1997 KIA Sportage fuel system problems

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL TANK IS LEAKING

NHTSA complaint #11161711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY WHEN APPROXIMATELY AT 55MPH ENGINE WILL STALL. SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITHOUT WARNING. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN TURN ENGINE OFF RESTART RUN IT THRU ALL OF THE GEARS AND IT WILL BE FINE FOR AWHILE UNLESS ON BUMPY ROAD OR STOP WARNING BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I CAN NOT FILL GAS TANK UP DUE TO IT LEAKING OUT UNDER VEHICLE REFRASE THAT POUR OUT. IT WILL ALSO VIBRATE REALLY BAD AFTER BEING DROVE FOR OVER 2 HOURS STRAIGHT. PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE IT CAUSES A INJURY OR DEATH.

NHTSA complaint #10586244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THE DESIGN OF THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR THE FUEL TANK ALLOWED SAND AND PEBBLES TO ACCUMULATE TO THE EXTENT THAT I STARTED NOTICING FUEL VAPORS. THE VEHICLE IS HOUSED IN A GARAGE, SO I RAISED A WINDOW TO HELP DISSIPATE THE VAPORS. IN A FEW DAYS, FUEL WAS DRIPPING FROM THE LEAKS IN THE TANK. I APPLIED A PUTTY PRODUCT IN JUNE, 2006, WHICH HELPED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THEN IT STARTED AGAIN. I RE-APPLIED PUTTY IN AUGUST, 2007. THEN AGAIN IN JULY, 2008, WITH TWO DIFFERENT (PERMANENT?) PRODUCTS THAT HAVE NOT WORKED, YET. THE TANK STILL LEAKS.

NHTSA complaint #10236584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

1997 KIA SPORTAGE HAVE A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE RECEIVED A NOTICE AFTER THE REPAIR TO THE FUEL TANK WAS DONE AND WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR WORK. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE REPAIR, SHE SMELLED GAS AND THERE WAS GAS ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. IT WAS DETERMINED THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING

NHTSA complaint #10236059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

A FEW YEARS BACK I STARTED SMELLING GAS. SO MY FATHER IN LAW AND UNCLE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND IT YEP YOU GOT A GAS LEAK. SO THEY TRIED TO PATCH IT SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING HAS SEEMED TO WORK. SO BACK IN FEBRUARY I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM KIA STATING A REPAIR BENEFIT NOTIFICATION ABOUT MY GAS TANK LEAKING. SO A FEW WEEKS AGO I CALLED A KIA DEALER AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO LOOK AT MY TANK. AFTER A HOUR DRIVE AND A FORTY MINUTE WAIT THEY TELL ME THAT MY KIA DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR KIA TO FIX MY TANK. SO I COME HOME AND THE NEXT I CHECK MY TANK AND IT IS OBVIOUS TO ANYONE THAT MY KIA IS LEAKING GAS. I CALLED KIA MOTORS AND THEY WENT TO TELL ME THAT SINCE MY 10 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 2007 THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. BUT WHAT MAKES NO SENSE IS THAT THEY DIDN'T SEND OUT MY LETTER UNTIL 2008. I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD THAT IS IN MY KIA DAILY, SO I ASKED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. FROM KIA MOTORS, WHAT IF MY KIA SOMEHOW CATCHES ON FIRE AND I AM NOT ABLE TO GET TO MY CHILD QUICK ENOUGH, AND SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. HE TOLD ME THAT ALL REPAIRS MADE TO THE TANK WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY NO MATTER WHAT, AND THAT KIA WOULD NOT FIX OR REPLACE MY TANK.

NHTSA complaint #10224254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THIS CAR IS ABSOLUTELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE; AT ANY MOMENT IT MAY STALL DUE TO THE FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN FOR SERVICE NUMEROUS TIMES AND I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. I HAVE SIMPLY HAD ENOUGH AND WOULD LIKE SOME HELP.

NHTSA complaint #10069561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED WATER IN FUEL TANK. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION DETERMINED A BURNED WIRE INSIDE OF FUEL TANK COULD HAVE CAUSED AN EXPLOSION.

