2002 Kia Sportage Engine Problems

THERE IS A VERY STRONG RAW GAS SMELL THAT FILLS THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE UPON STARTING AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT REST AND RUNNING. FUEL TANK LEAKING. SEAM AREAS AND FUEL PUMP/SENDING UNIT AREA DUE TO CORROSION AND VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND I HAD A HARD TIME STARTING IT. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE IT, ALL I COULD DO IS SMELL RAW GAS.------------------------ I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL TANK, FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, ANY AND ALL PARTS ATTACHED TO FUEL TANK. (VERY EXPENSIVE). ON RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE FEBRUARY 2011, I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS SINCE BUYING THIS VEHICLE. IN FACT, UPON LEARNING OF MECHANICAL ISSUES I TRY TO HAVE THEM FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. (HOWEVER, I WAS GIVEN AN ORANGE TITLE. WHICH AT THE TIME, I DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT.) YET, THE VEHICLE DROVE WITH JUST MINOR PROBLEMS, SUCH AS: BRAKES, TIMING BELT, FUEL FILTER, OIL CHANGES, ETC). THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND MOST DAMAGING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS "MISSING" WHILE IDLE AND "BACK FIRING". THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE MULTIPLE ISSUES WERE DIAGNOSED (POWER TRAIN, BASE ENGINE PROBLEM, EXHAUST MANIFOLD). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 187,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO FILL THE FUEL TANK, GASOLINE WOULD BEGIN TO SPEW OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITIONER THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE YESTERDAY, I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE COMING FROM UNDER MY CAR. I OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT THE RADIATOR FAN HAD EXPLODED AND WAS MISSING ALL IT'S BLADES AND THE SHROUD WAS IN PIECES ALSO. ONE OF THE PIECES PUNCHED A HOLE IN THE RADIATOR. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERHEATING OR HAVING ANY NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS. I DISCOVERED LAST NIGHT THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT KIA MOTORS CLAIMS THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS NOTED IN THE RECALL. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AND I AM PAYING TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. I THINK MAYBE THE PROBLEM MAY BE PRESENT IN OTHER VEHICLES NOT "LISTED" IN THE RECALL. I FEEL LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HAVE MY HEAD UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

2002 KIA SPORTAGE. DEALER AND KIA ADMITTED THE CAR HAD THE PART RECALLED. THE PLASTIC FAN BROKE AND PIECES WENT INTO THE RADIATOR AND HOSES. THE DEALER GAVE ME A PRICE OF 660 DOLLARS TO FIX THE REPAIRS. HOWEVER, THEY SAID I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARGES SINCE THEY SENT OUT A REPAIR NOTICE APPROX 3 YEARS AGO WHICH I NEVER RECEIVED. I HAD TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR IT AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THAT IF THE PART WAS RECALLED AND CAUSED THE DAMAGE THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT. THEY WERE GONNA CONTACT THE DEALER SO WHEN I CALLED AGAIN THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T PAY. *TR

COOLANT GAUGE NOT READING OR REGISTERING THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE THEREFORE RENDERING IT UNFIT FOR CLEARING AN INSPECTION. IT CAUSES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON EVEN IF COOLANT AND/OR THERMOSTAT, SENSORS,HARNESS WIRING WIRES AND OTHER THINGS/PARTS CONNECT TO IT HAS BEEN REPLACED OR CHECKED FOR PROBLEMS IT STILL GIVES A FALSE READING THAT THE SAME PROBLEM IS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. COOLANT THERMOSTAT NOT REACHING TEMPERATURE. *TR

PRIOR,AT 97K THE REAR WAS MAKING NOISE. BROUGHT TO DEALER,THEY SAID REAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BECAUSE I HAD NO RECEIPTS FROM A GARAGE STATING THE OIL WAS REPLACED,IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $900. TO REPLACE REAR AND AXLE. PART CHANGERS.HAD REAR REBUILT $400. RADIATOR WAS REPLACED AT 100K. AFTER OVER YEARS,COOLING FAN WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL. VACUUM HUB WAS REPLACED TO MANUAL. FUEL SMELL, WAS RUBBER RETURN LINE FROM FUEL PSI REGULATOR TO METAL RETURN LINE LEAKING. KEPT UP ON ALL MAINTENANCE SINCE NEW,A RELIABLE CAR WITH ORIGINAL ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, AT 222K. *TR

MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE SURGES FORWARD WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2002. ALSO, THE VEHICLE STALLS ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHILE AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. *TR

2005 KIA SPORTAGE HAS A FAULTY HARMONIC BALANCER. *NJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE FAN BLADE BLEW INTO PIECES. HE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR, ANTIFREEZE RESERVE TANK, ALL THREE SERPENTINE BELTS, AIR INTAKE, AND THE INTAKE HOSE HIMSELF, TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. HE THEN RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V161000, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: FAN) AND PETITIONED FOR REIMBURSEMENT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER ADVISED HE WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNTIL HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. HE SOON NOTICED THE SMELL OF BURNING ANTIFREEZE CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BECAME UNUSUALLY WARM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAN BELT UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN AND WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. AFTER REPAIRS, HE CONTINUED TO SMELL BURNING ANTIFREEZE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND HE WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,835 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,838.

TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH SHE HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING, RUNNING HOT AND STEAM AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE CLUTCH FAN FRAGMENTED AND BROKE AND WENT INTO THE RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPAIRED, THE TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THE HEAD RESURFACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED A SAFETY RECALL 07V161000 - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. KG UPDATED 10/14/08 *BF UPDATED 10/23/08. *JB

NY KIA SPORTAGE 2002 4D4X4 COOLING FAN BLEW APART TAKING OUT THE RADIATOR AND OTHER PARTS. IT IS A DEFECTIVE PART FOUND RECALL ON THE INTERNET. CALLED KIA 18003334542 ARGUED WITH THEM FOR A WEEK THEY FINALLY AGREED TO FIX THE DAMAGE. IT WAS TO BE DONE MONDAY THAT'S WHEN THEY ORDERED THE PARTS. THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE A LOANER CAR AS MINE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

VEHICLE: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE 4 DR. 4X4; PURCHASED BRAND NEW & PD. IN FULL. IN 2008, WE LEFT AN AMUSEMENT PARK, HOT DAY. 4 PASSENGERS INCLUDING 1 BABY. UPON GOING HOME NEEDED TO RUN A/C. I <DRIVER> NOTICED THE TEMP. GAUGE GOING FROM APPROX. MIDRANGE TEMP. TO HOT. A/C WAS SHUT OFF & WE ROLLED DOWN WINDOWS & MADE IT HOME. TOOK VEHICLE TO BE CHECKED OUT & WAS TOLD THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS INOPERATIVE. THE TECH. SAID THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK VEHICLE TO KIA DEALERSHIP WHO CLAIMED AFTER APPROX. 30 - 40 MINS, IN HIS CARE, THAT THE RECALLED COOLING FAN PROBLEM WAS NOW REPLACED @ NO CHARGE TO ME. I AM NOW FINDING OUT THAT REPLACEMENT WAS NOT DONE DUE TO ANOTHER, SEPARATE TECHNICIAN. 2 TECH'S INVOLVED. 1ST TECH TOLD ME OF RECALL; 2ND TECH SAID RECALLED ITEM WAS NOT REPLACED. WHAT SHOULD I DO? PLEASE TELL ME. I NEED YOUR ADVICE. I AWAIT YOUR REPLY AS TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE AT THE MECHANIC'S SHOP TWICE WITHIN THE PAST YEAR DUE TO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND GOING OFF SPORADICALLY. MY MECHANIC HAS, BOTH TIMES, HOOKED IT UP TO ALL HIS MACHINERY TO CHECK FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT BOTH TIMES, FOUND NOTHING. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT JUST HAPPENED... I HAD AN INCIDENT HAPPEN WITH MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE THIS EVENING 8/6/08. THE COOLING FAN BROKE APART AN SEVERED MY POWER STEERING HOSE SPRAYING OIL ALL OVER MY CAR CAUSING IT TO SMOKE AND MY POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. THIS IS WHAT MY HUSBAND SAYS HAPPENED ANYWAY. I WAS STRANDED 30 MILES FROM HOME AND HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO MY USUAL MECHANIC. UPON RETURNING HOME I RESEARCHED THE NET FOR MY VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM IN 2007. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AND WOULD HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE FIXED HAD I KNOWN. I'M NOT SURE OF THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, AS THIS JUST HAPPENED TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? *TR

