2005 Kia SPORTAGE: complaints, problems and recalls

WHEN GAS TANK IS FILLED, GAS LEAKS OUT OF PIPE LEADING TO GAS TANK. WHICH IN MY OPINION COULD CAUSE A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10118253 at NHTSA ↗

CONTINOUS FAILURES IN THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (EPS) THAT CAUSES PERIODIC BRAKING DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. FAILURE CAUSES CAR TO PULL IN THE DIRECTION OF BRAKING WHEEL, OFTEN CAUSING THE CAR TO ENTER OTHER LANES OF TRAFFIC. AT THIS POINT, ONLY THE ELECTRONIC SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED, WHICH HAS NOT CORRECTED PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121973 at NHTSA ↗

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR FUEL LEAK ON 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. LETTER SAID REPAIR TAKES TWO HOURS. TOOK VEHICLE IN AND AFTER 5 HOURS, WAS TOLD THEY NEED TO ORDER PARTS AND KEEP VEHICLE. 2 DAYS LATER WAS GIVEN A RENTAL CAR AND TOLD IT WOULD BE A WEEK TO GET THE PARTS. 9 DAYS AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE IN, WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD BE 4 WEEKS TO GET PARTS BUT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AND TO COME GET IT. CALLED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE 2 HOUR REPAIR SHOUDL TAKE OVER 5 WEEKS!

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125462 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CALLER HAD A RECALL BUT NO REPAIRS COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS, AND HE CAN'T GET ANYTHING DONE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER TOLD HIM HE HAS TO WAIT UNTIL THEY GET THE PARTS IN. CALLER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE. THE CALLED DID NOT KNOW RECALL NUMBER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10129420 at NHTSA ↗

DT: CONTACT STATED EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS AND THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR WERE DARK THAT THE CONSUMER HAS DIFFICULTY SEEING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT OR ON CLOUDY DAYS. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THEY DID NOT BUILD THE VEHICLE AND PROVIDED THE CONSUMER WITH THE KIA MANUFACTURER'S NUMBER. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP IT WAS A PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER COULD NOT MAKE THE MANUFACTURER UNDERSTAND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10131242 at NHTSA ↗

GAS TANK WAS OVERFILLED WHILE TRAVELING OUT-OF-TOWN. THIS RESULTED IN HAVING TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND HAVING THE GAS TANK DROPPED, AND REPLACING THE EVAPORATION CANISTER ASSEMBLY. THE COST TO ME WAS $284 BECAUSE IT WAS A 'SELF-INDUCED' PROBLEM. THE MANUALS SAY NOTHING ABOUT OVERFILLING CAUSING PART DAMAGE THAT THE CUSTOMER IS LIABLE FOR. REPAIRS TOOK FIVE DAYS DUE TO THE SERVICE DEALER LACKING THE PROPER DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT AND ADAPTERS FOR THE SPORTAGE. CURRENTLY WORKING WITH KIA OF AMERICA TO TRY TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 6,695 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132295 at NHTSA ↗

KIA MOTORS USA, 2005 KIA SPORTAGE LX V6 4WD- [XXX] PURCHASED NEW IN MAY 05. VEHICLE MILES 61 AT PURCHASE. ON 10/27/05 TURNED ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER ARM MADE AN UNUSUAL NOISE. WIPERARM WAS FLAPPING AND LOOKS LIKE IT ROTATED 360 DEGREES. PASSENGER SIDE WIPER ARM ALSO MADE A 7 INCH SEMI CIRCLE SCRATCH IN THE CORNER OF THE HOOD. PASSENGER SIDE WIPERARM METAL IS TWISTED IN A SPIRAL SHAPE. VEHICLE CHECKED BY BILL DORATY KIA IN MEDINA,OHIO ON 10/28/05 INVOICE#[XXX]. DEALER STATES LOOKS LIKE WIPER ARM WAS TWISTED BY OTHER ME…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,976 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142833 at NHTSA ↗

I TOOK MY 2005 KIA SPORTAGE EX INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN JANUARY TO BE CHECKED DUE TO A SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END. THE PARTS CLERK ORDERED A REAR PASSENGER SPINDLE. ITS BEEN FOUR MONTHS AND THE PART IS SUPPOSEDLY ON BACK ORDER, THEY HAVE DENIED IT BEING A RECALL AND ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE A SUSPICION THAT IT IS A RECALL DUE TO IT TAKING SO LONG TO GET THE PART AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO GIVE ME A DATE AS TO WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS. …

Owner-reported narrative. 10,967 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157210 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-03-29 (March 29, 2005)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP), THE YAW RATE SENSOR MAY BECOME TOO SENSITIVE AND MAY RECALIBRATE INACCURATELY. WHILE DRIVING THE ESP PROGRAM MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO REDUCE POWER AND MAY CAUSE A BRAKE AT ONE OF THE WHEELS TO BE INAPPROPRIATELY.

Consequence: BRAKE APPLICATION CAUSED BY INADVERTENT ESP ACTIVATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ESP HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 13, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Reported: 2005-05-03 (May 3, 2005)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE O-RING INTO THE INTERNAL VAPOR CHAMBER LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK AT FULL TANK CONDITIONS.

Consequence: THE ENGINE MAY STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL BE HARD TO FILL THE GAS TANK AND EXTERNAL FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE EVAPORATIVE AIR FILTER INLET. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE THE CHARCOAL CANISTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Reported: 2005-07-08 (July 8, 2005)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET PAWL WAS NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND MY DAMAGE THE TEETH OF THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET. DAMAGED PARKING BRAKE LEVER RATCHET TEETH MAY PREVENT THE PARKING BRAKE FROM ENGAGING OR MAY ALLOW THE PARKING BRAKE TO RELEASE AFTER IT HAS BEEN ENGAGED.

Consequence: THE INABILITY TO ENGAGE, OR THE INADVERTENT RELEASE OF, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER MAY ALLOW YOUR VEHICLE TO ROLL WHILE IT IS PARKED AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.