WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT TALKING WITH MY WIFE, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.
- NHTSA ID
- 11170851
- Incident
- Sep 3, 2018
- Mileage
- 176,700 mi
Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Kia Sportage submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 39 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 39, in the owner's own words
WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT TALKING WITH MY WIFE, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE OCCUPIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF WILMINGTON (1603 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806, (302) 656-3100) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO DIAGNOSED WHY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,620. *BP*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD OPEN A CASE FOR THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. THE LOWER AIR BAG STRUCK THE CONTACT IN THE HIP AREA AND THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG STRUCK THE CONTACT IN THE FACE, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,226.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED AT 15 MPH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. HE DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE HE PURCHASED IT. HE HAS TRIED CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BUT EVERY TIME HE CALLED HE WAS PLACED ON HOLD. THEREFORE, HE HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK
DT: DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE BACKING FROM A DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEED. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR IMPACT. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED OR WARNING SIGNALS. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN A SHADED AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND DROVE VEHICLE HOME AFTER THE INCIDENT. HAVE NOT TAKEN THIS TO A DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED AFTERWARDS AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. NO EXPLANATION OR CLUE AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *NM
DT: CONSUMER STATES: THE DRIVER'S AIR BAGS DISCHARGED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT.*AK
THE SRS AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO COME ON ITS OWN. THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD BEEN ON FOR A YEAR. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *SC
THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY NEEDED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER NO ASSISTANCE WITH THE TOWING WOULD BE PROVIDED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. *SC
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER AND THE OTHER VEHICLE'S DRIVER VISITED THE HOSPITAL FOR MINOR INJURIES.*AK *NM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE DRIVER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. MANUFACTURER WAS SUPPOSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER THEY NEVER CAME TO INSPECT. MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE DEDUCTIBLE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AIR BAG KNEE BOLSTER WENT OFF WITHOUT PHYSICAL CONTACT BLWE OUT DASH AND PARTS OF THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER NOTIFIED STATED IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT REPAIR IT. *AK *CB
1997 SPORTAGE KIA WITH 67000 MILES, DEALER MAINTAINED NOW HAS A "FAULTY AIRBAG" SIGNAL THAT INDICATES POSSIBILITY THAT AIRBAG MAY NOT DEFLATE IN AN ACCIDENT. NO ACCIDENTS OF ANY KIND. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 10-20 MPH APPLIED ON BRAKES AND WITHOUT WARNING BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION. CONSUMER THEN TRIED TO SHIFT VEHICLE MANUALLY; HOWEVER, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR LEG INJURIES. *AK CONSUMER ADDS THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AT 10-15 MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION, DRIVER HAD TO RUN A RED LIGHT, RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR LEG INJURIES.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIRBAG FAILED. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE ACCELERATOR AND TRANSMISSION STUCK. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. *AK THE TRANSMISSION JAMMED AND THE ACCELERATOR STUCK. *JG
WHILE DRIVING AT 10-15 MPH, FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS HIT AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER ADDS THE BRAKES FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATOR. *TT
AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD STAY ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. DEALERSHIP HAS AGAIN EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL. NO REASON WAS GIVEN AS TO COMPONENT CAUSING AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. DRIVER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATINON/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH 55 MPH IMPACT ,AND DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL AND PASSENGER TO HIT DASHBOARD. SEATBELTS WERE NOT WORN AT TIME.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 20-25 MPH CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM DRIVERS SIDE WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO CONTIUNOUSLY FLIPOVER, RESULTING IN SOME INJURIES TO HEAD AND BODY. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DID NOT CONTACT DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. *AK
I WAS CONCERNED THAT MY AIRBAG HAD NOT DEPLOYED DURING MY ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 7TH. SINCE I SUFFERED A FRONT END COLLISION, I WONDERED WHY IT HAD NOT. I CONTACTED KIA AND AFTER BEING PUT OFF FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS, THEY FINALLY INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE THEM REPORT THE PROBLEM TO KIA. STATE FARM INDICATED THAT SINCE THE AIR BAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED, IT WAS NOT A PART THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED. STATE FARM INDICATED THAT THEIR ADJUSTERS HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING WHY A PART BUILT BY KIA WAS NOT WORKING AT THAT IT WAS KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY. FINALLY GETTING THE CAR BACK FROM IT'S SECOND TRIP TO BE REPAIRED FROM THE ACCIDENT (ANOTHER STORY ALL TOGETHER), I TOOK IT IN TO CENTRAL KIA IN PLANO, TX AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD A DEFECTIVE MODULE WHICH THEY WOULD REPAIR FOR $892 PLUS LABOR. WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO WHY I WOULD BE CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS "DEFECTIVE" PART, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT AND THAT THE REPAIR OF THE AIRBAG IS COVERED ONLY BY WARRANTY UP TO 36,000 MILES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY WAY I FOUND OUT THAT THE PART DID NOT WORK WAS BECAUSE I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS WONDERING IF I HAVE ANY GROUND TO STAND ON IN THINKING THAT IT IS KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ALL I CAN THINK IS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HADN'T SEEN THE COLLISION COMING. THE AIRBAG THAT I PAID FOR WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, WAS PURCHASED IN GOOD FAITH THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK ... IT DIDN'T. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE CRASHED INTO DRIVER'S SIDE OF A SMALL NISSAN TRUCK, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. SPORTAGE WAS TOTALLED IN THE CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH DRIVER REAR ENDED A FORD BRONCO, AND AIR BAG ON DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT DID NOT INFLATE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION., *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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