NHTSA complaint #11729273

Owner complaint summary

I respectfully request that NHTSA review this issue for potential safety related defect trends involving excessive oil consumption that progress to catastrophic engine failure in 2020 Kia Sportages equipped with the 2.4L engine. The vehicle consumed oil at an abnormal rate between oil changes despite routine maintenance and regular oil level checks, and the condition ultimately resulted in a non-operational vehicle. Over the months leading up to the failure, I was forced to add oil at least monthly and began checking the oil level more frequently due to the rate of loss. I maintain my vehicle carefully and have consistently kept up with oil changes. In March 2026, the vehicle broke down after I experienced a sudden loss of power and stalling, and the engine ultimately failed and left the vehicle non-operational. When an engine consumes oil rapidly and then stalls or loses power unexpectedly, drivers can face an increased risk of a crash particularly if the failure occurs at highway speeds or in traffic. I have found numerous similar complaints posted online by other Kia owners describing the same pattern of excessive oil consumption followed by sudden loss of power, stalling, and/or engine failure. While I understand online posts are not formal findings, the volume and consistency of these reports suggest a broader trend that warrants NHTSA review for potential defects and safety impacts. After the failure, I had the vehicle towed to Kia of [XXX] . The service department advised that the engine requires replacement and quoted approximately $14,000 for the repair. The invoice I received (#XXX) states that the technician recommends “short block motor replacement,” but the dealership verbally stated they would not perform only a short block replacement and would instead replace the complete engine because, in their view, a short block-only repair would lead to additional problems. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)