2011 Kia Sportage Fuel system Problems
- Complaints
- 10about this part
- Share
- 6%of 181 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 42,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the fuel system of the 2011 Kia Sportage, 6% of the 181 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 42,500 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“One day my ex wife drove what is now my 2011 Kia Sportage home, which she said ran fine up until that point. The next day she went out to start it and from the sound it was making the bottom half of the engine was turning and the top half was not, which we have verified that slack appears to be present in the timing chain upon taking the valve cover off to inspect. …”
NHTSA complaint #11192519, filed 2019-03, 125,000 miles“Was driving in cruze crontrol stepped on the gas and vehicle died. I pushed the start button nothing but a warning sign on dash screen that would go blank before I could see what it said. I lifted the hood and check the battery cables they were on tight got back in the truck push the button nothing smelled wires burning seen smoke top of my motors on fire. I was heading north on I-5 near the dupont exit.”
NHTSA complaint #11279767, filed 2019-11, 117,785 miles“So I had pretty much a full day of driving and my manual transmission 6 speed 2011 Sportage, that until today the only problem I noticed was that sometimes to me it felt like when I up shifted or began to go into first that it wasn't going all the way into gear; and at times on the highway it wasnt accelerating normally and my gas mileage is about 50m less per tank than it has been the past 5 mo.(financed to buy as of march). According to the dealership only 1 previous owner and I'm not sure what work had been on it prior to the dealership we are buying through. …”
NHTSA complaint #11242177, filed 2019-08, 100,080 miles“When I placed the vehicle in reverse, it felt like the car lunged stopped and lunged again. The car did not move, because the brakes were still engaged. The review camera did not turn on. I backed out and pulled back into my spot, put the car in park, put it into reverse again, and the lunging occurred again. I checked the reverse lights, and they were not on. I proceeded to drive to my destination. While driving at 40 MPH, I attempted to accelerate, the car revved to a high RPM, and then engaged the transmission causing the tires to chirp. …”
NHTSA complaint #10526419, filed 2013-07, 2,500 miles“I purchased a 2011 Kia Sportage mar 2011 w/ 12 miles on it. The mpg range on the window sticker was 22 city/27 highway (18 min/32 max). Shortly after the gas mileage was poor. I drove the vehicle for 500 miles figuring that should break it in and hoped the gas mileage would improve. It didn't, but got worse. I returned to the dealer in may, the vehicle had 504 miles on it and was getting 12 miles per gallon. Dealer ran a fuel consumption test and ECM upgrade stating that should fix the problem. I drove it another 700 miles but the mileage didn't' get better. …”
NHTSA complaint #10461944, filed 2012-06, 504 milesRelated service bulletins
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- 10173502Mar 19, 2020VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SC184): EVAPORATOR CANISTER - PROOF OF COMPLETION CARD - To be filled out and provided to the customers whose vehicles are registered in one…
- 10173488Mar 19, 2020VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SC184): EVAPORATIVE CANISTER - OWNER LETTER - This notice is to announce a new Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to inspect the…
- 10173514Mar 17, 2020TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN - CANISTER INSPECTION AND AUXILIARY CANISTER INSTALLATION (SC184) - This bulletin provides the procedure to…
- 10173485Mar 17, 2020VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SC184): EVAPORATIVE CANISTER - QA - This document is a Question and Answer guide for the Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to inspect the…
- 10173484Mar 17, 2020VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SC184): EVAPORATIVE CANISTER - DEALER SERVICE MANAGER NOTICE - This notice is to announce a new Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to…
- 10173478Mar 17, 2020VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SC184): EVAPORATIVE CANISTER - DEALER PRINCIPAL NOTICE - Announces the new Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to inspect the evaporative…
- 10152915Jan 18, 2019TSB: SPECIAL SERVICE INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS FOR GDI HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. This bulletin provides…
- 10127029Dec 13, 2017TSB - SERVICE ACTION: TURBO OIL FEED LINE REPLACEMENT (SA300) - This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the turbo oil feed line on some 2011-2015MY Optima (TF), produced…
- 10109655May 19, 2014PIT STOP: GDI INJECTOR SPRAY TIP DEPOSITS - A design feature of vehicles equipped with a Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) system is the placement of each fuel injector directly…
Fuel system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 14% |
| 2025 | 1 | 2% |
| 2024 | 4 | 5% |
| 2023 | 14 | 7% |
| 2022 | 3 | 7% |
| 2021 | 2 | 4% |
| 2020 | 9 | 5% |
| 2019 | 7 | 10% |
| 2018 | 11 | 7% |
| 2017 | 24 | 6% |
| 2016 | 9 | 7% |
| 2015 | 7 | 5% |
| 2014 | 8 | 6% |
| 2013 | 9 | 2% |
| 2012 | 7 | 2% |
| 2011 | 10 | 6% |
| 2009 | 5 | 6% |
| 2008 | 2 | 2% |
| 2007 | 2 | 3% |
| 2006 | 6 | 5% |
| 2005 | 14 | 21% |
| 2002 | 67 | 29% |
| 2001 | 62 | 27% |
| 2000 | 90 | 30% |
| 1999 | 38 | 13% |
| 1998 | 24 | 8% |
| 1997 | 18 | 10% |
| 1996 | 2 | 4% |
| 1995 | 3 | 5% |
Other parts of the 2011 Kia Sportage
77 complaintsElectrical system
38 complaintsBrakes
25 complaintsOther or unknown
24 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
23 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaintsVehicle speed control
10 complaintsSteering
9 complaintsEngine cooling
7 complaintsElectronic stability control
5 complaintsBody and structure
5 complaintsSuspension
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 Kia Sportage
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology