Owners describe multiple electrical fires in parked, shut-off 2009 Sportages, with some igniting hours after the vehicle was left unattended. One fire started in the rear dashboard area; another near the ABS module; a third on the passenger side of the engine bay. One owner disconnected the battery to stop active smoking. An insurance adjuster documented fire origin in the rear dash of one vehicle. Several cars became total losses; one owner received no compensation despite the vehicle being paid off.
A separate fire complaint involved smoke from the ignition switch at the steering column, concurrent with brake failure.
Beyond fires, owners report the instrument cluster backlighting renders the speedometer unreadable in daylight—a distraction when checking speed in traffic. One owner painted the bezel silver as a workaround. Another complaint describes the turn-signal switch causing all electronic devices to blink simultaneously. A clock spring failure disabled both the airbag system and horn.
Owners mention NHTSA recall campaign 16V815000 for the electrical system, but some vehicles' VINs were not flagged for the repair, and at least one owner found recall parts unavailable. Kia dealership and corporate received multiple reports with minimal response documented.
Failure modes owners describe
Spontaneous fire - electrical/undetermined origin
Vehicle catches fire while parked and off, with no operator action. Multiple reports describe fires occurring hours after parking or with the engine shut down. Insurance adjuster in one case traced fire to rear dashboard area; another report indicates fire near ABS module in engine compartment.
When: Parked and off, or shortly after driving; mileage 55,498–91,000 reported
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle catches fire without warning; Smoke from engine compartment or dashboard area; Strong electrical fire smell; Fire in front or rear of engine bay
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple vehicles total loss; brakes failed during one incident; electrical system found fried in another; one fire put out by owner disconnecting battery
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recall campaign 16V815000 (electrical system) issued; some owners report VIN not listed or recall parts unavailable; no compensation reported for totaled vehicles
Smoke from ignition switch area
Smoke emanates from ignition switch located at steering column/dashboard junction. Associated with brake system failure in one complaint.
When: 55,498 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke from ignition switch area; Brake failure concurrent with ignition smoke
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to dealer; cause not determined
Multifunction switch electrical malfunction
Turn signal activation causes all electronic devices to blink uncontrollably, indicating electrical cross-talk or switch failure.
When: 91,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All electronic devices blink when turn signals are used; Loss of normal turn signal function
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnosed as multifunction system requiring replacement; no repairs completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware; no recall action reported
Clock spring failure
Clock spring malfunction disables airbag and horn systems, creating safety hazard with no airbag deployment capability and inoperative horn.
Symptoms owners cite: Horn inoperative; Airbag system deactivated
Instrument cluster backlighting/readability issue
Instrument panel extremely difficult to read during daylight; speedometer and clock unreadable except under specific lighting angles. Owner reports safety risk while attempting to confirm speed in traffic.
Symptoms owners cite: Instrument cluster unreadable in daylight; Speedometer difficult or impossible to read during day; Readable only under specific external lighting conditions; Visible and readable at night only
Repairs/costs cited: Owner painted black bezel silver as workaround with partial improvement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Kia dealership and home office notified with no response
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.