2018 Kia Sportage engine problems
96 of the 164 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Sportage name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 71 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 96 reports a crash · 9 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 2 · 2019: 15 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 21 · 2026: 19
Half of the 29 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 10,000 and 84,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
164 complaints in all about the 2018 Kia Sportage, 19 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Sportage engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Car shifts to low mode from 50-20mph on its own slow deceleration when stopping slow acceleration when stationary
Addendum to the complaint dated january through senator marco rubio office. I received a letter from NHTSA DOT that the investigation is open as to the "software upgrade", should be labeled recall and into the "theta engine", see attached.
Driving my Kia Sportage (gt line) at about 30-40 miles/hour, descending red hills (jamaica) and without warning the car went dead, all the light comes on the dash and the speed cut drastically. It was scary and I can only imagine if it was on the highway. Afraid to drive it
2018 Kia Sportage. Consumer writes in regards to engine failure. Consumer sent additional correspondence. The consumer stated the dealer denied assistance with the failure due to an after market oil plug being installed in the vehicle. The dealer advised that the 3rd party who changed the oil should be held responsible for the failure.
I had a total engine failure on I-75 with my 2018 Kia Sportage with just over 18,000 miles. My insurance carrier (usaa) person I spoke with said I was the third person she has spoken with in the last week that had the same make & model number that the engine failed.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications71 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SC340_TSB_R5 EmissionsApr 4, 2026
- VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS: ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340 REVISION 5) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module ‘ECM’ system software for certain 2016-2020MY Optima, 2016-20
- TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletinApr 3, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
- TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletinFeb 28, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w
The 3 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P1326 P0449 P0010 P0303 P0420 P200A P2422
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Kia Sportage names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2018 Kia Sportage?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 96 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (59% of everything owners filed about it), and 71 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2018 Kia Sportage?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 3 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2018 Kia Sportage?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 35,000 miles; half of them between 10,000 and 84,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.