2013 Kia Sportage Electrical Problems

I bought my car and then I received a letter stating that it had 1 recall. I called KIA to schedule the recall and they said there are 4 in total. I told them to get them all done because the closes KIA is about 45 min from my house. I took it in KIA called me said everything was done that I could go pick up my car. Then on 7/19/25 I am driving in the highway and my car stops accelerating I pull over turn off my car let it cool off and turn it back on. It moves and the moment I try to accelerate it the car stops again. Thank God I was able to arrive to a gas satiation at an exit and not have someone crash into me. I tried jump starting it and nothing. I tried turning it on again and smoke stated coming out from the engine. I had to tow the car to my house. I called my mechanic to check it and 3 codes showed up (C1611, C1612, C1613). I called KIA to let them know the codes and that I needed them to tow my car to their dealership. They proceed to inform me that 1 of the recalls were not fixed (the fuse) had to ordered and was not done. No one had informed me that when I picked up my car. They are not wanting to give me a solution and I have called 3 days straight.

NHTSA ID

11675552

Incident

Jul 19, 2025

In 2022, my 2013 Kia Sportage (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a spontaneous engine compartment fire while parked. I was unaware of any existing recalls at the time. The vehicle was stationary and turned off when the incident occurred. I extinguished the fire myself. There was no crash involved, but the damage rendered the vehicle inoperable. I later discovered that this exact vehicle is subject to Recall 23V652000, related to an electrical short in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) that can result in an engine compartment fire while the vehicle is parked or driving. As of now, the recall remains open and unrepaired under this VIN. I was never notified of this critical safety recall before the incident. Kia’s authorized dealer in Puerto Rico (MOTORAMBAR) confirmed the recall but declined responsibility for the damage already caused, offering only the standard fuse replacement. I have submitted a written complaint to Kia and am now documenting this safety failure with NHTSA. This fire was not caused by misuse or wear-and-tear — it occurred under normal conditions and clearly matches the exact language of the recall defect. I believe this represents a serious failure of notification and manufacturer accountability. I am seeking resolution and accountability through both Kia and the NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11661375

Incident

Dec 14, 2022

I received a recall notification last year, I live about an hr and a half away from the nearest Kia dealer, so I wasn’t able to get my car in to be inspected until last spring at the Kia in Medford. Then I got another notice in the mail stating my vehicle was amongst the ones that needed the HECU recall service done. I called the Kia dealer in Eugene and the earliest they could get me in was August 2024. A day or two before my long awaited appointment, they called to inform me that the part was on back order and that they would call me once it became available again. I haven’t received any communication from them as of yet. My car has been mostly parked since then and I’ve been borrowing a friends vehicle because I don’t want to risk my daughter and i’s safety. I received another notice from the corporate of Kia, stating I haven’t gotten it done and they strongly urge me to get it taken care of, I’ve tried booking another appointment online twice and there’s no availability and I’ve called 3 times with no return call. On the last notice I received, I see it says to submit a complaint to safercar.gov

NHTSA ID

11634848

Incident

Aug 31, 2024

Problem with the BCM, my signal lights, headlights and beeper is not working. My power lock doesn't work nor my beeper

NHTSA ID

11630558

Incident

Nov 7, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the infotainment system was intermittently inoperable. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11623681

Incident

Sep 5, 2024

Mileage

68,000 mi

engine is seized due to overheating

NHTSA ID

11612648

Incident

Aug 28, 2024

Hecu needs to be replaced. This is a dangerous recall and it has almost been one year and it hasn't been resolved because the parts arent available.. I have children in my car and they tell me a fire could start while driving or parked. So, they will see the urgency in getting this part to us, after people have died? I am really upset that this is not being taken seriously when peoples lives could be at stake.

NHTSA ID

11580809

Incident

Sep 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not able to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with an electrical short circuit to the battery and starter. Additionally, the contact stated that there was a burning odor near the engine compartment. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,864.

