2014 Kia Sorento Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5:00PM ON 4/26/18 THE CAR DIED. FIRST THE STEERING LOCKED UP; ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON, STEREO SYSTEM WENT OUT AND SOON COULD NOT GAS/BRAKE APPROPRIATELY. WAS ABLE TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD AND HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AS I HEARD A LOUD POP SO PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THINKING IT WAS MY TIRES, AS I LOOKED AT ALL THE TIRES I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING SO I GOT BACK IN. SOON AS I GOT BACK IN THE VEHICLE I SMELLED SOMETHING SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT. THE MINUTE I GOT OUT OF THE CAR IT ENGULFED IN FLAMES.. THE FIRE REPORT SHOWED IT WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE , AND THE ENTIRE CAR BURNT UP

I PURCHASED A 2014 KIA SORENTO LX BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER. I HAVE MAINTAINED ALL NECESSARY WORK AND MOSTLY DONE AT AUTHORIZED DEALERS. IN MAY 2017 WHILE DRIVING HOME MY INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT OUT. UNABLE TO SEE SPEED, SAFETY WARNING LIGHTS, GAS ETC... I TOOK IT TO TWO DIFFERENT KIA SERVICE LOCATIONS TO TRACE PROBLEM. THEY FOUND A WIRE SHORTED TO GROUND ON THE TRAILER HITCH WIRING WHICH CAME WITH VEHICLE. THEY CUT THE WIRES TO TRAILER HARNESS AND THIS ISSUE ALSO DAMAGED MY REMOTE STARTER. THEY REPLACED THE BLOWN FUSE WITH A LARGER FUSE AND SAID IT WAS ALL SET. HOWEVER IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 09/29/17. THIS TIME WHEN I PARKED MY CAR AND TRIED TO START AGAIN, IT WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK SO I HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO FIX THIS ISSUE WHICH IS OVER $3,000 TO FIX. THERE IS A FEW FEET OF BURNED AND MELTED WIRING THAT I HAVE PICTURES OF, UNSURE OF EXACT WIRING, BUT IT CONNECTED TO THE WIRING TRAILER HITCH HARNESS. IT WAS APPARENTLY CLOSE TO CATCHING ON FIRE. SINCE I OWNED THE VEHICLE OTHER ODD ELECTRICAL ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED, INCLUDING BLOWN HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON ABOUT 8 OCCASIONS. I ONLY FOUND ONE RECALL RELATING TO THE TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS #16V862000 HOWEVER IT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY YEAR VEHICLE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION AND SAFETY CONCERN THAT KIA NEEDS TO RESEARCH FURTHER FOR POSSIBLE OTHER RECALLS.

THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN I PRESS THE KEY FOB, I'VE TRIED BOTH KEY FOBS AND THEY HAVE NEW BATTERIES. ONLY THE DRIVERS DOOR IS UNLOCKING ALL TIMES.

WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START THE CAR,IT HAS POWER BUT WILL NOT START YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON TURNING THE SWITC UNTIL IT INGAGES OR PUT YOU FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ON AND TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT IN GEAR THEN PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND IT WILL CRANK.THIS IS ALWAYS WHEN YOU FIRST CRANK IT .IT IS ALWAYS SITTING STILL.

UNABLE TO QUICKLY READ SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DURING DAYLIGHT, DUE TO LACK OF CONTRAST BETWEEN NEEDLE AND BACKGROUND, RESULTING IN DANGEROUS PERIOD OF EYES OFF ROADWAY TO DETERMINE ONE'S SPEED.

