1998 Kia Sportage Power Train

THE 4WD SYSTEM ON THE 98 KIA SPORTAGE IS UNRELIABLE. THE VACUUM SYSTEM, WHICH ACTUATES THE FRONT HUBS DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS PROBLEM EVERY WINTER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1998. THE DEALERS REPAIR LASTS A WEEK OR SO AND THEN FAILS. UNEXPECTED LACK OF 4WD IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

THE VEHICLES 4-WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGED SOMETIMES THEN POPPED OUT CAUSING A LOUD NOISE. THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT ABOUT A HUB SEAL RECALL AND INQUIRED ABOUT IT AT THE DEALER . THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD FOR A RED MARK ON THE VACUUM CANISTER BRACKET BUT DIDN'T SEE ONE. THE CONSUMER THEREFORE BELIEVES THAT THE RECALL HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED. *AK *NM

THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE DID NOT HOLD WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN. *JB

THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NO ENGAGE WHEN PUT IN GEAR. TOOK TO DEALER WHO INSTALLED SOME TYPE OF CHILD SAFETY DEVICE UNDER THE CLUTCH. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM *DT

AFTER GETTING STUCK IN SNOW FOUND THAT 4 WHEEL DRIVE WASN'T ENGAGING - MECHANIC SAID DUE TO SOMEONE OVER PACKING COMPONENTS WITH GREASE AND A PART PUT IN BACKWARDS THERE WAS NO WAY THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WAS ENGAGING. SO ESSENTIALLY WE HAVEN'T HAD 4 WHEEL DRIVE SINCE WE PURCHASED OUR VEHICLE IN 2000. AFTER THE PART WAS INSTALLED PROPERLY 4WD WAS ENGAGING. MAY 16TH BROUGHT IN VEHICLE DUE TO GRINDING NOISE IN FRONT WHEEL HUB. MECHANIC FOUND 4WD HUB RUST FILLED AND BAD, BEARINGS ALL RUSTED OUT, VACUUM HOSES TO THE BACK OF THE SPINDLE BROKEN BOTH SIDES. BOTH FRONT WHEELS HAD SAME PROBLEM. IN CHECKING YOUR COMPLAINTS ON FILE THERE ARE MANY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, SAME YEAR AND VEHICLE. *JB

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM HAS GONE OUT DUE TO FRONT AXLE SEALS LEAKING. DEALER SAID PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. UNKNOWN WHEN PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. *AK *SLC

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

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

WE WERE LUCKY IN A 25 MILE SPEED ZONE-HIGHWAY SPEED WOULD HAVE KILLED US. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY

FRONT HUBS WERE SEIZED. PURCHASED VEHICLE 1 WEEK BEFORE INCIDENT. *AK

FRONT BEARINGS REPLACED, CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, AFTER REPLACEMENT BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED SHORTLY AFTER DUE TO FAULTY PARTS THAT FELL APART, HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY/FOUR WHEEL DRIVE DEFECTIVE AND NOT LOCKING IN PROPERLY AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL ON MINIMAL SNOW COVERAGE PRIOR TO RECALL REPAIR, AFTER REPAIR VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCED FAILURES. *MJS

THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM FAILED TO ENGAGE DUE TO A BAD SEAL, THE SEAL CAUSES THE VACUUM NOT TO ENGAGE PROPERLY. *SLC

WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS, GEARS STICK IN BETWEEN SHIFTING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING AT 25 MPH AND UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THERE IS HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION, VEHICLE DOES NOT INCREASE SPEED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WAS TOLD ABLE TO SHIFT INTO 4-D UP TO SPEEDS OF 50MPH. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO/ INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON LONG AFTER SHIFTED OUT OF 4-WD. *AK