NHTSA complaint #8019115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER. DEALER FINALLY (AFTER TWO WEEKS IN THE SHOP) DECIDED FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED, CAUSING RUST PARTICLES TO DAMAGE FUEL INJECTORS. DEALER IS REPLACING FUEL TANK, LINES, SENDER UNIT, AND INJECTORS. (I'VE NEVER HAD A FUEL TANK RUST AT 39,000 MILES!)

NHTSA complaint #723575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

FUEL LEAK BELOW BATTERY RIGHT SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #719259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

CAR CONTINUALLY STALLS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY COMES OFF AND ON, WHEN CONTINUALLY STALLS AT IDLE SPEED AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ENGINE EXPERIENCES TROUBLE CONTINUOUSLY WHEN IT SURGES AND JERKS. IT HAS BEEN A REAL HAZARD TO MY HEALTH AND ALMOST PUT ME IN ACCIDENTS MANY TIMES WHILE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND INTERSECTIONS. ALMOST KILLED MYSELF AND MY FAMILY SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES WITH THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE VEHICLE.IT HAS HAD SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH IT SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO LIST ALL OF THEM. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROBLEM! EVEN WHEN IT GETS TOWED IN DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WON'T RUN! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INNOCENTLY KILLED DUE TO THE MALFUNCTIONING KIA SPORTAGE VEHICLES.

NHTSA complaint #715354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

AT 16,000 MILES GAS TANK HAS PREMATURELY RUSTED WHICH COULD BE DANGEROUS IF A COLLISION OCCURRED. DEALER CLAIMS THAT IT WAS DUE TO BAD FUEL. *AK

NHTSA complaint #842398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

I TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER TODAY AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT SINCE THE CAR DOES NOT LEAK EACH TIME CAR IS STARTED THAT IF THEY CANNOT CAUSE IT TO LEAK WHILE AT DEALER, THAT I AM OUT OF LUCK. THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS VERY RUDE AND SUSPICIOUS THAT I WAS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LEAK. HE STATED THAT HE WOULD START EVERY TWO HOURS AND IF IT DOES NOT LEAK TOO BAD!! I ALSO NOTED THE BAD PAINT FOR THE 3RD TIME AND HE LAUGHED AT ME AND SAID "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU"! PLEASE ADVISE!!

NHTSA complaint #707573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

RUST INSIDE FUEL TANK, CAUSING ENGINE TO RUN ROUGHLY AND/OR STALL. DEALER WOULD NOT CORRECT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER BASIC WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000.

NHTSA complaint #707486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

RUST INSIDE FUEL TANK, CAUSING ENGINE TO RUN ROUGHLY AND/OR STALL. DEALER WOULD NOT CORRECT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER BASIC WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000.

NHTSA complaint #707486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

GAS LEAK FROM MID RIGHT SIDE OF CAR. HAPPENS WHEN CAR FIRST STARTS. SEVERAL CONTINUOUS DROPS IN GARAGE AND DOWN DRIVEWAY. 1 DROP PER SECOND. DOES NOT HAPPEN EACH TIME CAR STARTS. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO LEAK. PRESSURIZED LINES AND INSPECTED 3 TIMES IN 2 DAYS. SAID NO SIGN OF LEAK AND IF HAPPENS AGAIN COME IN. IT IS GOING BACK TOMORROW. LEAK HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS WILL MAKE THE 5TH TIME I HAVE WITNESSED THE LEAK. SCARED TO DRIVE!! WILL NOT DRIVE!! PLEASE ADVISE!!

NHTSA complaint #707433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER HAD A HOLE IN HER FUEL TANK.

NHTSA complaint #538381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

AUTO LEAKING FLUID NEAR ENGINE. IN ADDITION, INTERMITTENT STALLING/ELECTRICAL DOOR AND WINDOW SWITCH FAILED, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON/OFF.

NHTSA complaint #826107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE 1997 KIA SPORTAGE AND THEY HAVE ALL HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS AND FUEL SYSTEMS.

NHTSA complaint #537181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

FUEL GAUGE FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #525379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.