I LOVE MY 2014 KIA SORENTO, BUT FOR THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE. IT IS VIRTUALLY UNREADABLE DURING THE DAYTIME AND CONSTITUTES A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE DRIVER HAS TO TAKE HIS EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL SECONDS TO SEE HOW FAST HE IS GOING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON A METROPOLITAN FREEWAY. THE LOCAL KIA DEALER (MESA, AZ) SAID THEY HADN'T HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND, IN ANY EVENT, COULD NOT HELP AND REFERRED ME TO CORPORATE KIA. CORPORATE KIA REFERRED ME BACK TO THE LOCAL DEALER. I UNDERSTAND FROM INTERNET FORUMS DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE THAT, FIRST, I AM ONE OF MANY COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SPEEDO-UNREADABLE ISSUE AND, SECOND, KIA CORPORATE IS INDEED AWARE OF THE PROBLEM (SEE CASE # [XXX], JUNE 10, 2013), BUT OFFERS NO RELIEF, OTHER THAN "THEY ARE WORKING ON IT." I AM TOLD KIA MAY HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUE IN ITS 2015 MODEL (WHICH SEEMS AN ADMISSION OF FAULT), BUT THAT DOES NOT HELP ME AND OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2014 MODEL. IT SEEMS A SIMPLE FIX: REPLACE THE 2014 SPEEDOMETER UNIT WITH THAT OF 2015. OR, HECK, PAINT THE SPEEDO NEEDLE WHITE, INSTEAD OF THE EXISTING DULL RED ON A BLACK BACKGROUND. I RESPECTIVELY REQUEST THE NHTSA TO RESOLVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE, SOONEST. THANK YOU. :) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. RANDOM BLIND SPOT BLINKING OR SOUND WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. REPEATED VISITS TO STEVENSON KIA. SHOWED VIDEO OF PROBLEM. TECHNICIAN OBSERVED PROBLEM CASE #T3038955. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN,T DO ANYTHING TO SOLVE PROBLEM. SAFETY HAZARD WHEN MONITOR SOUNDS OR BLINKS WHEN THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION

CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE OVER THE WEEKEND, FROM FRIDAY 4PM TILL MONDAY 6AM, STARTED CAR SUNDAY NIGHT, BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE TO PUT OUT THE TRASH FOR MONDAY PICKUP, PULLED THE VEHICLE BACK IN THE GARAGE AND SHUT IT OFF. MONDAY AT 6AM BATTERY WAS DEAD. NOTHING WAS LEFT ON OVERNIGHT IN CAR.

LEFT 2014 SORENTO SXL AT AIRPORT PARKING AND FLEW TO ANOTHER CITY FOR ONE WEEK. CAME BACK TO FIND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. BATTERY WAS DEAD. I SPRAINED MY BACK TRYING TO OPEN THE SUV TRUNK FROM INSIDE AS THERE WAS NO POWER AVAILABLE TO RELEASE THE TRUNK LOCK. FIVE (5) SIMILAR EVENTS HAVE HAPPENED TO ME, ONE OF THEM AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. IN RESEARCHING THE WEB, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT KIA HAS NOT RESOLVED AND MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED WITH BATTERY DRAIN WITHIN 3 TO 5 DAYS OF LEAVING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. *TR

SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE DURING SUNNY DAYS. THE NEEDLE IS TOO NARROW AND A POOR COLOR CHOICE FOR THE BACKGROUND. THIS IS DANGEROUS NOT KNOWING YOUR SPEED AND HAVING TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TOO LONG TO TRY TO READ IT. *TR

WE CANNOT EASILY READ THE SPEEDOMETER IN DAYLIGHT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE SPEED AT WHICH WE ARE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DISCUSSED IT WITH THE KIA DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THE SPEEDOMETER NETTLE IS A RED LED ON WHITE NUMBERS WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND. WE CAN SEE THE NETTLE AT NIGHT BUT WE HAVE TO STARE AT IT FOR A LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS UNSAFE TO STARE AT THE SPEEDOMETER FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHILE DRIVING. IT IS ALSO UNSAFE TO NOT KNOW THE SPEED AT WHICH WE ARE DRIVING. WE SENT A LETTER TO: CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. P.O. BOX 52410 IRVINE, CA 92619-2410 THEY CALLED AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. TAKING YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO DETERMINE THE SPEED IS AT LEAST AS LONG AS IT WOULD TAKE TO READ OR SEND A TEXT MESSAGE WHICH IS VERY UNSAFE. WE HAVE ANOTHER CAR WITH A WHITE NETTLE ON A BLACK BACKGROUND AND IT IS VERY EASY TO READ. WE HAVE HAD OVER 20 CARS IN OUR LIFETIME AND HAVE NEVER HAD ONE WITH A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS THIS DIFFICULT TO READ. *TR

