Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
TOOK VEHICLE FOR SERVICE ON TIRES. INFORMED THE WHEELS WERE LOOSE & WERE DANGEROUS. TOOK TO MECHANIC, WITH A FRIEND FROM KIA. THE SEAL ASSEMBLY FOR HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE NOT ON RECALL. WAS NOT REPAIRED. CAR TRADED IN WITH PROBLEMS UNRESOLVED. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELTWAYAT 55 MPH CAR HESITATES OR STALLS. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP IT WAS HIT IN THE FRONT BY THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE.UPON IMPACT, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
FUEL LEAK BELOW BATTERY RIGHT SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK
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
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, CONSUMER SAYS IT COULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WHEN VEHICLE STALLED ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. CALLED DEALER, AND THEY DID NOT HELP WITH THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE PADS A ROTORS ON THIS CAR HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHTS WILL COME ON WHEN THE BRAKES BECOME VERY BAD. THE FIRST START TO SQUEK THEN SQUEL THEN SMELL AND THEN GRIND AND THE ABS LIGHTS COME ON. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND AT THIS TIME WE ARE ALL TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO HELP! THIS IS ONLY ONE OF NEMOUROUS PROBLEMS THIS CAR HAS, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT SCARES ME. I AM WORRIED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND MYSELF. PLEASE HELP AS WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF PLACES TO TURN. *AK
CARS HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOP SINCE BEING PURCHEST WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS, INSUFFICIENT BRAKING. VEHICLE DID NOT STOP IN TIME, AND REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40MPH AND HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT, AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK
I HAVE THIS CAR WORKED ON OVER THE 2 YEARS I OWN IT, KIA OFFERED NO HELP IS SOLVING THE PROBLEM. I CALLED KIA, ASK THE DEALER TO HELP, AGAIN NO HELP. THE FACTURE WARRANTY ENDED AND I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY MORE PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS FAILING EVERY TIME THEY REPLACED PARTS IN THE EMISIONS SYSTEM. I FEELI WAS FORCED INTO TRADING IT IN BECAUSE KIA WOULD NOT CALL ME BACK OR THE DEALER BACK. THIS CAR SHOULD NOT BE SOLD TO ANY OTHER PERSON BUT THE DEALER AND KIA ARE GOING TO PUT IT BACK ON THE ROAD NOING OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE MAKE SURE THID VEHICLE DOES NOT GET PUT BACK ON THE ROAD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SOME TIMES AFTER DRIVING 20 MILES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ON THIS PROBLEM. KIA WAS NO HELP IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MY PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO FIX IT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS AND ENGINE STALLED FOR NO REASON. IT HAPPENED FREQUENTLY. DEALER HAS TRIED TO REPAIR, BUT PROBLEM KEEPS ON OCCURRING. *AK
RADIO FAILED AS WELL KEPT KIA OVER 33 DAYS. *AK
TOOK TO ORIGINAL DEALER 6 TIMES AND TO ANOTHER DEALER 1 TIME --- ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON --ORIGINAL DEALER HAS CLOSED. *AK
TRANSMISSION SHIFT SLIPS OUT OF PARK, AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, COOLENT LEAK AT ENGINE LOWER LEFT , LOWER FRONT PULLEY BEARING DAMAGED ENGINE
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.
