While attempting to park the vehicle in an angled parking spot I was pressing the brake and slowing to a stop. Prior to stopping with my foot still on the brake the engine revved and the vehicle surged forward hitting the car in front of me. The emergency braking did not seem to activate nor di my foot on the brake slow the car.…
Read full complaint
While attempting to park the vehicle in an angled parking spot I was pressing the brake and slowing to a stop. Prior to stopping with my foot still on the brake the engine revved and the vehicle surged forward hitting the car in front of me. The emergency braking did not seem to activate nor di my foot on the brake slow the car. The car has been in the shop at least 4 times totaling nearly 30 days for electrical issues. The vehicle had a full charge prior to the drive which was about 6.5 miles. The vehicle was operating in automatic mode utilizing electric only during the trip. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Powertrain gas and electric emergency braking. It is at repair shop can be inspected How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Car accelerated without warning Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Dealer has video of engine surging when switching to electric only mode. I also have many videos. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Dealer only in service shop. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Had check engine light multiple times shorting after buying vehicle. Also has burning wire or rubber smell when charging. Engine RPM's surged when manually switching to electric only mode. Dealer service tech has video and I have multiple videos of this happening. Other items. Car dash says to place hands on steering wheel while hands are on steering wheel. Have video of this. Car has a surging sensation while driving slight gyro sensation. Automatic wipers slow to activate or reactivate during light rain. Have video. Electronics related to android auto and heat AC do not work right flicker disengage and reengage over and over. Have multiple videos of this.
NHTSA ODI #11708271
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2024
Forward Collision Avoidance
While driving in cruise mode at 70mph in the [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly accelerated to 110mph. I detected the issue when I felt the car speeding up by itself, so I proceed to brake to avoid any accidents. As you might already have noticed, this is a major safety concern. I tried setting the car to cruise mode again, and it rep…
Read full complaint
While driving in cruise mode at 70mph in the [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly accelerated to 110mph. I detected the issue when I felt the car speeding up by itself, so I proceed to brake to avoid any accidents. As you might already have noticed, this is a major safety concern. I tried setting the car to cruise mode again, and it repeated the same action. The car was sent to the dealership, but they couldn't fix the issue. Reset the car and apparently was solved. Two months later, while driving my daily commute, the car repeated the same issue stated above. This time I had a car closer and could avoid to have a major issue by quickly braking the car, as the car quickly increased the power to reach the 110mph that for some unknow reason is doing by itself. I sent the car again to the dealership, they couldn't fix the issue and it's been in maintenance for over 55 days. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Trailer Hitches
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2024 Kia Sportage Phev Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year