2001 Kia Sportage Engine Problems

I PURCHASED MY KIA SPORTAGE ON 6/29/11 WITH 90000 MILES ON IT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. I ALSO PURCHASED A ONE YEAR WARRANTY/10,000 MILES. AFTER 2 WEEKS OF DRIVING MY CAR WOULD TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. FIRST TIME SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME HAD NOT CONTROL WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE WITH NO STEERING. CAR STARTED BACK UP. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP, DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NO WAY POSSIBLE OF THIS OCCURRING. I THEN DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND SAW THAT MANY OTHER KIA SPORTAGE OWNERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. PRINTED OUT THE INFORMATION FROM OTHER OWNERS AND BROUGHT BACK TO DEALERSHIP.THEY SAID MY BATTERY HOUSING WAS LOOSE AND THEY REPAIRED. A WEEK LATER MY CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. TOOK BAG TO KIA THEY THEN REPLACED MY BATTERY AND WIRES. NO PROBLEMS FOR A YEAR SAME ISSUE AGAIN. CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING. I CANT BELIEVE I HAVE YET TO GET IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THIS TIME MY WARRANTY WAS UP AND I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW BATTERY AND WIRES AND THE HOLDER THAT THE BATTERY SITS ON BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS DEFECTIVE. IT IS NOW 5/9/2013. TODAY MY CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK AND NOW SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. I HAVE ALSO GONE THROUGH THREE THERMOSTATS IN 6 MONTHS DUE TO DEFECTS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. KIA NEEDS TO RECALL THE CAR NOT STARTING ISSUE IMMEDIATELY. *TR

POLYPROPYLENE COOLING FAN BLADE BROKE OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON MY WAY TO WORK, THE FAN PROCEEDED TO PUNCTURE MY RADIATOR AND COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO WRECK SINCE IT OVER HEATED AND SHUT OFF AND I HAD NO CONTROL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE PURCHASED ON AUGUST 25, 2009. THERE WAS A NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED BY A PIPE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT CONTINUED TO LEAK WATER FROM THE VENTS AND ONTO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS ALLERGY IN THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,200.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A POPPING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT TWO CYLINDERS AND FOUR SPARK PLUGS WERE BURNT AND DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85,000.

THE POLYPROPYLENE COOLING FAN BLADE BROKE OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, PUNCTURING THE RADIATOR, BREAKING THE COWLING, AND PUNCTURING A HOSE. THE RESULTS BEING THE SPORTAGE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE REPAIRS ARE COSTING $500 - $600. THE SPORTAGE IS STILL IN THE SHOP BEING FIXED AS I AM WRITING THIS. THE REPAIR SHOP WILL SAVE THE OLD PARTS FOR ME. I CONTACTED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY RESEARCHED MY VIN NUMBER, WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE WINDOW FOR THE PRESENT RECALL (07V161000). THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IS OCCURRING WITH THE 2002 MODELS IS ALSO HAPPENING WITH THE EARLIER MODELS. I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD TO HAVE THESE REPAIRS MADE.

MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE'S ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS NO LOGIC TO THE INCIDENTS: WAITING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR TO NEUTRAL AND TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL USUALLY RESTART THE ENGINE IN ONE TRY, BUT NOT ALWAYS. I HAVE REPLACED TWO EMISSION CONTROL SOLENOID VALVES, THE FUEL TANK AND THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE KIA DEALER AND ON-LINE CHATTERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS QUITE A FEW OF THEM. A RECENT VISIT TO THE KIA DEALER FOUND O CODES STORED IN THE ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THE DATE LISTED BELOW WAS AN INCIDENT WITNESSED BY MY PARENTS, ACTUALLY THE FOURTH SUCH OCCURRENCE IN AS MANY DAYS.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 30-70 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY YET THE FAILURE RECURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THERE WAS A SEPARATE OCCASION WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER EIGHT TIMES WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIRING HARNESS WAS CLEANED BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE PERSISTED IN WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 05/05/11*LJ UPDATED 05/09/11

IN JANUARY, 2007, MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE WAS MAKING A LOUD, STRAINING ENGINE SOUND. TOOK THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED AND WAS TOLD I NEED A COOLING FAN BLADE ASSEMBLY. MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO I DIDN'T TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL THIS PART. I PLAN TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FROM KIA. *TR

THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING FROM BOSTON ON THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE TOWARD NEW YORK STATE. AS SHE APPROACHED THE NEW YORK STATE TOLL BOOTHS, BRAKES, STEERING, AND ACCELERATION SUDDENLY FAILED AND THE VEHICLE, A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 66,018 MILES BEGAN SMOKING. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO TURN SLIGHTLY TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE TOLL BOOTHS AND FOUND HERSELF HEADED FOR A LARGE PROPANE TANK ON THE GROUNDS. SHE PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND MANAGED TO STOP WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE TANK. BELIEVING THE CAR TO BE ON FIRE, SHE EXITED QUICKLY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LIA KIA IN SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK. THE ALLSTATE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR AND THE MECHANIC AGREED THAT THE FAN CLUTCH HAD BROKEN OFF AND MOVED THROUGHOUT THE AREA UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THE ALLSTATE INVESTIGATOR HAS PICTURES OF THE FAN CLUTCH AND DAMAGE. INSURANCE DID NOT PAY BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR WAS $4500.00. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT LIA KIA WHILE THE NATIONAL KIA HEADQUARTERS WAS CONTACTED. MR. RYAN CHRISTIANSON WAS THE CONTACT THERE. HE MAINTAINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO KIA HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND WANTED ALL PAST RECORDS SENT TO HIM, UNTIL HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE PICTURES AT ALLSTATE. VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION ARE AVAILABLE. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS VERY NEARLY A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT WHICH WOULD HAVE INVOLVED MANY VEHICLES AND INDIVIDUALS WAS POINTED OUT TO HIM. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT LIA KIA UNTIL MAY, WHEN THEY BEGAN TO DEMAND RENT. WITH NO APPARENT REMAINING OPTIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $4595.99 AND DRIVEN HOME ON MAY 19, 2006. THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY DRIVING HOME AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEGACY KIA IN E. SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE SITE, WHERE THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPAIRED AT A FURTHER COST OF $306.13. ITEMIZED LISTS OF ALL REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD FAILURES IN SHIFTING GEARS SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE ECT CONNECTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE SENSOR HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS DESPITE THE REPAIRS. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 02/13/06. *JB

I WAS IN MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE AND WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON 7/20/05. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE ROCKER ARM OF MY ENGINE SHEARED OFF AND THE ENGINE DROPPED DOWN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE (DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY VEHICLE) AND FELL ONTO THE DRIVE TRAIN AND AXLE, CRUSHING EVERYTHING IT HIT. I WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT, AS WELL, AND KIA IS BEING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ABOUT FIXING MY VEHICLE. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ANY FASTER, LIKE I HAD BEEN ONLY MINUTES EARLIER, THE ENGINE COULD HAVE BEEN YANKED FROM UNDERNEATH THE SUV AND SEPARATED FROM MY VEHICLE, LEAVING ME STRAPPED INTO THE FRAME OF MY CAR WITH NO ENGINE IN IT AND FREE ROLLING IN THE FRAME. IT IS HIGHLY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT KILLED IN THIS ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN A POSSIBILITY. INITIALLY, THE LOCAL DEALER WENT AHEAD AND REPAIRED THE AXLE, DRIVE TRAIN, AND ENGINE MOUNT REPAIRS; HOWEVER, MY FRAME IS BENT BADLY ON MY VEHICLE AND THE LOCAL DEALER SAYS THAT THEY DO NOT REPAIR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. AFTER REPORTING THE ACCIDENT, THEN GOING BACK AND FORTH BEING PUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES BY KIA CORPORATE, I NOW STILL HAVE NO VEHICLE FIVE WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD THAT SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS HAD MY CASE AND THAT THEY WOULD CALL ME. THEY NEVER DID UNTIL LAST NIGHT WHEN THE KIA CORPORATE NATIONAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS MANAGER LEFT ME A MESSAGE AT HOME WHILE I WAS AT DINNER. THIS IS THE FIRST PERSON TO CALL ME IN FIVE WEEKS, ASIDE FROM THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE GOING FORWARD AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY, USAA, IS NOT WILLING TO HELP ME WITH THIS CASE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I REPORTED THE ACCIDENT WITHIN MINUTES OF IT HAPPENING, THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING THAT SINCE KIA TOUCHED THE VEHICLE AND MADE REPAIRS BEFORE THEY COULD LOOK AT THE EXACT NATURE OF THE DAMAGES THEY CANNOT HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. CALL LOGS AND ALL RELATED PAPERWORK IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. *JB

