAR JUST DYING WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR OVER A MONTH MAKES ME WONDER HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE. MY CAR HAS ONLY 63000 MILES ON IT. THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE AND ALL ISSUES HELPING THE CONSUMERS WHEN THE MANUFACTURES WON'T. THANKS AGAIN.

Mileage: 63,000

I PURCHASED THIS CAR AS FIRST OWNER. I MAINTAINED MY CAR AT DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR. STARTING JULY 2016, MY CAR ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN RANDOMLY AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN AT TRAFFIC LIGHT OR FREEWAY RAMP LIGHT. THIS WAS NOT EXPECTED. I WAS REALLY SHOCKED AND SCARED THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR-END MY CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE THREE TIMES. THEY CAN'T FIX IT AND CLAIMED THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE CODE FOR THEM TO FOLLOW-UP ON. IT GOT WORSE AS I DROVE THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT 60 MPH FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. THE ENGINE WOULD SEIZED. IT FELT LIKE THE ENGINE EXPLODED. IT WAS SUPER SCARY AND UNSAFE. I FELT LIKE THE CAR COULD FREEZE AND POSSIBLY ROLL-OVER. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE AGAIN. THEY SAID IT WAS THE MAP SENSOR AND CHANGED IT. HOWEVER WITHIN A WEEK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS POINTING TO THE MAP SENSOR THAT THEY JUST CHANGED OUT. I SAW KIA SPORTAGE IS HAVING A RECALL. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. YET THE ISSUES DESCRIBED ON THE RECALL WERE SO SIMILAR TO MY CAR'S ISSUES. I AM TRULY WORRIED THAT MY LIFE AND MY FAMILY'S LIVES WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS CAR. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY PUSHES ME AROUND TO OTHER DEALERSHIP SERVICE WITHOUT FIXING THE ISSUES. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DIE IN A CAR ACCIDENT THAT'S NOT CAUSED BY MY FAULT BUT THE CAR'S MALFUNCTIONING POWER-TRAIN/ ENGINE/ OTHER ISSUES THAT THE DEALERSHIP WON'T FIX EVEN IF THE WARRANTY IS STILL OPEN AND VALID. PLEASE HELP! (IF INVOICE DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED, I CAN CONTACT MY DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I ONLY KEPT MY PAYMENT RECEIPT ON VISA CARD STATEMENT)

Mileage: 69,000

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WITH A FRIEND ON THE 10 FREEWAY IN SAN BERNADINO. WE HEARD A LARGE EXPLOSION AND GLASS STARTED COMING IN THE CAR FROM THE SUN ROOF AREA. APPARENTLY OUR SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED, HAVEN'T USED THE SUNROOF IN YEARS. LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND APPARENTLY IT'S A THING THAT HAPPENS TO THESE KIAS.

Mileage: 76,000

DUE TO KIA NOT APPLYING ENOUGH RUST PROTECTION/UNDERCOATING ON MY SPORTAGE. I AM EXPERIENCING RUST ALL UNDERNEATH MY CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, TRYING TO GET THEM TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND BOTH HAVE REFUSED, EACH BLAMING THE OTHER FOR THE CAUSE. IN THE MEANTIME, I AM DRIVING MY SPORTAGE IN SNOW, ICE, WATER AND SALT IN MASSACHUSETTS. I HAVE ALSO TOLD THEM THAT MY CATALYIC CONVERTER WAS ALSO RUSTING TO THE POINT THAT THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACING. I AM ALSO VERY SCARED THAT THERE IS SUSPENSION DAMAGE FROM THIS HAPPENING. I AM CONSTANTLY HEARING GROANS, SCREECHING AND WHINING NOISES WHILE TRAVELING IN MY SUV.

Mileage: 24,508

VEHICLE SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOT-GUN BLAST HIT THE SUNROOF AND THREW GLASS EVERYWHERE. NO REASON AS TO WHY IT HAPPENED BUT IT JUST DID. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE THAT DESCRIBE THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO THEIR KIA BUT IT WAS A KIA SORENTO, I AM WONDERING IF IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT PROBLEM WITH KIA'S IN GENERAL.

Mileage: 78,000

WHILE ON VACATION IN LA WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH OUR 2011 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR LOSE POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WE HAD TO RESTART THE CAR REPEATEDLY UNTIL WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL AUTOZONE AND THEY GOT A CODE FOR THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. WE FOUND A DEALERSHIP AND TOOK THE CAR IN. THEY TOLD US THERE WAS A PAST CODE , BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CODE THEY GOT. AFTER SITTING ALL DAY WAITING FOR KIA CORPORATION TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO TO FIX IT, WE FINALLY GOT THE CAR BACK AND TOLD IT WAS A PIN TENSION THAT WAS LOOSE AND THEY FIX IT. NO CHARGE SINCE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 2 MONTHS LATER AND THEY CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR AND IT TOOK A WEEK TO GET AN APPT. NOW WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEY GOT A CODE FOR THE THROTTLE POS SENSOR AND THAT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER ( MILEAGE IS 61000). THEY HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS. NO LOANER CAR WAS OFFERED TO US AND IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. SOMEBODY WILL SURELY GET HURT.

Mileage: 58,500