2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid

While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion and significantly reduced acceleration. At the same time, the climate control system stopped producing heat. A red warning message appeared instructing me to stop safely. The vehicle would barely accelerate, creating a dangerous situation while driving. This issue has occurred three separate times, including twice in the same day. Each occurrence happened while the vehicle was in motion. The condition resolved only after turning the vehicle off and restarting it. The issue is intermittent and cannot be predicted. The reduced acceleration and loss of propulsion placed my safety at risk, especially at highway speeds, as the vehicle could not respond normally to traffic conditions. The vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership and inspected. A manufacturer tech line case was opened, and testing was performed, including a smoke test. The dealership stated they were unable to duplicate the issue. No repair was made, and the manufacturer closed the tech line case despite the reported loss of propulsion events. The vehicle is currently being retained at the dealership because I do not feel it is safe to operate. The problem was not resolved.

While driving my 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid, the vehicle displayed the warning message “Check Hybrid System – Stop Safely.” Immediately after this message appeared, the vehicle lost propulsion and entered a reduced power/limp condition. This creates a dangerous situation because the vehicle can suddenly lose power while driving in traffic. The dealership informed me that this condition is related to a known hybrid system defect but refused to repair it, stating it was “not under warranty.” This is a safety-related high-voltage hybrid failure involving the propulsion system and can result in unexpected loss of power while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. This defect makes the vehicle unsafe to operate.

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sportage. While the contact’s daughter was driving approximately 70-75 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the side of the road, where the vehicle was turned off for several minutes. The driver then activated the jump-start system of the hybrid vehicle. The driver was able to continue driving. The message "Hybrid Battery - Hybrid System Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was confirmed that the vehicle was included in a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign: SC338; and the dealer completed the Service Campaign repair. No further information was available. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 19,832.