Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| 017 | 09/01/2004 | 10016840 | Charging system upgrade. *tt | 10/12/2005 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | |||||
| 035R | 01/01/2004 | 10005640 | Battery cable chafing inspection, repair and replacement. revised technical service bulletin. *tt | 03/09/2004 | |
| 035 | 12/01/2003 | 10005355 | Battery cable chafing inspection, repair and replacement. technical service bulletin, letters to service managers and dealers and owners. *tt | 02/23/2004 | |
| 025 | 09/01/2002 | 635757 | This bulletin provides information related to a service campaign to inspect possible interference between the positive battery cable and the automatic transmission dipstick. *tt | 10/31/2002 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | ||||||
| EA02016 | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC | 08/06/2002 | 10/07/2003 | NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | ||
| Odi gathered fire data from various sources and inspected subject vehicles to assess the scope and frequency of non-crash engine compartment fires caused by starter cable chafing.odi's analysis found that most of the suspect fires occurred after the vehicle had received service repairs in the area of the subject cable.consumer complaint data indicate that the problem experience has declined since a peak in late 2001.the most recent known event occurred in november of 2002. kia will perform a service campaign beginning in late 2003 to inspect subject vehicles built prior to january 2000 for cable damage and will replace damaged cables as necessary. given the declining fire rate and kia | ||||||
| PE02028 | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC | 03/06/2002 | 08/06/2002 | BATTERY CABLE CHAFING | ||
| Alleged engine compartment fires caused by the +12v battery cable shorting out against the transmission dipstick tube | ||||||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | ||||||
| EA02016 | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC | 08/06/2002 | 10/07/2003 | NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | ||
| Odi gathered fire data from various sources and inspected subject vehicles to assess the scope and frequency of non-crash engine compartment fires caused by starter cable chafing.odi's analysis found that most of the suspect fires occurred after the vehicle had received service repairs in the area of the subject cable.consumer complaint data indicate that the problem experience has declined since a peak in late 2001.the most recent known event occurred in november of 2002. kia will perform a service campaign beginning in late 2003 to inspect subject vehicles built prior to january 2000 for cable damage and will replace damaged cables as necessary. given the declining fire rate and kia | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 12/09/2005 | 21200 | 19 | 04/01/2001 |
| This car has been a constant repair and financial problem for the last 4 years starting two weeks after i purchased the car. it is an unsafe vehicle and can not be kept maintained for safety or reliability it was purchased with 21000 miles on the vehicle and a majority of repairs has had to be fixed. 4 starters, ignition switch, ignition switch wiring harness (ignition still doesn't work), air bag sensor, air bag wiring (air bags still does not work), alternator, front passenger side drive axel broke while i was driving the car, right passenger ball joint fell off the car while i was driving the car, master cylinder and rear brake cylinder went out at the same time while i was driving the car, heater/air conditioning motor. the car has been towed 3 times, and has left me and my children stranded too many times to count. the car is still in need of major repair. the driver rear stabilizer bushings need replaced, the driver's side drive axel needs replaced, the air bags still do not work, the ignition switch still gets stuck and won't turn over, and two weeks ago a piston was thrown through the engine and caught the car on fire. the car is now parked in my drive way leaving me stuck with a car payment and a car that is not worth fixing. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2005 | 70000 | 1 | |
| Over a period of time, approximately 70,00 miles on my car, the ac/heater fan motor will blow air intermittently, regardless of the fan's speed setting. eventually, the fan stops blowing all together. this same problem has happened on my 1998 kia sephia as well. *jb | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 15000 | 15 | 07/21/2000 |
| The car died while driving down the road repeatedly. battery leaked. brakes had to be replaced for the entire car at 60,000 miles. the vents on the dashboard have popped up and broken. now the defroster does not blow the air on the windshield. this vehicle was stored in a garage. the seams on the seat come undone. the cigarette lighter broke and flops in the dash. the switch to override the transmission lock is broken. the rear brake light broke when replacing the struts which you have to remove the back dash to get to. the board that is under the carpet in the trunk warped. the carpets came up from the sides of the car. the storage bin in the center console broke, twice. the wind shield chips and errodes when in a car wash. i have never seen a windshield in this bad shape before. the back seat does not stay down. the headlights have a bad seal and there is water now in them. the rubber around the doors comes out repeatedly. gear shifter is continually stuck. brakes take twice as long to stop my car as any other vehicle i have ever driven. i have to drive 2 & 1/2 hours to get repairs. the gas milage is closer to 24 mpg then the 35 that was marked on it when i bought it. there are noises from the engine compartment that are loud and unpleasant. there is a ground fault wire that is bad they want $75 an hour minimum of 10 hours to repair it. the fuse panel cover broke. the headlights cannot be alligned. *ak | |||
