2002 Kia Sportage

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN, IT WOULD CHANGE TO 4-WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT THE DRIVER MOVING THE LEVER. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD, EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,445 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

VEHICLE: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE 4 DR. 4X4; PURCHASED BRAND NEW & PD. IN FULL. IN 2008, WE LEFT AN AMUSEMENT PARK, HOT DAY. 4 PASSENGERS INCLUDING 1 BABY. UPON GOING HOME NEEDED TO RUN A/C. I <DRIVER> NOTICED THE TEMP. GAUGE GOING FROM APPROX. MIDRANGE TEMP. TO HOT. A/C WAS SHUT OFF & WE ROLLED DOWN WINDOWS & MADE IT HOME. TOOK VEHICLE TO BE CHECKED OUT & WAS TOLD THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS INOPERATIVE. THE TECH. SAID THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK VEHICLE TO KIA DEALERSHIP WHO CLAIMED AFTER APPROX. 30 - 40 MINS, IN HIS CARE, THAT THE RECALLED COOLING FAN PROBLEM WAS NOW REPLACED @ NO CHARGE TO ME. I AM NOW FINDING OUT THAT REPLACEMENT WAS NOT DONE DUE TO ANOTHER, SEPARATE TECHNICIAN. 2 TECH'S INVOLVED. 1ST TECH TOLD ME OF RECALL; 2ND TECH SAID RECALLED ITEM WAS NOT REPLACED. WHAT SHOULD I DO? PLEASE TELL ME. I NEED YOUR ADVICE. I AWAIT YOUR REPLY AS TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. *TR

MY SISTER-IN-LAW HAS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE THAT HAS BEGUN LEAKING FUEL OUT OF A CRACKED FUEL TANK. APPARENTLY THIS IS SO COMMON THAT A KIA RECALL (RECALL SC059) WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, A DEALERSHIP IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA TOLD US THAT HER VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. YET, THE VERY REASON FOR BRINGING IT IN WAS FOR THE EXACT FOCUS OF THE RECALL. THE RECALL SPECIFICATIONS DO NOT EXCLUDE/INCLUDE SPECIFIC VINS. HOW CAN WE GET KIA TO HONOR THEIR RECALL? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE EMANATING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. SECONDLY, A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AVAILABLE FOR THAT COMPONENT; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 UPDATED 03-30-09 *BF UPDATED 03/31/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 40 DEGREES OUTSIDE, HE SMELLS A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IS NOTICEABLE WHEN WALKING UP TO THE VEHICLE AND ALSO WHEN IT IS BEING DRIVEN. THE SCENT IS SO STRONG THAT PASSENGERS BEGIN TO COUGH INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP, MECHANIC, OR DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THIS FAILURE. THE ISSUE ONLY OCCURS IN THE WINTER DUE TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 07/28/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHEN IT RAINED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT TO NO AVAIL. UPDATED 07/30/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 2008, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FAINT SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. HE ONLY NOTICED THE SMELL WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS FULL. THE FAILURE LASTED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND THE SMELL GREW STRONGER. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATING TO HIS VEHICLE; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING; HOWEVER, THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE SAME FAILURE WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,900. UPDATED 1/8/09 *CN UPDATED 01/14/09. *JB

PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN FEBRUARY 2008. WHEN FILLING WITH GAS, THE GAS HAS TO BE PUMPED EXTREMELY SLOW OR IT SPURTS OUT. THE CAR HAS AN ODOR OF GAS ALSO. THIS PROBLEM IS WORSE IN THE WINTER, ALTHOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY IN WARMER WEATHER, BUT THE MINUTE THE TEMPERATURE GOES BELOW 40 F, I CAN COUNT ON THIS HAPPENING EVERY TIME I PUT GAS IN THE CAR. I'VE RUINED CLOTHES, SHOES, AND HAVE ENDED UP WITH GAS ALL OVER MY HANDS AND LEGS (AND I'VE COME CLOSE TO GETTING IT IN MY FACE!!). THE GAS PUMP WILL SHUT OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL AND THE GAS JUST SPURTS RIGHT OUT OF THE TANK. IF I PUMP THE GAS EXTREMELY SLOW, (TONIGHT IT TOOK ME ALMOST 10 MINUTES TO PUMP ABOUT 6 GALLONS OF GAS), I CAN USUALLY MANAGE TO GET MOST OF THE GAS IN THE TANK, BUT AGAIN, I HAVE TO GO EXTREMELY SLOW AND THE PUMP STILL KEEPS SHUTTING OFF. IT WOULD KEEP STOPPING AS STATED ABOVE, BUT ONLY A LITTLE GAS WILL SPURT OUT WHEN IT STOPS. IF I TRY TO PUMP AT A NORMAL SPEED, IT ONLY TAKES A FEW SECONDS AND THE GAS STARTS SPURTING AND I END UP COVERED WITH GAS BY THE TIME I'M DONE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST A FLUKE, BUT ONE OF MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES ALSO HAD A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEN JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO ON THIS SITE, I READ SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS DANGEROUS SINCE YOU END UP WITH GAS ALL OVER YOUR CAR, THE GROUND, AND YOURSELF! *TR