CANNOT READ OR EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER IN DAYLIGHT MOST OF THE TIME. WORSE ON BRIGHTER DAYS. MUST TAKE EYES OFF ROAD FOR SEVERAL SECONDS TO FIND NEEDLE TO DETERMINE SPEED. ILLUMINATION IS FINE AT NIGHT OR IN VERY SHADED AREAS (IE GARAGE). SEEMS AS IF INSTRUMENT ILLUMINATION REDUCES BASED ON AMOUNT OF INTERIOR LIGHT, EVEN WITH ILLUMINATION DIAL ON MAX. NOT WEARING SUN GLASSES AND HAVE TRIED MULTIPLE COMBINATIONS OF HEADLIGHT/DTRL IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A WORKABLE SOLUTION. DEALER SERVICE SAYS "WORKING AS DESIGNED". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FLAW AS ONE CANNOT READILY DETERMINE THEIR SPEED WITHOUT TAKING THEIR EYES OFF ROAD FOR TOO LONG A PERIOD OF TIME. IN ITS CURRENT STATE THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CAN NOT SEE THE SPEEDO WHEN DRIVING IN DAYLIGHT OR BRIGHTLY LITE AREAS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WAS VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, A STRONG BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, SMALL FLAMES IGNITED FROM THE REAR TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS AND DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWENTY DAYS AFTER THE NEW TRAILER HITCH WAS INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NUMBERS ON THE SPEEDOMETER WERE TO SMALL TO READ. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING UP TO STANDARDS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO ALTER THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 0. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

I CANNOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE ON .BRIGHT DAYS. I FOUND MYSELF STARING AT THE SPEEDOMETER TRYING TO SEE MY SPEED FOR WAY TOO LONG ( 4 SECONDS OR MORE). IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE NEEDLE AS IT IS A 1/2INCH DARK RED TIP AGAINST A DARK BLACK BACKGROUND. IF THERE IS ANY AMBIENT LIGHT STRIKING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT AN ANGLE, THE REFLECTION MASKS MY ABILITY TO SEE THE NEEDLE. NOT HAVING AN ACCURATE INDICATION OF MY SPEED OR STARING AT THE SPEEDOMETER FOR TOO LONG OF A TIME IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO AS THE MANUFACTURER WILL HAVE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE. THE NEEDLE IS DARK RED AGAINST A DARK BLACK BACKGROUND. ADDITIONALLY IT IS ONLY ABOUT 1/2" IN LENGTH. IF THERE IS ANY AMBIENT LIGHT STRIKING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT AN ANGLE, THE REFLECTION MASKS THE ABILITY TO SEE THE NEEDLE. NOT HAVING AN ACCURATE INDICATION OF YOUR SPEED IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

CAN NOT SEE SPEEDOMETER IN DAYLIGHT, INDICATOR TOO DIM. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE IS A SMALL RED LINE WHICH IS INVISIBLE IN EITHER SUNLIGHT OR WITH DRIVER WEARING SUNGLASSES. THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE WHAT MY SPEED IS. ESPECIALLY A PROBLEM SETTING CRUISE CONTROL AS I HAVE TO REMOVE MY GLASSES, TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD, TO SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING IN ORDER TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON KIA SORENTO FORUMS. PLEASE REQUEST KIA COME UP WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO CHANGE THE COLOR OR INTENSITY OF THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NEEDLE WAS THE WRONG COLOR AND IT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE SPEED BEING TRAVELED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180.

CPSC:X1380106A. 2014 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER STATED THE CONCERN IS NOT BEING ABLE TO READ THE ELECTROLUMINESCENT SPEEDOMETER IN THE DAYLIGHT. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW FAST HE WAS GOING. THE SUNLIGHT GLARE MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND IT REQUIRED HIM TO TAKE HIS EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR UP TO FIVE SECONDS.