1998 Kia Sportage Fuel system Problems

THIS IS A REPEAT OF CONFIRMATION NO. 10514519, BUT WITH "WAS THERE AN INJURY OR FATALITY? MARKED "YES" ABOVE. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SCALDED WITH BOILING RADIATOR FLUID WITH FOOT ON PEDAL, HAD TO KEEP FOOT ON PETAL TO GET OFF ROAD. ON MAY 30, 2013, AT APPROX. 4:30PM EDT, I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 KIA SPORTAGE ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY NORTH, JUST AFTER ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AT EXIT 98 IN WALL, NJ. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAD NOT BEEN WORKING WELL. THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE HIGH 90S, NEAR 100 DEGREES. I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SUDDENLY, ANTI-FREEZE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DASHBOARD VENTS, THEN, HOT SCALDING ANTI-FREEZE BEGAN FALLING ON MY RIGHT FOOT AS IT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER WAS ALSO GETTING SCALDED. IN MY CASE, I SUSTAINED A 1ST TO 2ND DEGREE BURN ON MY RIGHT SMALL (PINKY) TOE, WHICH WAS BLISTERED. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF AT THE MONMOUTH SERVICE AREA AT MILEPOST 100 OF THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY IN WALL, NJ. MY VIEW IS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY DESIGN OVERSIGHT, NOT MERELY A MAINTENANCE ISSUE ON A OLD CAR. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A HEATER CORE BREAKS AND DOES NOT HEAT, THAT IS A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IF IT BREAKS AND AN UNEXPECTED DRIVER GETS HURT, AND COMPOUNDED, LOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND MOREOVER, HAS TO PUT HIS FOOT BACK ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO CONTROL THE CAR IN A HOT-LIQUID STREAM, THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY CONDITION DUE TO FAILURE TO SAFELY CONTAIN HOT LIQUIDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514551

Incident

May 30, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SCALDED WITH BOILING RADIATOR FLUID WITH FOOT ON PEDAL, HAD TO KEEP FOOT ON PETAL TO GET OFF ROAD ON MAY 30, 2013, AT APPROX. 4:30 PM EDT, I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 KIA SPORTAGE ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY NORTH, JUST AFTER ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AT EXIT 98 IN WALL, NJ. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAD NOT BEEN WORKING WELL. THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE HIGH 90S, NEAR 100 DEGREES. I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SUDDENLY, ANTI-FREEZE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DASHBOARD VENTS, THEN, HOT SCALDING ANTI-FREEZE BEGAN FALLING ON MY RIGHT FOOT AS IT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER WAS ALSO GETTING SCALDED. IN MY CASE, I SUSTAINED A 1ST TO 2ND DEGREE BURN ON MY RIGHT SMALL (PINKY) TOE, WHICH WAS BLISTERED. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF AT THE MONMOUTH SERVICE AREA AT MILEPOST 100 IN WALL, NJ. MY VIEW IS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY DESIGN OVERSIGHT, NOT MERELY A MAINTENANCE ISSUE ON A OLD CAR. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A HEATER CORE BREAKS AND DOES NOT HEAT, THAT IS A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IF IT BREAKS AND AN UNEXPECTED DRIVER GETS HURT, AND COMPOUNDED, LOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND MOREOVER, HAS TO PUT HIS FOOT BACK ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO CONTROL THE CAR IN A HOT-LIQUID STREAM, THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY CONDITION DUE TO FAILURE TO SAFELY CONTAIN HOT LIQUIDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514519

Incident

May 30, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

FUEL TANK IS LEAKING, WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, KIA WILL ONLY REPLACE TANK IF THE LEAK IS ON THE VERY BOTTOM OF TANK. THEY ARE SAYING MINE IS LEAKING AT THE SEAM. I VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM NO MATTER WHERE THE TANK IS LEAKING. I ONLY HOPE NOONE HAS A FIRE BECAUSE OF IT. I HAVE TO PAY THE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE BILL. I WAS TOLD NOT ONLY DO I NEED THE TANK I WILL NEED THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY ALSO AND POSSIBLY MORE PARTS. THE TOTAL APPROXIMATELY $1000.00 TO HAVE INSTALLED. THIS IS BS AN OUTRAGE. HAD I KNOWN THE PROBLEM WITH THE KIA'S I WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10429999

