2001 Kia Sportage

THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME JUST BEHIND THE REAR SUSPENSION RUSTS FROM WATER THROWN UP BY THE TIRES. WHILE THIS MIGHT NOT NORMALLY BE A DANGER UNLESS YOU WERE TOWING, ON THIS MODEL IT'S WHERE THE FRAME CONNECTS TO THE WHEELS BELOW TO STABILIZE THE FRAME OVER THE SUSPENSION, WITHOUT THIS SUPPORT IT RELEASES THE BACK SUSPENSION AND ALLOWS THE CAR TO EASILY ROCK BACK AND FORTH INTO THE WHEELS. I COULD SEE SHINY SPOTS ON THE SHOCKS FROM TIRE RUB WHERE THE PAINT WAS RUBBED OFF, NO CURRENT SIGN OF TIRE DAMAGE. I FEEL THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SHOCKS, SPRINGS OR OTHER METAL BODY OR FRAME PART COULD WEAR OR POSSIBLY IF SHARP PUNCTURE A TIRE ON EITHER SIDE WHEN CORNERING. THIS PROBLEM CAN EASILY BE SEEN BY SWINGING THE SPARE TIRE OUT OF IT'S CLOSED POSITION TO OPEN THE TAILGATE, WHEN THE TIRE REACHES THE END OF IT'S ARM THE WHOLE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE WILL MOVE OVER, THE RUSTED FRAME BELOW WILL BEND. *TR

I WAS HEARING A CLUNK EVERY TIME I STARTED GOING FORWARD AND BACKWARDS AND GOT UNDERNEATH THE CAR TO NOTICE THE FRAME CROSSMEMBER WAS TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. IT IS THE FRAME CROSSBAR THAT HOLDS THE REAR AXLE SUPPORT TO THE FRAME. THE AFFECTED FRAME CROSS MEMBER GOES UNDERNEATH THE GAS TANK AND WOULD REQUIRE 2 DAYS LABOR TO FIX AT MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. TO REMOVE THE GAS TANK IS ONE PROJECT AND TO HAVE A NEW WELDED SUPPORT BAR IS ANOTHER PROJECT AND WILL COST ALOT TO FIX. I CALLED KIA FOR POSSIBLE RECALLS AND THEY SAID "OH ITS OUT OF WARRANTY" GOODLUCK WITH THAT!!! THIS CAR IS UNSAFE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE. *TR

AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK SHE NOTICED THE REAR OF THE SUV WAS SWAYING UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF MYSELF AND AN AUTO MECHANIC WE FOUND A CRACK IN THE RT REAR FRAME THE MECHANIC TOLD US TO PARK IT AND CONTACT KIA. TOLD BY KIA AS THIS CAR WAS NOW OVER 100,000 MILES THAT IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE OR IT . WELL WE WELDED ON A FEW PIECES OF STEEL AND IT LASTED ONLY ANOTHER 3 MONTHS AND IT STARTED AGAIN THIS TIME WE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS ROTTED FROM THE PASSENGER DOOR TO THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER THRU IT CAR IS NOW PARKED AND WONT BE DRIVEN AGAIN. KIA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS. I WENT TO THE BONE YARD TO SEE IF THEY HAD A FRAME AND THE 7 KIAS THAT I CHECKED ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IF I WERE YOU AND I OWNED A KIA I WOULD CHECK THIS OUT BEFORE I DROVE ANOTHER MILE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTGAGE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND EXPERIENCED A DIFFICULT TIME STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRACK BAR, WHICH WAS CONNECTED TO THE REAR AXLE, WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,500. AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,600. UPDATED 01/10/12*LJ UPDATED 01/10/12

STABILIZER CONNECTED TO THE CHASIS ROTTED FROM THE FRAME AND THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE WHERE THE BRAKE LINE WAS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME WAS ROTTED. BROUGHT THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO FIND THIS OUT. CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN CURRENT CONDITION AS IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T GOING FAST AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. PEOPLE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED TO HAVE THIS CHECKED IMMEDIATELY, IT COULD SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A CRACK FORMED IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE STABILIZER BAR DISCONNECTED FROM THE RIGHT BALL JOINT WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH; AT THAT POINT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED BUT NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN PERFORMED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,600. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,500. UPDATED 05/18/10. *LJ

2001 KIA SPORTAGE, STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET A FULL ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE IDLER WAS DEFECTIVE, ON 2 OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND IT HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED, WHICH WAS DUE TO DEFECTIVE BATTERY TERMINALS, THE RADIO, FONT BRAKES EXHAUST SYSTEM, AIR CONDITION VALVE COVER GASKET, FRONT WHEEL BEARING, CRUISE CONTROL WERE ALL INOPERATIVE, THE VEHICLE HAS HAD 2 ENGINE REPLACEMENTS, AND THE DRIVE BELTS WERE OUT OF TENSION. *JB

CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH 2001 KIA SPORTAGE CONVERTIBLE. REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES 5 TIMES, REPLACEMENT OF BELTS 6 TIMES AND 14 OTHER PROBLEMS. *BF THE CUP HOLDER, CONVERTIBLE TOP, AND BELTS WERE REPLACED. THE ALARM WIRES WERE RE-ADJUSTED, THE AC COMPRESSOR, IGNITION COIL PACK, CD PLAYER RIGHT REAR AXLE, RIGHT FRONT STRUT, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, CENTER CONSOLE, REAR WINDOW FUSE, SPARK PLUG AND ENGINE HARNESS WERE ALL REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB *NM