2019 Kia Sportage Lighting Problems

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the high beam headlights failed to illuminate as designed. The contact researched and learned of an undisclosed Technical Service Bulletin concerning the failure with the halogen bulbs on the 2020 Kia Telluride. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not under recall or covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

DRIVING HOME NIGHT 9/4/19, NOTICED HEADLIGHTS HAVE PARTIAL OBSTRUCTION WITH SHADOW ON HORIZON MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE ANY OBJECTS IN THE SHADOW AREA. IF YOU TURN THE CAR OR TAKE A BEND IN THE ROAD OR DRIVE DOWN OR UP HILL THE DISTRACTION BECOMES A VERY BAD PROBLEM AS THE SHADOW CHANGES IN SIZE OR MOVES...MOSTLY ON LOW BEAMS BUT IS ALSO ON HIGH BEAMS BUT NOT AS NOTICEABLE....LIVE AND DRIVE IN THE NE GEORGIA MOUNTAINS, HAZARD IN DAYTIME AND MORE AT NIGHT..CALLED KIA NEXT AM, CAR SEEN DEALERSHIP 9/9/2019..ADJUSTED HEADLIGHTS...9/13/2019 DROVE NIGHT AGAIN, NO CHANGE...CALLED DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IN 9/18/2019 BEFORE SERVICE WAS TOLD THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2019 KIA SPORTAGE AND OTHER KIA SUV'S..NOTHING THEY CAN DO...IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THEM BY OTHER KIA SPORTAGE OWNERS AND IT IS A DESIGN FLAW SO WAS TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER AT LIFETIME KIS...4170 US HIGHWAY 64W, MURPHY, NC 28906..828-835-9200....I WANTED TO KNOW WHY WHEN I PURCHASED THE AUTO WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS MAJOR PROBLEM..CONSIDERED A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD..NO SATISFACTORY ANSWER WAS GIVEN...I FELT LIKE ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS SELL A CAR AND I WAS WILLING TO PURCHASE ANOTHER BUT WOULD LOSE 10K IN JUST A FEW MONTHS..AM STILL CONSIDERING TRADING THIS CAR IN SO WILL HAVE PEACE OF MIND ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT..

REAR TURN SIGNALS OF THE VEHICLE ARE BELOW THE LOWEST POINT OF THE LIFT GATE, ARE MOUNTED INSIDE THE BUMPER, AND ARE RECESSED IN THE BUMPER. WHEN TURN SIGNALS ARE USED, ONLY THE TURN BLINKERS IN THE BUMPER BLINK WHILE THE TRADITIONAL REAR BRAKE LAMPS ARE SOLID AND DO NOT INDICATE A TURN. THE TURN SIGNALS ARE TOO LOW FOR FOLLOWING VEHICLES TO SEE AND BECAUSE THEY ARE RECESSED, THE HOUSING GETS PACKED WITH SNOW, SLUSH AND DIRT, MAKING THE ACTIVATED SIGNALS INDISTINGUISHABLE. ALL 2019 KIA SPORTAGES HAVE THIS POORLY ENGINEERED FEATURE, WHICH MAY BE AS OUTSIDE COMPLIANCE AS AN EARLY 70S MALIBU, AND NO TURN SIGNALS IN THE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY.