2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid

The defect

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

The risk

A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy

Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Kia America, Inc. · up to 108,936 vehicles across all model years covered

crash · towed

I was in a motor vehicle accident this morning and it was an impactful accident yet my air bags failed to go off which was a surprise to me and the police officers given the force of the accident. The police officers even commented on it several times since it’s a new car and recommended I address it. The other drivers air bags went off and she got hit from the side whereas I collided with the car head on and they did not go off. My car was impacted to the point of not being to drive off in my car from the scene due to the damage and it had to be towed.

NHTSA complaint 11535549. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

crash

Driving 5 hours away. Got to my destination parked and went to check in . Came back to my car and drove to where my room was going to be. I went to try to stop and the brakes were spongy and seems like it too forever to finally stop. Due to this issue I ended up hitting a curb and damaging my car/ tires. I was very scared to drive back home like that. I looked it up and it says there is a recall for the breaking system but my car wasnt one of them. I need to get this fixed asap and also my tires/ front end of Car. What can I do about this issue and getting it fixed asap ?!

NHTSA complaint 11565162. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Electronic parking brake switch has failed. Yes the switch is available for inspection. Electronic parking brake can no longer be manually activated. Failure of the electronic parking brake switch has been confirmed by a dealer (Citrus Kia, Ontario, CA). Electronic parking brake switch has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. No warnings have been given regarding function of the electronic parking brake switch.

NHTSA complaint 11756367. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

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 …

NHTSA complaint 11754862, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

towed · 104,000 miles

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

NHTSA complaint 11754033. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

45,445 miles

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the engine seized. The hybrid engine message was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and parked. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle started. The contact reset the instrument cluster. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a busy four-lane highway. The failure was a persistent failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact stated that no diagnostic information was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact …

NHTSA complaint 11752684, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

On XXX and XXX, while driving on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power. Flashing warning lights appeared on the instrument cluster, accompanied by a safety warning message instructing the driver to pull over and "Check Hybrid System" immediately. This sudden, uncommanded drop in propulsion on active, high-speed roadways created an immediate safety hazard, forcing emergency maneuvering to coast the vehicle safely to the shoulder. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized franchise dealer (Arapahoe Kia in [XXX]) on XXX, where it has now remained grounded for 31 consecutive days. The service department has verbally communicated extreme diagnostic confusion, …

NHTSA complaint 11750948, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

The car's transmission became unresponsive and caused the car to lose the ability to accelerate. This happened twice on the highway before I could get it to the dealer. In order to recover, I had to pull over on the shoulder and turn the car off, wait, and turn it back on. The dealer, through the Kia warranty service, would only 'recalibrate' the transmission and refused to service it. After the recalibration, the dealership wanted to give me back the car. I insisted that they took it for an extended test drive in which it stalled for them as well. Kia warranty then authorized the replacement, and I am awaiting its completion.

NHTSA complaint 11748310. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.