Incident

Oct 12, 2011

I OWN A 1998 KIA SPORTAGE 4WD. I HAVE ACCESS TO ALLDATA.COM. I HAVE RECENTLY PERFORMED SOME ENGINE WORK TO MY VEHICLE AND CAME ACROSS A RECALL THAT CAUSED ME SOME CONCERN. NUMBER: KT2006050901 IS LISTED AS A POSSIBLE CONCERN FOR "CERTAIN 1996 - 2002 SPORTAGE MODELS."I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MAKES A PARTICULAR VEHICLE ONE THAT IS MARKED "FOR CONCERN." THE RECALL STATES THE EXACT ISSUE THAT I AM FACING WITH MY VEHICLE. THIS CONDITION IS BEING EXHIBITED AT THIS TIME. THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT ONE THAT I STO BE SERVICED UNDER THIS RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS EXHIBITING WHAT THE RECALL INFORMATION OUTLINES. WHY, WOULD YOU PLEASE, IS MY VEHICLE NOT ONE THAT SHOULD BE A CANDIDATE FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL? I HAVE A LEAK FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK. A DEALERSHIP IN NASHVILLE SAYS THAT FROM ALL THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE INSPECTED/REPAIRED FOR THIS RECALL CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10197144

Incident

Jul 22, 2007

Mileage

109,000 mi

I NOTICED A SMELL GAS NEAR THE PASSENGER DOOR AT THE REAR OF THE CAR. I LOOK UNDERNEATH AND THERE WAS A LEAK OF GAS UNDERNEATH. MY MECHANIC HAS REPLACED SOMETHING UNDER IT 2 X AND IT IS LEAKING AGAIN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10178938

Incident

Jul 28, 2006

THE GAS TANK ON MY 1998 KIA SPORTAGE IS SERIOUSLY CORRODING. MY LOCAL GARAGE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS CONDITION AS IT COULD START LEAKING OR BREAK LOOSE FROM THE CAR. AS I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A NHTSA INVESTIGATION (EA06007) CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED. PLEASE INCLUDE ME INTO THE INVESTIGATION SO THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN BE REMEDIED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10173515

Incident

Nov 13, 2006

Mileage

110,000 mi

STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN AND AROUND THE CAR INDICATED A FUEL LEAK. WHEN INVESTIGATED THE LEAK WAS FOUND COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK UNDERNEATH THE CENTER PART OF THE VEHICLE. APPEARS TO BE DUE TO CORROSION OF THE TANK. WE ARE STILL CHECKING ON REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS FOR REPLACEMENT AND ARE NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10160307

Incident

Jun 19, 2006

Mileage

138,911 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED IT WAS THE MAXIMUM AIRFLOW UNIT. THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER TO DETERMINE THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 12/7/2005. *NM

NHTSA ID

10141622

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

ENGINE CONNECTORS C144 (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR), C129 (MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR) AND C146 (IDLE SPEED ACTUATOR) LOSE CIRCUIT CONTINUITY WITH MOVEMENT OF THE ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE HESITATION, LOSS OF POWER AND FALSE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT " INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WIGGLING THE APPROPRIATE CONNECTOR RESTORES CONTINUITY TEMPORARILY BUT IT WILL RECUR AGAIN SHORTLY WITHIN A DAY OR TWO OF OPERATING THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10081341

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

Mileage

64,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START. SHE THEN SMELLED A STRONG GAS ODOR. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE GAS LINE POPPED OFF, AND GAS WAS SPILLING ALL OVER THE ENGINE.. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT COULD HAD CAUSED THE LEAK. IN ORDER TO GET TO THE GAS LINE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO GO UNDER THE HOOD, AND NO ONE COULD GET UNDER THE HOOD. SO THE PROBLEM WAS UNEXPLAINABLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081582

Incident

Jul 8, 2004

GAS PUMP DOOR, INSIDE CAR RELEASE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. MAJOR PAIN WHEN TRYING TO GET GAS. HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10049540

Incident

Dec 8, 2003

SMELL OF GASOLINE FROM CAR INSIDE AND OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10043623

Incident

Oct 23, 2003

1998 KIA SPORTAGE. FAILLURE TO CRANK. AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR A WHILE IT CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. HARD TO CRANK. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, BUT IT'S DOING THE SAME THING. REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

10007752

Incident

Feb 18, 2003

Mileage

84,459 mi

I CAN SEND YOU A EMAIL I SENT TO CHANNEL 7 OUT HERE IN DENVER COLO. NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

