2002 Kia Sportage

NOTICED A SMALL HIGH PITCHED WHINE TOWARD THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC CHECKED AND SAID THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A PINION BEARING IN THE DIFFERENTIAL GOING BAD AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A DETERMINATION AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED REPLACED AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY SINCE THE FLUID HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED EVERY 20000 MILES ALONG WITH A BILL FOR $126.00. WAS NOT ABOUT TO PAY THEM THE $1000 THEY WANTED TO REPLACE A DIFFERENTIAL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. STILL DRIVING THE CAR WHICH NOW MAKES A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND DRAWS ALOT OF ATTENTION WHICH ALLOWS ME TO DISCOURAGE ANY KIA PURCHASES FROM PROSPECTIVE BUYERS. THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE HAS QUIT WORKING ALSO LEAVING ONLY SINGLE WHEEL DRIVE MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSTABLE ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE LINING FRACTURED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME WHERE THE OWNER REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOES AND CYLINDERS ON THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,290.

THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE IS ENGINE HEATING, ENGINE OVER HEATING, ENGINE COOLING FAN ( FAN BLADES BRAKE OFF CUT INTO MY RADIATOR, CUT MY FUEL LINES, WATER HOSES, AIR INTAKE LINES. SINCE THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON I.E. MISFIRE ON CYLINDER NUMBER 3 THE CAR BASICALLY RUNS ON THREE CYLINDERS, WHICH COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH ENGINE HEATING BECAUSE THE FAN IS BELT DRIVEN, THUS LEADING TO OVER HEATING. THIS USUALLY LEAD TO COSTLY ENGINE REPAIRS, VEHICLE BECOMES DISABLED ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. SINCE OWNING, MY 2002 KIA( PURCHASED IN JUNE 2005, 32728 MILES) I HAVE REPLACED 5 RADIATORS, 5 ENGINE COOLING FANS, TOWED 8 TIMES. THE ENGINE COOLING FAN HAS BROKEN OFF AND CUT INTO MY RADIATOR IN 2005, 2009, 2010, AND 2011. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2007 AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER IN 2007 FOR THE RECALL. IT HAS BROKE OFF THREE TIMES SINCE THE RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!! *TT

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A WELL TAKEN CARE OF, 59,000 MILES, 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED THE RIGHT FRAME RAIL AT THE MOUNT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED SO BAD THAT YOU CAN PUT YOUR FIST THROUGH THE HOLE. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND HAVE TO DRIVE IT TO WORK. I HAVE TAKEN TO AVOIDING ANY BUMPS OR POT-HOLES IN THE ROAD AND HAVE BEEN KEEPING MY SPEED UNDER 40 MPH. I AM A LITTLE SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BUT HAVE NO CHOICE. I AM DEALING WITH KIA MOTORS AMERICA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER CURRENTLY, HOPING THEY WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *KB

I JUST REPAIRED MY EXHAUST ON MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE 4X4 TODAY AS IT KEEPS RUSTING OUT ON ME. TODAY I NOTICED THE ENTIRE FRAME ON THE BACK END IS EXTREMELY RUSTED TO THE POINT IT'S LITERALLY FALLING APART BRACKETS HAVE DETACHED FOR THE EXHAUST AS WELL AS HOLES IN IT. I WAS SHOCKED! THE METAL IS LITERALLY SPLITTING AND FALLING APART! THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND GOING TO BE DANGEROUS TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR. I AM SURE THE CAR WON'T EVEN PASS INSPECTION IF THEY SEE THIS! IF YOU EVEN TOUCH IT YOUR FINGERS GO THROUGH THE FRAME! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS I FEEL KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES! THERE IS ONLY 40K MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES EITHER THAT ARE OLDER AS WELL AS HAVE MANY MORE MILES ON THEM! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!!!! *TR

WELL MAINTAINED, DAILY DRIVEN, VEHICLE WITH 145,000 MILES HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT PASSENGER SIDE RAIL OF FRAME. SUB STANDARD QUALITY OF STEEL MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE ( WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, HAS ANYONE PERFORMED A CHEMICAL ANALYSIS TO VERIFY THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES IN THESE SIDE RAILS MATCH THE MATERIAL SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS PER THE BLUE PRINT)? NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR SAME ISSUE WITH LACK OF ATTENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR SUCH A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED WITH THERE BEING SO MANY REPEAT COMPLAINTS OUT THERE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED AS A RESULT OF DEGRADATION TO THE FRAME STRUCTURE. AMERICAN AUTO-MAKERS ARE HELD TO A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD AND ARE FORCED INTO RESOLVING THESE ISSUES WITH THE CONSUMER. HOWEVER, THE FOREIGN CARMAKERS APPEAR TO BE GETTING AWAY WITH "MURDER" BY PLACING THE AMERICAN WORKERS AT HIGH RISK FOR THEIR SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF EVERY OTHER DRIVER ON THE ROAD. I CAN PICTURES OF SUPPORT OR BETTER YET, LACK OF AS THERE IS VERY LITTLE STEEL LEFT AND BY NO MEANS, ANY STRUCTURAL SUPPORT TO THE FRAME ON THIS SIDE.