2000 Kia Sportage Fuel System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED GAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE ODOR INTENSIFIED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. A PRIVATE MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS CORRODED, CAUSING GAS TO LEAK FROM TWO HOLES. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SHIELD WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE FUEL TANK WAS DRIED, WHICH CAUSED WATER TO SIT ON THE TANK AND CORRODE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $472.13. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NUMBER SC059 AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

KIA SPORTAGE 2000 FUEL TANK LEAKAGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK ON THE VEHICLE. THIS ALSO INCLUDED THE FUEL TANK, FENDING UNIT, AND FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. HIS DAUGHTER SMELLED A LEAK IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 87,140. UPDATED 3/4/08 *CN

I OWN A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE, THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TANK RUSTED OUT ON THE BOTTOM, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENSOR UNIT ALSO NEED REPLACEMENT. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL SO I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 KIA SPORTAGE I STARTED SMELLING GAS I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND FOUND GAS LEAKING I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE INFORMED ME GAS WAS COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF MY GAS TANK BY WHERE THE FUEL PUMP AND GAS GAUGE WIRING GOES IN. I THEN WENT ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL FROM KIA FOR THE SAME REASON. I THE CONTACTED A KIA DEALER IN MY AREA TO GET IT FIXED AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE AND HE BUT ME IN TOUCH WITH KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THE NEXT DAY (TODAY) THEY TOLD ME THAT MY SPORTAGE IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU PEOPLE CAN DO OR I'M I OR SOMEONE ELSE GOING TO HAVE TO DIE IN THIS VEHICLE TO MAKE THEM HONOR THEIR SCREW UP. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. IF NEED BE I'LL GO TO THE PRESS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A HUGE PUDDLE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND SAW THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK WAS WET WITH FUEL AND WAS DRIPPING. THERE IS A FUEL LEAKAGE WHICH HE SUSPECT IS SPILLING A GALLON OF FUEL PER DAY. THE PROTECTIVE COATING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE GAS TANK WAS COMPROMISED RESULTING IN CORROSION. THE OWNER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK HIMSELF. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,000.

2000 KIA SPORTAGE. NOTICED AN ODOR OF GAS UPON EXITING VEHICLE, BUT NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF A LEAK. NO ODOR OF GAS WHEN INSIDE VEHICLE. HAVE NOTICED HIGHER GAS CONSUMPTION, STUTTERING ,AND STALLING. FEAR OF POSSIBLE FIRE. I WILL TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED. READ THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 2005 MODELS, BUT NO RECALL ON 2000 MODELS WITH SAME SYMPTOMS. AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT CLAIMED TO SMELL AND WITNESS GAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 76,000.*AK THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM LISTED ABOVE. THE CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED THE INVOICE OF REPAIR. UPDATE 04/30/07*TR

I OWN A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY GAS TANK LEAKING AND I WAS READING THAT THERE WERE INVESTIGATIONS GOING ON DUE TO THE CORROSION ETC..I CALLED A KIA DEALER AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL AND IT WOULD COST ME OVER $500.00 TO GET IT FIXED. THEY DID NOTHING TO HELP. *JB

FUEL TANK LEAKS GAS. *AK

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK OF THE 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEAKING HAPPENED WHETHER SHE WAS DRIVING OR THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP, AND STATED THAT THEY WERE REPAIRING VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE FOR THE SAME FAILURE, BUT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

2000 KIA SPORTAGE FUEL LEAK. *NM

I OWN A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. I HAD GONE TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM, USED LAST AUGUST AND HAD MANY OF THE RECALL ITEMS REPAIRED. I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION FOR REPAIR ON A GAS FUMES ISSUE. I WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, DESPITE THE OVERPOWERING GAD SMELL EMITTING FROM MY VEHICLE. I SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL "RECALL" YET ESTABLISHED, BUT FIND THAT AN INVESTIGATION IS BEING HEADED UP BY NHTSA FOR ALL 199 & 2000 KIA SPORTAGES. THE COST OF THE REPAIRS THAT THIS MAY ENTAIL APPEAR AT THIS POINT TO BE WELL OVER 500 TO 1000.00 DOLLARS. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE IS ANY CHANGE TO THE INVESTIGATION, AND WHETHER THERE WILL BE ANY RECALL NOTICE INITIATED SOON.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT DETECTED A STRONG GAS ODOR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. HE LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE COST TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK WOULD BE $900. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO DEFRAY THE COST. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,078. UPDATED 11/15/07

