2011 Kia SPORTAGE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Kia SPORTAGE has 264 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: engine light is on and no power when you apply gas pedal. dealer pulled codes for ob2 and found p2562 turbo boot control/position sensor. rest both adpat values. after resting and rebooting ecm drivers windows would not go up. asked dealer if car was safe to driver. dealer stated yes and said t. ⚠️ 10 fire reports filed.

10 fire reports 8 crash reports 5 injuries

264

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

84 complaints

32%

• ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY GAS PEDAL. DEALER PULLED CODES FOR OB2 AND FOUND P2562 TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR. REST BOTH ADPAT VALUES. AFTER RESTING AND REBOOTING ECM DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED DEALER IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVER. DEALER STATED YES AND SAID T
• DEALER CLAIMS THEY REFERRED TO PREVIOUS SERVICE HISTORY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN DEPRESS GAS PEDAL CAR DOES NOT RESPONDED. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD ON JULY 13, 2011. DEALER SCANNED FOR CODES. DID NOT STATE IN WORK ORDER WHICH CODES WHERE PRESENT. CALLED KIA TECH LINE. ADJUST TURBO
• CHECK ENGINE IS ON LIGHT. NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS PEDAL. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. PREVIOUSLY DEALERSHIP SCANNED FOR CODES. CODES THAT WHERE PRESENT INDICATED TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR AND ADJUSTED EWGA ROD.B. *KB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY GAS PEDAL. DEALER PULLED CODES FOR OB2 AND FOUND P2562 TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR. REST BOTH ADPAT VALUES. AFTER RESTING AND REBOOTING ECM DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED DEALER IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVER. DEALER STATED YES AND SAID T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

38 complaints

14%

• ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY GAS PEDAL. DEALER PULLED CODES FOR OB2 AND FOUND P2562 TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR. REST BOTH ADPAT VALUES. AFTER RESTING AND REBOOTING ECM DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED DEALER IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVER. DEALER STATED YES AND SAID T
• CHECK ENGINE IS ON LIGHT. NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS PEDAL. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. PREVIOUSLY DEALERSHIP SCANNED FOR CODES. CODES THAT WHERE PRESENT INDICATED TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR AND ADJUSTED EWGA ROD.B. *KB
• I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THE HORN OF THIS VEHICLE IS VERY LOW AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL> I WAS READING ONLINE AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER SIMILAR CASES, WHERE PEOPLE JUST CAN'T HEAR THE HORN. BY THE CALIFORNIA LAW, THE HORN HAS TO BE HEARD BY A MINIMUM DISTANCE, I HAVE NOT TESTE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

25 complaints

• PUSH BUTTON START WOULD NOT WORK DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THIS MODEL YEAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AS MOST OTHER YEAR MODELS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT SHOULD BE. PROBLEM CLEARLY EXTENDS PAST 2010 YEAR MODELS. *TR
• THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT START DUE TO A FAULTY BRAKE SENSOR SAFETY SWITCH. *TR
• AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE PREVENTING THE SHIFTER FROM BEING MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND CAUSING THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. FAILURE TO ILLUMINATE THE STOP LAMPS DURING BRAKING OR INABILITY TO DISENGAGE TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“PUSH BUTTON START WOULD NOT WORK DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THIS MODEL YEAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AS MOST OTHER YEAR MODELS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT SHOULD BE. PROBLEM CLEARLY EXTENDS PAST 2010 YEAR MODELS. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

24 complaints

• 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
• 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
• 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 DR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“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 ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

23 complaints

• DEALER CLAIMS THEY REFERRED TO PREVIOUS SERVICE HISTORY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN DEPRESS GAS PEDAL CAR DOES NOT RESPONDED. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD ON JULY 13, 2011. DEALER SCANNED FOR CODES. DID NOT STATE IN WORK ORDER WHICH CODES WHERE PRESENT. CALLED KIA TECH LINE. ADJUST TURBO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT LOCK MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS ONCE CORRECTED BUT RECURRED RECENTLY. THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM BEING PLACED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SHIFT L
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD, SLIP GEARS AND REMAIN IN FOURTH GEAR SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO PERFORM NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“DEALER CLAIMS THEY REFERRED TO PREVIOUS SERVICE HISTORY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN DEPRESS GAS PEDAL CAR DOES NOT RESPONDED. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD ON JULY 13, 2011. DEALER SCANNED FOR CODES. DID NOT STATE IN WORK ORDER WHICH CODES WHERE PRESENT. CALLED KIA TECH LINE. ADJUST TURBO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 264 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY GAS PEDAL. DEALER PULLED CODES FOR OB2 AND FOUND P2562 TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR. REST BOTH ADPAT VALUES. AFTER RESTING AND REBOOTING ECM DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED DEALER IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVER. DEALER STATED YES AND SAID T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER WHEN YOU APPLY GAS PEDAL. DEALER PULLED CODES FOR OB2 AND FOUND P2562 TURBO BOOT CONTROL/POSITION SENSOR. REST BOTH ADPAT VALUES. AFTER RESTING AND REBOOTING ECM DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED DEALER IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVER. DEALER STATED YES AND SAID T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: PUSH BUTTON START WOULD NOT WORK DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THIS MODEL YEAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AS MOST OTHER YEAR MODELS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT SHOULD BE. PROBLEM CLEARLY EXTENDS PAST 2010 YEAR MODELS. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)