2023 Kia Sportage HybridRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“Driving on hwy, hybrid battery light comes on. Car basically dies you have to pull over, shut car off, hit battery reset and start . Very dangerous It's been happening off and on for a while. Started about 28000 miles , now have 42000. Dealership is 1 1/2 hrs away, very heavy traffic. Plus our only car and have to work various hrs. No rental car avail. Can happen 6-7 times one day then a month goes by nothing.”

“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.”

“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…”