2012 Kia Sportage electrical system problems

“I was driving eastbound in my 2012 Kia Sportage on I-82 just past Benton City MP97 at about 11AM on Monday June 22, 2026, when my engine knocked twice, the red check engine light came on, and I lost power. I pulled over off the road next to a concrete barrier that was beside a rock roadcut. My flashers would not operate, I put it into park, turned off the ignition and immediately noticed the smell of burning oil or rubber. I had 2 half gallon containers of water on my front seat, so I popped the switch, lifted the hood, used the prop rod to hold the hood up as I started dowsing the flames that were popping up on the passenger side of my engine compartment near the firewall. After using both half gallons, I ran to the rear of the vehicle, opened the hatchback, and grabbed a gallon spray bottle of water and brought that back around to the front of the vehicle. By this point the prop rod holding the hood was bending and the flames were popping back up, I pumped the sprayer and directed a stream of water with my left hand and used my right to hold up the hood as the prop rod was not working. After the fire was completely out, I returned to the rear of the vehicle,…”

“The car has been giving off a burning smell each time that I begin to drive especially if the heat is being utilized. The smell worsens as I drive a further distance.”

“I am writing about a recall notice that was issued last fall (2023) and has not yet been repaired by KIA, this vehicle's manufacturer. The HECU unit has a bad fuse that can cause a fire while driving or when parked. The relevant data is: Manufacturer Recall NumberSC284SL NHTSA Recall Number23V652 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available This waiting period has been excessive. KIA needs to get this done!”

“The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle started to stall. The contact depressed the brake pedal, stopped, and parked the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The contact shifted into neutral and pushed the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart upon attempting to jumpstart vehicle with the assistance of a friend. The vehicle was towed to the Mazda dealer where it was purchased. The dealer diagnosed that the engine, the starter, the battery, and unknown parts needed to be replaced. The Kia dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.”

“The day I drove the car off the lot after purchasing (roughly 4 years ago) the low tire pressure sensor came on and I was unable to get it to go off. Mentioned it to the dealership whenever I went back for my first oil change and they told me they were able to “wake it up” whenever they checked the tire pressure. It continues to not accurately read if the tire pressure is low or not. A couple of months ago (summertime) my sunroof would not close. I finally got it to close completely after having to turn the car on and off multiple times and I have not risked trying it again since. The biggest issue I’m having now is about a month ago (November) I went to start my car and not only would the engine not turn over, but all the lights kept flickering as if the alternator was going out. I not only replaced the alternator, but also have to get a brand new battery because it was completely drained and would not jump within a day. Now, a couple days ago, I went to start it again and it did something similar - though after doing some troubleshooting I think it might be a bad starter this time that has now killed my battery. Both of these times my car did not show any…”

“My vehicle had just recently been parked and turned off after only having driven 10 miles. Upon returning to my car less than 5 minutes later, a plume of white smoke and a small flame could be seen below the hood of the car. Within minutes the entire engine was engulfed in flames. By the time the Fire Department arrived, the blaze had already reached the rear of the vehicle. Everything was completely lost.”