2018 Kia Stinger Problems

On XXX my son picked up his 2018 Kia Stinger (VIN [XXX]) from Ken Garff Honda Riverdale, UT after a routine oil change, filter change, and tire rotation (RO# 5026743). About 3 hours later, while driving on [XXX] near [XXX], he noticed a burning smell, then saw smoke coming from the front of the vehicle, followed by flames from the engine compartment. He pulled over and exited safely before the vehicle was fully engulfed. No other people or vehicles were struck, but the fire occurred on a public highway shoulder next to dry grass, creating a wildfire risk in addition to the risk to him and other traffic. On XXX, this same vehicle received recall SC300 (NHTSA Campaign 24V169000) at Jerry Seiner Kia in [XXX], which replaced the left turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly. This addressed the exact component Kia's recall identifies as a fire risk from oil leaking near the exhaust manifold. This system, and/or the oil change performed hours before the fire, may be connected to the failure, but this has not yet been confirmed by a professional inspection. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent shop. No inspection by police/insurance/manufacturer has occurred yet. No dashboard warning lights or messages appeared before the fire; the only symptom noticed was a burning smell shortly before smoke and flames appeared. The vehicle is located at [XXX] with an address [XXX] Lot [XXX] and remains available for inspection upon request. I have a pending insurance claim with Bear River Mutual. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My vehicle is experiencing active symptoms consistent with the defects described in recalls SC279 and SC281. These include: - Sputtering and hesitation under acceleration - Severe drop in fuel mileage - Check Engine Light - Fuel‑rail pressure fault code - Black soot at the tailpipe - Loss of power The vehicle is unsafe to drive and may stall. My dealership confirmed that the recall parts are on national backorder and cannot repair the vehicle. Kia Corporate has refused to authorize towing or a loaner vehicle upfront, leaving me without safe transportation. This is a serious safety issue, and Kia is unable to provide a timely remedy.

My vehicle is exhibiting a loss of drive power, particularly uphill, with a diagnostic code of P0088 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure Too High). This is the same defect addressed by recall campaign 23V634000 (Kia SC281), covering the high-pressure fuel pump / fuel control valve plunger on 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles. I had the SC281 recall repair completed on this vehicle on Novermber 16th 2024. I am now experiencing the same symptom and code the recall was meant to fix, indicating the repair did not resolve the defect. The original repair only updated the software but did not replace the fuel pump. The dealer, Jack Daniels Kia in NJ, has quoted me a $250 diagnostic fee before proceeding further. Under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. § 30120), once a safety recall has been issued, the manufacturer is required to remedy the defect, including diagnosis tied to that defect, free of charge to the owner. This applies whether the issue is addressed as a continuation of SC281, a revised action (I was told a repair labeled "SC281Y" applies, though it does not currently appear in the dealer's system under my VIN), or simply as a recurrence of the same defect after an incomplete repair. The SC281Y memo from Kia is PROOF that Kia knows the original SC281 fix did NOT resolve the defect for my car. This is a dangerous situation that KIA MUST resolve. I am requesting that Kia: 1. Confirm my VIN against campaign 23V634000 and clarify the status of any SC281Y follow-up action. 2. Investigate why the original SC281 repair did not resolve the defect. 3. Waive the $250 diagnostic fee, as it is tied to a defect already covered under an open federal safety recall. 4. Perform any necessary repair at no cost to me.

The oil pressure light is coming on . Even after doing oil change at dealership it’s not going away. Confirmed that the issue was with the oil pressure switch at dealership, which is a common problem for 3.3L V6 engines . Similar issue was observed in other older models with similar engine and the warranty was extended to cover this issue (WTY026).

While driving the steering wheel jerks back and forth as if it's trying to help assist in keeping in lanes even with the lane assistant off and it doesn't matter what speed it jerks the whole time. The steering wheel will also move on its own back and forth while in a parked position too. It's very dangerous because it's trying to jerk you all around the road at no matter what speed you're doing.

related malfunction on my 2018 Kia Stinger. My hazard lights are activating on their own, changing flash speeds, and failing to turn off at times. This creates a safety concern while driving.

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that occasionally while starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start immediately. The contact stated that oil was leaking from the vehicle during each failure. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a light, at 5 MPH the vehicle lost automotive power, with the check engine and ABS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the fuel pump and vacuum pump were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.