755608

I AM REGISTERING A COMPLAINT AGAINST KIA MOTORS, INC. BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH MY VEHICLE. I PURCHASED A 1998 KIA SPORTAGE ON JANUARY 17, 2000 AND IT HAD ABOUT 2600 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER AT 6683 MILES, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SINCE I WAS READY FOR AN OIL CHANGE ANYWAY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE IS STILL NEW AND IN ITS "BREAKING-IN" STAGE, THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF IN A FEW DAYS. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE LIGHT DID GO OFF BUT THE VEHICLE JUST DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I WAS AGAIN ADVISED THE DEALER THAT IT WILL GO OFF BY ITSELF, THIS TIME I DIDN'T TAKE THEIR WORD AND INSISTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE CHECKED OUT. THE DEALER THEN FOUND THAT A SENSOR WAS OUT. THE REPLACED THE SENSOR AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I ALSO RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER CONCERN. SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR BOTH PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL AND BOTH WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THEY WEREN'T. THE SAME DAY I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I IMMEDIATELY MADE A U-TURN WENT BACK INTO THE SERVICE DRIVE. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE SENSOR WAS OUT AGAIN AND THE PART AS NOT IN. I WAITED FOR ABOUT 4 WEEKS UNTIL THE PART CAME IN ALL WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR AGAIN AND OF COURSE, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. AT THIS TIME, I WAS ABOUT TO GO INSANE ABOUT THIS NAGGING PROBLEM THAT EITHER THE DEALER COULD NOT FIX OR THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE FIXED. I DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR BECAUSE I HAD JUST STARTED A NEW JOB AND COULD NOT AFFORD TO TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR INCUR ANYMORE RENTAL COSTS. I THEN CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE FOR RECALLS OR SER*

NHTSA ID

752475

Incident

Sep 29, 2000

VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. DEALERSHIP HAS WORKED ON VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 1998, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR, HEAD GASKET, WIRING HARNESS AND TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND THE VEHICLE WAS A LEMON OR DEFECTIVE. *YH

NHTSA ID

885013

Incident

Aug 10, 1998

FUEL TANK SENSOR WENT OUT IN VEHICLE 7 DIFFERENT TIMES. DOOR HANDLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD CAME OFF TWICE. 4-WHEEL DRIVE DID NOT WORK WHEN USING IT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. WAS INFORMED THAT FUEL TANK SHOULD NOT BE FILLED COMPLETELY. WILL BE LOOKING AT THE OTHER PROBLEMS FOR REPAIRS.*AK

NHTSA ID

884498

BRAKE FAILURE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

556790

Incident

Jul 21, 1999

WHILE ACCELERATING IN REVERSE VEHICLE CUTS OFF. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS CHANGED TWICE. ALSO, THE MOULDING AROUND THE SPARKS PLUGS BROKE LOOSE, AND IT WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING STALLING PROBLEMS. SHIELD OVER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. THE REAR LATCH FOR THE SPARE CABLE RUSTED AND CAME OUT UPON PULLING, THE MOUNTING FOR THE REAR WHEEL HAS RELEASED ITSELF WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

857615

Incident

Nov 11, 1999

ON 2-1-99 REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE SURGE TANK ASSEMBLY, AIR INTAKE PIPE AND WIRING DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING. HOWEVER, ON 9-1-99 VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN CAUSING LOST OF STEERING POWER WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ON 10-11-99 THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PRIOR REPLACEMENTS WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF STALLING. *YC

NHTSA ID

549086

Incident

Feb 1, 1999

FUEL GAUGE INOPERATIVE. NLM

NHTSA ID

549010

Incident

Oct 16, 1998

DAMPER FAILED.

NHTSA ID

607681

Incident

Aug 2, 1998

ENGINE IDLES TOO HIGH, CORRECTION OF WIRING HARNESS TO THROTTLE POSITION DID NOT RECTIFY HIGH IDLE.

NHTSA ID

605865

Incident

Oct 7, 1998

FUEL LINE CAME LOOSE CAUSING GAS TO LEAK OUT.

NHTSA ID

538917

Incident

Jul 18, 1998

WHEN CONSUMER IS AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN ACCELERATES, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE AT ALL LIKE THERE IS NO GAS IN THE VEHICLE WHILE THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. *AK VEHICLE IDLED LOW, WHEN FIRST STARTED IN THE AM VEHICLE HAD NO POWER AND STUMBLED UNTIL IT WARMED UP, DEALER STATED THE IAC WOULD NOT OPEN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO THE TPS SENSOR BEING OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS. TAIL LIGHT LENS CRACKED AND THE DASH LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH FELL IN THE DASH. VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUGS, VEHICLE BACKFIRED AND HESITATED, DEALER REROUTED THE WIRING HARNESS AND REPAIRED THE PIN CONNECTORS. VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR RATTLED WHEN CLOSING AND THE WINDOW WAS DOWN, DEALER STATED THIS WAS NORMAL. CARPET ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WOULD NOT LIE FLAT. REAR HATCH WOULD NOT POP AFTER BEING UNLOCKED, THERE WAS AN INTERNAL LEAK FROM THE SEAL. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE A/C LEAKED ON THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD, DEALER REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR. *SLC

NHTSA ID

824213

Incident

Feb 12, 1998