I HAVE A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE IT HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND I WAS DRIVING IT CAME UP ON A RED LIGHT AND THE CLUTCH WOULDN'T DISENGAGE THE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN BUT THE CLUTCH WOULDN'T RELEASE SO I DROVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT WITH NO ABILITY TO STOP THERE WAS ALOT OF CARS COMING AND THEY BARELY MISSED T-BONING ME THERE WHERE KIDS ALSO PLAYING ON THE SIDE WALK I HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OF AND COAST TO A STOP THE GEAR SHIFT WOULDN'T COME OUT OF GEAR AS LONG AS THE ENGINE WAS TURNING OVER. IT WILL START AND RUN ALL DAY AS LONG AS ITS IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AND IT HAS SAT FOR TWO YEARS NOW ( I DEPLOYED FOR 15 MONTHS THAT'S WHY ITS SAT SO LONG) I REPLACED THE SLAVE AND MASTER CYLINDER AND IT HASN'T CHANGED ANYTHING I WAS IN A PARTS STORE AND HEARD ANOTHER GUY TALKING ABOUT HIS 2002 SPORTAGE IT DONE THE SAME THING AND HE REAR ENDED SOMEONE TOTALING IT. ITS IN A JUNKYARD NOW AND I HAVE TALKED TO COUNTLESS OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM ONE GUY PAID THE DEALERSHIP 1700$ TO FIX HIS THEN THE PROBLEM CAME BAD A WEEK LATER. I JUST WANT MY CAR TO BE FIXED. THE LAST PROBLEM I HAD WITH IT WAS THE FAN EXPLODED WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND CUT MY RADIATOR THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAN BUT JUST CRIMPED MY RADIATOR I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH KIA I CALLED AND THE GUY HUNG UP ON ME WHEN I EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM SO IM NOT THE ONLY ONE IM SURE. *TR

DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC LAST WEEK AND CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CAR WAS NOT SMOKING, THERMOSTAT WAS NOT SHOWING OVERHEATING. I TRIED TO MAKE IT TO THE OFF RAMP LESS THAN 1.5 MILES. DEALER SAYS THAT THE RADIATOR HAS A HOLE IN IT AND THE HEAD HAS TO BE REBUILT AND THEY SAY THAT I MUST REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AND PULLEY'S . I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS A BAD THERMOSTAT. THE HEAD ASSEMBLY, CYLINDER HEAD, SPARK PLUGS, HOSES WERE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR REPLACED. I ALSO HAVE REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT AND AS OF MAY 15 2008 A NEW FAN CLUTCH. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SHOWS ANY SIGNS OF OVERHEATING ON ANY GAUGES, AND DOES NOT SMOKE. YOU CAN ONLY HERE THE SOUND OF BOILING WATER IN THE RADIATOR. HOW DO YOU DIAGNOSE OVERHEATING PROBLEMS THAT CAN DO OVER $4000 DAMAGE TO A MOTOR WITH 55K MILES AND 5 YEARS OLD . CASE NUMBER --K14040462. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THEN THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND SHUT OFF. HE NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE COOLING FAN DISINTEGRATED. NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 07V161000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN) WAS FOUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE FAN. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE DAMAGED RADIATOR CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE FAN SHOULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31,000.

OUR 2002 KIA SPORTAGE WAS DUE FOR A NEW TIMING BELT SO WE HAD IT REPLACED, SUBSEQUENTLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FAN BLADE AND HAD IT REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEKS LATER THE FAN BLADE CAME OFF AND WENT THROUGH THE RADIATOR AND THE ENGINE SEIZED UP, SO WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEIR ASSESSMENT WAS THAT IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT BUT THAT THE FAN CLUTCH LET GO, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE FAN BLADE, AND THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY HADN'T TOUCHED THE FAN CLUTCH WHEN THEY REPLACED THE BLADE. AFTER TALKING TO THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AND ASKING ABOUT THE PROCEDURE TO REPLACE THE BLADE I WAS FINALLY TOLD, "IT WAS DONE BY MAGIC". CONTACTED THE KIA REPRESENTATIVE WHO SAID HE'D LOOK INTO IT, BUT TO DATE HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM HIM, ONLY THE DEALERSHIP WHO WANTED ME TO GET THE CAR OFF THEIR LOT. THEY WERE WILLING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $3000, BUT FORTUNATELY I HAD ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND GOT IT DONE FOR HALF THE PRICE. WOULDN'T DO BUSINESS WITH THIS DEALER AGAIN AFTER BEING TREATED THIS WAY, AND TO THINK WE'D PURCHASED 4 VEHICLES FROM THEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL REGARDING THE ENGINE FAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE BEGAN WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, WHICH CAUSED THE FAN TO CRACK AND STRIKE THE RADIATOR. THE HEAT ALSO CAUSED THE HEAD OF THE VALVES TO WARP. THE FAN WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE. THE RECALL NUMBER THAT WAS REFERENCED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 66,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 07V161000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN). THE KIA DEALER IS NOT ACCEPTING ANY NEW APPOINTMENTS UNTIL OCTOBER OF 2007 FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 50,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS INAPPLICABLE.