1998 Kia Sportage Transmission Problems

VEHICLE HAD FOUR RECALLS AND AIRBAG LIGHT KEPT FLASHING. RECALLS WERE ON BRAKE HOSES, FRONT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, ELECTRICAL WIRING AND MISSING LABEL. *LA WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE HAD FAILED. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE COILS WERE CRACKED. TRANSMISSION LINE WAS LEAKING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10051718

Incident

Nov 20, 2003

SUNDAY, 11-02-2003, WHILE DRIVING ON MAIN ST IN MESA, ARIZONA, OUR 1998 KIA SPORTAGE'S GEARSHIFT LEVER SNAPPED OFF IN MY HAND. I WAS SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR AT THE TIME. THE BREAK WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES FROM FLOOR LEVEL, DOWN INSIDE THE CONSOL. I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO COAST ONTO THE MEDIAN WITHOUT CRASHING. MY PREGNANT WIFE AND THREE-YEAR-OLD SON WERE WITH ME IN THE VEHICLE.I CONTACTED KIA AND THE SHORT OF IT IS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY CLAIM THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING DEFECT. KIA SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT HOW OR WHY A VEHICLE WITH NO HISTORY OF ACCIDENTS COULD HAVE THIS CRITICAL PART BREAK OFF UNEXPECTEDLY! NOT GIVING THE BRUSH-OFF! I HAVE DIGITAL PHOTOS THAT I AM WILLING TO EMAIL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10045439

Incident

Nov 2, 2003

Mileage

88,675 mi

WHILE DRIVING, 4 WHEEL DRIVE WILL KICK IN INTERMITTENTLY ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK CONSUMER ADDS THE CATALYST HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS AN OIL LEAK AND FRONT END WAS SERVICED 3 TIMES. *TT

NHTSA ID

8010449

Incident

Feb 20, 2002

TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR. THE SHIFTER JUMPS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8004712

Incident

Jan 27, 2002

OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AFTER ROUTINE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE WIPERS WERE NOT CLEARING WINDSHIELD, WINDOWS GO UP SLOWLY, 4-WHEEL DRIVE WAS INOPERATIVE,VEHICLE WAS LOOSING POWER STEERING, DEALER REPLACED THE FAN BELT,AIR CONDITION WAS INOPERATIVE,WHEEL BEARING WERE LOOSE,WEATHERSTRIP WAS REPLACED,THE ENGINE BOGGS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, FRONT BRAKES WERE NOISY.*SLC

NHTSA ID

8002866

Incident

Dec 27, 2001

4-WHEEL DRIVE FAILED TWICE WITHIN A 1 YEAR TIME SPAN DURING SNOWSTORMS! IT WAS "REPAIRED"THE FIRST TIME BUT FAILED AGAIN LESS THAN 1 YEAR LATER.BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED DURING DEEP SNOW CONDITIONS,THUSLY MAKING DRIVING IMPOSSIBLE AND CREATING A POTENTIAL FOR HAZARDOUS AND POSSIBLE FATAL CONDITIONS.I AM BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN TODAY(01/15/2002) TO KIA OF WESTCHESTER TO BE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRS.PLEASE,CONTACT SAID DEALERSHIP TO INSURE THAT THE VEHICLE GETS REPAIRED PROPERLY AND IN A EXPEDITIOUS MANNER.ALSO,I LOST 2 DAYS OF SALARY BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT HOME(I WAS IN PA VISITING MY ILL FATHER) BECAUSE OF 1-FOOT OF SNOW AND UNABLE TO ENGAGE 4-WHEEL DRIVE!*AK

NHTSA ID

756881

Incident

Jan 23, 2001

CONSUMER STATES SHE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THE DOORS UNLOCKING 4 TIMES PER SECOND AND THE HEATER FAN NOT OPERATING.*JB

NHTSA ID

785782

TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND REPLACEMENTS FROM 11/26/99 AT 19,790 MILES/ 12/28/99 AT 21,156 MILES, TO PRESENT. ALL REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE BY A DEALER. BUT, PROBLEM STILL APPEARS TO BE REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

897553

Incident

Aug 29, 2000

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF BY A ANOTHER DRIVER . CONSUMER STATES THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO HIT THE BACK OF A BUS. CONSUMER STATES WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. CONSUMER HIT THE BACK OF A BUS BEFORE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

896094

Incident

Aug 8, 2001

ALL FOUR WINDOWS GET STUCK, DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES, VEHICLE IS TRYING TO SHIFT INTO 4X4 WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, AIR CONDITIONER WORKS 1 OUT OF 4 TIMES, LATCH OPENS ON BACK OF VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION. BLACK TARRY DUST ON FRONT TIRES.

NHTSA ID

748607

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

OVER ALL 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOSEN'T SEEM TO WORK WHEN INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWS THAT IT IS ON. *AK

NHTSA ID

744065

Incident

Apr 13, 2001

4 WHEEL DRIVE NOT WORKING FOR SOMETIME DURING WINTER STORM- REPLACED BOTH FRONT KNUCKLE ASSEMBLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

744039

Incident

Nov 24, 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

4- WHELL DRIVE UNIT POPS OUT OR WON'T GO INTO 4- WHEEL DRIVE. DEALER HAS HAD VEHICLE 4 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

882493

Incident

Dec 20, 1998

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODE WILL NOT ENGAGE WHEN IT IS ACTIVATED. CONSUMER HAS NOT SPOKEN WITH KIA ABOUT THIS. *AK

NHTSA ID

880616

AT 20-25 MPH IN SNOW CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE, LIGHT INDICATED THAT IT WAS. CONSUMER HIT GUARDRAIL, ONLY 2-WHEELS WERE TURNING, 4 WHEEL DRIVE NOT WORKING. *AK

NHTSA ID

878708

Incident

Jan 12, 2001

VEHICLE NEVER HAD 4-WHEEL DRIVE EVEN THOUGH 4- WHEEL GREEN LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON . FAILURE WAS DUE TO FRONT SEAL THAT SHRANK. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO FIX DEFECT, BUT DEFECT STILL OCCURS, PLACING CONSUMER IN DANGEROUS SITUATION. CONSUMER IS NOW ON WAITING LIST FOR A NEW PART THAT MANUFACTURER CLAIMS WILL FIX DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID

877750

4-WHEEL DRIVE NOT ENGAGING. DEALER HAS MADE THREE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. RECALLED SEPTEMBER 1999. REPLACED VACCUM SEAL DECEMBER 27, 2000 STILL NOT WORKING.*AK

NHTSA ID

738941

Incident

Feb 22, 1999

BRAKE FAILURE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

556790

Incident

Jul 21, 1999

MAIN CONCERN IS 4 WHEEL DRIVE, COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF INDICATOR LAMP IS ON AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT ENGAGING. CAUSING A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY ON HAZARDOUS ROADWAYS, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID

731606

Incident

Mar 4, 1999

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN ANY GEAR CAN HEAR A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE. WHEN PUSHING DOWN ON CLUTCH, IT REDUCES THE SQUEALING NOISE, CONSUMER STATED IT WAS A VERY ANNOYING SOUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

865225

Incident

Jan 4, 2000

CONNECTOR CORROSION CAUSED VEHICLE NOT TO START. ALSO, THERE WAS A CAMSHAFT OIL LEAK. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 65MPH, ENGINE STARTED TO RACE. WAS AS IF SOMEONE PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STEPPED ON GAS.

NHTSA ID

721067

Incident

Mar 30, 2000

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SLIPPING AND THE DEALER FAILED TO FIX IT BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION. YH

NHTSA ID

551511

Incident

Nov 8, 1999

THE TRNAMISSION FAIL TWICE ONCE AFTER THE CAR WAS CHECKED BEFORE WE LEFT ON VACATION, THE DEELER WILL NOT HELP MY AND WE HAVE ENDED UP HAVING A RESTRAINING ORDER DRAW UP BECAUSE OF THE THREATS FROM HIS STAFF. KIA IT'S SELF HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND HAV OFFERED A REDICULUS TRAID IN OF $7000. THE CAR WAS OVER $18000. THE HUBS HAVE NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE I WENT OFF THE INTERSTATE HITTING ICE I WAS NOT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE AT THE TIME BUT I WENT IN TO A DITCH,WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT IN TO 4 WHEEL I WOULD NOT GO I HAD TO TRAVEL IN A DITCH ON A BUSY INTERSTATE FOR 5 MILE TILL I COULD REACH THE EXIT. THE WASHER MOTOR FAILED ON THE INTERSTATE IN SMOWING CONDITIONS, I HAD TO EMPTY WATER ON THE WINDOW AS I WAS DRIVING TO SEE. THIS THE WORST CAR EVER AND THE DEALER AND KIA WILL NOT HELP WITH ANY OF THESE MATTERS. THE DATES OF THESE INCIDENTS MIGHT NOT BE THE CORRECT DATE MY ATTORNEY HAS ALL THE PAPER WORK FROM THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

717643

Incident

Apr 22, 1999