2000 Kia Sportage Fuel System

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A SMELL OF FUEL WAS NOTICED INSIDE AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND EXPRESSED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE FUEL TANK.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT GASOLINE LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP ON 06/23/06 WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AGREED TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AT COST.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL TANK CORRODED WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL TO LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. UPDATED 8/15/2006 - *NM

ON THE WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 22-23, 2005, A GASEOUS ODOR WAS OBSERVED AROUND MY 2000 KIA SPORTAGE (PURCHASED DECEMBER 4, 1999; VIN: [XXX]). PUDDLES OF GAS WERE LATER SPOTTED UNDER MY VEHICLE, SO THE FOLLOWING MORNING (OCTOBER 24, 2005), I BROUGHT IT TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALER FOR INSPECTION. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GAS TANK HAD "ROTTED/RUSTED" OUT (ADDITIONALLY, THE BOLTS FOR THE GAS TANK AND THE HOSE CONNECTING THE GAS TANK AND FILLER TUBE WERE RUSTED AND DISINTEGRATED, RESPECTIVELY, BEYOND REPAIR AND MUST BE REPLACED), CREATING A HOLE THROUGH WHICH GAS WAS ESCAPING. THE VEHICLE WAS USED ONLY MINIMALLY IN WI PRIOR TO AUGUST 2000, AND ITS LOCATION SINCE THEN HAS BEEN CHAPEL HILL/DURHAM, NC (ALL REPAIR WORK AND OIL CHANGES HAVE BEEN DONE BY MILLENNIUM KIA IN DURHAM, NC, WHICH ALSO SUGGESTS WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN SINCE AUGUST 2000). THUS, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO SALT OR OTHER ELEMENTS WHICH MAY LEAD TO THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. IT CURRENTLY HAS FEWER THAN 55,000 MILES ON IT, WHICH FURTHER LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT THE DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF OVER- OR MISUSE. MY FATHER [XXX] AND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, CONTACTED THE KIA CORPORATION AND SPOKE WITH TOM MORALES (800-333-4542, EXT: 45262) REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND A CASE HAS BEEN OPENED WITH REGARD TO IT (CASE #[XXX]). WE BELIEVE THIS DAMAGE IS NOT ONLY EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS, BUT ALSO PREMATURE AND THE RESULT OF A FAULTY PRODUCT. KIA CLAIMS THEY CAN DO NOTHING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, BUT BECAUSE OF ITS SERIOUS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE INJURY, WE BELIEVE THE CASE MERITS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *NM UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2000 KIA SPORTAGE WITH 70,000 MILES CAR ALWAYS STORED IN GARAGE FUEL SENDER UNIT RUSTED OUT DURING 200 MILE TRIP GASOLINE LEAKING OUT ONTO VEHICLE AND GROUND - POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD HAD TO REPLACE SENDER UNIT, FUEL TANK AND FUEL PUMP DUE TO RUSTED CONNECTIONS RUINING EACH PIECE OF EQUIPMMENT.

CONTACT STATES: FUEL TANK IS LEAKING, THE SKID PLATE THAT PROTECTS THE TANK IS CONFORM THE WRONG SHAPE THEREFORE IS TO CLOSE IN CERTAIN AREAS AND IT HOLDS DEBRIE AND MOISTURE.

CONSUMER STATED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AND PUMP. *NM

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO EGR AND FUEL PUMP RELAY FAILURES,DEALER REPLACED, ALSO THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON DUE TO MAF CIRCUIT RANGE PROBLEM *YH

AFTER THE INSPECTION OF VEHICLE BY DEALER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL TANK AND PUMP HAVE RUSTED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

AT ANY TIME FUEL PUSHES OUT OF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING SOME FUEL TO LEAK OUT ONTO THE OUTSIDE, AND SOME ON THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK