While the vehicle was sitting, not running, the car began to smoke from the drivers side engine compartment and under the dash. The smoke got much worse and the heat from the source was growing. After opening the hood and disconnecting the positive terminal on the battery the smoke slowed and eventually stopped all together. Note - the car was parked and the engine was not running. Also the car was, and had been sitting since the night before and the engine was cold to the touch when the electrical fire transpired. Note: the locations that were bellowing smoke were hot to the touch and the smoke was black and gray. The inside of the cab had filled up with smoke as well and had a strange new odor that is unpleasant to say the least. Over all the car did not catch full fire and the damage is not visible to the eye. The enteral unseen damage may be significant. Note: current mileage unavailable being the battery must stay unplugged to avoid the entire car catching on fire. The only reason that the car stopped burning was because of quick and dangerous actions taken to disconnect the battery.
2007 Kia Sorento: fire, smoke or burning smell
5 of the 154 complaints about the 2007 Kia Sorento describe fire, smoke or burning smell.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 131,000
- recalls
- 1
Fire, smoke or burning smell by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 kia sorento. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 20v088000 (electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle decelerate. The contact stated she depressed the brake pedal however the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact also stated she saw smoke exiting the hood. The contact stated a sheriff was on the scene to assist her and he opened the hood and more smoke was seen however, no flames were seen. The vehicle was towed to kia of vacaville (651 orange dr, vacaville, ca 95687; (707) 392-4623), where it was diagnosed with a cracked radiator that needs to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the radiator failure was not associated to the recall. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The dealer also confirmed that the part was not available. 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 failure mileage was approximately 131,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 kia sorento. The contact received an interim letter from the manufacturer. The letter stated that the vehicle's engine compartment could potentially catch on fire and instructed the contact to park the vehicle away from buildings and other vehicles. The VIN tool showed no recalls. The letter also stated that the vehicle could catch on fire even when it was not being driven. Battleground kia (2927 battleground ave, greensboro, nc 27408, (336)295-1542, stated that the dealer was aware of the letter but was not given instructions from the manufacturer on how to fix the vehicle. The dealer recommended not driving the vehicle until the repair was performed. The contact was informed to contact the manufacturer to request a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was safe to be driven. The manufacturer declined to provide a loaner vehicle. The contact was informed to park the vehicle away from buildings or other vehicles. A case was filed by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 158,000.
This morning I was in a city street had just left home and turn on the front defogger, after 2-3 min. I noticed some smoke and smelled something burning. Then I heard a crackling sound. I looked around and didnt know what was burning. I then turned around to head back home. There was no one else on the road. I then turned off the defogger and noticed the cracking sound was my windshield had cracked from the bottom left side above where the VIN # is located. Now im afraid that my truck will catch on fire if I turn on the front defogger. So, I wondering if you have received any complaints regarding the defogger.
Daughter was driving the vehicle when the turn signals started flashing. As she pulled to a stop, someone came up to her window and told her there was smoke coming from the back of the vehicle. She pulled in to a parking lot to call me. When I arrived at the vehicle there was a small fire coming from underneath the right rear of the vehicle. Fire department was called and fire was out by the time they arrived. Fire department looked underneath the vehicle and found that the trailer hitch wiring harness shorted out and started on fire. My daughter was not towing anything at the time. Wiring harness is oem
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
- Risk
- An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.
Recall number 20V088000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2007 Kia Sorento fire or smoke
Is fire, smoke or burning smell a common problem on the 2007 Kia Sorento?
5 of 154 owner complaints about the 2007 Kia Sorento (3%) mention fire, smoke or burning smell. The model year with the most reports is 2012.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2007 Kia Sorento?
There is 1 recall and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2007 Kia Sorento
Airbag light 25Check engine light 15Jerking 10Loss of power 8Adaptive cruise 7No deployment 6Door locks 6Stalling 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2007 Kia Sorento?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history