NHTSA ID

11580742

Incident

Feb 20, 2024

Mileage

94,864 mi

MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE THE GAS PEDAL DIDNT WORK I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WAS SMOKING BECAUSE IT WAS ON FIRE

NHTSA ID

11407958

Incident

Apr 9, 2021

Mileage

200,010 mi

I WAS OUT DRIVING MY CAR ONE DAY AND THE WINDOW SWITCH STARTED ACTING UP,THE RADIO SHUT OFF, THE AC COMPRESSOR AND THE RADIATOR FAN STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11404819

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

ON JUNE 26, CAR PARKED IN SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE (UNDER HOOD) WHILE I WAS AT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11271022

Incident

Jun 26, 2019

I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE DRIVING AROUND 70 MILES PER HOUR MY CAR DIED AS IN STOPPED IN FRONT OF A SEMI! MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAD NO PROBLEMS -NOTHING-NO NOISE IT JUST DIED. WE ARE LUCKY I WAS NOT KILLED. CAR WAS TOWED TO COOKEVILLE KIA THEY SAID IT WAS INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE POSSIBLE ROD BEARING. HE TOLD US IT WOULD COST AROUND $7000 TO FIX. I STILL OWE 4000 ON MY PIECE OF CRAP OF A CAR THAT ONLY HAD 130,000MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD A FEW NIGHTMARES FROM THE ORDEAL AND IN GENERAL, I'M KINDA SCARED TO DRIVE EVEN A FEW DAYS LATER. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT UNDER RECALL BUT HOWEVER I KEEP SEEING THE SAME YEAR AND CAR ON ALL KIND OF WEBSITES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ONLY THING GOOD ABOUT THIS SITUATION IS THAT MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR WITH ME. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER KIA! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11252699

Incident

Aug 29, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

AFTER HAVING AN UPGRADE TO THE SYSTEM OUR CAR NOW GOES INTO LIMP MODE. THEY HAVE CHANGED SEVERAL PARTS AND $4,000.00 LATER THEY STILL CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY JUST KEEP CHARGING US FOR DIFFERENT PARTS AND OUR CAR STILL GOES INTO LIMP MODE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE SAID THEY HAVE FIXED IT. ONE DAY THE CAR WILL RUN FINE AND THE NEXT WE WILL BE DRIVING AND CANNOT GO OVER 40 MILES PER HOUR NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU ARE HITTING THE GAS. SEVERAL HOURS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON BUT ACCORDING TO KIA IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LIMP MODE AND ALL OF THESE PARTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11186139

Incident

Mar 6, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH MY KIA SPORTAGE WENT DEAD. I PULLED OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN BUT IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER THAT, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE KIA WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND CHECKED BY MECHANICS, WHO SAID THAT THE ROD BEARING WENT BAD AND IT SEIZED THE ENGINE. THE STARTER WAS ALSO FRIED IN THE PROCESS. KIA AGREED TO REPLACE THE PARTS BUT WOULD NOT AGREE TO PAY THE APPROXIMATELY $2500 LABOR COST. THE VEHICLE STILL SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIR. IT'S BEEN OVER 2 MONTHS NOW. I PLAN TO PURSUE HAVING KIA PAY FOR THE LABOR AS WELL. I NOW OWE $7000 ON A CAR THAT WILL NOT RUN.

NHTSA ID

11152115

Incident

Sep 8, 2018

Mileage

87,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE LESS THAN 1 YEAR. I HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT 3 BATTERIES DUE TO SOMETHING CONTINUOUSLY DRAINING BATTERY POWER CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START. UPON TAKING TO DEALERSHIP FOR TESTING, I AM TOLD BATTERY/ALTERNATOR OPERATES FINE AND THEY WILL CHARGE ABOUT 85/HOUR TO TEST FUSES TO SEE WHAT ELSE COULD BE THE PROBLEM. APPROXIMATELY 3/23/3018, MY RADIO SHORTED OUT. IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL, CANNOT USE RADIO AT ALL NOR BLUETOOTH CONNECTIVITY CONTROL. NOW THE ODOMETER RESETS TO 0 EVERY TIME I TURN THE CAR ON, THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS DON'T WORK AND TPM STAYS LIT NO MATTER WHAT THE ACTUAL TPM IS. . I AM SO FRUSTRATED AT THIS POINT AS THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE TO ME, I'M PAYING A NOTE ON A CAR THAT SEEMS TO BE FALLING APART.

