1999 Kia Sportage Fuel System

I HAD JUST FILLED GAS TANK WITH UNLEADED GAS. WHEN I NOTICED A STRONG GAS SMELL. THE CAR SITS ALL DAY. I ONLY MOVE IT FOR EMISSIONS EACH YEAR I WORK FROM HOME. THEY TESTED AND TOLD ME EVAP EMISSION CONTROL SYS MALF. THE GUY SAID HE COULD SEE GAS LEAKING FROM MY FUEL LINE. HE SAID IT WAS A RECALL ON THIS TO CHECK WITH KIA. KIA TOLD ME MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT MATCH THE RECALL. THIS CAR DOES NOT SEE ALOT OF ACTION THERE IS NO REASON OTHER THAN A FEW GOOD SNOWS THAT MAY HAVE RUSTED THE TANK OTHER WISE WHY WOULD MY TANK ALL OF A SUDDEN LEAK GAS. THIS IS A HAZARD THAT I THINK KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR AND HAVE HAD IT LONGER THAN THE FIRST. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND SOME ISSUES THIS MODEL HAS HAD WHICH KIA TOOK CARE OF. BUT THEY REFUSE THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SHORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER DISPENSING FUEL INTO THE FULL TANK, HE WOULD SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A MANUFACTURE VOLUNTARY RECALL PERTAINING TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED THAT SAFETY RECALL EXPIRED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT IN STOCK. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL PUMP HAD RUST PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPDATED 02/28/11

FUEL TANK LEAK. SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN CAR IS PUT IN GARAGE. *TR

THE CHASSIS OF MY 1999 KIA SPORTAGE IS ROTTING OUT. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE RAILINGS WELDED TOGETHER, ONE RAILING HAS A HOLE ABOUT 6 IN LONG ON THE SIDE OF THE RAILING AND THE GAS TANK HAS TO BE REPLACE. BUT IF THE TANK IS REMOVED THE PART OF THE CHASSIS IT IS ATTACHED TO WILL COME OFF AND THERE WILL BE NO WAY TO ATTACH A NEW ONE. *TR

1999 KIA SPORTAGE GAS TANK ROTTED AND LEAKING. *TR

FUEL TANK LEAKING EVERY TIME WHEN FILLING TANK. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, PROBLEM WITH GASOLINE LEAKAGE WHEN FILLING TANK IS STILL A PROBLEM. NO REPAIRS AS OF YET. I'M ON DISABILITY. *TR

I OWN A 1999 KIA SPORTAGE. WHEN I FILED TANK, GAS LEAKED. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT I HAVE A LEAK IN MY GAS TANK. *TR

1999 KIA SPORTAGE, HAD A GAS LEAK GOT IT REPAIRED WITH A NEW TANK LAST YEAR, STILL HAVE A GAS SMELL. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SMELL THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM, OF COURSE THIS IS MY REGULAR MECHANIC NOT A KIA DEALER. NOW THE FRAME IS BUSTED FROM PREMATURE RUSTING AND DISINTEGRATION WHICH IS HOLDING UP THE GAS TANK. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON FOR "EVAP LEAK" . NO POWER WHEN A/C IS RUNNING. A/C NOW HAS LEAK. CONSTANTLY SMELL A BURNING SMELL JUST BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. ALSO CONSTANTLY BLOWS FUSES FOR POWER WINDOWS ETC. THIS IS A DEATH TRAP FOR SURE, YOU CAN IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE MY GRANDBABIES IN THIS CAR IT IS UNSAFE...AND WHEN THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT AS THEY COULDN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TRYING TO FIX A FRAMING PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS HAD VERY GOOD MAINTENANCE, OIL CHANGES, TIRES ETC. AND ONLY HAS 114,000 MILES , I NEVER DREAMED I WOULD HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER CAR SO SOON. I REALLY THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ANOTHER 100,000 TO GO! *TR

