2005 Kia Sportage

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND SHE OBSERVED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A WIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH HER HANDS AND DISCONNECTED THE WIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE BLOWER RESISTOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND HE SEPARATED THE WIRES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 54,000.

IT STARTED IN JANUARY 2007 WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN THE CAR JUST DIED WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. ALTHOUGH YOU CAN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RE-START IT, IT CAN TURN RIGHT AROUND AS YOU MAKE YOUR TURN AND DIE AGAIN. AS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN IT WILL DIE WITHOUT EVEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. JUST SLOWING DOWN IT WILL DIE. THE RPM'S WILL REV UP WHEN YOU LET UP OFF THE GAS OR SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKES THE RPM'S WILL REV UP. WHEN SITTING AT AN IDLE THE RPM'S WILL DROP WAY DOWN TO 500 AND BOUNCE UP AND DOWN. HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES AND THEY SAY " IT DIDN'T DIE ON US" OR " WE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG". IT IS AT THE SHOP RIGHT NOW JUNE 2008. THIS IS AN OFTEN OCCURRENCE. *TR

WHILE FINDING A PARKING SPOT MY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SUDDENLY QUIT. AFTER RESTARTING IT, I FOUND A PARKING SPOT AND JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PARK, IT STALLED AGAIN. APON LEAVING TO GO HOME, A 10 MILE TRIP,EACH TIME I CAME TO A STOP THE VEHICLE STALLED ON ME AN ADDITIONAL 5 TIMES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INTANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP PREVIOUSLY FOUR OTHER TIMES. EACH TIME SAYING THAT IT WAS DUE TO A LOOSE AIR INTAKE VALVE. I ACTUALLY ALMOST HAVE PANIC ATTACKS NOW WHEN COMING TO A STOP ON A BUSY INTERSECTION FOR FEAR MY VEHICLE IS GOING TO STALL AND I AM GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I WILL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE INTO KIA, YET AGAIN, TOMORROW TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED.

VEHICLE STARTED TO SHIFT IMPROPERLY AND THE ENGINE "REVVED" ITSELF WHILE IN PARK WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. A WEEK OR SO LATER, CAR LOST POWER WHILE TRYING TO PARK WITHOUT WARNING. TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG USING THE COMPUTER. CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS FOR OVER A MONTH, WITH NO PATTERN, TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO ONCE AGAIN GAVE THE VEHICLE BACK AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I FIND THIS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE IT TURNS OFF WHILE STOPPING AND OR TURNING. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, A PASSERBY ALERTED THE CONTACT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, THE DRIVER SIDE TAILLIGHT WAS REMOVED, AND THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE POWER CONVERTER SHORTED, CAUSING THE FIRE. THIS WAS A HIDDEN HITCH POWER CONVERTER, PART NUMBER 31828.