2005 Kia Sorento Electrical System

Electrical fire under drivers dash. While trying to drive the kia . called fire department and they responded quickly. I know there was recall on 2006 and believe 2005 should have been included Thanks [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The battery fails constantly, which means I am faced with a dead battery and a car that won't start. This has happened with no pattern of circumstance; for example: the battery will be dead after driving for 15 miles, parking for 10 minutes while shopping, and returning to a dead battery; or after the car has been parked all day, only to have a dead battery; or a dead battery after being parked at my house overnight (in every sort of weather condition); it is completely random...and, be assured, I do not leave ANY ELECTRICAL items (radio, temperature controls, interior or exterior lights, etc.), turned on when I park my car. Therefore, I do not feel safe driving and parking my car ANYWHERE that I am remote, isolated, or unable to get a jump. I carry jumper cables in my car at all times because I never know when I may need them. Sometimes, it takes a long time to charge the battery enough to even start my car. Sometimes the battery is so dead, that the key fob doesn't even work and I have to manually open my doors...other times it's a quick jump. I have to always park my car in a position that I'm able to access the battery for a jump, if need be. I regularly went through (high-end) batteries well before their expiration date and took my SUV into the KIA dealership for diagnostics regularly - and the only answer they had is that the cause must be a "phantom (electrical) draw," which they were never able to identify. I also took my SUV into other mechanics and battery specialists, but no one had any answers for me. Still, after 17 years, I have this same problem and burn through a lot of batteries. No answers. The dealership stopped assisting me, even when I was still on my extended warranty. No help from Corporate. Very disappointed in KIA in their response over all these years, beginning with my purchase of the brand new 2005 KIA Sorento. I have always taken my SUV into the KIA dealership for the regularly scheduled service. Have others had this problem?

I DROVE MY KIA AND PARKED IN A GROCERY PARKING LOT. I CAME BACK OUTSIDE TO FIND MY CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ACTIVELY PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES AS I APPROACHED. NO WARNING THIS WOULD OCCUR. KIA HAS REFUSED TO RETURN MY CALLS OR EMAILS. VERY RELIABLE VEHICLES (I BOUGHT 2 BRAND NEW IN 2005). VERY DANGEROUS, AND APPARENTLY NOT AN UNHEARD OF EVENT WITH CERTAIN KIAS. SEVERAL REPORTS ONLINE AND IN PERSON. COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD I BEEN DRIVING, OR PARKED CLOSER TO OTHER VEHICLES (OR ANY STRUCTURE).

TRUCK HAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT (AMONG MANY) AS STATED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 2004-2014 THAT CAUSES ALTERNATOR RADIO FREQUENCIES TO INTERFERENCE WITH TRANSMISSION SIGNALING THUS SHUTTING OFF OR INTERRUPTING SHIFT SIGNALING DUE TO INADEQUATE SHIELDING OF TRANSMISSION TO TCM CABLE. THIS CAUSES THE TRUCK TO CUT OUT BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR CONSISTENTLY WHEN ASCENDING OR DESCENDING STEEP MOUNTAIN PASSES AT HIGH ALTITUDE. AS THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING OF FAILURE OF SHIFT KIT TO DOWNSHIFT, BRAKES HAD TO BE USED ON ICY ROADS TO SLOW AN UNDERPOWERED/OVERWEIGHTED TRUCK. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE REQUIRING EXPERT DRIVING SKILLS TO NAVIGATE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT WAS NOT, BY KIA MOTORS AS A REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE AND RECALL OF TRUCKS. THE FILES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE SO VAST THEY WOULD CRASH YOUR SYSTEM. I HAVE THEM IF NEEDED AND CAN PROVIDE HARD COPIES AS THE STACK IS ABOUT 3 INCHES DEEP AND SPANS 11 YEARS. I HAVE 2 KEY FACTORS THAT ARE ALSO FACTORS HERE. !. I AM THE DAUGHTER OF A RACE CAR DRIVER AND SKILLED AT NAVIGATING CAR ISSUES. 2. I HAVE BEEN VERY ILL FOR A DECADE AND UNABLE TO WORK SO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN THE REFUSAL OF KIA TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE AS I AM UNABLE TO SELL THE CAR. I WOULD FEEL IT UNCONSCIONABLE TO PASS THESE ISSUES ON TO ANOTHER LESS CAPABLE DRIVER. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT HAS BEEN ENORMOUS STRESS TO OWN THIS DEFECTIVE CAR AND STRESS TO TRY TO GET KIA MOTORS TO STEP UP TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR WARRANTIES, AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEES IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS BEING APPARENT ALMOST FROM POINT OF SALE.

HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHT, RADIO, HAVE ALL FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. I REPLACE HEADLIGHTS AND BREAK LIGHTS EVERY THREE MONTHS. I HAVE HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, ONE BEFORE I COULD GET THE OTHER FIXED. NONE OF THE DOME LIGHTS WORK, I HAVE NO AUTOMATIC LIGHTING IN THE CAR. THEY DIM BASED ON WEATHER AND THE TERRAIN I AM DRIVING ON. THE RADIO WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT IT, AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER. SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES THE CAR HAS TO BE RUNNING FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT WILL WORK. SO MANY PROBLEMS. *TR

RECENTLY, OUR 2005 KIA SORENTO BEGAN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT. THE INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS INCLUDING THE RADIO, ETC. WILL RANDOMLY GO OFF AND ON. LAST NIGHT, THE DOME LIGHTS CAME ON AND BEGAN FLASHING INVOLUNTARILY. I AM CONCERNED WITH AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT WILL LEAD TO FURTHER DAMAGE. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT CANNOT SEE THAT THERE IS ONE FOR THIS ISSUE. I DID HOWEVER SEE OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2005 AND OTHER THAN REGULAR MAINTENANCE WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR ISSUES. I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD PURCHASE ANOTHER KIA IN THE FUTURE, BUT NOW THAT I SEE KIA IS DOING NOTHING TO FIX THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM I AM RECONSIDERING THAT DECISION. *TR

OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES. EACH TIME, THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR A DAY OR 2 AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO USE IT, THE CAR/BATTERY WAS DEAD. I HAVE SEEN ON LINE THAT THE TCCU (TRANSFER CASE CONTROL UNIT) IS PROBABLY THE CULPRIT AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WILL SHOW NO HISTORY OF IT. EVIDENTLY, ON RARE OCCASIONS THE COMPUTER WILL BEGIN RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS ON THE TCCU WHEN THE CAR IS BEING SHUT OFF. THE DRAIN ON THE SYSTEM IS ENOUGH TO WIPE OUT THE BATTERY. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA - THEY DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS RUN A DIAGNOSTICS TEST WHICH WILL TELL THEM NOTHING AND WILL COST ME MORE MONEY. THE COST OF A NEW TCCU IS ABOUT $1500, PROBABLY WHY KIA HAS NO INTEREST IN REPLACING IT. *TR

ALL OF A SUDDEN THE KIA IGNITION WONT ENGAGE THE STARTER ,THE HEADLIGHTS WONT WORK AND THE SPEED ODOMETER MOVING AND THE AC APPEARS NOT TO WORK. *JS

MY CAR HAS BROKEN DOWN 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. I HAVE A 2005 KIA SORENTO WITH 115,000 MILES ON IT. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR, IT HAS CONTINUALLY HAD ELECTRICAL ISSUES SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADLIGHTS EVERY FEW MONTHS. I HAVE JUST DEALT WITH IT AND LEARNED HOW TO REPLACE THEM MYSELF. ONE MONTH AGO THOUGH, MY CAR BROKE DOWN AND I HAD IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC. HE SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR AND WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED IT. EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING SMOOTH WHEN I DROVE IT AWAY BUT THEN 2 WEEKS LATER, I BROKE DOWN AGAIN (SAME SYMPTOMS OCCURRED FROM WHEN I BROKE DOWN THE FIRST TIME - BRAKE & BATTERY LIGHT BLINKS AND THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND BOOM, NO POWER). BROUGHT IT TO THE SAME MECHANIC AND THIS TIME IT WAS THE BATTERY THAT NEEDED REPLACED SO HE WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED IT. JUST YESTERDAY, 2 WEEKS AFTER THE BATTERY ISSUE, MY CAR BROKE DOWN AGAIN WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS OCCURRING. I'M STILL WAITING ON IT TO BE DIAGNOSED BUT THERE IS NO OTHER EXPLANATION THAN FOR IT TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. SUGGESTIONS? *TR

WE WERE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN 2 SECONDS VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. *TR

ON 6-14-2011 I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO JUST TURNING ONTO MY STREET WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOST ITS POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. I MANAGED TO DRIVE IT A FEW FEET TO MY DRIVEWAY TO INSPECT MY CAR AND NOTICED A BIG SILVER BOLT-LIKE PIECE OF METAL APPROXIMATELY 4" LONG DANGLING BENEATH THE RADIATOR AND TOOK IT INSIDE AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. WHEN HE CAME HOME HE LOOKED AT THE CAR AND CHECKED ONLINE TO TRY AND SEE WHAT MAY BE WRONG WITH IT AND DISCOVERED IT MAY BE THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE MAN AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FELT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE BUT MY HUSBAND SAID THAT HE HAD WAS HOLDING THE BOLT IN HIS HAND. NONETHELESS I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. THE SOONEST THEY COULD GET ME IN WAS 6-29-2011, 15 DAYS LATER. I AM EMPLOYED AS A PHYSICIAN EXTENDER AM HAD TO WORK THE WEEKEND (JUNE 18TH AND 19TH), THEREFORE, I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THAT WEEKEND AS WE HAVE NO WEEKEND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICE IN OUR LOCATION WHICH COST ME $177.00. MY CAR THEN HAD TO BE TOWED ON THE MORNING OF 6-28-2011 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE ON 6-29-2011 AT A COST OF $65.00. THEN THEY WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY HONORING MY WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND MY NAME BUT I HAD SINCE MARRIED BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT CHANGED ON THE WARRANTY THEY DID NOT REPAIR THE CAR. I HAD TO CONTACT KIA CORPORATE AND THE PERSON THERE TOLD ME IT COULD TAKE UP TO 2 WEEKS TO MAKE THE CHANGE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNTIL THEN AND THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME A DISCOUNT ON A RENTAL CAR IN THE MEANTIME. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY FAX (NOT EMAIL) DOCUMENTATION OF SALE. I HAD PAID CASH FOR THE BRAND NEW VEHICLE AT THE TIME. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I BOUGHT THE CAR ONLY KEEPS SALES RECORDS FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. THE CORPORATE PERSON THAT I WAS SPEAKING WITH WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE INFORMATION ON HIS END DUE TO A "GLITCH". THEY FIXED THE CAR AND CHARGED ME $170.00 ADDITIONAL FOR REPAIRS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR

WE HAVE A CONSTANT ISSUE WITH THE INTERIOR LIGTS AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE TURNING ON AND OFF WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HAS HAPPENED ON 10 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THE LAS OCCASION BEING AUGUST 6, 2011 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00AM. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A MAJOR HIGHWAY HERE IN SEATTLE DRIVING AT 50MPH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS BOTH SHUT DOWN AT THE SAME TIME CAUSING ZERO VISIBILITY. AFTER PULLING OVER AND WAITING FOR 10 MINUTES THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AHOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN. *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING WOULD SPORADICALLY FAIL. THE AIR CONDITIONER AND FAN COULD NOT BE USED WHEN THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN RELATION TO THE FAILURE OF THE WIRING HARNESS, BUT NO RECALLS. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN DOING SO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS UNKNOWN.

