2002 KIA SPORTAGE Electrical System Problems

DRIVER SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELTS ARE FRAYED WHICH MAKES THEM UNABLE TO STAY SECURE. IT WON'T STOP UPPER BODY MOVEMENT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED QUICKLY. DRIVER SIDE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN AND MOTOR IN DOOR STILL MAKES THE NOISE LIKE ITS WANTS TO WORK BUT DOES NOT. UNABLE TO PUMP MORE THAN A COUPLE DOLLARS OF GAS BEFORE IT SPITS GAS BACK OUT. WHILE DRIVING I SMELL ELECTRICAL BURNING AND WIRES UNDER HOOD ARE BURNT BY THE FAN. MAKING THE CAR HOT DUE TO FAN NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS HIT WHILE PARKED THE BUMPER WAS DESTROYED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TUNE SIGNALS DO NOT WORK, THE FUSES BLOW EVEYTIME THEY ARE REPLACED, THE HAZZARD SIGNAL BLOWS ALL THE FUSES, THERE IS A RECALL ON BEFORE THIS YEAR AND SOME AFTER, BUT NOT THIS ONE. GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE, NO DEALER IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. SHIFTER IS STUCK IN PARK, THE BY PASS KEY WORKS BUT IT WILL NOT SHIFT WITHOUT IT.

Mileage: 113,150

"TAKATA RECALL" NOTHING NEW, SAME AS THIS AND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ... COMPONENT(S): FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE FUMES,AIR BAGS LIGHT STAYS ON, HOLD LIGHT STAYS ON, RUST UNDERNEATH THE CAR,WINDOWS DONT WORK, ONLY BACK LEFT DOOR OPENS, AC DONT WORK, WILL RUN HOT IF ON. CONSUMER LOCATION: CALIFORNIA ALL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COMPLAINT EXPAND DETAILS CLOSE HELP MANUFACTURER: KIA MOTORS AMERICA SUMMARY: THERE IS A VERY STRONG RAW GAS SMELL THAT PERMEATES THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE UPON STARTING AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT REST AND RUNNING. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS TO INCLUDE THE LOCAL KIA DEALER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM - NEW FUEL FILTER, EXHAUST, ETC. WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET TURNED UP A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 99-02 SPORTAGE GAS TANKS LEAKING DUE CORROSION CAUSED BY POOR DESIGN/MATERIAL. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT THE NHTSA WILL CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL OF THIS MAKE/MODEL/YR VEHICLE TO CORRECT THIS VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR OVER A YR.

COOLANT GAUGE NOT READING OR REGISTERING THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE THEREFORE RENDERING IT UNFIT FOR CLEARING AN INSPECTION. IT CAUSES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON EVEN IF COOLANT AND/OR THERMOSTAT, SENSORS,HARNESS WIRING WIRES AND OTHER THINGS/PARTS CONNECT TO IT HAS BEEN REPLACED OR CHECKED FOR PROBLEMS IT STILL GIVES A FALSE READING THAT THE SAME PROBLEM IS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. COOLANT THERMOSTAT NOT REACHING TEMPERATURE. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