| 04/19/1999 | 5000 | 0 | |
| Kia sephia, bought april 1999 new. replaced battery within first year, turn radio up it goes down and the other way. intermittently, speedometer unsteady, check engine light comes on and off frequently. od off light flashes occasionally. dome light comes on by itself when in door mode. dashboard indicator also comes on at this time. *jb | |||
| 10/09/2000 | 1 | ||
| Neighbor called consumer and stated that vehicle was on fire, investigator feels fire was caused by electrical problems, claim 59-v593-419. *slc | |||
| 11/29/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured stated that the vehicle caught on fire between a battery cable and the transmission filler tube. claim number 25-5462-211. *yh | |||
| 11/29/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught on fire, arcing between a battery cable and the transmission filler tube, claim 25-5462-211. *slc | |||
| 03/24/2001 | 3 | 12/01/1999 | |
| Vehicle stalls, dealer has replaced the battery, fuse box, and the fuel pump, vehicle would not start, dealer replaced the fuse box, stalling could possibly be due to faulty electrical system. *slc | |||
| 10/09/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehilce caught on fire, the investigator thinks it was an electrical problem. claim number 59-v593-419. *yh | |||
| 11/29/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured stated that the vehicle caught on fire between a battery cable and the transmission filler tube. claim number 25-5462-211. *yh | |||
| 11/29/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught on fire, arcing between a battery cable and the transmission filler tube, claim 25-5462-211. *slc | |||
| 10/09/2000 | 1 | ||
| Neighbor called consumer and stated that vehicle was on fire, investigator feels fire was caused by electrical problems, claim 59-v593-419. *slc | |||
| 03/24/2001 | 3 | 12/01/1999 | |
| Vehicle stalls, dealer has replaced the battery, fuse box, and the fuel pump, vehicle would not start, dealer replaced the fuse box, stalling could possibly be due to faulty electrical system. *slc | |||
| 12/01/1999 | |||
| Dealer replaced 4 brakes/flex plate/ speakers3/powsteerpump/ 2x gear shift assembley/ electric system and transmission. *ak | |||
| 01/21/1999 | 5 | ||
| When alarm system was installed a hole was drilled through wiring harness,harness was replaced as well a ignition switch, however vehicle has experienced continued failures within the electrical system (battery,starter motor and wiring failures), inproper installation was the possible cause of all electrical failures. yh (attorney for consumer) | |||
| 08/16/1999 | |||
| Vehicle was parked. there was no power . it appeared to be an electrical problem. called road hazard assistance. they gave her a jump start. consumer drove home and that night vehicle would not start. had vehicle towed to the dealer. *ak | |||
| 08/16/1999 | |||
| Vehicle was parked. there was no power. it appeared to be an electrical problem. called road hazard assistance gave her jump start. drove the car home, and that night the vehicle would not start. had it towed to the dealer. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||
| 01/15/2002 | 3 | 07/01/1999 | |
| Since we bought the car we had a recall on january of 2000 for electrical system.after that we had problems with engine light going on that was due to transmission problems,wish in fact had to be repair twice and replace once.also air bag light turn on due to alternator problem on 02/05/2002,alternator had to be replace.i would like to see a resolution to this problem because of the matter of fact the car shoulb be under the lemon law.thank you. *ak | |||
| 08/13/2000 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| Car is just a lemon every siince we purchased it. we tried to get our money back(paid cash)and we were not able to per the car dealer,etc.nothing is ever repaired to the standard and we are upset. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 15000 | 15 | 07/21/2000 |
| The car died while driving down the road repeatedly. battery leaked. brakes had to be replaced for the entire car at 60,000 miles. the vents on the dashboard have popped up and broken. now the defroster does not blow the air on the windshield. this vehicle was stored in a garage. the seams on the seat come undone. the cigarette lighter broke and flops in the dash. the switch to override the transmission lock is broken. the rear brake light broke when replacing the struts which you have to remove the back dash to get to. the board that is under the carpet in the trunk warped. the carpets came up from the sides of the car. the storage bin in the center console broke, twice. the wind shield chips and errodes when in a car wash. i have never seen a windshield in this bad shape before. the back seat does not stay down. the headlights have a bad seal and there is water now in them. the rubber around the doors comes out repeatedly. gear shifter is continually stuck. brakes take twice as long to stop my car as any other vehicle i have ever driven. i have to drive 2 & 1/2 hours to get repairs. the gas milage is closer to 24 mpg then the 35 that was marked on it when i bought it. there are noises from the engine compartment that are loud and unpleasant. there is a ground fault wire that is bad they want $75 an hour minimum of 10 hours to repair it. the fuse panel cover broke. the headlights cannot be alligned. *ak | |||
| 1 | 05/01/2000 | ||
