2002 Kia Sportage Fuel System

PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN FEBRUARY 2008. WHEN FILLING WITH GAS, THE GAS HAS TO BE PUMPED EXTREMELY SLOW OR IT SPURTS OUT. THE CAR HAS AN ODOR OF GAS ALSO. THIS PROBLEM IS WORSE IN THE WINTER, ALTHOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY IN WARMER WEATHER, BUT THE MINUTE THE TEMPERATURE GOES BELOW 40 F, I CAN COUNT ON THIS HAPPENING EVERY TIME I PUT GAS IN THE CAR. I'VE RUINED CLOTHES, SHOES, AND HAVE ENDED UP WITH GAS ALL OVER MY HANDS AND LEGS (AND I'VE COME CLOSE TO GETTING IT IN MY FACE!!). THE GAS PUMP WILL SHUT OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL AND THE GAS JUST SPURTS RIGHT OUT OF THE TANK. IF I PUMP THE GAS EXTREMELY SLOW, (TONIGHT IT TOOK ME ALMOST 10 MINUTES TO PUMP ABOUT 6 GALLONS OF GAS), I CAN USUALLY MANAGE TO GET MOST OF THE GAS IN THE TANK, BUT AGAIN, I HAVE TO GO EXTREMELY SLOW AND THE PUMP STILL KEEPS SHUTTING OFF. IT WOULD KEEP STOPPING AS STATED ABOVE, BUT ONLY A LITTLE GAS WILL SPURT OUT WHEN IT STOPS. IF I TRY TO PUMP AT A NORMAL SPEED, IT ONLY TAKES A FEW SECONDS AND THE GAS STARTS SPURTING AND I END UP COVERED WITH GAS BY THE TIME I'M DONE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST A FLUKE, BUT ONE OF MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES ALSO HAD A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEN JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO ON THIS SITE, I READ SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS DANGEROUS SINCE YOU END UP WITH GAS ALL OVER YOUR CAR, THE GROUND, AND YOURSELF! *TR

FILLING THE KIA WITH GAS TAKES FOREVER. IT IS LIKE THE VENTING SYSTEM WON'T LET THE GAS IN, IN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE GAS SPEWS OUT OF TANK. WE HAVE TO KEEP CLICKING THE HANDLE OFF AND ON TO FILL THE TANK. THIS FIRST STARTED OUT JUST IN THE WINTER MONTHS, NOW IT IS ALL THE TIME. WE TRIED TO SEE IF SOMETHING WAS BLOCKING IT, BUT COULDN'T GET INTO IT. WITH THE THINGS GOING ON IN OUR LIFE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. PLUS WE DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND ON IT. WE JUST KNOW THAT WHEN WE GO TO FILL THE KIA IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME. WAS JUST WONDERING IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO OTHERS? *TR

I OWN A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE THAT HAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. I SEE THAT 2005 KIA'S HAD A RECALL ON FUEL LEAKS FROM THE O-RING INTO THE INTERNAL VAPOR CHAMBER IN THE FUEL TANK, I BELIEVE THE 2002 KIA'S ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

2002 KIA SPORTAGE. VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE CAB OF VEHICLE DURING COLD WEATHER (<32 DEGREES). EVENTUALLY DISSAPATES WHEN ENGINE WARMS UP. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC LAST WINTER (2006), COULDN'T LOCATE PROBLEM. SO WE LIVED WITH IT. SMELL EVEN STRONGER THIS WINTER. FOUND THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTED FIX ONLINE (NOT AVAILABLE LAST WINTER). "RUBBER RETURN LINE FROM FUEL PSI REGULATOR TO METAL RETURN LINE IS LEAKING WHEN COLD. "THE SPRING CLAMPS DO NOT STAY TIGHT WHEN COLD, AND WHEN THE RUBBER (RETURN LINE) EXPANDS WHEN HOT IT SEALS. "REMOVE THE UPPUER PART OF THE INTAKE AND REPLACE THE SPRING CLAMPS WITH SCREW TYPE CLAMPS..." SOME ONLINE FORUMS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT DEALERSHIP MAY SAY IT IS A FUEL INJECTOR PROBLEM, $800 FIX. MY LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THE SAME. MANY HAVE SAID THAT THE SUGGESTION ABOVE ACTUALLY FIXES THE ISSUE. I AM CURRENTLY IN BETWEEN THE TWO. I DON'T HAVE THE INCLINATION TO TRY THIS MYSELF, SO I'M AT THE MERCY OF MECHANICS. WHAT'S THE DEAL? *CN

