2001 Kia Sportage Owner Complaints

I BOUGHT THE CAR 2 WEEKS AFTER I LEFT DEALER STARTED NOTICING A SMELL OF GAS THOUGH WAS. BECAUSE JUST PUT GAS IN .THEN WHEN TURNED ON HEAT SMELL WOULD GET WORSE ! A FEW DAYS AGO WENT TO FILL GAS AND A LOT GAS OVER.FILLED ONTO GROUND NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE SMELL GAS SO STRONG INSIDE CAR ITS. ACTUALLY UPSET MY STOMACH WHEN DRIVING THE. AT AND AFRAID GOING START FIRE ! ALSO LEAKAGE ON GROUND WHEN PARKED . I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH SAME PROBLEM !! IT'S A 2001 KIA. ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT THINK SHOULD BE COVER. FROM COMPANY SINCE NOT ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM .

NHTSA ID

11082039

Incident

Mar 17, 2018

Mileage

78,000 mi

BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11K MILES FROM AN ELDERLY COUPLE THAT HARDLY DROVE IT. NOW AT 21K MILES, THERE IS A GAS SMELL COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND ALSO OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. HAS A ROUGH IDLE AND GAS SPEWS OUT OF TANK WHILE I'M PUMPING GAS. THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO FALL OFF. HAD TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS TWICE ALREADY. ALSO, THE DRIVERSIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11K MILES THINKING IT WILL LAST FOR AWHILE, BUT I'VE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH IT.

NHTSA ID

10940367

Incident

Dec 15, 2016

Mileage

20,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO SHAKE, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/12/16*LJ ;UPDATED VIN INVALID 4/25/18*JB *TR

NHTSA ID

10795040

Incident

Nov 19, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, FUEL FUMES EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK AND THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000.

NHTSA ID

10703076

Incident

Apr 1, 2013

Mileage

32,000 mi

JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY TEEN...WHEN FILLING GAS TANK IT BEGINS TO SPEW OUT ONTO HIM . ARE THE PERSON FILLING THE TANK.ALSO A BAD SMELL OF FUMES INSIDE OF CAR,,,,PLEASE HELP THE PROBLEM....*JS

NHTSA ID

10668990

Incident

Dec 25, 2014

THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME JUST BEHIND THE REAR SUSPENSION RUSTS FROM WATER THROWN UP BY THE TIRES. WHILE THIS MIGHT NOT NORMALLY BE A DANGER UNLESS YOU WERE TOWING, ON THIS MODEL IT'S WHERE THE FRAME CONNECTS TO THE WHEELS BELOW TO STABILIZE THE FRAME OVER THE SUSPENSION, WITHOUT THIS SUPPORT IT RELEASES THE BACK SUSPENSION AND ALLOWS THE CAR TO EASILY ROCK BACK AND FORTH INTO THE WHEELS. I COULD SEE SHINY SPOTS ON THE SHOCKS FROM TIRE RUB WHERE THE PAINT WAS RUBBED OFF, NO CURRENT SIGN OF TIRE DAMAGE. I FEEL THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SHOCKS, SPRINGS OR OTHER METAL BODY OR FRAME PART COULD WEAR OR POSSIBLY IF SHARP PUNCTURE A TIRE ON EITHER SIDE WHEN CORNERING. THIS PROBLEM CAN EASILY BE SEEN BY SWINGING THE SPARE TIRE OUT OF IT'S CLOSED POSITION TO OPEN THE TAILGATE, WHEN THE TIRE REACHES THE END OF IT'S ARM THE WHOLE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE WILL MOVE OVER, THE RUSTED FRAME BELOW WILL BEND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644890

Incident

Oct 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL, WHICH CREATED FUMES IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOCATED THE LEAK UNDER THE FUEL TANK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ID

