2001 Kia Sportage

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL RELATED ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHILE TRAVELING UPHILL OR A SLOPE. THE FUEL PUMP, CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, TWO FUEL FILTERS, AND ADDITIONAL UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE MADE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THERE WERE NO RECALLS LISTED FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 63,398.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT SMELLED GASOLINE IN THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TANK WAS LEAKING DUE TO A LOOSE SEAM. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CANNOT FILL UP THE GAS TANK IN THE VEHICLE. SHE DISCOVERED ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE WERE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD CATCH FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 05/13/09*LJ UPDATED 05/13/09. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND I AM SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN EXTENDED 10 YEAR, 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. I ONLY USE THE 4WHEEL DRIVE WHEN IT SNOWS. TWO YEARS AGO I DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED NEW VACUUM LINES TO THE FRONT HUBS. WITHOUT VACUUM TO THE HUBS THEY WON'T ENGAGE. I HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO VERIFY THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IN 2008 WHEN IT SNOWED AGAIN I AGAIN FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE. NOW I AM TOLD THAT I HAVE TO BUY $1500.00 WORTH OF PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX THE FRONT HUBS SO THAT THEY WILL MAINTAIN A VACUUM. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NO WARRANTY FIX AND BECAUSE THE PARTS NECESSARY TO FIX THE PROBLEM ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS ON THE VEHICLE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WARRANTY THEM. THE SAFETY DEFECT INVOLVED HERE IS THAT WHEN THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS ENGAGED THE DASH HAS AN INDICATOR THAT SAYS THE VEHICLE IS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE WHEN IN FACT IT IS NOT. THIS CAN LEAD TO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH LOSS OF CONTROL ON SNOW OR SLICK SURFACES. *TR

I HAD A LEAK IN MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE FUEL TANK LAST YEAR. I DISCOVERED THAT WHILE I WAS VISITING CANADA AND FIXED IT THERE. THIS WEEK, I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. HE FINDS THAT THERE IS ANOTHER LEAKAGE AROUND THE FUEL PUMP. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDS THAT I REPLACE BOTH THE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUEL TANK. I FILE THE COMPLAINT BECAUSE THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THE MECHANIC INDICATES THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS FEWER THAN 59,000 MILES AND HAD FEWER THAN 50,000 MILES WHEN THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED. SO, I PRESUME THAT THE PROBLEM IS LIKELY RELATED TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. ON NOVEMBER 21, 2006, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE SMOKE ENTERING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED HER LOCAL KIA DEALER TO INQUIRE IF SHE COULD BRING HER VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO BRING IT IN THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THE CONTACT ALSO HAD THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED, BUT THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 05/13/08 *BF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED

THE FUEL TANK BEGAN LEAKING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. KIA PROVIDES A SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SC059) TO INSPECT 1996-2002 SPORTAGE MODELS TO VERIFY THIS FAILURE IS COVERED BY THAT CAMPAIGN. HOWEVER, KIA ONLY PROVIDES REPAIR BULLETIN ASSISTANCE FOR 1996-2000 MODELS WITH THIS PROBLEM - SO EVEN THOUGH THEY VERIFIED IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR IT UNDER THE REPAIR BULLETIN BECAUSE IT IS A 2001 MODEL. WHY IS THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR INSPECTION ENCOMPASSING 1996-2002 MODELS IF THEY ARE ONLY REPAIRING 1996-2000 MODELS WITHOUT CHARGING? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND THE FUEL GAUGE WENT FROM A FULL TANK TO HALF A TANK. SHE FOUND A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VIN, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, ENGINE SIZE, AND DEALER INFORMATION WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.