2018 Kia Sportage Electrical Problems

Your car experienced a serious engine fire while parked on the highway after a 2-hour drive. Black smoke appeared from under the hood shortly after the engine was shut off, followed by flames that completely engulfed the engine area. The car had a known issue with excessive oil consumption that required more frequent oil changes than normal, and you were told to wait for engine failure before the manufacturer would address it.

You took your 2018 Kia Sportage in for a theft prevention recall, but your vehicle was stolen the night after the repair was completed. The thief was able to start the car using just a USB charging cable, which means the recall didn't fully address the security vulnerability.

Your headlights won't work on low beam on either side, making the car unsafe to drive at night. You've already replaced the bulbs, headlight assemblies, turn signal switch, relay, and fuses, but the low beams still don't function—only the high beams and turn signals work. The repair will likely require a diagnostic of the headlight wiring circuit and electrical connections to identify why power isn't reaching the low beam filaments.

Your 2018 Kia Sportage experienced a complete engine failure while driving on September 30, 2025, and had to be towed to a dealership. A previous oil retention test in August 2024 had already identified a defective engine, but Kia declined to replace it at that time. The engine failure appears to match a known Kia engine defect pattern. Fixing this issue will require a full engine replacement or major internal engine repair to address the low compression and combustion chamber failure.

Driver power window regulator stopped working. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety is at risk because it can hinder my ability to exit the car in an emergency. In addition, it is exposing the car's interior and possibly interior electrical parts to the weather elements, and potentially leaving me vulnerable to theft or intrusion. The problem was intermittent at first, and I reported it to the dealer, but at that time of service, they were unable to reproduce the failure. The service department told me this is a fairly common problem with my model of car. The component has not been inspected by Kia, the police, insurance representatives, or others. The symptoms were intermittent at first prior to the total failure. The full failure happened at 101,500 miles, which is past the 100,000 mile warranty expiration.

Wiring harness that goes to the battery and alternator had melted plastic, fried battery and alternator

The tow hitch can apparently start a fire. I can not afford to rent a car & must use mine as I am disabled & have a mother with dementia, so I need my vehicle. Kia still has not resolved this issue. This recall has been open since September, 10 MONTHS! This is the THIRD recall for this vehicle, one has a current lawsuit.

The plugs for the engine cooling fan and wiring harness were damaged from overheating. No fuses blew, plugs were melted and wiring was discolored from overheating. Estimate for repair was: Parts (cooling fan assembly, and wiring harness)- $2430.19 plus tax, Labor 8hrs @ $175.00/hr- $1400, Total cost to replace the cooling fan and wiring harness- $3830.19 plus tax. Overheating of the wiring harness poses a significant risk of a short circuit and potential engine fire. The problem was identified by the Kia dealer. No warning lamps, blown fuses, or messages warning of the problem. we smelled smoke on a couple of occasions. Unable to afford the repairs, we traded the vehicle in at a Honda dealer.

The contact owned a 2018 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle was stolen while parked in front of her residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to a dealer and the Anti-Theft Logic and Sticker Upgrade per NHTSA ID Number: 10233650 (Electrical System) was performed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Anti-theft security software update fix. I have not received a recall or any information from Kia to have this repaired. I wish to have this repaired ASAP. Thank you.

Electrical system keeps on shortening out the brake lights.

Kia knowing that they are selling nothing but junk to consumers are refusing to provide ANY Assistance to customers whom pay 25+K for their trash called vechicles. Kia has recalled my vechicle 2× now for Motor and ECU problems and now my vechicle is having electrical problems and had to be towed to a dealership to be looked at. This dealership is not looking to find out where the electrician problem is coming from and when I contact Kia America they are refusing any assistance to help me get their 25K piece of trash back on the road. When is the NTHSA going to do something and hold these car companies RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JUNK THEY ARE SELLING!!!

Car dash lights will go dim and when I drive I feel like I'm not getting enough power and when I drive my car will pull

When you turn off the car via push button the car engine won’t shut off. The computer system shuts down but the engine continues to run. I’ve taken to the dealership three times to repair and it is still an issue. Engine isn’t diesel’ing as the gas pedal still works with the car off. When this happens the vehicles computer system itself is fully off. Kia roadside won’t dispatch in this situation as they say “they aren’t mechanics”. The only thing you can do to shut the car off no matter how many times you attempt to restart is to go inside the engine compartment and pull the fuel pump fuse and starve the engine. There is no difference in engine sound between the on and off computer state, car is quiet so it could be easily missed by someone not paying attention. The car doors will not lock in this situation. Originally when this happened the car would throw tons of codes (I have it on video) now after the supposed fix (aka the computer update for the recall that was supposed to fix my issue) it no longer throws any codes. Now when the issue happens the vehicle appears to actually shut down fully except you can hear the engine not shutting down but not a single code registers. Shifter is completely locked out in this situation and will not re-engage until the engine has been choked out.

ACCORDING TO KIA WHICH THEY POSTED AT THEIR WEBSITE, ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WITHIN HECU MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER, HAD NO PARTS, AS OF 4/12/21 NO KIA DEALER HAS THIS PART. CALLED KIA, THEY SUPPOSEDLY GOING TO SHIP PARTS END OF APRIL. THEY HAVE NO CONCERN ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, DESPITE I TOLD THEM I CAN RENT A CAR BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, THAT DECLINED. QUESTION IS, WHY THEY HAVEN'T INFORMED PUBLIC AND SEND THE HECU PARTS TO THEIR DEALERS SOONER? TAKING RISK TO DRIVE A CAR WHICH HAS POTENTIAL TO CUT FIRE SEEMS NOT SAFE AND DISPLAYS KIA NEGLIGENCE.

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED THE ENGINE CUTS OFF.ALSO WHILE TRYING TO START THE ENGINE NOTHING HAPPENS .TOTALLY DEAD,NO WARNING LIGTHS COME ON .HAVE BATTERY CHECK,NO PROBLEM FOUND,JUMP START EVERY THING SEEMS TO BE NORMAL.THIS HAPPEN IN SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

MY 2018 KIA SPORT AGE AT ABOUT 26,000 MILES WOULD NOT START. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY. HOWEVER, KIA DEALERSHIP TESTING IT SHOWS THE BATTERY IS PERFECT. NOW I'M AT 34,000 MILES AND MY CAR HASS TO BE JUMPED TO START IT ABOUT SIX TIMES A WEEK. I HAVE HAD MY BATTERY TESTED SEVERAL TIMES. I KEEP BEING TOLD THE BATTERY'S FINE. AT FIRST IT WOULD JUST GO CLICK CLICK CLICK BUT WOULDN'T START. NOW IT'S COMPLETELY DEAD NO NOISE CLICKING WHEN I TRY TO START IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN GOES OFF. THIS IS FRUSTRATING THAT I BOUGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE A BRAND NEW CAR DROVE IT OFF THE LOT WITH 11 MILES AND I HAVE THE MOST UNRELIABLE VEHICLE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFETIME. WHENEVER I GO SOMEWHERE I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET SO THAT I CAN PLUG MY JUMPER BOX INTO JUST IN CASE. I HAVE MISSED APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE OF THIS, I HAVE MISSED WORK BECAUSE OF THIS. I'M READY TO LEAVE IT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND LET THE FINANCE COMPANY HAVE IT. CLEARLY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND NOBODY CAN SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT. SOMETHING IS DRAWING POWER OR THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT WORKING LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND POSSIBLE FRAYED WIRE OR SOMETHING THERE. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY STOCK AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES MADE TO THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. AND I HAVE MAINTAINED ALL THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT SHOULD BE DONE ON A CAR. SOMEONE NEEDS TO HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHY I HAVE A BRAND NEW VEHICLE THAT WON'T START AND THAT IS UNRELIABLE.