| This car has so many problems they cant all be listed.the battery melted,the tires wont stay inflated properly, the a/c broke,the cruise control broke, just to name a few. the car shakes if you go over 60 and the dealer charged me to align the front end,told me it needed to be done every 6 months.also said i should have known the battery would melt,its korean.*ak | |||
| 07/15/1999 | |||
| Battery is constantly being drained, has been replaced 5 times since purchase. dealer stated it was an electrical problem. *ak | |||
| 1 | 08/01/2000 | ||
| Battery failed. nlm | |||
| 3 | 03/01/1999 | ||
| Complete lemon. nothing but problems. replaced brakes, transmission, 2 axles, windshield wiper motor, flywheel, faulty wiring in door, battery, starting problems, blinker switch replaced, seat tore upon car pick-up, too many things gone wrong to list | |||
| 11/11/2000 | |||
| Battery exploded when tow truck technician turned iginition swtch half way on so that he could put vehicle into neutral, and be able to turn steering wheel. explosion caused a dent, and acid spillages over everything under the hood. vehicle towed to dealer for repairs. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak | |||
| 07/14/2000 | 1 | 10/30/1999 | |
| Battery failed. *slc | |||
| 07/01/2000 | 2 | 09/01/1999 | |
| Stranded 4+x...battery taken to dealership twice (once they only poured water in- failed next morning)- took 4k miles of problems before they finally replaced 'dud' battery | |||
| 07/01/1999 | |||
| Right after i purchased vehicle, music system had to be replaced. battery had to be replaced in less than a year.had to take it in for two recalls. brakes sometimes squeak when you come to a stop. while traveling on the highway car will start to vibrate. the low fuel light comes on even though you may have over a half of tank of gas. engine is racing to high. notice in july/00 while driving car starts to jerk or plung forward for no apparent reason. also when you apply your brakes it will do this. recently i have taken car to the dealership about this problem, but they could not find anything wrong with it. | |||
| 08/13/2000 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| Car is just a lemon every siince we purchased it. we tried to get our money back(paid cash)and we were not able to per the car dealer,etc.nothing is ever repaired to the standard and we are upset. | |||
| 07/11/2000 | 3 | ||
| Due to a defective battery wiring, while vehicle comes to a stop,it stalls unexpectedly which may cause a rear collision. *ak | |||
| Whenever brakes are applied they would make noises.the pedal went to floor. brake pads & rotors needed replacing due to metal to metal noise. vehicle had died. mechanic indicated battery was problem & needed to be replaced. also, transmission gears would not shift properly & needed servicing. *ak | |||
| 09/19/1999 | |||
| Vehicle wouldn't start, and the battery died out. also, when driving at any speed and applying the brakes, the brakes went straight to the floorboard. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | |||
| 11/01/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1999 | |
| The switch block under the seat was messed up had to be ficked so car would start. was low on transmission fluid 3 days after buying car. transmission went out after 6500 miles. the rotors began squelling at about 5000 miles hard to stop sometimes locks up sometimes keeps rolling......rotors and pads replaced and still keeps acting up | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 08/28/2001 | 2 | 02/01/1999 | |
| I have already contacted the manufacturer in several ocasions. filed a complaint with the bbb auto line, but case was closed because car is not a lemon. the dealers have not been able to find the problems of the transmission and the ignition. kia had said that they were working on a good faith offer but after the bbb closed the case, did not hear from them anymore. i do not wish to keep the car. kia has not honored the warranty promise; therefore they are in default of the warranty. kia dealers won't check the car if computer does not prompt a code. the last time i dropped the car at the dealer, left it for over 5 days for them to inspect and notified kia of this action, but they could not find the intermittent problems. monthly payment on car is $422.52. can't afford a defective vehicle, besides of paying for tow trucks and missing from work due to car failures. transmission have broken twice. every time they fix it, it does not work for long. this car is no longer reliable and i do not wish to waste my time at dealers. they have not been able to repair the problems. i am desperate for a solution. i would appreciate your advise before a procede legally.*ak | |||
| 08/01/1999 | |||
| The car wouldn't start shortly after i bought it. it took several trips to the dealer in order for them to replace the starter. after the starter was replaced the problem continued and the flywheel was finally replaced. approximately one week prior to receiving a recall notice on the wiper blades the wipers stopped working during heavy rain on a highway which almost caused me to get into an accident. i have had electrical problems such as the ceiling light going on and off whenever i turned corners. the car battery was even replaced after the new starter and flywheel were put in because the car still had problems starting. recently the transmission had to be replaced. a week after the transmission was replaced the overdrive light and the engine light started blinking on and off. the car finally stalled and had to be towed. the car was given back to me and i was told that a gasket in the transmission was leaking. a week after that the over drive light and the engine light started flashing again and the car starting driving as if it was stuck in first gear. the car finally stalled again and wouldn't move.*ak | |||
| 3 | 03/01/1999 | ||