WHEN BACKING OUT SOMETIMES & WHEN PUSHING ON THE GAS, CAR WILL NOT MOVE. CAR WILL JUST EJECT BACK UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK
RIGHT AFTER PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE 4 OTHER TIMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING. ALL 4 TIMES THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS DRAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS LOUD NOISE, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
VEHICLE WOULD JERK. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHCLE WOULD OVERHEAT & FAIL TO START. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD REVVED WHILE AT STOP LIGHT DUE TO FAST IDLE . THE PORTED PASSAGE HOLE WAS TOO SMALL. IT NEEDED TO BE WIDER ACCORDING TO MECHANIC. DRIVESHAFT BROKE TWICE IN LAST 6 MONTHS. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION TRAVELING AT 45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. IDLE STAYS HIGH AT STOP LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED PROBLEM CAUSED BY GOING OVER BUMPS, BUT WOULD REPAIR PROBLEM. PICKED VEHICLE UP & LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. *AK
THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN INTO PARK. IT DID NOT DO THIS ON 1.5 HOUR TRIP HOME. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT PARAMOUNT KIA THE NEXT DAY. HE ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY SUCH PROBLEMS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE TO THAT DEALERSHIP, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND, AND THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NO DISENGAGE INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, AND CRASHED. I HAVE JUST BEEN MADE AWARE OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT INVOLVING A KIA SEPHIA, WHICH WAS REPORTED IN A LOCAL PAPER. THE ELDERLY DRIVER CRASHED WHEN HIS VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. A POST FROM FENCE HE HIT IMPALED HIM IN THE CHEST.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM . ALSO VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW WE ARE VERY UPSET AT THE LACK OF CONCERN AND ASSISSTANCE FROM THE NUMEROUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES I HAVE CONTACTED, COMPLETED FORMS AND MAILED THEM, I HAVE YET TO BE CONTACTED. BOTH MY 4 YEAR OLD SON & I ALMOST LOST OUR LIVES WHEN MY ENGINE STALLED ON AN INTERSTATE SPEED LIMIT 70 CARS TURNING EVERYWAY TO AVOID US, I REALLY FELT THERE WAS NO HOPE WHEN I SAW AN 18 WHEELER APPROACHING, I TURNED TO MOVE MY SON FROM THE REAR SEAT TO THE FRONT SO I COULD AT LEAST HOLD HIM, THE DRIVER SAW ME AND WHEN HE MANAGED TO STOP HIS RIG WAS JACKKNIFED AND 1 SIDE HIT THE BLOCK BARRIER. I HAVE DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THE ENGINE PROBLEMS IN 97 KIA'S CAN'T BE REPAIRED.WILL LIVES BE LOST BEFORE KIA IS HELD RESPONSIBLE? PLEASE HELP
WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OFF THE LOT IT WAS IN NEED OF REPAIRS, FROM THE FIRST COMPLAINT AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD "OH THAT'S NORMAL FOR KIA" I HAVE TRAVELED BY TOW TRUCK MORE THAN IN MY NEW VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TREATED AS BADLY FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS BY KIA. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STAND UP AND FORCE KIA TO FACE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. KIA HAS NEVER HAD TO FACE A JURY OR JUDGE IN A COURT OF LAW BECAUSE THEY SETTLE FOR LESS THAN MOST CONSUMERS HAVE PAID, I KNOW FOR I WILL BE FORCED TO SETTLE WITHOUT HELP . I REQUESTED ONLY TO GET WHAT I PAID MINUS MILEAGE YET IF I'M FORCED TO SETTLE MY LOSS WILL BE OVER $4,000. LIVES WILL BE LOST UNLESS WE ACT SOON
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 *ML
CAR AT DEALER 3 DAYS, PROBLEM FIXING LOCKS, DEALER PAID FOR CAR RENTAL. *AK
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!! *AK
DOORS UNLOCK AND RELOCK CONSTANTLY BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED. MANY VISITS TO THE DEALER...CANNOT REPAIR. POOR SERVICE. *AK
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. *AK
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 )
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!!
BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON. WHENEVER TURNING ON INTERIOR LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND STAYS ON. DEALER SAIS VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
THIS IS THE MOST UNRELIABLE VEHICLE THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED-SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH KIA'S. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) MENTIONE DIN THE SUMMARY. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NEEDS NEW EGR KIT (CONTROLS EMISSIONS MIX). 6/99 EXPERIENCED ENGINE RACING ON IGNITION, HIGH IDLE AT STOPS, ENGINE SURGES AT ALL SPEEDS. THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HAPPENED FIRST 6/98. THEY TIGHTENED TERMINAL CONNECTIONS. SECOND TIME 7/98 - ADJUSTED C123 & C124 ACCESS CONNECTIONS. THIRD TIME 5/99 REPLACING EGR KIT - AWAITING PART. SERVICE PERFORMED BY MAITA OLDS, 2211 FULTON AVE., SACRAMENTO, CA 95825. *AK
