The Kia Sportage generally lives up to its reputation as a reliable, hassle-free grocery-getter. But, when buying used, older Kias may suffer a lot of wear and tear.
Key Points
- A number of Kia and Hyundai vehicles equipped with Theta II engines, including the 2012 and 2013 Kia Sportage, are currently under investigation for possible engine fires.
- The 2012 Sportage leads the list of most troubled model years, with four recalls, two investigations, and 327 complaints.
- Vehicle speed control issues are a major source of complaint for 2012 and 2013 models, with engine stall and sudden acceleration being reported.
- The 2017 Sportage reports a small, but noteworthy, number of complaints for engine failure, plus an engine fire recall.
- The Sportage averages $462 in annual repair costs, placing it among the more reliable compact SUVs.
2012 and 2013 Sportage are Among Theta II-equipped Vehicles Currently Under Investigation for Possible Engine Fires
The 2012 and 2013 Kia Sportage are among the many Kia and Hyundai models currently under investigation for a possible engine fire hazard. Pretty much any Kia or Hyundai equipped with a Theta II engine is under the magnifying glass right now, owing to a number of recalls.
Now, if you look through the engine complaints, you won’t see much about engine fires. There was a recall for the 2012 model for engine fires, but this was for an unrelated oil leak issue. The investigation is a result of engine fires in other vehicles, not the Kia Sportage, specifically.
The investigation was opened in November 2021, and these things can take years just to move into the second stage, and even longer to wrap up. So for now there’s not much anyone can do but wait and see. If you’re buying a 2012 or 2013 Sportage, keep an eye on the investigations page for any new developments.
A previous investigation for scope and timeliness was opened in May 2017, and closed just before the new investigation. This one determined that Kia and Hyundai did meet their obligations to the consumer in prior recalls. All that’s left to be determined is whether the defects in question apply to all Theta II vehicles, or just those already recalled.
Engine Stall, Sudden Acceleration, and Power Loss Lead the Engine Complaints in the 2012 and 2013 Sportage
The 2012 and 2013 Kia Sportages share the same engine, so they’re going to have a lot of the same issues, and the big one is engine stall. The 2012 Sportage reports 286 engine complaints out of 327 complaints total, and the 2013 model reports 241 out of 289, so it’s safe to say that this is the dominant concern in both.
It’s the same story across hundreds of complaints: engine knocking noises followed by stalling, sudden acceleration, hesitation when trying to accelerate, loss of engine power. You know the drill. Everything that can go wrong with engine power is going wrong with the 2012 and 2013 Sportage.
Both vehicles have been recalled for bearing wear which could result in engine seizure, in March, 2017, and for a high-pressure fuel pipe leak, in December, 2018, but neither of these issues would explain the overall pattern of speed control issues. The symptoms on display typically point more to issues with the electronic throttle control.
Unfortunately, with no recall lined up and no investigation underway, this is an issue that may well come out of the driver’s pocket should repairs be required. You expect some engine problems with older cars, but between this and potential fires, the 2012 and 2013 Sportage might be worth skipping.
2017 Sportage Suffers a Random Assortment of Engine Issues, With Some Requiring Total Replacement at Just 41,000 Miles
The leading cause for complaints in the 2017 Sportage is in the engine, comprising 65 of 167 complaints total. Engine issues range from knocking noises to excessive oil consumption to, in at least one case, total replacement of the engine at just 41,000 miles.
Given that there are fewer than 100 engine complaints on file in total, you can say that these reports are infrequent. But, that’s counterbalanced by their potential severity. And with the car just coming out of CPO warranty, a new engine can be a pricey repair.
The 2017 Sportage has been recalled three times. First for a trailer brake light issue in November, 2016, then for a potential high-pressure fuel pipe leak in December, 2018, and finally for an issue with engine compartment fires in a number of 2017-2021 models.
Those last two recalls may help to correct some of the engine issues reported in the complaints department, but certainly not all of them. Given the infrequency of these issues, they might not be enough of a reason to cross the 2017 Sportage off your shopping list, but you might as well prioritize 2016 and 2018 models just to be safe.
The Kia Sportage is Among the More Reliable Compact SUVs on the Market Today, but if You’re Buying Used, Stick to 2018 and Newer
The Kia Sportage is far from unreliable. Even in its weakest model years, you could do a lot worse. The car regularly earns Top Safety Pick awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the average annual repair cost is just $462, about sixty bucks cheaper than the average compact SUV.
But, if you can take your pick, you might as well skip the 2017 model for its assortment of engine problems. For that matter, you probably don’t want to buy a decade-old Kia in the first place, so the open investigation and vehicle speed control issues may be reason enough to cross the 2012 and 2013 Sportage off the list.
Kia make some of the more dependable, hassle-free daily-driver vehicles out there today. But, given the nature of how most people drive them, you shouldn’t expect a lot of mint-condition 2010s models on the used market. Hondas, Toyotas, and Nissans attract more of a gearhead demographic, Kias not so much.
That doesn’t mean you can’t find a used Sportage in good condition, but you’ll have better luck looking for 2018 models and newer.
Photos: Kia