2002 KIA SPORTAGE, IN FEBRUARY '07 WHILE DRIVING THE RADIO WENT OUT, & WITH THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS FAILING. PULLED OVER, TURNED CAR OFF. ATTEMPTED V TO RESTART, THE CAR DID NOT START. HAD CAR TOWED & MANUALLY CHECKED BATTERY THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. NEXT DAY CAR STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY, AND TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER CHECK-UP. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $248 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST & THEN PLACEMENT OF A NEW BATTERY, WHICH WAS SAID TO BE THE CAUSE. WEEKS LATER ON MARCH 31 CAR DID THE SAME WITH THE RADIO AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS. THE CAR JERKED ABOUT 30 MILES. WHEN I WOULD PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT SEEMED TO REGAIN ITS STRENGTH, BUT ONCE I CONTINUED TO DRIVE ,IT STARTED TO JERK AGAIN, WITH THE OIL ODOMETER WENT UP/DOWN! TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP, IT JERKED IN THERE. WHEN THE SERVICE WORKERS WENT TO THE CAR, I WAS TOLD, NO PROBLEMS DRIVING THE CAR, & THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE CAR STAYED AT THE DEALERSHIP SATURDAY-THURSDAY, WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE SERVICE MANAGER ASKED IF SHE COULD DRIVE IT HOME. SHE SAID THE CAR DROVE FINE AND PUT 40 MILES ON CAR. IT WAS FINE ON THURSDAY WHEN I PICKED IT UP. DROVE SATURDAY AND CAR HAD SAME PROBLEMS. HEADLIGHTS & DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. AT 5 AM THIS WAS SCARY & UNSAFE, SOME CARS DIDN'T SEE ME, EVEN WITH THE HAZARDS ON. WITH RADIO OUT & CAR JERKING ALL THE WAY HOME. ON MONDAY, WENT TO LEAVE AND CAR DID NOT START. TOWED TO KIA FOR THE 3RD TIME IN A MONTH. CAR STARTED, BUT SOME 2001 & 2002 SPORTAGE MODELS HAD A MAIN ENGINE WIRING TEAR AND "THE WHOLE HARNESSED HAD TO BE ORDERED . IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 6 HOURS TO INSTALL . IT WOULD BE IN ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2007. THIS WAS THE 3RD TIME IN A MONTH THE CAR HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP, I PAID FOR A BATTERY & THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I IT WAS A COP-OUT FOR THE ACTUAL PROBLEM. WAS INCONVENIENCED WITHOUT A CAR & A HARD TIME GETTING A LOANER. DID NOT HAVE A CAR FOR OVER 7 DAYS. I WANT FAIR TREATMENT ON A CAR THAT I' WAS PAYING AMPLE AMOUNT OF MONEY. *AK

Mileage: 58,909

I BOUGHT MY KIA SPORTAGE IN 09/19/2006 BY 9/25/2006 I STARTED TO HEAR SQUEALING NOISES IN FRONT OF THE ENGINE AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED IT I WOULD PRESS THE GAS BUT THE CAR WOULD DIE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 5 TIMES WHEN THEY FINALLY FIXED IT. THEN I FOUND OUT 3 WEEKS LATER IN THE RAIN THAT WATER WAS COMING IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD. IN 1/04/07 I WAD HEADED TO WORK AND THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY DIE AGAIN SO THE DEALERSHIP TOWED IT BACK. *JB

Mileage: 70,700

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING FROM 5 TO 65 MPH ON A NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, ALL DASH LIGHTS DIMED COMPLETELY. THE HORN WAS ALSO AFFECTED BY THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE ENGINE STARTED TO SHAKE UP AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT UNTIL THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED. THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO WAS APPREHENSIVE TO ACCEPT THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS. BASED ON THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, THE VEHICLE WAS ACCEPTED FOR INSPECTION.

Mileage: 93,000

ON DEC. 15, 2005, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE A MONTH AGO FOR WARRANTEE SERVICE (EMPIRE TOYOTA, ONEONTA NY). I WAS TOLD THAT THEY NO LONGER SELL OR SERVICE UNDER THE KIA WARRANTEE. AT THAT TIME IT HAD 58,000 MILES. NEW DEALER: COUNTRY CLUB KIA, ONEONTA, NY. ON JANUARY 12, 2006 I CALLED THEM TO HAVE THE WARRANTEE SERVICE DONE ON MY CAR. THEY ARE STILL SETTING UP THE SERVICE DEPT. AND ARE WAITING FOR "EMPIRE TOYOTA" TO TRANSFER THE RECORDS OF CUSTOMERS FOR WARRANTEE REPAIRS. NOW THE MILEAGE IS AT 61,000 MILES, AND IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED UNDER THE WARRANTEE. THE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING: MY LOCKS KEEP GOING UP AND DOWN ALL DAY AND NIGHT WITHOUT ANY KEYS IN THE IGNITION. TODAY MY CHILDREN AND I GOT LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR AND COULD NOT GET OUT AS THE LOCKS WOULD NOT STOP LOCKING, AND THE HORN BEGAN GOING OFF. THIS HAS CONTINUED EVERYDAY...ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. WE HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF MY CAR EARLY IN THE MORNING WHILE MY CAR IS WARMING UP TO LEAVE FOR WORK. I REALLY NEED TO GET MY CAR REPAIRED, AND FEEL AS IF I KEEP GETTING THE RUN AROUND. I CALLED THE KIA OFFICE ON MONDAY JANUARY 16, 2006 AND WAS TOLD THAT MY WARRANTEE HAS EXPIRED BY 800 MILES. THIS ISSUE COULD HAVE BEEN TAKE CARE OF BEFORE THE WARRANTEE EXPIRED. WHEN KIA CHANGED DEALERSHIPS CUSTOMERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, SO THAT THEY CAN FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE NEW DEALER IF ANY PROBLEMS SHOULD ARISE. I HAD LOCKS REPARED IN MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND THUS THIS SHOULD STILL BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTEE. I CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER VIA E-MAIL ON 1/19/06, AND WAS GIVEN CASE ID IS: K1063733. NO RETURN E-MAIL OR CALL FROM KIA. I CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER VIA E-MAIL ON 1/30/06, AND WAS GIVEN CASE ID IS: K1067545. NO FOLLOW UP CALLS FROM KIA YET. NO RETURN E-MAIL OR CALL FROM KIA.I FEEL THIS PROBLEM CAN BE A POTENTIAL DANGEROUS SITUATION AS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY MY FAMILY AND I NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 58,000

