This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Fuel tank leaking gas I believe the fuel tank is no good anymore I purchase a vehicle fill up the tank and start to leak gas I thought it was a gasket so gasket was placed and it's still leaking
Noticed a strong gas smell, looked under car and noticed gas dripping from under car. Upon further looking I noticed the gas tank protective plate is rotting out which makes me believe the gas tank is too.
Fuel tank/pan rusted out. Strong gas odor. Recall found online. Neither dealer nor Kia would acknowledge. Receiving numerous misfire messages and have changed plugs, coils, and wires. Misfire code states fuel/air ratio is wrong. There is no hiss when opening gas cap and no pressure registering from tank. Safety and fire issue. Was warned not to drive until fixed due to gas leakage. Very upset at Kia for telling me that recall did not apply to my 2000 Sportage, however she stated it was for 1996-2002 Sportages. Was informed I could pay $92/hour for it to be inspected but I would be responsible for all charges. Very disturbing, especially since it is vehicle used to Transport my family and now I no longer feel safe.
The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, he found that the fuel tank and fuel guard was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 179,000.
- Georgetown , IN, USA
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The fuel tank is leaking. I need to have Kia to replace this tank. It is very dangerous for me to keep driving. I have children and I am concern for their safety as well as my own.
The car had not been driven in 2 days. My daughter started the car, drove it about 1/4 - 1/2 mile when she noticed smoke coming from the console on the passenger side. She parked the vehicle, got out and ran to the passenger side to see if she could tell where the smoke was coming from and could see fire through the crack in the console where the cover over the console was joined together. Within seconds, the entire inside of the vehicle was engulfed in flames, which leads me to believe that there may have been a gasoline leak. She was in a residential neighborhood with very little traffic. Had she been on the highway or in traffic, this would have been a very different scenario. She and others would have been hurt or worse. Her pocketbook had fallen on the floor and she reached over to pick it up and that is when she saw the smoke. She had time to get out before the car imploded. The entire interior of the car was gutted and the paint was burned off the drivers side and roof of the car. All that is left of the inside is soot, metal and charcoal from front to rear. We bought the car from a dealer on December 21, 2012. It ran great, was in good shape and we had no problems or warning signs prior to this incident. I am going to notify Kia, but am not very hopeful of any resolution without some intervention from NHTSA.
I took my vehicle to a shop to get the oil changed and they noticed that the driver side rear of the frame is severely rusted out and needs replacement. Also the fuel tank is leaking at one of the seams in the corner of the tank. I have been told by people in the auto industry that this is a common problem with the Kia Sportage. I have also seen numerous reports on the internet as well. It's only a 12 year old vehicle. I have had plenty of other vehicles much older without all of this kind of rust issue. This is ridiculous. Obviously there is some kind of defect with the materials being used. I surely hope the NHTSA will make Kia motors recall these vehicles. Because it is a major safety hazard.
(1) noticed that the fuel tank shield is severely rotted out and is barely connected. (2) smell fuel vapors periodically while in the vehicle. (3) fuel tank appears to be rusting, afraid to mess with tank in fear of disturbing the rust and rupturing a hole in tank. (4) brake lines were so severely rusted in one area that it blew a hole in the line and prevented the vehicle from stopping and required the prompt action for repair. Other brake lines look like they may fail in near future. (5) steel portion of power steering line rusted out and blew fluid everywhere preventing the ability to turn the wheel while driving. (6) the frame has heavy rust scale and appears to be rotting in several place. (7) paint is starting to bubble which is indicating body is rusting under paint job. This is a 12 year old vehicle with very bad rotting of metal from salt corrosion. Have never seen this much rust on 20+ old vehicles that are in the same northern regions of the us.
The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the fuel tank was corroded causing a fuel leak. The contact mentioned that fuel fumes were emitted around the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who verified that the fuel tank was in fact corroded and caused the fuel leak. As a result, the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The failure mileage was 101,835.
The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sportage. While parked, the contact noticed an overpowering fuel smell. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed a fuel leak coming from under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. The technician stated that the fuel tank would have to be replaced due to corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available.the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that he was notified by a concerned citizen that his vehicle was leaking fuel. The contact examined the vehicle and noticed that there was a puddle of fuel underneath. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnosis, but was informed that the failure was not a defect and that the vehicle was just old. The vehicle was not able to be parked on rental property due to the hazard and potential for a fire. The fuel fumes also made the driver feel dizzy, contributing to unsafe driving. The failure and current mileages were 120,000. The VIN was unavailable.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Brownsville, TX, USA