GAS LEAK. NEEDED TO REPLACE SENDING UNIT, GAS TANK, ETC. COST OVER $900. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE,INJURY, ETC. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 SPORTAGE AND JUST RECENTLY HAVE BEEN HAVING A VERY BAD SMELL OF GAS WHEN STARTING IT. IT ENTERS THE INSIDE OF CAR WHEN HEATER GETS TURNED AND STAYS STRONG UNTIL CAR HAS WARMED UP. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE FOUND SOME STAINS ON THE METAL PLATE UNDER THE CLAMP BY THE FUEL RETURN HOSE BUT SAID UNLESS I CAN ACTUALLY SEE GAS DRIPPING HE CAN NOT SAY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND OF COURSE IT IS A WARMER DAY, NOT AS COLD AS IT WAS THE FIRST DAY IT STARTED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON LINE AND FOUND THERE IS A RECALL ON THE FUEL RETURN HOSE IN CANADA BUT NOT HERE IN THE US AND THAT THERE ARE QUITE ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM IN THE US. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS PROBLEM AND FEAR THAT IT MAY CAUSE A FIRE AND NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT WHEN THE SMELL IS INSIDE OF CAR IT STARTS TO MAKE ME FEEL SICK. *TR

ACTION # EA06-007-FUEL TANK LEAKAGE IN 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE ON 7/03/07 COMPLAINING OF GAS ODOR. I WAS CHARGED TO FIX THE ROLL OVER VALVE BECAUSE IT WAS SAID TO BE LEAKING EXTERNALLY. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME ODOR COMPLAINT ON 8/8/07. THEY CLAIMED GAS WAS FOUND ON THE SEAM OF THE TANK. THEY CLEANED THE TANK SEAM WHERE FUEL WAS GATHERED AND SHAMPOOED MY CARPET TO REMOVE ANY OTHER ODOR FREE OF CHARGE. MY CAR STILL HAD THE GAS ODOR. I WITNESSED GAS LEAKING FROM MY CAR ON 9/10/07 AND TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING AND I WAS CHARGED TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK REPLACED. *TR

TL * THE CONTACT DETECTED A GASOLINE ODOR ON HER 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, CONTACT STATED THAT LATELY THE ODOR HAS BEEN STRONGER POSSIBLY DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. WHEN THE HEATER WASTURNED ON ODOR GETS STRONGER IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR FACILITY TO HAVE THE ODOR DIAGNOSED. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 40 DEGREES; THERE WAS AN ODOR OF GASOLINE. PRIOR TO THE CONTACT'S PURCHASE, THE FUEL INJECTOR PORTS AND RINGS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT THE FUEL ODOR IS STILL PRESENT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS HAD BEEN ON ONGOING PROBLEM WHEN HE OWNED THE VEHICLE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ODOR OF FUEL WAS NOTICED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE HOSE ATTACHED TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED.

2002 KIA SPORTAGE, GASOLINE ODOR/LEAK, BEEN SEEN BY DEALERS, WENT TO PRIVATE GARAGE AND HAD DIFFERENT DEALER LOOK AT IT TOO. TODAY, 1/17/2004 GAS ODOR VERY BAD. CANNOT SEEM TO GET IT CORRECTED, SCARED I AM GOING TO DIE IN A FIRE... *JB