I bought front and rear drilled and slotted brake rotors. I installed these on my car using the same name brand of brake pads front and rear. The fronts were perfect. The rear rotors had defective black zinc coating that caked on my brake pads. This layer of coating prevented contact between the friction surface of the rotor and friction material of the pad. I only drove the car 1/2 mile. My rear brakes would not work properly. I sent Brake Performance 14 pictures and a series of emails describing this. They shrugged it off as cosmetic. I had the remaining defective coating machined off the friction surface of the rotors. I sanded and cleaned the layer of defective coating off my brake pads. After this cleaning, the brakes worked as expected. I have installed their products on 3 vehicles using 10 rotors and 2 drums. Only these last 2 rotors had defective coating. It's concerning that they never considered the safety implications of the defective coating. The front and rear rotors were stored together in the same environment prior to install.

Around a two years ago the headlight brights failed and have yet to come back. Kia refuses to fix the issue stating normal wear. This is an incredible hazard to safety in night operation of the vehicle. We are told it is due to a motor in the headlight assembly failing. There are many forum post about this issue and the only known fix is to replace both headlight assemblies at a cost of upward of $1800 a piece. This is a failure that should not be taken lightly and all lighting a safety devices should be of the upmost importance.

The bright lights on both headlights stopped working instantly.. the design is flawed as it operates on a shutter using one bulb.. the malfunction is cause by premature failure of the gears in the shutter. The dealerships are aware of this problem as the shutter is also used in their Telluride vehicles as well… it causes safety issues when driving at night. Kia also knows the problem also the gear in the headlight can’t be replaced and Kia forces to replace whole headlight assembly which is $1200 per light.. on many Stinger forums a lot of people are saying the same problems with their headlights. This is a major safety hazard!

Oil pressure sender unit is failing on these vehicles. There are several reports on the forums about this issue. First, the oil pressure warning light appeared on the dash. I brought my vehicle to an independent service center and they performed a diagnostic. They confirmed that the oil pressure sender was bad and filling with oil. This is a fire risk as oil is leaking in a hot engine compartment. Also, as oil is lost, it could result in complete engine failure while traveling at high speeds.

On 11/13/2020 my car had 26,942 miles. I experienced my first issue with my vehicle where it lost power while driving on the freeway. My vehicle was in the shop for 17 days where they replaced the fuel pump directly affected my turbo. On 10/19/2023 my vehicle had 68,366 miles on it while driving to work when I went to accelerate from a stop sign there was no power and I literally had to drift to the side of the road. My vehicle was in the shop for seven days and it was the same issue. A few weeks after my vehicle was repaired, I received the recall notice, however at this time there was no resolution it was nearly a recall campaign. On 12/29/2023 my vehicle had 70,290 miles (not even 2000 miles since my vehicle had returned from the shop) as I was leaving work, my car begin sputtering like it was going to lose power. I made it home safely however, upon trying to start my vehicle the next morning there was a warning and a message saying not to drive my vehicle. My vehicle has been in the service center since December 30, 2023 with no resolution.

While driving the steering wheel jerks back and forth as if it's trying to help assist in keeping in lanes even with the lane assistant off and it doesn't matter what speed it jerks the whole time. The steering wheel will also move on its own back and forth while in a parked position too. It's very dangerous because it's trying to jerk you all around the road at no matter what speed you're doing.

All of a sudden while driving on the road my vehicle lost total power in the middle of an intersection. I would pres the gas pedal and got no response the vehicle would not go. I had to turn car off and try starting it again then the vehicle got power. This keeps happening not everyday but it's happening about once a week while driving. There has been times where the car wouldn't restart for about an hour I got the car off the road and stayed stranded at night till it finally got power to move it would start but it would just putter like it wasn't getting enough fuel and my engine light came on. It is telling me something is wrong with the fuel rail , high pressure fuel pump, and it is running too rich. I have a little over 62,000 miles on it . Now there is a delay in take off it has lost a lot of power and is using a lot of fuel getting poor gas milage.

