# 2008 KIA SPORTAGE — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `1021499` · 2013-11-13 · Kia America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** KIA
- **Model:** SPORTAGE
- **Year:** 2008
- **Manufacturer:** Kia America, Inc.
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 90,000
## Narrative
SHE IS 73 YEARS OLD AND ON A FIXED INCOME.  SHE HAS ALREADY PAID THOUSANDS FOR THE CAR AND NOW DOES NOT HAVE A CAR DUE TO A FAULTY PART.  NO CAR SHOULD CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO NORMAL USE.  NOW SHE IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO PAY FOR ANOTHER CAR.  HOPEFULLY THAT CAR MANUFACTURER PRODUCES A VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT JUST CATCH FIRE AT RANDOM AND IF IT DOES, THEY TAKE CREDIT FOR BUILDING AND SELLING YOU A VEHICLE WITH A FAULT THAT IS THERE OWN.  SHE STRUGGLED TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A CAR THAT SHE TOOK GOOD CARE OF TO JUST BURN UP INFRONT OF HER.  SHE LOOKED FORWARD TO FINISH PAYING THE CAR OFF.  BLUE BOOK IS ROUGHLY $9,000.00 SHE PAID MORE THAT HALF OF IT OFF AND STILL OWES $7,000.00 BUT NOW, INSURANCE WILL GIVE HER THE $9,000.00 OF WHICH SHE WILL HAVE TO PAY $7,000.00 OUT TO PAY IT OFF, LEAVING HER WITH $2,000.00.  WHAT CAN YOU BUY WITH $2,000.00 - NOTHING!  SO NOW SHE MUST START OVER AND USE THE $2,000.00 TO GET BACK INTO A FULL CAR PAYMENT AND STRUGGLE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 5 YEARS OR MORE.  W.T.F.!?!?  I SEE ON THIS WEBSITE, PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO THEM.  IF THERE IS MORE THAN 1 OR 2 CARS THAT HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE THE SAME WAY, WHY ISN'T IT LOOKED INTO, AND WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL.  SURE IT MAYBE HARD FOR KIA TO REPLACE MANY VEHICLES, HOWEVER, I THINK IT IS HARDER FOR MY MOTHER OF 73 TO GO OUT AND BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT $15,000.00 - $20,000.00 JUST BECAUSE THE ONE SHE TRUSTED TO BE A SOLID VEHICLE WAS BUILD CRAPPY.  IT IS KIA'S DESIGN AND MECHANI
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*