1997 KIA SPORTAGE

WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT TALKING WITH MY WIFE, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

Mileage: 176,700

FUEL TANK IS LEAKING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE OCCUPIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF WILMINGTON (1603 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806, (302) 656-3100) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO DIAGNOSED WHY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,620. *BP*JB

Mileage: 176,620

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD OPEN A CASE FOR THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

Mileage: 160,000

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY WHEN APPROXIMATELY AT 55MPH ENGINE WILL STALL. SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITHOUT WARNING. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN TURN ENGINE OFF RESTART RUN IT THRU ALL OF THE GEARS AND IT WILL BE FINE FOR AWHILE UNLESS ON BUMPY ROAD OR STOP WARNING BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I CAN NOT FILL GAS TANK UP DUE TO IT LEAKING OUT UNDER VEHICLE REFRASE THAT POUR OUT. IT WILL ALSO VIBRATE REALLY BAD AFTER BEING DROVE FOR OVER 2 HOURS STRAIGHT. PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE IT CAUSES A INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY WHEN APPROXIMATELY AT 55MPH ENGINE WILL STALL. SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITHOUT WARNING. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN TURN ENGINE OFF RESTART RUN IT THRU ALL OF THE GEARS AND IT WILL BE FINE FOR AWHILE UNLESS ON BUMPY ROAD OR STOP WARNING BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I CAN NOT FILL GAS TANK UP DUE TO IT LEAKING OUT UNDER VEHICLE REFRASE THAT POUR OUT. IT WILL ALSO VIBRATE REALLY BAD AFTER BEING DROVE FOR OVER 2 HOURS STRAIGHT. PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE IT CAUSES A INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. THE LOWER AIR BAG STRUCK THE CONTACT IN THE HIP AREA AND THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG STRUCK THE CONTACT IN THE FACE, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,226.

Mileage: 125,226

THE DESIGN OF THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR THE FUEL TANK ALLOWED SAND AND PEBBLES TO ACCUMULATE TO THE EXTENT THAT I STARTED NOTICING FUEL VAPORS. THE VEHICLE IS HOUSED IN A GARAGE, SO I RAISED A WINDOW TO HELP DISSIPATE THE VAPORS. IN A FEW DAYS, FUEL WAS DRIPPING FROM THE LEAKS IN THE TANK. I APPLIED A PUTTY PRODUCT IN JUNE, 2006, WHICH HELPED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THEN IT STARTED AGAIN. I RE-APPLIED PUTTY IN AUGUST, 2007. THEN AGAIN IN JULY, 2008, WITH TWO DIFFERENT (PERMANENT?) PRODUCTS THAT HAVE NOT WORKED, YET. THE TANK STILL LEAKS. *TR

Mileage: 111,186

1997 KIA SPORTAGE HAVE A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE RECEIVED A NOTICE AFTER THE REPAIR TO THE FUEL TANK WAS DONE AND WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR WORK. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE REPAIR, SHE SMELLED GAS AND THERE WAS GAS ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. IT WAS DETERMINED THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING *JB

A FEW YEARS BACK I STARTED SMELLING GAS. SO MY FATHER IN LAW AND UNCLE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND IT YEP YOU GOT A GAS LEAK. SO THEY TRIED TO PATCH IT SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING HAS SEEMED TO WORK. SO BACK IN FEBRUARY I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM KIA STATING A REPAIR BENEFIT NOTIFICATION ABOUT MY GAS TANK LEAKING. SO A FEW WEEKS AGO I CALLED A KIA DEALER AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO LOOK AT MY TANK. AFTER A HOUR DRIVE AND A FORTY MINUTE WAIT THEY TELL ME THAT MY KIA DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR KIA TO FIX MY TANK. SO I COME HOME AND THE NEXT I CHECK MY TANK AND IT IS OBVIOUS TO ANYONE THAT MY KIA IS LEAKING GAS. I CALLED KIA MOTORS AND THEY WENT TO TELL ME THAT SINCE MY 10 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 2007 THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. BUT WHAT MAKES NO SENSE IS THAT THEY DIDN'T SEND OUT MY LETTER UNTIL 2008. I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD THAT IS IN MY KIA DAILY, SO I ASKED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. FROM KIA MOTORS, WHAT IF MY KIA SOMEHOW CATCHES ON FIRE AND I AM NOT ABLE TO GET TO MY CHI

Mileage: 110,000

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT SAID THAT THE USED CAR DEALER REPLACED THE RADIATOR AND THE MAIN HOSE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT, AND WHEN DIAGNOSED ,THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE OVERHEATING WAS DUE TO THE CLUTCH OVERHEATING AND THE FAN STICKING. THE CONTACT DIDN'T THINK THAT TRANSMISSION OIL WAS CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY WILL NOT START. THE DEALER WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. *AK

Mileage: 104,000

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT SAID THAT THE USED CAR DEALER REPLACED THE RADIATOR AND THE MAIN HOSE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT, AND WHEN DIAGNOSED ,THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE OVERHEATING WAS DUE TO THE CLUTCH OVERHEATING AND THE FAN STICKING. THE CONTACT DIDN'T THINK THAT TRANSMISSION OIL WAS CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY WILL NOT START. THE DEALER WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. *AK

Mileage: 104,000

KIA REFUSES TO INCLUDE MY 1997 SPORTAGE EX 4WD IN RECALL FOR 1997 KIA SPORTAGES EX 4WD. RECALL 1CMP005 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) HAS NEVER BEEN PERFORMED. ALSO NOT SURE THAT RECALL 2CMP014 ON WIRING HAS BEEN PERFORMED. MY MAIN CONCERN AND THE REFUSAL FROM KIA IS ON THE ECM. *JB

Mileage: 85,000

DT: THE CONTACT STATED AT 15 MPH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. HE DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE HE PURCHASED IT. HE HAS TRIED CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BUT EVERY TIME HE CALLED HE WAS PLACED ON HOLD. THEREFORE, HE HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK

DT: DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE BACKING FROM A DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEED. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR IMPACT. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED OR WARNING SIGNALS. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN A SHADED AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND DROVE VEHICLE HOME AFTER THE INCIDENT. HAVE NOT TAKEN THIS TO A DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED AFTERWARDS AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. NO EXPLANATION OR CLUE AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *NM

Mileage: 80,000

DT: KIA SPORTAGE 1997, VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE, AFTER THE DEALERSHIP WAS SUPPOSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IT KEPT SHUTTING OFF. VEHICLE HAD A BENT FRAME. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, AND THEY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ELECTRIC WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP AFTER BEING PUSHED DOWN. CONSUMER HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE THEREFORE TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

DT: KIA SPORTAGE 1997, VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE, AFTER THE DEALERSHIP WAS SUPPOSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IT KEPT SHUTTING OFF. VEHICLE HAD A BENT FRAME. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, AND THEY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ELECTRIC WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP AFTER BEING PUSHED DOWN. CONSUMER HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE THEREFORE TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

DT: CONSUMER STATES: THE DRIVER'S AIR BAGS DISCHARGED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT.*AK

Mileage: 104,000

SEAT BELT FAILURE

DT THE VEHICLE REVS UP TO ALMOST 2000 RPM'S, THE VEHICLE JERKED THEN STALLED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED, BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE SERVICE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS ALREADY DONE. *NM