SAME AS REPORTED NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11202935. BODY INTEGRITY ISSUE WHEN CAR IS UNDER TORSION, AS IN A TURN UPHILL OR DOWNHILL. CAUSES MOVEMENT AROUND A-PILLAR, B-PILLAR, AND/OR DOOR WINDOW FRAME, WITH NOTICEABLE NOISE. TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE, THEY ONLY SAY THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE, PLUS THEY DON'T HAVE A BODY SHOP TO DO FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

WHEN CAR GOING OVER BUMPS/IMPERFECTIONS ON ROAD, A TICKLING NOISE CAN BE HEARD NEAR B PILLAR OR A PILLAR. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH MANY USERS COMPLAINED IN ONLINE FORUMS AND DEALERSHIPS. I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION MULTIPLE TIMES AND KIA USA DENIED IT IS AN ISSUE AND REFUSE TO PROVIDE FURTHER REPAIR, INSPECTION OR ASSISTANCE. THE NOISE IS VERY OBVIOUS WHEN TURNING INTO A SLOPED DRIVEWAY AND THE BODY IS EXPERIENCING TORSIONAL FORCES. A CONSUMER IN CANADA EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND GOT IT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED AT GUS REVENBERG KIA WINDSOR ONTARIO CANADA. USER DARREN1556 IN THIS POST BELOW DESCRIBED THE DETAILS: "IT WAS THE JOINT BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD FRAME AND WHERE IT MEETS THE TOP OF THE A-PILLAR. HAVING MY ROOF COMPLETELY EXPOSED THE TECH STUCK SOMETHING IN THE BAD JOINT AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY PUT A SPOT WELD IN THE END OR TWEAKED THE METAL PERMANENTLY." HTTPS://STINGERFORUM.ORG/THREADS/CREAKING-NOISE-DRIVER-SIDE-DASH-AREA.3355/PAGE-2 I BELIEVE ANYTHING RELATED TO BAD JOINTS OF WELDING AND RIGIDITY OF THE CAR FRAME COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS KIA USA REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS, WHILE KIA CANADA HAS DIAGNOSED AND FIXED THE ISSUE. THANKS,

While driving the steering wheel jerks back and forth as if it's trying to help assist in keeping in lanes even with the lane assistant off and it doesn't matter what speed it jerks the whole time. The steering wheel will also move on its own back and forth while in a parked position too. It's very dangerous because it's trying to jerk you all around the road at no matter what speed you're doing.

Steering wheel began making noises that sounded like grinding of gears that sounded like it was coming from outside of the interior of the vehicle. The noise was heard loudly when turning the steering wheel after the car sat idle and occasionally after driving the car after several minutes of the car warming up. The noise occurred increasingly more frequent over 4 weeks. The steering also became more difficult with tension felt during turning the wheel. Eventually, the steering wheel locked completely during turning and became unable to turn the steering wheel while driving and turning the wheel. The risk of crash which put me and others at risk was narrowly avoided by stopping in the middle of an intersection multiple times while driving the car. The car was taken to the Kia dealership 3/16/23 and the problem was reproduced and confirmed by the dealer on 3/20/23 where it was inspected. When the steering wheel locked, a message related to the Lane Assist feature on the car appeared.

MY REAR GLASS SHATTERED WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED INSIDE MY GARAGE. THE ENTIRE GLASS WAS SHATTERED WITH NO APARENT DAMAGE TO THE GLASS.

1.What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? •The malfunctioning components are the car seats. Specifically, both the driver and passenger seats do not go back up after reclining. Yes, these seats are available for inspection upon request. 2.How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? •The safety of the driver and passengers was compromised because the driver seat could not be adjusted back to a safe and upright position, which is crucial for maintaining proper control of the vehicle. This poses a significant risk of accidents. 3.Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? •The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or an independent service center. 4.Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? •The vehicle or the malfunctioning seats have not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others at this time. 5.Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? •There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The issue is the car seats they don’t go up after reclining . It started with passenger seat. One day I reclined while on 20 min ride . It didn’t go back up . Stayed reclined. Then a couple weeks later while cleaning the car I reclined the driver seat to clean the dust from the top of the seat and the seat did not go back up after recline. After my own research I found out that many people online who own the same vehicle encountered the same issue I have attacked screenshots of the other people encountering same issue. It can be found on the Stingerforum online and on Reddit

My vehicle has a delay in taking off from a complete stop. The car also looses a little power while driving intermittently. There was times that the car wouldn't even go at all I had to turn off the car and restarted to be able to go. That has been happening more and more the check engine light has been on the whole time. Also the rear shock or strut went out but the part that is apart of the suspension has broke and now the vehicle scrapes the tire because it is too low