1999 Kia Sportage

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED STRONG FUEL FUMES ON THE EXTERIOR AND THE INTERIOR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TIMING BELT FAILED THREE TIMES AND WAS REPLACED BY A MECHANIC. THE DRIVE TRAIN FAILED ONCE AND WAS REPLACED BY A MECHANIC. THE CRANK SHAFT WAS ALSO REPLACED ONCE. THE CONTACT ALSO WAS EXPERIENCING A TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN WHICH THE GEARS SLIPPED RANDOMLY AND WERE SLOW TO CHANGE OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN THREE TIMES AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE SEALS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE FUEL LEAK CONTINUED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 333,000.

I PURCHASED MY KIA USED, FROM A DEALER, LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, AND IT PASSED THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS CHECK FOR VEHICLE INSPECTION. I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO HAVE DEALER REPLACE THE GASOLINE TANK AFTER SMELLING GASOLINE. THIS CAR IS USED SOLELY FOR LIGHT USAGE TO TRANSPORT MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM DR'S AND GROCERY STORES. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN TWO MONTHS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, REPORTING ISSUE WITH CATALYST. FOUND A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND AM TRYING TO GET ORIGINAL DEALER TO FIX. NOW EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER TO ENGAGE INCLINES OR HILLS, CAUSING A HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS. ALSO BACK BRAKES SIMPLY "BLEW"! WITHOUT ANY FOREWARNING, WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR, I LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITIES. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT GOING FAST AND HAVE A STANDARD TO QUICKLY DOWNSHIFT. MY MOTHER WAS KILLED DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKES, AND IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE PANICKING SITUATION FOR ME EMOTIONALLY. BEING A SINGLE MOTHER I RELY ON MECHANICS TO DO ALL MY WORK, AND I HAD JUST HAD ALL MY FUEL LEVELS TOPPED OFF AND MY PADS CHECKED, WITHOUT ANY ISSUE FOUND. I HAVE ALSO HAD AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELTS REMAINING ENGAGED. THE DEALER WARRANTY EXPIRED AND I AM STUCK WITH RECALLS NOBODY SEEMS TO WANT TO FIX! *TR

THIS KIA WAS PURCHASED NEW AND IS A ONE OWNER CAR. IT HAS HAD 2 MASTER CYLINDERS, AND 4 SETS OF BRAKE PADS. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR SLIDES TO THE RIGHT ON WET ROADS AND DOES NOT STOP UNTIL IT HITS SOMETHING OR SLOWS TO A STOP. I HAVE SLID 2 TIMES, REAR ENDED SOMEONE THE 3RD, AND MY SON HIT A LIGHT POLE. THE OTHER TIMES THE BRAKES MAY OR MAY NOT WORK. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE DURING RAINY WEATHER. THE BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DOES NOT STOP. AT TIMES THE BRAKES VIBRATE. THIS CAR HAS HAD A NEW CLOTH TOP, NEW AIR CONDITIONING 2X, 5 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, NEW CARPET FROM THE AIR LEAKING AND MOLDING, NEW SEAT COVERS AS THEY RIPPED, NEW BRAKES, ROTORS, PADS SEVERAL ITEMS I HAVE LOST COUNT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR HAS BEEN RE-WIRED, AT TIMES THE CAR WON'T ACCELERATE IF THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. LAST NIGHT THE HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICE WANTED TO KNOW WHY I WOULD ENDANGER MY SON'S LIFE IN A CAR THAT WON'T STOP OR SLIDES. THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. WHY ARE ANY OF THESE MODELS STILL ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THEM. IN LOOKING AT THE COMPLAINTS THERE WERE MANY THAT DEALT WITH THE BRAKES. AT THIS POINT IS THERE ANY RECOURSE WITH THE CAR? I DON'T FEEL THAT I CAN SELL IT OUTRIGHT HONESTLY AND PUT SOMEONES LIFE IN DANGER. THE HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER MADE ME FEEL LIKE A NEGLECTFUL PARENT BY EVEN LETTING MY SON DRIVE THE CAR. WE EVEN PARKED IT FOR 6 MONTHS TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE CAR. MY SON'S CAR WAS IN THE REPAIR SHOP, SO HE TOOK THE KIA. I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. AFTER SITTING FOR A WHILE THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED. THERE ARE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE STALLING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS ACTING ERRATIC. THE POWER STEERING BELT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 09/13/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WILL STAY ON WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DIE. A FUSE KEPT BLOWING, OUT, BUT SHE WAS NOT SURE WHICH FUSE. SHE HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR, AND HE SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DEFINITELY ELECTRICAL. SHE STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM AT THE END OF AUGUST. THE CONTACT SAW RECALL 99V325000 ON THE INTERNET BUT WAS NOT SURE IF THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. SHE DID NOT TO A DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT PLANNED TO DO SO WHEN SHE FINISHED THIS CALL. SHE STILL WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT.*AK UPDATED 03/28/06. *JB

DT: THE VEHICLE TAKES ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES TO START, IT WILL TURN OVER. THE VEHICLE WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND IT WILL SHAKE RIGHT BEFORE STALLING.. FOUND RECALL 99V325000 FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING BUT KIA SAID MY VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO TWO MECHANIC SHOPS, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THIS STARTED ON APRIL 15, 2005. *AK

VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO START, HOWEVER, THE RADIO AND POWER WINDOWS ARE STILL WORKING SO IT IS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE. ONCE THE VEHICLE DID START IT WOULD DIE WHEN YOU STARTED UP FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND/OR SOMETIMES WOULD SIMPLY DIE WHEN PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THEY INDICATED IT WAS A FUEL PUMP ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING. THE SHOP THEN INDICATING THERE HAD BEEN A WIRING RECALL SO THEY CHANGED OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. TWO DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE ALMOST DIED ON THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT, IT WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHEN IDLING AND THERE WAS VERY LIMITED POWER WHEN I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE SHOP LOOKED AT IT AGAIN AND THE AIR MANIFEST INDICATOR CAME ON SO THEY CLEANED OUT THE AIR FLOW. TWO DAYS LATER IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THE SHOP THEN INDICATING THAT THEIR SENSOR INDICATED A DIFFERENT PART OF THE SYSTEM WAS FAILING. THE SHOP CONTACTED A KIA FACILITATED AND WAS TOLD IT SOUNDED LIKE A COMPUTER ISSUE, HOWEVER, EVEN IF THE COMPUTER WAS CHANGED OUT, IT COULD BE A SENSOR ISSUE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO DIE WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND/OR PULLING FROM A STOP. A VEHICLE THAT DIES IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, AND IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE IT CAN BE EASILY FIXED AND/OR KIA DOES NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK. *NM

IN DECEMBER OF 2000 I PURCHASED A KIA SPORTAGE 1999 FROM MCGRATH IN ELGIN, IL. FROM THE BEGINNING THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE DID NOT ALWAYS LOCK AND THE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND WHY THE LIGHTS FLICKERED. ON AUGUST 2, 2005 MY VEHICLE DIED IN FRONT OF A MARATHON GAS STATION/REPAIR SHOP IN ROLLING MEADOWS, IL. THE MECHANIC CALLED ME AND TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW FUEL PUMP. I TOLD HIM TO DO THE REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY, THE MECHANIC CALLS ME TO TELL ME THAT THE FUEL TANK IS SO RUSTED IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND HE HAS ALREADY CALLED THE KIA DEALER AND THE FUEL TANK IS IN "STOCK". I TOLD HIM TO DO THE REPAIR. (PLEASE REFERENCE COMPLAINT #10131393). WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE, IT KEPT BLOWING THE FUSES AND DYING. I NEVER GOT OUT OF THE GAS STATION PARKING LOT. I LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH THEM. ON AUGUST 4, I HAD THE VEHICLE WITH THE ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP AND FUEL TANK TOWED TO THE MCGRATH KIA DEALER IN ELGIN, IL. IN THE MEANTIME, I GOT ON THE INTERNET AND DID A SEARCH FOR KIA RECALLS. MY VEHICLE HAS 3 RECALLS- ONE FOR THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAMPAIGN #04V305000, ONE FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING CAMPAIGN #99V32500, AND ONE FOR SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: HOSES, LINES/PIPING AND FITTINGS CAMPAIGN #98V222000. ALL OF THESE RECALLS WERE IN EFFECT BEFORE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ASKED THE MCGRATH KIA DEALER TO FAX ME COPIES OF THE REPAIRS FOR THE RECALLS, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING IN WRITING THAT THESE RECALLS WERE REPAIRED BEFORE THEY SOLD ME THE VEHICLE. NOW I AM WAITING FOR THE KIA DEALER TO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE DAYS. *JB PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE (OCT. 31, 2005): NO FUEL LEAK; HOWEVER, THE TANK WAS SO BADLY RUSTED. SHE AGREED TO EMAIL PICTURES OF THE TANK.

MY 1999 KIA SPORTAGE WILL NOT START OCCASIONALLY. I LOOKED ON THE WEB TO FIND THE ERROR AND FOUND RECALL NUMBER 99V325000 THAT IS FOR AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING RECALL. I TOOK MY SPORTAGE INTO THE DEALER AND EXPLAINED THAT THE SPORTAGE OCCASSIONALLY WOULD NOT START, EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD WORK PERFECTLY. I HAD MY STARTER AND BATTERY TESTED BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER BOTH CHECKED OUT FINE. AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR 1 DAY THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ONLY THING THAT THEY COULD FIND IS THAT THE STARTER WIRE HAD LOST TENSION AND THAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM. I ASKED ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEY STATED WHEN THEY PUT MY CAR ID NUMBER ONLY TWO RECALLS SHOWED ONE FOR EMISSIONS AND THE OTHER FOR SEAT BELT BUCKLES. I CALLED THE KIA MANAUFACTURER HOTLINE AT 800.3333.4542 AND THEY STATED THE SAME. I THEN LOOKED ON THE NHTSA SITE TO FIND OUT THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I DO REMEMBER GETTING LETTERS REGARDING THE OTHER TWO RECALLS BUT NOT FOR THE WIRING RECALL.