THE ENTIRE CAR CAUGHT FIRE. ALL ELECTRIC WIRES CAUGHT FIRE AND THE CAR IT WAS PARK IN MY HOUSE .

ADDENDUM # 2 FROM ORIGINAL COMPLAINT AND RESPONSE THROUGH SENATOR MARCO RUBIO OFFICE. 1ST ADDENDUM DATED AUGUST 9 2019. HUSBAND ARRIVED AT COURTESY KIA AND AS EXPECTED, NO LOANER VEHICLE. FINALLY I REACHED THE SALES MANAGER AND EXPLAINED HOW DISGUSTING IT WOULD BE FOR A DISABLED MAN WHO IS PAYING FOR A DEFECTIVE CAR AND PROMISED A LOANER TO HAVE TO CALL UBER. HE AGREED TO LOAN ONE UNDER "TEST DRIVE" GUISE. FRIDAY 9,2019 HEARD NOTHING ABOUT OUR CAR. WE CALLED AT 4:30. FERNANDO STATED THAT THEY HAD IT IN BACK AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. SATURDAY 10,2019..1:45, JENNY THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED AND STATED THAT OUR CAR WAS READY " WE PUT A KSDS WIRING HARNESS". NO FURTHER EXPLANATION. NOT EVEN VIA EMAIL. THE SERVICE TICKET ON STATES...ENGINE NOISE PASS, PUT WIRING HARNESS JUMPER. I LOOKED AT THE PROTOCOL ON NHTSA SITE. IT STATES CLEARLY. THE CAR MUST BE HOOKED UP TO INTERNET EVERYDAY AND A 21 STEP PROCEDURE TO CHECK FOR ENGINE NOISE. ON THE SERVICE TICKET, MILEAGE WAS IDENTICAL IN AND OUT. HOW DO YOU REALLY TEST A CAR WITHOUT DRIVING IT. THIS WAS A RUSH JOB ON THEIR PART... EMPLOYEES PRETENDING TO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS MASSIVE DEFECT. THE 26 PAGE DOCUMENT ATTACHED SPEAKS VOLUMES. WE ASKED FOR A PHOTO OF THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS DAMAGED. THEY REFUSED, THEY ALSO STATED THAT IT IS BEING SENT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER. MEANWHILE...TWO DISABLED PERSONS GET TO DRIVE IN FEAR, LIVE IN FEAR AND PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE ENGINE/CAR AND WAS SCAMMED BY CITRUS KIA, KIA MOTORS, KIA AMERICA. ATTORNEYS GENERAL, STATES ATTORNEYS, SENATORS, PLEASE HOLD KIA ACCOUNTABLE. PLEASE MAKE THEM ACTUALLY SHOW UP IN FRONT OF CONGRESS ♿ PLANT CITY....PER THE DOCUMENT. EVERYDAY DOESN'T MEAN , DAY AND HALF.

VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED TO 20 MPH ON ONE WAY HIGHWAY IN A PASSING ZONE. PROBLEM THEN DIAGNOSED AS ENGINE FAILURE. 5 WEEKS LATER, WITH VEHICLE STILL OUT OF SERVICE, DIAGNOSED INSTEAD AS WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM. WIRING HARNESS REPLACED. BRAND NEW CAR, 11 MONTHS OLD , 5,925 MILES, SERVICED WITH FIRST OIL CHANGE 5 DAYS BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURRED. KIA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAD NO REGARD FOR MY SAFETY ON THE SIDE OF A DANGEROUS FREEWAY AND HAD TO BE RESOLVED TWO HOURS LATER WITH AAA SERVICE TOWING. STILL NO REIMBURSEMENT FROM KIA.

HIGH PITCHED WHIRRING SOUND LASTING 10 TO 15 SECONDS WHEN CAR IS PARKED A DAY OR MORE AFTER DRIVING. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES WE HAVE HEARD IT. VEHICLE HAS 1200 MILES ON IT. OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE STARTER MOTOR RUNNING.