14 complaints reported

2008 Kia Sportage Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
14
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2019

CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVE WAY FOR A DAY AND HALF AT 335 IN THE MORNING ELECTRICAL SHORT STARTED A FIRE WAS CAUGHT ON NEIGHBOR SECURITY CAMERA

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2019
Jan 2019 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSURANCE TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V815000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE KIA MANUFACTURER WITH DOCUMENTED PROOF, BUT A RESPONSE HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2016
Aug 2018 Fire

I BOUGHT A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE AT OSAGE BEACH MO ON JULY 12, 2016. I SENT IT TO GHANA IN AUGUST, 2016 AND CLEARED FROM THE PORT IN NOVEMBER, 2016. THE SAID CAR WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT HOSPITAL ON AUGUST 21, 2018 AND CAUGHT FIRE AT 10.00PM THE SAME DAY. THE FIRE SERVICE WAS CALLED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. AFTER EXAMINATION THE STATED IT WAS ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSED BY THE WIRING HARNESS. I THEN LEARNT AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ( # 16V815000 / SC 138) ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 10, 2016 OF WHICH I WASN'T NOTIFIED. ATTACHED, PLEASE FIND PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE KIA SPORTAGE AND ORIGINAL TITLE. I AM WAITING FOR A DETAILED REPORT FORM FIRE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT ESSAM, GHANA, WHICH I WILL SEND TO YOUR OFFICE UPON RECEIPT. BY THIS COMPLAINT, I AM THERE REQUESTING KIA MOTORS AMERICA TO REPAIR ALL DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE FIRE OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2018
Jan 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V815000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2016
Jan 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILED. THE CONTACT BANGED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON, BUT THEN FADED OUT AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2017
Jan 2017

WENT TO KIA OF CHEYENNE ON SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT DATE FOR RECALL NOTICE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART. I WAS TOLD TO CHECK BACK IN A WEEK. WHEN I CALLED TO CHECK ON REPAIR DATE BECAUSE I HAVE TO TRAVEL FROM NEBRASKA I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER AND TO CHECK BACK ON THE 31ST OF JANUARY. MY VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FIRE HAZARD AND NO ABS BRAKES DUE TO THE SEAL OF HECU BEING BAD. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN 2013, THEY REFUSED TO FIX BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2016
Dec 2016

2008 KIA SPORTAGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT RECALL NOTICE. *SMD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2016
Dec 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V815000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2016
Dec 2016 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START AFTER MORE THAN TWO ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. A FIRE ERUPTED AND EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE FAILURE AND FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENTIAL PARKING AREA. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V815000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2016
May 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2015
Dec 2015 Fire

CAR WAS PARKED FOR REPAIRS AND NOT DRIVEN FOR MANY MONTHS OTHER THAN MOVING AROUND OUR PARKING AREA DUE TO DASHBOARD LIGHTS OF ABS, ESC, TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE LIGHTS LIT. HAD DIAGNOSTICS DONE ON CAR DUE TO ALL LIGHTS ON DASH LIGHTING, ABS, BRAKE, ESC, TRACTION CONTROL. DIAGNOSTICS VIA SHORKEY KIA SHOWED ABS BAD ALONG WITH OIL PAN RUSTING DUE TO WISHING TO GET IT ROAD WORTHY AND INSPECTED. REPLACED OIL PAN AND MOVED CAR OUT OF GARAGE AND IN TO PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF SECOND GARAGE DOOR NEAR HOUSE. CAR WAS PARKED ABOUT ONE HOUR WHEN CAR IGNITED AND CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE ORIGINATED ON RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AROUND ABS AREA AND SPREAD THROUGH ENGINE AND IN TO PASSENGER AREA OF CAR PRIMARILY ON PASSENGER SIDE. CAR A TOTAL LOSS, 112,000 MILES ON IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2015
Nov 2015 Fire

VEHICLE WAS SITTING FOR HOURS IN DRIVEWAY. SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM UNDER HOOD AND DAMAGED UNDERHOOD ACCESSORIES SUCH AS HEADLAMP HOUSING,ABS MODULE, PAINT, WINDSHIELD WASHER RESERVOIR. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DAMAGED, THE EXTERIOR PAINT WAS BLISTERED AND NOW THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN. THE FIRE APPARENTLY BEGAN IN THE ABS MODULE AT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL APRON. EVERYTHING PLASTIC IS DAMAGED AND SOOT COVERS MOST OF THE UNDERHOOD COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE HAS 48K MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2015
Jun 2014 Fire

I PARKED MY CAR AT 6AM WENT IN TO WORK AT ABOUT NOON MY COWORKERS WERE TELLING ME MY CAR WAS SMOKING WENT OUTSIDE AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD SO WE POPPED THE HOOD AND MY ELECTRICAL BOX WAS SMOKING PRETTY BAD A GUY USED A EXTINGUISHER ON IT TO FIND IT WAS STILL SMOKING SO HE DISCONNECTED.THE BATTERY ALL THE WIRES IN BOX ARE BURNED I ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 100000 MILES ON IT SO NATURALLY ITS EXPIRED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2014
May 2013

VEHICLE PARKED, NOT RUNNING, BUT WITH THE RADIO ON, THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. RELASED LOCK AND LOOKED INSIDE, SMALL BOX MOUNTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WALL, UNDER THE HOOD, OVER THE WHEEL WELL, A SMALL SQUARE BOX, I THINK IT WAS THE ABS BOX WAS ON FIRE. EVERYTHING THAT WAS BURNABLE UNDER THE HOOD BURNT BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2013

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2008 Kia Sportage has 14 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.