10626338

Incident

Aug 4, 2014

Mileage

82,000 mi

JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER, THEY SMELLED AN ODOR OF FUEL EVER SINCE THEY ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE A MONTH AGO. PRIOR TO THAT IT WAS OWNED BY ONE OWNER AND GARAGE KEPT. THE FUEL TANK AND BOTTOM PROTECTOR WAS ROTTED AWAY AND IN DANGEROUS LEAKING CONDITION. KIA WAS CONTACTED AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALL AND THEY WOULDN'T REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE ROT IN THIS TANK DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT IT WAS SO SEVERE THAT IT WARRANTS A LOOK FROM THE NHTSA INTO THIS. A MANUFACTURER SUCH AS KIA SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SELL AN INFERIOR SAFETY HAZARD TO THE CITIZENS OF THE USA. THERE WERE INVESTIGATIONS INTO THIS PROBLEM A FULL 7 YEARS AGO AND NOTHING WAS DONE. THIS IS AN INSULT TO PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH MOTORING SAFETY, WE SHOULD EXPECT BETTER FROM BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS THIS ONE. IT'S NOT A MILEAGE ISSUE, THE 1999/2000 SPORTAGES WERE RUSTING OUT WITH ONLY A FEW YEARS OF SERVICE AND IT IS DUE TO INFERIOR MATERIALS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY A MANUFACTURER THAT USES THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10615861

Incident

Jul 7, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE CAR KEEPS STALLING JUST QUITS WHEN I SLOW DOWN. I HAD TWO MECHANICS CHECK IT OUT. FILLED THE TANK WITH NEW GAS, AND NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THE ELECTRICAL CHECK. IT IS A MYSTERY WHY THIS KEEPS HAPPENING. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. AND I DON'T WANT TO SELL THE CAR AND GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10614450

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

Mileage

30,000 mi

I JUST TRIED TO GET MY KIA SPORTAGE INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT PLACES THE FRAME IS RUSTED RIGHT OUT AND I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE DRIVING IT. I JUST LOOKED ONLINE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THERE ARE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS AND FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS FINE OTHERWISE. IF THERE IS NO RECALL I AM GOING TO BE WITHOUT A VEHICLE NOW BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD ANOTHER ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10573564

Incident

Mar 19, 2014

Mileage

131,000 mi

WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL GOING 30MPH, I REACHED DOWN TO PICK UP SOMETHING OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR( I WAS THE PASSENGER), WHEN I HEARD A SOUND LIKE BREAKING GLASS. WE THOUGHT WE HAD RUN OVER A GLASS OBJECT BUT WHEN I TURNED TO LOOK BACK THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I DID NOTICE THAT MY SEATBELT WAS NO LONGER RESTRAINING ME. THE PART THAT SHOULD HAVE KEPT ME SAFE, THE SEATBELT, HAD COME COMPLETELY OUT OF ITS COMPARTMENT. I KNOW THAT IF WE HAD BEEN IN A WRECK I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559670

Incident

Jan 8, 2014

I WAS HEARING A CLUNK EVERY TIME I STARTED GOING FORWARD AND BACKWARDS AND GOT UNDERNEATH THE CAR TO NOTICE THE FRAME CROSSMEMBER WAS TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. IT IS THE FRAME CROSSBAR THAT HOLDS THE REAR AXLE SUPPORT TO THE FRAME. THE AFFECTED FRAME CROSS MEMBER GOES UNDERNEATH THE GAS TANK AND WOULD REQUIRE 2 DAYS LABOR TO FIX AT MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. TO REMOVE THE GAS TANK IS ONE PROJECT AND TO HAVE A NEW WELDED SUPPORT BAR IS ANOTHER PROJECT AND WILL COST ALOT TO FIX. I CALLED KIA FOR POSSIBLE RECALLS AND THEY SAID "OH ITS OUT OF WARRANTY" GOODLUCK WITH THAT!!! THIS CAR IS UNSAFE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10526274

Incident

Jul 22, 2013

Mileage

193,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10511321

Incident

Jul 20, 2011

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID

10503211

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

Mileage

36,000 mi

I PURCHASED A KIA SPORTAGE EX 2001 ON 12/27/12 FROM FRONT RYAL AUTO GROUP IN FRONT ROYAL VA. I WENT TO THE GAS STATION AFTER FILLING MY GAS TANK I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GAS. AFTER A FEW DAYS I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM , THEY DID NOT KNOW IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY TO BRING IT IN MON-FRI 8-5 WELL I CAN NOT MAKE THOSE HOURS TO GO ,SO THE ODOR CONTINUES TO FIND OUT FROM A MECHANIC OF MY OWN CHOICE WHICH AFTER I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AGAIN BEFORE MY WARRANTY RAN OUT THAT WE DICOVERED I HAVE A FUEL TANK GAS SEAL LEAKAGE.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496157

