2002 Kia Sportage

HEAT SHIELD BROKE AWAY, MUFFLER AFFECTED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT DUE TO HEAT SHIELD. MY MOM CONTACTED THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN RENO, NV REGARDING THE ISSUE. THE PERSON SHE SPOKE WITH STATED MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT SINCE (WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AND IN CA AND THE RATTLE GOT SO BAD I HAD A LICENSED MECHANIC WIRE IT TOGETHER) HE SAYS IT IS NOW NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY MOM ASKED THE GUY AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO SHE SHOULD CONTACT, SUCH AS, KIA MOTOR AMERICA, AS A POSSIBLE ASSEMBLY LINE ISSUE. HE STATED TO HER (AND SHE HAS A COMPLAINT FOR FILED OUT AS WELL THROUGH NHTSA TODAY) "THE DEALERSHIP." MY CONCERN IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND CONCERNS OVER A "DEALERSHIP" TURNING IN SAFETY ISSUES TO THE PROPER AUTHORITY, LET ALONE MY CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED REGARDLESS OF WHO TOUCHED IT AS I WAS TRAVELING OUT OF STATE. THE MUFFLER HAD TO BE WIRED OR IT WOULD HAVE FALLEN OFF DUE TO THE HEAT SHIELD BREAKING AWAY AND DAMAGING THE MUFFLER SYSTEM. I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD AND HER SAFETY COMES FIRST!

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.

2002 KIA SPORTAGE 4WD HAS A VACUUM-HUB SYSTEM,THIS HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE,AS I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET. HOWEVER THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE 4WD IS NOT ENGAGED,THE INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WHETHER ON NOT THE 4WD IS WORKING. THIS COULD CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR SOMEONE,THINKING THEY ARE IN 4WD 7 DRIVING ALONG AT 55MPH,ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR START SPINNING ALLOVER THE ROAD. WE LIVE IN RURAL UPSTATE NY AND WHILE RETURNING HOME LAST NIGHT,THIS HAPPENED,WE WOULD UP FACING THE WRONG WAY ON A STEEP DARK HILL,MY HUSBAND IS UNABLE TO WALK LONG DISTANCES DUE TO BACK & KNEE PROBLEMS & WE HAD TO WAIT OVER 2 HOURS FOR A TOWTRUCK. THIS OCCURED 2 YEARS AGO & THEY REPAIRED IT HOWEVR I JUST LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ONGOING PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES, THE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO INSTALL MANUAL HUBS,HOWEVER KIA DOES NOT OFFER THIS TO ITS CONSUMERS. *AK

I OWN A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. #1) THE AUTO STARTED TO HAVE A GAS ORDER FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, THEN GAS STARTED TO LEAK FROM THE CAR ONTO THE GROUND. THE CAR IS JUST 3 YEARS OLD WITH A REASONABLE 72,000 MILES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THE CAR. I WAS TOLD IF THIS CONTINUED, THE CAR WOULD CATCH FIRE. I WAS TOLD THE INTERNAL SEALS WERE LEAKING AND THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. #2) THE HUBS ON THIS CAR ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGEND - I WAS TOLD. WATER OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS HAVE GOTTEN IN THE CAR WHEELS AND HAVE DAMAGED THE HUBS AND THE 4WD WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. THIS WOULD BE A DESIGN FLAW AND NOT WEAR AND TEAR ON THE CAR.*AK

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