SINCE PURCHASED, VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLS AT IDLE OR HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS BUT ATTEMPTED TO FIND PROBLEM, NEVER FIXED. NEW DEALER IN AREA HAD COMPANY REP INSPECT VEHICLE, DISASSEMBLED ENGINE COMPONENTS, REASSEMBLED. STOPPED PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS, NOW IT HAS REOCCURRRED. CURIOUS IF OTHER KIA SPORTAGE OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR. DANGER COMES WHEN ENGINE CUTS OUT AT 70 MPH, WHICH HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. *AK
DRIVING BETWEEN 40-45 MPH DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT, DAMAGING ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE GOUGING FUEL TANK IN SEVERAL PLACES. REAR END FELL LOCKING UP BRAKES AND THROWING VEHICLE INTO UNCONTROLLABLE BOUNCING FOR OVER QUARTER MILE. DRIVESHAFT FLEW INFRONT OF OTHER VEHICLES WINDSHIELD. WIFE(9 MO. PREG.) & SON IN CAR WITH ME. *AK
WHEN DRIVING DOORS WILL UNLOCK. ALSO, WHEN CONSUMER PARKS AND GETS OUT THE DOORS WON'T LOCK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP FOUR TIMES FOR REPAIR SERVICE. CONSUMER JUST GOT THE VEHICLE OUT TODAY FOR REPAIR SERVICE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CONTINUOUSLY HAS INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORT/ABS INDICATOR CONTINUALLY COMES LOOSE AND "BACKS OUT OF RELAY BLOCK/ POWER WINDOWS/MIRRORS SWITCH CONTACTS BACKING OFF, CAUSING "OPEN CIRCUITS". *AK
BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES PROBLEM PERSISTS. LOSS OF CONTROL NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS.
EXHAUST FUMES WERE COMING INTO THE VEHICLE,AND NOTICED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS HOT. DEALER REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REROUTED WIRE. AFTER FOUR MONTHS, AND JUST BEING RELEASED AGAIN FROM DEALER, EXHAUST FUMES REAPPEARED. CONSUMER DID A 60 MPH DRIVE, AND DRIVER/PASSENGER, AND CHILD FELT SICK. WENT TO THE HOPSPITAL AND WERE TREATED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. *AK
THIS VEHICLE IS GARBAGE - BOTH FRONT WINDOW MOTORS-REPLACED. TRANSMISSION REPLACED, AND IS NOW ACTING UP AGAIN. REAR-END REPLACED, ACTING UP, ENGINE SQUEALS, DEALER CAN'T HEAR IT, BURNING ANTI-FREEZE SMELL UPON WARMUP, TEMP GAUGE GOES CRAZY, IN 4WD VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO TURN, ONLY WANTS TO GO STRAIGHT, MAKINGS HARD "CLUNKING" NOISE IF YOU ATTEMPT TO TURN. THE YUGO WAS A BETTER VEHICLE! *AK
TIRE AIR STEMS ARE BAD. (GENERAL TIRE)
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING VEHICLE COLLISION.
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON, THE CAR IS STALLING, THE AIR BAG LIGHTS ARE ON. I AM AFRAID THAT THEY WILL DEPLOY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. ALMOST KILLED MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER ON THE QUEENBORO BRIDGE, I WAS GOING 40 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN, I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY HAD TURNED HARD, I HAD NO BRAKES, PUT EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT NOTHING, WHEN IT WAS NEARING AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I HAD TO STOP I THREW THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHICH SLOWED IT DOWN ENOUGH FOR ME TO SAFELY PUT IT IN PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF A BRIDGE. THE CARS ENGINE ROARED WHEN I PUT IN PARK I COULDN'T MOVE OR FEAR OF KILLING MYSELF. THE LOCKS ON THE CAR KEEP OPENING AND CLOSING BY THEMSELF. IT NEEDS 2 QUARTS OF ENGINE OIL EVERY MONTH. I AM TOTALLY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS CAR. *AK
WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER IS ALSO HAVING PROBLEM WITH LEAKAGE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *ML
THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN UP TO ITS STANDARDS AND VERY DISAPPOINTED.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STALLING WIITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLING WHILE DRIVING. AND WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES SPEED OF 15 -50 MPH. VEHICLE HAVE BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER, INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE GIVES NO PRIOR WARNING. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON. CONTACTED DEALER , CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES. *AK CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGINE STALLES AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING DUE TO EGR VALVE FAILURE. HOOD RELEASE HANDLE WAS BROKE. RIGHT FRONT HUBCAP FELL OFF. RADIO BEZEL WAS BROKE. *YH
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Kia Sportage → · Every Sportage year → · How the figures are calculated →