2002 Kia Sportage

"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.

I BOUGHT A CAR LAST WEEK FROM A PRIVATE SELLER, AND IT HAS A GAS LEAK COMING FROM THE GAS TANK AREA. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN YET TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THE SELLER HAD REPLACED THE FILLER HOSE, AND HAD SAID THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD REPLACED THE GAS TANK, SO HE SAID THERE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY ISSUES. I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDREN THAT NEED TO BE ABLE TO RIDE SAFELY IN THIS CAR, AND I REFUSE TO DRIVE IT WITH THIS LEAK ON THERE. FROM THE OTHER REPORTS THAT I AM READING, THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE, ALONG WITH THE RUSTED FRAME ON THE CAR. KIA SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO SELL CARS WITHOUT FIXING THESE OTHER MAJOR ISSUES.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 VEHICLE WA SINVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SOMEONE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND SIT HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NOT LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD TO INDICATE THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. DEALER DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIR BAGS TO HER. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. POLICE CAME AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK

I HAVE A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE 2 DOOR. WE BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW FOR OUR SON THINKING IT WOULD BE A FUN LITTLE CAR FOR HIM. 36,000 MILES LATER IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 15 TIMES FOR VARIOUS THINGS SUCH AS AIR BAG NEEDING REPAIRED TO ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM EXPLODING ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESSERT AND ME ALONE FOR 6 HOURS BEFORE I COULD GET HELP. THIS SUV IF YOU CAN CALL IT THAT IS NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY SONS OR IN FACT ANYONE THAT IS IN IT WHEN IT IS ON THE ROADS SAFETY. *NM

MARCH 30TH I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, A LADY PULLED ACCROSS TRAFFIC AND I HAD NO TIME TO STOP, NEEDLESS TO SAY I SLAMMED INTO HER DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AT ABOUT 30MPH. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY KIA SPRORTAGE WAS DAMAGED WITH ABOUT $6700 IN DAMAGES AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS WERE IN OUR SEAT BELTS BUT BADLY BRUISED AND THROWN ABOUT. I WAS INFORMED BY KIA THAT I DIDN'T HIT THE SENSORS ... OK THE WHOLE FRONT END WAS GONE WHERE EXACTLY ARE THE SENSORS? I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR AND MY CHILDREN ARE IN IT , PLEASE CAN SOME ONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO? I FEEL THAT I'M STUCK WITH A VEHICHLE THAT ISN'T SAFE AND I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY RECOURSE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY MY DAUGHTER FELT HER CAR JERK TO THE RIGHT. SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO THE JERK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL ANYTHING ON THE CAR. IT BEGAN TO ROCK DESPITE HER EFFORTS AND THEN IMMEDIATELY ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES. THE FRONT END OF HER KIA SPORTAGE SUSTAINED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SHE SUFFERED ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF USE OF HER LEFT ARM. SHE IS STILL UNDERGOING TREATMENT AND THERAPY FOR THE INJURY AND ALSO WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE FURTHER SURGERY. THERE WERE WITNESSES BEHIND HER THAT REPORTED THAT THE CAR WAS GOING STRAIGHT, DID NOT RUN OFF THE ROAD JUST BEGAN TO FLIP. SHE DID NOT LOSE CONSCIENCE, DID NOT LOOK AWAY FROM THE ROAD. ALSO THE DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL AND SHE WAS GOING 5 MILES UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT. WE REQUESTED THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATE BUT THEY STATED THEY DO NOT DO INVESTIGATIONS. WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A STEERING MALFUNCTION AS WELL AS FAILURE ON THE AIRBAGS. *JB