2007 KIA SPORTAGE Exterior Lighting Problems

The stop lamp switch was recalled & mine was replaced in 2010, but the part they replaced it with was faulty also and I’ve been driving without brake lights for years without knowing it. Then when I contacted KIA escalated customer “service,” they double-talked and gaslit me.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THE LIGHTS HAD TO BE PLACED IN A HIGH BEAM SETTING IN ORDER TO SEE ANYTHING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE VISIBILITY WAS IMPAIRED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT BULB WATTAGE NEEDED TO BE INCREASED AND REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

Mileage: 68,000

TAKATA RECALL; CAN PULL CAR INTO PARK OR DRIVE WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKE. TOOK TO PELHAM KIA TO BE FIXED DUE TO RECALL BUT THEY NEVER FIXED IT. DESPERATELY NEED FIXED.

Mileage: 100,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 60,000

MY KIA SPORTAGE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WON'T COME ON FOR A FEW SECONDS. IT WON'T COME ON AT ALL. I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR AIR BAG LIGHT. THERE IS A PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. KIA DEALERSHIP NEED TO STOP PUTTING IT ON THE OWNERS EXPENSE. MY HUSBAND SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP CONCERNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND HE WAS TOLD THEY NEED TO PUT IT ON A MACHINE TO ANALYST THE PROBLEM. I'M SURE THEY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ? TO ANALYST IT IS GOING TO COST US SOME MONEY. WHY ??? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CRUISE CONTROL ON BUT IT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE AND THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V130000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

Mileage: 49,000

HI! I JUST TOOK MY 2007 KIA SPORTAGE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE TODAY, JULY 14, 2012 AND INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE BURNT OUT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT MY VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AT ALL. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND OUT THAT KIA RECALLED 2007 SPORTAGE IN 2009 BECAUSE OF EXTERNAL BREAK LIGHTING ISSUES. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL BY THE KIA DEALER WHATSOEVER AND HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR THREE YEARS. I AM COMPLETELY BESIDE MYSELF THAT I DROVE A CAR FOR THREE YEARS WITH A MAJOR SAFETY RECALL. AT THIS POINT, I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I GUESS I SHOULD CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I HAVE TO SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT IS NOT RIGHT TO KEEP THIS INFORMATION FROM CONSUMERS. IT IS NEGLIGENT AND IRRESPONSIBLE TO SELL A CAR TO SOMEONE IF IT HAS A SAFETY RECALL AND NOT TO NOTIFY OR WARN THEM ABOUT IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR ESCAPE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V130000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH) BUT THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ UPDATED 03/08/12 UPDATED 06/19/12. *JB

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO KIA DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR ESC LIGHT STAYING ON. FIRST TIME THEY SAID IT WAS OK, NEXT 2 TIMES THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WORKS FOR A WHILE THEN MALFUNCTIONS AGAIN. ESC LIGHT STAYS ON, CRUISE WILL NOT WORK, AND SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL STAY ON. VEHICLE NOW HAS 71000 MILES AND LIGHT IS STILL ON. AFTER RESEARCHING THE WEB, LOCATED A RECALL ON THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM, 09V130000 IS THE NUMBER. CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THIS VIN # IS NOT IN THE RECALL, YET ITS THE SAME EXACT COMPLAINT AS THE RECALL. RECALL SAID IT CAN LEAD TO A CRASH. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR

Mileage: 11,185

MY COMPLAINT IS WITH KIA MOTORS AMERICA. THEY WERE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE 'STOP LAMP SWITCH' IN 2009 FOR CERTAIN KIA MODELS INCLUDING MY 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. I HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED IN JUNE OF 2009 FOR THIS ISSUE. SINCE THEN THE "WARRANTY" EXPIRED ON THE PART AND IT IS NOW BROKEN AGAIN (I HAVE NO FUNCTIONAL BRAKE LIGHTS). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY MUST CHARGE ME THE FULL $160.00 TO FIX IT. HOWEVER, THERE IS A BACK ORDER ON THE PART, SO I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR LEGALLY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK UNTIL THE PART COMES IN. THIS IS CONCERNING, WHY IS THE STOP LAMP SWITCH CONTINUING TO FAIL? OBVIOUSLY SINCE THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER THERE SEEMS TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM - THE RECALL SEEMS TO HAVE FAILED! I CONTACTED KIA MOTORS DIRECTLY TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP. THE RESPONDED ABSOLUTELY NOT, IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WOULD HAVE TO INCUR THE EXPENSE. HOW DO I KNOW ONCE IT'S FIXED IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE SAFETY CONCERNS: 1) DRIVING WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS AND BEING UNAWARE; 2) THE ESC MALFUNCTION CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO FAIL/NOT SHUT OF WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE. I AM CONCERNED THAT PEOPLES SAFETY IS AT RISK. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

ESC LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK, ON PRIOR RECALL LIST, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. HE CHECKED THE BULBS ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY WERE WORKING NORMALLY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,574.

Mileage: 65,574