2001 Kia Sportage Air Bags & Restraints Problems

BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11K MILES FROM AN ELDERLY COUPLE THAT HARDLY DROVE IT. NOW AT 21K MILES, THERE IS A GAS SMELL COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND ALSO OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. HAS A ROUGH IDLE AND GAS SPEWS OUT OF TANK WHILE I'M PUMPING GAS. THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO FALL OFF. HAD TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS TWICE ALREADY. ALSO, THE DRIVERSIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11K MILES THINKING IT WILL LAST FOR AWHILE, BUT I'VE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH IT.

WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL GOING 30MPH, I REACHED DOWN TO PICK UP SOMETHING OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR( I WAS THE PASSENGER), WHEN I HEARD A SOUND LIKE BREAKING GLASS. WE THOUGHT WE HAD RUN OVER A GLASS OBJECT BUT WHEN I TURNED TO LOOK BACK THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I DID NOTICE THAT MY SEATBELT WAS NO LONGER RESTRAINING ME. THE PART THAT SHOULD HAVE KEPT ME SAFE, THE SEATBELT, HAD COME COMPLETELY OUT OF ITS COMPARTMENT. I KNOW THAT IF WE HAD BEEN IN A WRECK I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPRINGS THAT HELD THE SEAT BELT IN PLACE FRACTURED ON TWO OCCASIONS. IN MARCH 2011, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT SPRING FRACTURED AND WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT APPROXIMATELY NINE MONTHS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR COLLAPSED/BROKE AND WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER. THE CONSUMER STATED NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. UPDATED 02/29/12

2001 KIA SPORTAGE WITH NO AIRBAG. CUSTOMER STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG OUT BEFORE THEY SOLD THE VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER REALIZED THE AIR BAG WAS MISSING WHEN SHE WENT TO USE THE HORN AND FOUND THE LEATHER WAS NOT FIRM, AND WHEN SHE PRESSED HARDER, IT LEFT A CIRCULAR INDENTATION WHERE THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE BEEN. *JB

ON APRIL 24, 2005 COLUMBUS OHIO HAD POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS ;SNOW AND ICY RAIN. I WAS TRAVELING ON S.R. 104 EXITING ON HIGH ST. I APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND FISH TAILED MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. I HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND THE CAR ROLLED OVER. THE FRONT BUMPER HAD HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND WAS ACTUALLY OFF THE CAR BY THE TIME I UPRIGHTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE KIA SPORTAGE IS EQUIPPED WITH 3 AIRBAGS;THE FRONT DRIVER FRONT PASSENGER AND A DRIVER KNEE AIRBAG, NONE OF WHICH DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS OFF THE CAR AS WELL WHEN I UPRIGHTED, AND AGAIN, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS, INCLUDING THE PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED. MY 2 YEAR OLD SON WAS ALSO IN THE CAR, IN A CARSEAT IN THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE. HE THANKFULLY SUFFERED NO INJURY, BUT THAT PART OF THE CAR RECIEVED THE LEAST DAMAGE.

I REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR ON THE HIGHWAY GOING APPROX. 10-15 MILES AN HOUR. THE AIRBAG SENSOR WAS SMASHED AND NEITHER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS TOLD IN THE BEGINNING THAT THE AIRBAG MISFIRED AND WENT OFF INSIDE THE DASHBOARD. NOW THEY ARE UNABLE TO TELL ME WETHER THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED OR NOT AND THEY DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE EVEN GOING TO FIX THEM. I AM LIVID!*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BY A VEHICLE GOING 55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN ANGLE, A SPRAINED WRIST, AND POSSIBLE HEAD INJURIES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER CRESTED A HILL TO COME FACE TO FACE WITH A TRUCK MAKING A TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER PRESSED THE BRAKES WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE AND THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASED. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP AT LEAST FIVE TIMES. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, I HYDROPLANED AND LOST CONTROL OF MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE, IMPACTING A BARRICADE WITH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT KEEP ME RESTRAINED ALLOWING MY HEAD TO IMPACT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *NLM

I WAS DRIVING A KIA SPORTAGE 2001 AND WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT IT BROKE THE BACK SUPPORT OF MY SEAT. THE TRUCK FORCED ME INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SO HARD THAT I CRUMBLED THE TRUNK OF THAT VEHICLE. IN ALL 5 VEHICLES RECEIVED DAMAGE. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MY SEAT BROKE AND MY AIRBAGS INCLUDING A KNEE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I RECEIVED WHIPLASH TO THE NECK AND DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT LEG. I FEEL THAT HAD MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED I WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED THE DAMAGE TO MY LEG. ALSO I BELIEVE HAD MY SEAT BACK SUPPORT STAYED UPRIGHT I WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED THE INJURIES AS BAD. *NLM

THE SEAT BELT WAS TIGHT AND IT LOCKED UP. PH

I WAS STOPPED BEHIND TWO CARS WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. I WAS REARENDED BY A MAN GOING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH AT IMPACT, I WAS SLAMMED IN TO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME, AND SHE HIT THE PERSON IN FRONT OF HER KNOCKING THAT SUV IN TO ON COMING TRAFFIC. ALL FOUR CARS WERE TOTALLED AND EVERYONE'S AIRBAGS WENT OFF EXCEPT FOR MINE. MY FACE TOOK OUT THE VISOR AND HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FRONT SEATS RECLINED AT IMPACT AS WELL.

WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH. TWO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME COLLIDED AND THEN BOTH SLID INTO ME HEAD ON. DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS IN EXCESS OF $5,000. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR SOFT TISSUE INJURIES. *JB

THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *MR *CB *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, CONSUMER HIT A DEER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD HIT ANOTHER DEER ON DRIVERS SIDE AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

FRONT COLLISION AT 6 MPH, IMPACT WAS ON FRONT RIGHT. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 6500.00, CONSUMER SUFFERED LIGHT INJURIES.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE SKIDDED ON SOME BLACK ICE INTO METAL RAIL. THEN, SPINNED AND SWERVED THREE OR MORE TIMES, AND THEN STOPPED. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF AT ALL.*AK

FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS, FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLL OVER CRASH. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FULL FRONTAL CRASH. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURY TO DRIVER. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND BOTH AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUFFERED FROM SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE, CERVICAL LUMBAR SPRAIN, NUMBNESS OF LEFT ARM, AND STIFFNESS OF UPPER AND LOWER BACK. *SLC