22 of the
299 complaints about the 1997 KIA Sportage are about the
electrical system — 7% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
60,500 miles.
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.
NHTSA complaint #10127028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlantic Beach, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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.
NHTSA complaint #10119992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesLincolnton, NCFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING 34 MPH SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10075901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenix, AZ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
I HAVE BEEN HAVING STALLING PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT 2WEEKS NOW, AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY; BUT I CHECKED IT OUT AT AUTOZONE FOR FREE AND THE MACHINE THAT DETECTS HOW MUCH POWER IN THE BATTERY SUGGESTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE. THE STALLING PROBLEMS STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO AND I HAD TO PUSH-START THE CAR ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND THEN IT DECIDED TO NOT START AT ALL, I KNOW ITS NOT THE BATTERY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IT STILL HAS POWER.
NHTSA complaint #10066020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 61,000 milesSAN Diego, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY CAR WILL NOT GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE KIA COPRORATION FIELD EXPERTS CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT, THEY SAY IT'S A WIRING NIGHTMARE, THEY REFUSE TO TAKE IT TO IRVINE (KIA HEADQUARTERS) BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THEY WIRING HARNESS RECALL OF 1997 PROVES THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN PROPERLY FIXED, AND I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE MISSION BAY KIA DEALERSHIP SINCE 12-1-02, AND I'M STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT.
NHTSA complaint #10005620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clinton, MDFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE STALLED AT 35 MPH. CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE, THEN SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #8008169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE 99V325000, AND HAD SERVICE DEPARTMENT TAKEN CARE OFF ON JUN 13, 2000. SINCE THEN, PROBLEM HAS COME BACK ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. AND AS SOON AS VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN IT STALLED. DEALER STATED VEHICLE NEEDED NEW WIRING HARNESS. PROBLEM HAS BEEN A ONGOING SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPT. OF 1997. SERVICLE MANAGER TOLD CONSUMER THEY CORRECTED WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM. BUT, CONSUMER FELT WORK COULD HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY DONE.
NHTSA complaint #894119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lancaster, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TWICE IT HAS SHOT SPARK PLUG RIGHT OUT OF ENGNE.
NHTSA complaint #749045 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Corpus Christi, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE STALLS/DIES WHEN IT COMES TO A STOP, AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT RESTART.
NHTSA complaint #882369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gastonia, NCFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING SMOKE FOLLOWED BY FLAMES CAME FROM DASHBOARD AND FLOOR BOARD AREA OF VEHICLE, TOTALLY DESTROYING VEHICLE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #874790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Woodland Park, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY. WHEN I CALL PHIL LONG FORD, THEY TELL ME THAT HAPPENS WITH KIAS AND THEY CAN'T FIX IT UNLESS THE LIGHT IS ON AT THE TIME I BRING IT IN. AFTER ONCCE TAKING IT DOWN ANYWAY AND BEING REFUSED REPAIR BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF BY THE TIME I GOT DOWN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PASS, I GAVE UP ON THAT ONE. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT ANY ADDITIONAL RECALLS LAST SPRING WHEN I TOOK THE KIA IN FOR A TAILGATE LATCH RECALL, PHIL LONG FORD TOLD ME THERE WERE NO OTHERS. NOW I FIND THAT THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL (99V325), WHICH COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. NOW MY BATTERY WENT DEAD SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AFTER READING SO MANY COMPLAINTS. ALSO, MY HORN PERIODICALLY WON'T WORK WHICH PHIL LONG ALSO SAYS IS COMMON. (WHY THEN HAVEN'T THEY FIXED IT?) KIA AND THEIR PARTNER, FORD, NEEDS INVESTIGATING.
NHTSA complaint #734385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
East Orange, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, HORN DOESN'T WORK, AND THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. DOOR WILL BE REPAIRED, DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM WITH HORN OR UNDER THE HOOD. *AK
NHTSA complaint #864232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mohegan LA, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING FAILED PRIOR TO RCALL NOTICE CAUSING IT TO STALL. NLM
NHTSA complaint #552157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
CONSUMER RECEIVED MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 9764. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT STALLING BEGAN AGAIN. ALSO, ALARM SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING WHICH CAUSED THE HORN TO STOP WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #862131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Denver, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE WIRING HARNESS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (99V-325) CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #551434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cherry Hill, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INTERMITTENTLY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE, RESULTING IN CIRCUIT CONTINUITY. DEALER HAS INSPECETED THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #858064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miami, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
BRAKES- EXCESSIVE BRAKING DISTANCE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED; ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM- VEHICLE OVER HEADED CAUSED VENTS ON DASHBOARD TO POP; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UNDER HOOD- CONTINUOUS "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILLS; ENGINE- SHAKES LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE, STALLS WHILE DRIVING, SCARED WILL CAUSE ACCIDENT/DEATH
NHTSA complaint #718699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ocala, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/15 )
NHTSA complaint #707487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ocala, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/15 )
NHTSA complaint #707487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newark, DE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES PROBLEM PERSISTS. LOSS OF CONTROL NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS.
NHTSA complaint #704012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Texas City, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE TRAVELING THE VEHICLE INDICATION LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #826927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newark, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WIRING FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON.
NHTSA complaint #541402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.