12 of the 321 complaints about the 2002 KIA Sportage are about the suspension — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 56,700 miles.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SUSPENSION
REAR SECTION OF VEHICLE FRAME IS ROTTED BEYOND A SAFE CONDITION TO CONTINUE USE. REAR SUSPENSION MOUNT POINTS ARE CRUMBLING AND FALLING OFF. VEHICLE HAS 38,000 MILES. VEHICLE ALWAYS PARKED ON PAVEMENT OR CONCRETE AND USED AS A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR AN OLDER FEMALE. VEHICLE USED VERY LITTLE DURING WINTER SNOW CONDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10863926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #10824814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
TRAVELING POSTED SPEED LIMIT , CAR BEGAN TO SKID. MADE A SLIGHT TURN OF STEERING WHEEL CAR BEGAN TO ROLLOVER TWO OR THREE TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #10606743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
HAVE A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING, WENT TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WHOLE FRAME WAS ROTTED AWAY AND WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS THE BRAKE LINES WERE ALSO ROTTED AND WHOLE CAR COULD BUCKLE IF IN AN ACCIDENT OR HIT ANYTHING. CALLED KIA AND WAS TOLD NOTHING THEY CAN DO. HAVE A 2000 CHRYSLER WITH MORE MILES AND NOT A SPOT RUST. NOW I NEED TO FIND A NEW VEHICLE ASAP, AN EXPENSE I CAN'T AFFORD BUT NEED TO GET TO WORK. KIA WILL NOT HELP AT ALL, GUESS THEY HAVE OUR MONEY SO WE'RE ON OUR OWN. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, KIA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WILL DO NOTHING. HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE CARS ARE DEATH TRAPS, IF YOUR UNAWARE YOUR BRAKES CAN GO OR IF IN AN ACCIDENT SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN DEATH. THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE KIA TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR KILLS SOMEONE ELSE. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FILED WITH THE NHTSA AND DOMT KNOW WHY THEY ALLOW KIA TO IGNORE THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. THEIR ARE RECALLS ISSUED FOR LESS SERIOUS PROBLEMS, THIS ONE PEOPLES LIVES ARE AT STAKE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
NHTSA complaint #10503495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
VEHICLE IS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. DRIVER NOTICED SLIGHT ODD NOISE COMING FROM CAR WHEN CHANGING DIRECTIONAL GEARS, OR TAKING OFF FROM STOPS. 2ND FROM REAR CROSSMEMBER RUSTED OUT, BUT WAS CAUGHT EARLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IF PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN CAUGHT EARLY AXLE COULD HAVE SHIFTED CAUSING SERIOUS ACCIDENT. CROSSMEMBER SUPPORTS GAS TANK AND KEEPS REAR DRIVE AXLE IN PLACE. OLD CROSSMEMBER WILL BE CUT OUT AND NEW WELDED BACK IN.
NHTSA complaint #10289280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH UPHILL ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS WITH THE 4WD ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER CABLE, VACUUM HOSE, WHEEL BEARINGS HAD FAILED. EACH COMPONENT WAS REPLACED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE 4WD WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE SERVICE DEALER EXPRESSED TO THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE MANY VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH 4WD PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10173755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR END OF HER VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AT TIMES. THIS HAPPENED FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS. IT FELT AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE HIT A PATCH OF ICE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS.
NHTSA complaint #10141275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
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.
NHTSA complaint #10113974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
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
NHTSA complaint #10097870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THEY FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE ROTORS WARPING. THIS RESULTS IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, THE 5 SPEED STANDARD TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO SECOND GEAR AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE REAR END ALSO MAKES A POPPING/CLUCKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WILL JERK FORWARD HARD WHEN THE NOISE OCCURS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES IS UNDETERMINED.
NHTSA complaint #10039840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH OR LESS VEHICLE SWAYED LEFT TO RIGHT EVEN WITH DIFFERENT WIND CURRENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8018943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*JB
NHTSA complaint #8010752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.