2018 Kia Sportage electrical problems

Filed Nov 9, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · NJ · fire

On October 25, 2026, at approximately 6:16 PM, while driving east on I-78 in Newark, New Jersey, my 2018 Kia Sportage caught fire in the engine compartment. There was no crash. Everyone in the vehicle got out safely and there were no injuries. The vehicle was a total loss. The fire department and New Jersey State Police responded (NJSP case D030202601287R). My insurer, Travelers (claim JFJ1199-001), has handled the total loss. I later learned of the federal safety agency recall 21V‑137 (Kia SC206), a fire risk caused by a short circuit in the HECU (hydraulic electronic control unit). A VIN check showed no open recalls on my vehicle, so I do not know whether the recall repair was ever performed or whether the defect caused this fire. I am reporting the fire so it is on the record.

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Electrical · NV

I have spent two months trying to get my keys re-programmed to the system and the dealership informed me that the system has been "bypassed" somehow with no solution. This is after my account had been taken over and at one point the vehicle was being remotely controlled. I am out $500.00 for keys that cant work and this is a safety issue as I cant remotely lock or unlock my own vehicle or use the panic button. There have been people who gained access to the vehicle because somehow they have access to it remotely where I do not. This allowed them to brick the infotainment center and navigation. This is also an issue as this means they cant be utilized.

Filed Sep 10, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · RI · fire

Shortly after driving away, before reaching a highway on-ramp, I noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. I turned around and returned to the location. By the time I arrived, the vehicle was emitting black smoke, and shortly after, it was fully engulfed in fire before I could retrieve a fire extinguisher. Vehicle has a documented history of a known manufacturer recall related to an electrical/HECU component and a separate high-pressure fuel pipe recall, both reportedly remedied prior to this incident

Filed May 16, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · OH

The oil was leaking somewhere not on the motor not under the car not blowing black smoke. I kept adding oil to it. No oil light. I was told not to park between 2 houses or in my garage it could catch on fire. I took it in several times and they did all kinds of stuff motor wash knock sensor was replaced wiring harness was corroded was slipping out of gear and other issues. And now it doesn't run because of the motor issue and they refused to fix it because I didn't have oil change receipts they are the ones that took care of that there was no oil to change I kept adding it. I have all of the detailed work invoices of what they did to it. I've been without a car for a year now they said it's not under warranty my car has several of the recalls. They wouldn't do all of the stuff they did if it wasn't necessary and trying to locate the problem.

Filed Mar 26, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · MO · fire

On 1/26/2024 approximately 9am, my husband had been driving on the highway for about 2 hours and pulled over to shut his eyes for a few minutes. He shut off the engine, closed his eyes and immediately smelled smoke. Black smoke began coming from under the hood and quickly got worse. He quickly got out of the car and walked away. He heard a loud pop sound and the engine area was engulfed in flames. He called 911. It took about 10 min for the fire dept to arrive and by then, the fire was being fed by the gas in the tank. They tried to put out the fire but the car burnt completely due to the gasoline. No one was hurt, thank goodness. There were no active lawsuits that I could find to get some compensation for this loss. We had to pay our high deductible and lost personal belongings in the car. This car did have an ongoing oil consumption issue. We had to replace the oil more frequently than normally required and it used much more oil than normal. We were told we had to wait for engine failure to get any kind of resolution.

Filed Jan 25, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · FL

Took my car for the theft recall and had it performed, my vehicle was stolen last night and the theft used a USB charging cable to steal it, the recall did not fix this

Filed Oct 16, 2025 · Electrical, Lights · WI

This vehicle has a safety issue with the headlights. Basically, the low beams for both, driver and passenger sides are not functioning at all. Several diagnostic have been done to repair the existing issue such as replacing new light bulbs, new OEM turn signal switch, replacing whole new headlight assembly for both driver/ passenger sides, checking the relay, replacing new fuses, though, the issue still exists to date and the vehicle is undrivable in the dark. On a side not, only high beam works and turn signals, that is basically it. Several auto service centers have advised me to submit a report as a safety issues since all options have been exhausted. With that said, this safety issue concerning headlight should be addressed with the manufacturer. Thank you for taking this matter seriously!

Filed Oct 8, 2025 · Acceleration, Electrical · OH

My 2018 Kia Sportage (VIN [XXX] ) experienced complete engine failure due to low compression/internal combustion chamber failure. The vehicle lost power while driving on Sept 30, 2025, and had to be towed to [XXX] Kia in Dayton, OH. This same dealership previously performed an oil retention test in Aug 2024 which failed, identifying a defective engine. Kia was aware of the issue but declined to replace the engine at that time. The failure pattern matches Kia’s known engine defect. Kia Consumer Affairs (Case #25572677) has denied goodwill assistance despite this safety-related engine failure and prior diagnostic documentation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 26, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · NY

The contact owned a 2018 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into first gear. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle jerked and briefly lost motive power before slamming into gear. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an abnormal burning odor was coming from under the hood and entered the vehicle through the A/C vents. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The thermostat and the electric switch on the driver’s side window were replaced. The contact stated that while driving uphill or going downhill, the RPM fluctuated, and the engine revved abnormally. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Mar 3, 2025 · Electrical · WV

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.