NHTSA ID

11099365

Incident

Mar 23, 2018

Mileage

169,000 mi

ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO MY 2013 KIA SPORTAGE STARTED ACTING UP AS FAR AS THE AIR CONDITIONER GOES. IT INTERMITTENTLY WORKS. IF I AM STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR WILL BLOW HOT AIR. WHEN DRIVING IT WILL NOT BLOW COLD AIR UNLESS I'M GOING AT LEAST 60 MPH. LIVING IN FLORIDA THIS IS HORRIBLE. I HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THEM TO TELL ME IT'S FINE. THEY "TEST DRIVE" IT TO SEE AND SUPPOSEDLY THE TSTAT THEY PUT IN THE CAR SAID IT WAS BLOWING AIR 63 DEGREES. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $110 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. LUCKILY THE MECHANIC UNDERSTOOD WHERE I WAS COMING FROM AND DIDN'T END UP PAYING. THEN AS SOON AS I LEFT IT WASN'T WORKING. I THEN TODAY TAKE IT BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND THEY TELL ME THE COMPRESSOR IS BAD AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED! I HAVE READ WHERE SEVERAL OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11014490

Incident

May 24, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS SHORTED OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SHORT IN THE LIGHTS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER (A DOWNPOUR) AND WAS UNCERTAIN IF WIRES HAD BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL OR ANY OTHER COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10984525

Incident

Apr 3, 2017

CAR SHUTS DOWN RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING, RANDOM ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LIGHTS ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH WHILE DRIVING AND STAY LIT AFTER STOPPED, BLUETOOTH WON'T CONNECT AND WON'T ALLOW YOU TO PRESS THE BUTTONS TO CONNECT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. STARTED AT ABOUT 37,000 MILES, FEBRUARY 2017 AND IS CONTINUALLY HAPPENING RANDOMLY.

NHTSA ID

10978950

Incident

Feb 1, 2017

Mileage

37,000 mi

MY 2013 SPORTAGE CONTINUES TO STALL/SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS IS VERY SCARY. HAD IT TOWED DEALERSHIP. IS THERE A RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10937403

Incident

Dec 25, 2016

Mileage

68,587 mi

REMOTE SMART. USED TO WARM VEHICLE. DRIVING ON TURNPIKE 75 MILES AN HOUR THE VEHICLE QUIT ABRUPTLY IN THE PASSING LANE. ALL INTERIOR SYSTEMS STOPPED. ABLE TO GUIDE TO MEDIAN . TURNOFF KEY,PLACE IN PARK. STARTED IGNITION. VEHICLE STARTED ABLE TO DRIVE. PREVIOUS TIME AFTER USING REMOTE VEHICLE STOPPED BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. PREVIOUS TIME STOPPED ON RESIDENTIAL STREET. SAME ISSUE. ALSO, ONE OCCURRENCE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP RUNNING AFTER USING REMOTE START. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937192

Incident

Dec 14, 2016

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND FLAMES ERUPTED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND EXITED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED, BUT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

NHTSA ID

10860134

Incident

Mar 24, 2016

Mileage

28,000 mi

THE DESIGN OF THE IGNITION KEY IS FAULTY. THIS VEHICLE ONLY STARTS WITH A PROXIMITY INTERFACE BETWEEN THE INTERIOR STARTER BUTTON AND THE REMOTE KEY WHICH IS ATTACHED TO A MANUAL KEY FOR THE DOORS. THE MANUAL DOOR KEY ATTACHES TO A KEY RING AND THE EXPENSIVE REOMTE KEY ATTACHES TO THE MANUAL KEY. ON 5 DIFFERENT OCASIONS WHILE WALKING OR EXITING MY CAR THE REMOTE KEY HAS SEPERATED FROM THE MANUAL KEY AND FALLEN TO THE GROUND. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY AND BEEN AWARE OF THIS WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED. THIS COULD EASLIY LEAVE ME STRANDED AND IN DANGER DUE TO THIS DESIGN. THE KEY RING HOLDER SHOULD BE ATTACHED THE REMOTE DEVICE AND NOT THE MANUAL KEY. THE DEALER OFFERED NO SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

10725163

Incident

May 14, 2015

Mileage

16,000 mi