Incident

Feb 4, 2006

Mileage

11,450 mi

AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK SHE NOTICED THE REAR OF THE SUV WAS SWAYING UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF MYSELF AND AN AUTO MECHANIC WE FOUND A CRACK IN THE RT REAR FRAME THE MECHANIC TOLD US TO PARK IT AND CONTACT KIA. TOLD BY KIA AS THIS CAR WAS NOW OVER 100,000 MILES THAT IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE OR IT . WELL WE WELDED ON A FEW PIECES OF STEEL AND IT LASTED ONLY ANOTHER 3 MONTHS AND IT STARTED AGAIN THIS TIME WE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS ROTTED FROM THE PASSENGER DOOR TO THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER THRU IT CAR IS NOW PARKED AND WONT BE DRIVEN AGAIN. KIA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS. I WENT TO THE BONE YARD TO SEE IF THEY HAD A FRAME AND THE 7 KIAS THAT I CHECKED ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IF I WERE YOU AND I OWNED A KIA I WOULD CHECK THIS OUT BEFORE I DROVE ANOTHER MILE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470284

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

100,004 mi

I HAVE A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE, WITH A FAULTY SENDING UNIT SEAL. THE SEAL LEAKED, CAUSING FUEL TO RUN DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TANK AND RUST A HOLE INTO THE TANK CAUSING A SECOND LEAK. THE SENDING UNIT AND THE PRESSURE REGULATOR AND THE GAS TANK ARE ALL SOLD SEPARATELY. THE SHIELD AROUND THE TANK CAUSES FLUID TO TRAP BETWEEN THE TANK AND THE SHIELD, WHICH IS WHERE IT RUSTED. THE SHIELD IS ANOTHER EXPENSE. KIA WILL HONOR NOTHING. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE TO DRIVE IT THE WAY IT IS. IT WILL COST AROUND $600-800 IN PARTS ALONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470234

Incident

Aug 27, 2011

Mileage

90,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE WITH APPROXIMATELY 84,000 MILES AND THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY ROTTED AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON PUBLIC ROADS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10468494

Incident

Jul 2, 2012

Mileage

84,000 mi

GAS TANK LEAK. BOUGHT THE CAR NEW BUT NO HELP FROM KIA OR THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM ! *TR

NHTSA ID

10467652

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

160,000 mi

AS IS IT HAPPENING WITH THE 2002, AND 2005 MODELS, MY 2001 KIA SPORTAGE ALSO HAS PROBLEM WHEN I PUT GAS IN. WHEN I TRY TO FILL IT UP, IT SPITS THE GASOLINE OUT WITH SO MUCH FORCE IT GETS ALL OVER THE FLOOR AND IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL, IT GETS ON YOU. THIS IS BEEN HAPPENING ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT THE GASOLINE YOU PUT IN THE TANK GOES BACK OUT. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND TOLD ME THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE VALVE INSIDE THE TANK AND IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE JOB. I CHECK BUT THERE ARE NO KIA RECALLS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME ENFORCEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT AGAINST KIA SO THEY FIX THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS DANGEROUS NOT ONLY TO THE OWNER'S HEALTH, BUT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND HIS POCKET TOO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10465986

Incident

Jul 17, 2011

Mileage

36,900 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS AND THE FRONT PARKING LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10452360

Incident

Feb 13, 2012

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE MECHANIC NOTIFIED HER THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10449756

Incident

Feb 28, 2012

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPRINGS THAT HELD THE SEAT BELT IN PLACE FRACTURED ON TWO OCCASIONS. IN MARCH 2011, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT SPRING FRACTURED AND WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT APPROXIMATELY NINE MONTHS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR COLLAPSED/BROKE AND WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER. THE CONSUMER STATED NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. UPDATED 02/29/12

NHTSA ID

10442422

Incident

Mar 1, 2011

THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHERE THE WIRES ARE MOUNTED CLOSE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DASH BOARD COMPONENTS ARE NOT READING/MOVING NEITHER IS THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT AND OVERDRIVE. I'VE LEARNED THROUGH BLOG POSTS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL CAR. *KB

NHTSA ID

10441970

Incident

Dec 20, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SPORTGAGE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND EXPERIENCED A DIFFICULT TIME STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRACK BAR, WHICH WAS CONNECTED TO THE REAR AXLE, WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,500. AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,600. UPDATED 01/10/12*LJ UPDATED 01/10/12

NHTSA ID

10437444

Incident

Nov 17, 2011

Mileage

65,500 mi