CURRENTLY THERE IS A CANADIAN RECALL FOR THE 2000-2001 KIA SPORTAGE FOR A FUEL LEAK IN THE FUEL PUMP OUTLET SPIGOT, AND THIS IS TO BE REPAIRED BY A DEALER. MY 2000 SPORTAGE IS HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I CALLED THE COMPANY AND SINCE THERE IS NOT A RECALL IN THE US THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY SAID MY WARRANTLY IS UP. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 8749 VEHICLES IN CANADA THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL, SO HOW MANY VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM IN THE US OR HOW MANY HAVE ACTUALLY CAUSED HARM BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT LOOKED AT IN THE US. I FEEL THAT A RECALL NEEDS TO BE INSTITUTED IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AND KIA SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. ALL THAT THESE VEHICLES NEED IS A SMALL FIX AND IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR HAPPY CONSUMERS.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED IT LOSES POWER AND STALLS. THERE IS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE, BUT NO INDICATION OF A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTS BACK, BUT STILL HAS NO POWER TO ACCELERATE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOSS OF POWER AND/OR STALLING. THE VEHICLE IS WAITED TO BE TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A DIAGNOSIS AT THIS TIME. *NM

FUEL SENDING UNIT (FUEL PUMP/GAUGE) AND FUEL TANK FAILED (BEGAN LEAKING) DUE TO PREMATURE CORROSION CONDITION. *JB

DT*: WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH THE SMELL OF GASOLINE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTED THAT THERE WAS A MODERATE FUEL LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK COVER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. UPDATED 01/19/07. *JB THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THERE WAS A SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE FUEL LINE HAD CRACKED AND DISINTEGRATED. A REPLACEMENT FUEL LINE WAS ORDERED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE METAL PIECE BOLTED ONTO THE FUEL TANK, WHICH HELD THE FUEL PUMP, WAS MADE OF POOR METAL. THE METAL RUSTED AND ALLOWED FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES STARTING, AND AN ODOR WAS NOTICED AFTER PARKING. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A VERY STRONG GASOLINE SMELL WAS NOTICED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. THE PARTS WERE NOT IN AND WHEN THE CONTACT RETURNED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE HOLE REPAIRED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE HOLE HAD DETERIORATED EVEN MORE. UPDATED 9/13/006 - THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND PUMP. THE PRESSURE SENSOR WAS ALSO AFFECTED BY THE CORROSION. *NM

SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. FOUND FUEL TANK RUSTED AND FUEL SEEPING OUT OF TANK. ALSO FOUND TANK PROTECTIVE PAN THAT HOLDS TANK UP RUSTED AND READY TO FALL OFF, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO FALL DOWN. THIS WOULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. CALLED LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS BUT THE HEAD SERVICE MANAGER WOULD GIVE ME A CALL. SO FAR NO CALL BACK. THIS WILL HOPEFULLY TURN INTO A RECALL, BUT ONLY AFTER SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *NM

GAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK ON A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. GAS TANK RUSTED AND LEAKING, SENDING UNIT BAD. CONTACTED LOCAL KIA TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE 1000.00 IN REPAIR COSTS FOR NEW REPLACEMENT PARTS. PURCHASED USED PARTS FOR 400.00. WRONG SENDING UNIT SENT STILL WAITING ON UNIT/PARTS. NO FIRE YET. *NM

GAS TANK LEAK AND DANGEROUS FUMES - 2000 KIA SPORTAGE LEAK OCCURED AFTER LONG TRIP JULY 2006. CORROSION AND LEAK IS EVIDENT ON FRONT END OF PROTECTIVE PLATE UNDER TANK. REPAIR APPOINTMENT MADE FOR JULY 10, 2006. NO RECALL EXISTS ON THIS YEAR, BUT DOES ON 2005 KIA SPORTAGE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY A FUEL LEAK WAS NOTICED UNDER THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TANK HAD DETERIORATED AND THE TANK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 07/05/06. *JB