ON DECEMBER 22, 2008, DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION, FOUND GAS SMELL AND POSSIBLE LEAK IN GAS TANK. PHONE KIA DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, AND TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A FUEL TANK INSPECTION (ALONG WITH SOME OTHER RECALL REPAIRS). ON 1/2/2009, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE KIA DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK, AND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND MAY BE COVERED BY A SERVICE CAMPAIGN. HOWEVER, THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 137,700 MILES, AND THE LIMIT WAS 130,000 FOR KIA TO REIMBURSE. I INDICATED THAT I HAD NEVER RECEIVED AN NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO (2) SERVICE CAMPAIGNS (SC059 AND RB001) WHICH DATED BACK TO MAY 2006, AND JANUARY 2008. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE HAD MUCH LESS THAN THE LIMIT OF 130,000 MILES. I PHONED AND E-MAILED CUSTOMER SUPPORT (NO MAILING ADDRESS LISTED). DURING THE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH STEVE, I WAS INFORMED "TOO BAD, BUT IT IS OUT OF THE MILEAGE LIMIT AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO. NOT SURE WHY YOU NEVER GOT A NOTICE". WHEN I E-MAILED, I RECEIVED A PHONE REPLY (AFTER THE SECOND E-MAIL) FROM STEVE STATING "WE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS. NOT SURE WHY YOU E-MAILED SINCE THIS WAS ALREADY ADDRESSED". I FEEL THAT A PROBLEM AS IMPORTANT AS A LEAKING FUEL TANK SHOULD NOT BE LEFT TO CHANCE, WAITING FOR A REGULAR INSPECTION OR AN ACTUAL LEAK TO DETECT IT. I FEEL THAT KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A RECALL, AND SHOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. CURRENTLY I HAVE REPAIRED THE TANK, WHILE LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT TANK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SMELL GAS FROM SOMEWHERE AROUND THE VEHICLE. HE THEN NOTICED GAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE OIL TANK, WHICH BEGAN TO LEAK UNDERNEATH THE TANK. AS A RESULT, THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK BEGAN TO ROT AND FORM HOLES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY NOTICED THAT THE HOSES OF THE FUEL PUMP ALSO ROTTED FROM THE LEAK IN THE OIL PAN. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (KT2006050901) ISSUED BY KIA THAT LISTS THE EXACT SAME DEFECT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING. SERVICE CAMPAIGN INSPECTION NUMBER SC059 WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,739.

GAS TANK LEAKS! *TR

I OWN A 1999 KIA SPORTAGE. IT HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE GAS TANK. IT HAS CORRODED PREMATURELY. *TR

DEFECTIVE GAS TANK AND FUEL LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $836.54 MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT AND PAY FOR REPAIRS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE PERSONAL INJURY. OCCURRED BY FIRE OR EXPLOSION! *NM

NOTICED SMELL OF GAS. REPLACED GAS TANK AND FUEL PUMP/SENDER UNIT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLES GAS TANK WAS LEAKING. A CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE A DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TA KEN INTO DEALERS FOR CONFIRMATION.

DT: THE CONTACT SMELLED GAS FUMES APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND HE FOUND THE SKID PLATE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK HELD MOISTURE AGAINST THE TANK, AND CAUSED IT TO RUST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK

DT: THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ,AND THE BOLTS BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. MARATHON TOLD CONSUMRER THE NEED OF A NEED A NEW FUELPUMP. CONTACTED A COUPLE OF KIA DEALERS THEY SAID THERE WERE AFRAID SOMEONE ELSE MAY BREAK THE BOLTS. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 2, 2005. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT FUEL LINE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY. ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO A FUEL LINE BROKE AND SPRAYED GAS ALL OVER THE HOOD AND MOTOR, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND HAD FUEL LINE REPAIRED. *AK

VEHICLE FAILED STATE INSPECTION. FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

FUEL TANK IS CORRODING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. FUEL SYSTEM IS CONTAMINATED AND THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE TANK IS IN QUESTION.

CONSUMER STATES THAT MUFFLER IS NOISY, GAS TANK AND FUEL PUMP ARE BEING REPLACED. *TT

WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE HESITATES AND JERKS FORWARD. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH FUEL INJECTION ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

KIA MOTORS RECALL NOTICE, DEALER WILL NOT SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR REPAIRS