DT: PROBLEM OCCURED WHEN SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER DASH. NO WARNING PRIOR. A BURNING SMELL WAS COMING FROM VEHICLE PRIOR TO FLAMES. IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE DEALER REPORTS IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CAR WAS PULLED, A PERSON HELPED BY TRYING TO PUT OUT FIRE WITH A SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER, THEN OWNER WENT INSIDE A BUILDING AND GOT ANTOHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE WAS OUT BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED. THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM AN UNKOWN SOURCE. DRIVER EXPERIENCED SMOKE INHALATION BUT WOULDNT GO TO HOSPITAL. AND WAS BURNED ON FINGERS TRYING TO PUT IT OUT.

I OWN A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, TOO NUMEROUS TO LIST. YOU ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT WILLIAMSBURG CRYSLER JEEP KIA FOR ALL OF THE VEHICLES INFORMATION. THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE STARTED WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASE AND CONTINUE TO TODAY. AT THIS WRITING THIS VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP HAVING TO HAVE BEEN TOWED IN ON FRIDAY 05/06/ 05. I JUST GOT THE VEHICLE BACK ON TUEDAY 05/02/05. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 10 PAGES ON THE DATES AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT WITH KIA AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO HELP ME BUT TO CONTINUE TO SEND IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED. MY WARRANTY EXPIRES ON THIS VEHICLE IN APPROXIMATELY 6000 MORE MILES. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THAT I AM CURRENTLY HAVING AND THE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST I AM WORRIED WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THIS MATTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND/OR ME.

I OWN A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, TOO NUMEROUS TO LIST. YOU ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT WILLIAMSBURG CRYSLER JEEP KIA FOR ALL OF THE VEHICLES INFORMATION. THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE STARTED WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASE AND CONTINUE TO TODAY. AT THIS WRITING THIS VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP HAVING TO HAVE BEEN TOWED IN ON FRIDAY 05/06/ 05. I JUST GOT THE VEHICLE BACK ON TUEDAY 05/02/05. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 10 PAGES ON THE DATES AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT WITH KIA AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO HELP ME BUT TO CONTINUE TO SEND IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED. MY WARRANTY EXPIRES ON THIS VEHICLE IN APPROXIMATELY 6000 MORE MILES. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THAT I AM CURRENTLY HAVING AND THE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST I AM WORRIED WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THIS MATTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND/OR ME.

