YearToAvoid

2023 Kia Sportage Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 46 Engine complaints for the 2023 Kia Sportage, 24% of its 190 total complaints. Owners report sudden stalling, unintended acceleration, and low oil warnings, with a median failure mileage of 30,000. No related recall is listed in NHTSA data.

Engine complaints
46
24% of 190
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
30,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle stalls or shuts off unexpectedly while driving, sometimes requiring multiple restart attempts on the road.
  • Sudden unintended acceleration reported at low speeds, including while parking or stopped at a traffic light, leading to crashes.
  • Accelerator pedal fails to respond when pressed, causing the vehicle to not speed up as expected and resulting in rear-end collisions.
  • Low oil warning light illuminates repeatedly at low mileage, in one case as early as 3,500 miles.
  • Engine loses power on the highway accompanied by white and black smoke and shaking before shutting off.
  • Dashboard displays a message telling the driver to shift to Park or Neutral after the engine shuts off mid-drive, along with flashing warning lights.

When 2023 Kia Sportage engine complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 11, 2022, latest Sep 13, 2026.

2023 Kia Sportage engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2022Apr 2023Aug 2023Jan 2024Nov 2024Aug 2025Jan 2026
46 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2022 to Sep 2026; peak Jan 2024 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2023 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 many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2023 Kia Sportage?
NHTSA lists 46 Engine complaints for the 2023 Kia Sportage, which makes up 24% of the 190 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2023 Kia Sportage engine?
No related recall is listed in the NHTSA data provided for this engine complaint category.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up on the 2023 Sportage?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for engine complaints is 30,000 miles.
Did the 2023 Sportage engine problems cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 5 crashes and 3 injuries linked to these engine complaints, with no fires reported.

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.