YearToAvoid

2019 Kia Sportage Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 40 Engine complaints for the 2019 Kia Sportage, 57% of its 70 total complaints. Median mileage at failure was 50,000 miles, and 3 fires were reported. No related recalls are listed for this component.

Engine complaints
40
57% of 70
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
50,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine stalls or shuts off completely while driving, sometimes in traffic with no warning lights on.
  • Vehicle overheats and produces smoke from the hood, in at least one case leading to a fire that destroyed the vehicle.
  • RPMs surge unexpectedly between 3000 and 4000 while driving, then the vehicle gets stuck at 2000 rpm and won't accelerate or decelerate.
  • Accelerator becomes unresponsive after the engine sputters at a stop, failing to regain speed.
  • Engine develops a ticking noise along with an illuminated check engine light.
  • Owners report ongoing oil consumption problems requiring repeated oil consumption tests at dealers.

When 2019 Kia Sportage engine complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 9, 2018, latest Sep 13, 2026.

2019 Kia Sportage engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Dec 2018Feb 2021Aug 2023Feb 2024Oct 2024May 2025Nov 2025Jul 2026
40 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Sep 2024 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2019 Kia Sportage

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Sportage model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20103 (15%)
  2. 201189 (49%)
  3. 2012331 (84%)
  4. 2013314 (82%)
  5. 201474 (61%)
  6. 201586 (59%)
  7. 201665 (50%)
  8. 2017234 (59%)
  9. 2018100 (61%)
  10. 201940 (57%)
  11. 202085 (53%)
  12. 202126 (51%)
  13. 202222 (48%)
  14. 202346 (24%)
  15. 202413 (18%)
  16. 202511 (22%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2019 Kia Sportage?
NHTSA lists 40 Engine complaints for the 2019 Sportage, which is 57% of the 70 total complaints filed for this model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Kia Sportage engine?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the Engine component on the 2019 Kia Sportage.
At what mileage do 2019 Kia Sportage engine problems usually appear?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this component is 50,000 miles.
Have there been fires linked to the 2019 Kia Sportage engine complaints?
Yes, NHTSA data shows 3 fires reported among the complaints filed in this problem area, with no crashes or injuries recorded.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.