THE LEFT FRONT ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT LEAST TWENTY TIMES FOR OTHER DEFECTS. NO SERVICE FOR THE BRAKES. *AK THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING IN THE SHOCK ARMS, A PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, RATTLING IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE DUE TO ROTTED SOCKETS, WHEEL BEARINGS WERE EXTREMELY LOOSE, PULLING TO THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT REAR POWER WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON POSSIBLY DUE TO A SMALL LEAK OR A LOOSE GAS CAP, TRANSMISSION HANG UP WHEN COLD, BAD FRONT BRAKES, CRACK IN DASH, CUP HOLDER WAS BROKEN, TAILPIPE RUSTED AND FELL OFF, WHEN THE HEATER AND DEFROST WAS ON THE A/C WOULD COME ON, THE CONSUMER WOULD GET SHOCK WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, INTERMITTENTLY BOTH REAR WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN, AND THE LEFT REAR WINDOW WAS TOTALLY INOPERATIVE. (THERE WAS NO POWER WHEN GOING UP HILL) *SC *JB

Mileage: 34,000

ENGINE LIGHT/FAN RELAY AR SHOOK UPON BEING TURNED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS PRIOR TO ENGING LIGHT COMING ON. CAR TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS SCAN SHOWED RANDOM CYLINDER MISFIRE #301 & #1. FOUND WATER AND CORROSION ON PLUGS AND WIRE ARCING. INGINITION WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS REPLACED. CAR RETURNED A DAY AND HALF AFTER TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE ALTHOUGH I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO ME FOR ANOTHER 2 DAYS WHEREAS I COMPLAINED AND AFTER A MOMENT OF BEING PUT ON HOLD WAS TOLD CAR WAS REPAIRED AND I COULD COME PICK IT UP. AFTER I PICKED UP CAR NOTICED HEAT IN CAR WAS NOT OPERATING ALTHOUGH OPERATIONAL WHEN CAR TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER TO REPAIR HEATING SYSTEM. DEALER FOUND FAN RELAY BURNT. LEFT CAR AT DEALER ENTIRE DAY, PROBLEM NOT REPAIRED. PICKED UP VEHICLE W/O REPAIR BEING DONE. THEN NOTED ALL POWER WINDOWS NOT OPERATIONAL. CALLED DEALER AND CORPORATE HEADQUATERS TO COMPLAIN OF ISSUES AND NEED FOR PROPER WORKING VEHICLE. SINCE THEN REPEATED CALLS TO DEALER HAVE NOT PROVIDED POSITIVE RESULTS. DEALER HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THAT PART WAS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE WHEN IN FACT WRONG PART WAS REPEATEDLY BEING ORDERED INCORRECTLY AS STATED BY CORPORATE HOUSE. CORPORATE HOUSE IMPLORED UPON DEALER TO LOCATE LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL ISSUE RESOLVED. NO LOANER VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY ME AS OF YET. CAR STILL HAS NO HEAT OR OPERATIONAL WINDOWS. PURCHASING A PORTABLE CAR HEATER DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS WINTER AND THE TEMPERTURE HAS FALLEN DRAMATICALLYAND IS GOING TO DROP EVEN FURTHER. NOT HAVING OPERATIONAL WINDOW INCONVENIECE SINCE I MUST PAY A TOLL EVERYDAY AND MUST OPEN MY DOOR IN ORDER TO PAY TOLL OPERATOR.*AK

Mileage: 7,685

VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE HARNESS WHICH HELD THE ALTERNATOR WAS MELTED. *AK

Mileage: 13,000

VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE HARNESS WHICH HELD THE ALTERNATOR WAS MELTED. *AK

Mileage: 13,000

CONSUMER STATES THAT SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 2003 ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THAT TIME. THE FAULTY ROTORS CAUSED VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ONCE AT 5699 MILES AND AGAIN AT 8694 MILES. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED ALL THE DOORS LOCKED, BUT WHEN IT WAS DAMP OUTSIDE THE LOCKS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER WASHER WAS NOT WORKING AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEALER READJUSTED IT. THERE WAS A RATTLING IN THE DASH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BELOW THE AIR VENT. *AK *PH *NLM

Mileage: 5,699

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES.*AK

DOOR STAYS AJAR. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT DOOR IS NOT OFF LINE, YET DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY.*AK NOW HORN HAS FAILED, SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM ACTS ERRATICLY, THE RIGHT SIDE HOOD IF OFFLINE AND IS BENT CAUSING THE HOOD TO INTRUDE OUTWARD TOWARDS THE FRONT FENDER, AND THE DRIVER SIDE BACK WINDOW WILL NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. *TT