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TIRE LATCH ON THE BACK OF 2001 KIA SPORTAGE I BROKE. THIS WAS LATCH THAT HELD THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER, IT ALSO HAS TO OPEN IN ORDER FOR THE CONSUMER TO OPEN TRUCK. THE OWNERS MECHANIC HAS OILED AND FIXED THE TIRE CARRIER FOR A TEMPORARY FIX. THE OWNER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND COULDN'T FIX THE LATCH UNTIL IT WAS BROKEN, AND THEN THEY COULD REPAIR IT. THE OWNER HAS NOT CALLED KIA. THE LATCH HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. THE OWNER SUGGESTED THAT THE LATCH COULD HAVE ROTTED OUT. THE OWNER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE LAST YEAR ON JUNE 12, 2004 TO HAVE THE TAIL PIPE FIXED. THE KIA DEALERSHIP BODY SHOP THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO FIX THE TAILPIPE, DID NOT REPAIR THE TAILPIPE. THE CAR WAS RATTLING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE OWNER'S MECHANIC REMOVED THE ROTTED EXHAUST SYSTEM, THE KIA DEALERSHIP WAS SUPPOSE TO FIX THIS AND DID NOT AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE ON HAD 13,623 MILES ON IT AT THIS POINT. THE DEALER IS NO LONGER WITH THE ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER THEY CLOSED DOWN.*AK

2001 KIA SPORTAGE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOT. THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED.*MR THE COOLANT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, THE REAR HATCH PANEL INSIDE FELL OFF, NEW CLIPS WERE INSTALLED. REPLACED MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH, TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED, WIND NOISE FROM FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AREA. *BF

DT: THE CONTACT STATED ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE RPM GAUGE WAS READING INCORRECTLY, EITHER VERY HIGH OR NOT READING AT ALL WHEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ALSO, THE EXHAUST WAS GLOWING RED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP EIGHT TIMES, AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE COIL BECAME DEFECTIVE, AND BROKE INTO TWO PARTS. DEALER CONTACTED THE CONSUMER TO INFORM HIM THAT THEY REPLACED THE COIL WITH THE SAME ONE THAT CAME OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE STARTING UP AS WELL AS STALLING. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AND THE GAS MILEAGE WAS DROPPING WAY DOWN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A TUNE UP BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE CONSUMER HIT A BUMP AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE SERVICED. THE FILLER NECK RUSTED AND THE FUEL CAP WAS LEAKING. THE FILLER NECK WAS REPLACED, BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS WORN AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED. *SC *JB

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE. WHEN CONSUMER PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. *AK THE CONSUMER'S ATTORNEY BELIEVED IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE'S STRUCTURE. KIA DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. (CONSUMER ON BEHALF OF GRANDDAUGHTER) *PH

TRANSMISSION LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, ALSO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT. *AK

HAVE HAD RECURRENT PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE PERFORMANCE IDLE AND RUNNING. ENGINE RACING WITH RPM'S TO 3500 AT STOP SIGN. HAVE HAD TO TURN VEHICLE OFF TO RESOLVE PROBLEM. I WAS AFRAID THAT IF I DID NOT TURN ENGINE OFF, IDLE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO RACE AND "BLOW UP." ENGINE ALSO HAS VERY ROUGH IDLE/ALTERNATING WITH INTERMITTENT MISFIRES MOST OF THE TIME... "BOGGING" DOWN TO ALMOST STALL /THEN RACING TO RPM OF 1500-2500. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN ATTEMPTING ACCELERATION ONTO FREEWAY OR WHEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN AT SIGNALS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES NOW IN ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT MALFUNCTIONS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN HELPFUL BUT UNABLE TO COMPLETELY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER INSISTS THAT PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED, BUT I, THE CONSUMER BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE. IT IS ALSO TIME CONSUMING TO REPEATEDLY RETURN THE CAR FOR SERVICE. *LA