THIS IS CONCERNING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO THAT I NEVER GOT THE RECALL LETTER FOR THE ICV SENSOR, IT JUST SO HAPPEN THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I CALLED THEM COMPLAINING AND THEY MADE IT SEEM AS IF THEY WERE DOING ME A FAVOR AND SAID BRING IT IN, IT IS COVERED AND I DISCOVERED ON THE COMPUTER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. I THEN HAD TWO HEADLIGHTS BLOW OUT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN AND THEN SAID THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT IT WAS COVERED. MY CAR LATER WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AND I CALLED THEM AND TOLD THEM I COULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY ACCELERATING AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED , THE SUV WAS RETURNED FOR THE THROTTLE SENSOR. NOT MORE THAN A MONTH LATER MY SUV IS SLUGGISH AND NOT PICKING UP SPEED AGAIN AND THEY SAY BRING IT IN AND TELLS ME IT IS NOT THE SAME THING BUT THIS TIME IT IS A SENSOR IN THE GAS TANK THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED AND IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY ONE PERSON QUOTES ME $395.00 ANOTHER QUOTES $595.00 (I WILL BE WRITING THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AFTER THIS). I JUST FEEL THAT THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH GOING ON WITH 2005 KIAS SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT IF THESE ISSUES ARE NOT LOOKED INTO. IT SHOULD NOT TAKE A LIFE OR MAJOR ACCIDENT FOR THESE ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED. A TRUCK OR TRAILER COULD HAVE HIT ME SEVERAL TIMES WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED. I FEEL THAT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE PREYING ON DEFECTS THAT IS DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND PASSING THE COST ON TO CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES. I PURCHASED MY CAR IN 2006 WITH ONLY 115 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS GIVEN ME NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. KIA IS BEING ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THESE TACTICS BECAUSE NO ONE IS LOOKING OVER THEM BECAUSE SADLY THOSE WHO ARE PURCHASING THESE VEHICLES WITH PROBLEMS DO NOT KNOW WHERE OR WHO TO TURN TO FOR HELP ON THEM BEING CHEATED AND MISTREATED AT THE DEALERSHIPS. I PRAY THAT THIS MATTER GET THE LONG AWAITED ATTENTION IT DESERVES BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. *TR

I TOO HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE MY HEAD LIGHT BULBS AND TAIL LIGHT BULBS AND HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE A FUSE BLOCK REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR WAS AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGING THE STARTER WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLOCK DUE TO FLICKERING. *TR

MY KIA SORENTO HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE THE INTERIOR DASH AND DOOM LIGHTS TO BLINK OFF AND ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST FOURTEEN MONTHS. THE DASH LIGHTS STAY OFF MOST OF THE TIME NOW, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MONITOR MY INSTRUMENT PANEL AT NIGHT. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHT A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO PLUS YEARS. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT. THE HOT AIR TURNS COLD ANYTIME THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, MAKING IT NECESSARY FOR ME TO REV THE ENGINE TO STAY WARM. THIS MAKES A GAS GUZZLER EVEN MORE WASTEFUL IN COLD WEATHER. I CAN GET NO DEFINITIVE ANSWERS FROM THE DEALERSHIP FOR THESE PROBLEMS. I'M NOT AN ADVOCATE OF A LOT OF GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION, BUT SOMEONE WITH AUTHORITY NEED TO STEP IN AND REQUIRE KIA TO PROVIDE A ROOT CAUSE SOLUTION TO THESE ISSUES. *TR

OUR 2005 KIA SORENTO HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 185 DAYS DUE TO FRONT,REAR,BRAKE AND RUNNING LIGHT ISSUE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT EVERY TWO OR THREE WEEKS AND THE OTHER ON A MONTHLY BASIS. THE THROTTLE CONTROL ALONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES EACH AND GOOD MOTOR COMPANY OF ROCKHILL SOUTH CAROLINA CANT SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM. KIA MOTORS IS NO HELP AND CANT SEEM TO PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER TO SEE THE OTHER 20 COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. I'M STUCK WITH A 10 YEAR WARRANTY ON A LEMON. *TR

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET THE KEYS OUT OF VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE DOORS TO HIS VEHICLE WILL NOT LOCK WITH THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION. THE KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE IGNITION. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN AFTER DRIVING IN EXTREME HEAT. 11/15/2005 *JB