| Complete lemon. nothing but problems. replaced brakes, transmission, 2 axles, windshield wiper motor, flywheel, faulty wiring in door, battery, starting problems, blinker switch replaced, seat tore upon car pick-up, too many things gone wrong to list | |||
| In cold weather vehicle will not start nor will doors open. also, while vehicle was being driven doors would unexpectedly open, cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 08/03/1999 | |||
| Would be driving and vehicle stalled out. then, would restart on its own. cruise control remained unreliable. brakes would not release cruise control when it was on. took to dealership & mechanic replaced electrical wires. also, exhaust system had holes in it & was leaking, and air conditioner was replaced due to compressor seizing up. *ak | |||
| 07/25/2000 | 4 | 07/01/1999 | |
| Brake pads and rotors have been replaced 4 times in less than 1year and at 30,335 miles right now, service department fights with us each time we bring car in. car does not start up right away, it turns a few times before it finally does, took to service department 2 times, they are unable to diagnose problem. when driving at times when you step on gas car hesitates to go, almost like it is out of gas, but it is not. after 2mths. of using airconditioner this summer, it completely stopped working, took to service department, diagnosed with leaky o rings, they repaired under warranty. rear doors when opening hit the edge of closed front doors, service department said they needed new door stoppers, haven't got them yet.*ak | |||
| 09/25/1999 | 5 | 05/01/1999 | |
| The brakes squeak and the pads were replaced at 1200 miles, the brakes failed again at 6600 miles the rotors were warped and the pads were worn and i returned the car to northwestern dodge and kia and they replaced the pads and machined the rotors, however the stering wheel shakes and vibrates when i drive on the expressway and the brakes are still grinding. the stering wheel and column vibrates and shakes when i drive at 50+ mph. at 6600 miles the check engine light illuminated and there is a burning smell. the car dies out when i am at a stand still for no reason and without any warning. i have to start the car at least 3 times before it turns over. overall i would say that i am disappointed with the car and the moment that i can trade it in i plan to do so and i will advise anyone who is thinking about purchasing this car to not even consider a kia (any model) because they are not well made cars. | |||
| 07/05/1999 | |||
| While traveling 30mph vehicle completely shut down for no reason. there was no warning. vehicle towed to dealer. consume rwas informed by mechanic that electrical: ignition: coil had burned all the wires due to a manufacturer's defect.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 03/22/2002 | 0 | ||
| Wiring under hood got so hot that it melted all of wiring under the hood and tail light. consumer was told that it was the main harness. it also melted computer in the car.*ak | |||
| 09/05/2000 | 3 | 02/13/1999 | |
| Consume was traveling about 25mph on highway when pressed on gas pedal and vehicle refused to acellerate. she took vehicle into dealer three times. dealership was aware of the problem. mechanic told consumer that vehicle had an electrical problem with the brain. *ak the non-acceleration is due defect in the vehicle. *yh | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 11/01/2001 | |||
| Vehicle will at times start up in the morning, and at other times will not start. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak | |||
| 04/27/2001 | 0 | ||
| Upon removing key from ignition vehicle continued running. also, when attempting to restart vehicle it failed to restart. please provide any further details, consumer had contacted dealer.*ak | |||
| Whenever the brakes (abs) are applied, steering wheel would shake. after going 65mph or better, the entire vehicle would shake/vibrate. the abs brake system was repaired twice. the air conditioner makes loud noises when turned on. sometimes the vehicle would not start or catch right away. needs to jiggle key to get it started. *ak | |||
| 09/19/1999 | |||
| Vehicle wouldn't start, and the battery died out. also, when driving at any speed and applying the brakes, the brakes went straight to the floorboard. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/24/2005 | 5 | 05/04/2002 | |
| I am unable to start my car in cold weather. anytime it gets below 30 degrees, the car will crank and not turn over. i tried replacing the battery. that did not work. the car otherwise starts in warmer weather. this is unreasonable. i can't be stuck in the wintertime with this vehicle. i've heard there are others who have this same problem. maybe you should look into this and maybe process a recall for this issue. *jb | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 1 | 06/02/1999 | |
| Consumer had to have the motor rebuilt. *ph the engine was rebuilt because the engine kept overheating. now the transmission needs to be replaced but the consumer cannot afford to repair it. the starter was also replaced. *nm | |||
| 08/01/1999 | |||
| The car wouldn't start shortly after i bought it. it took several trips to the dealer in order for them to replace the starter. after the starter was replaced the problem continued and the flywheel was finally replaced. approximately one week prior to receiving a recall notice on the wiper blades the wipers stopped working during heavy rain on a highway which almost caused me to get into an accident. i have had electrical problems such as the ceiling light going on and off whenever i turned corners. the car battery was even replaced after the new starter and flywheel were put in because the car still had problems starting. recently the transmission had to be replaced. a week after the transmission was replaced the overdrive light and the engine light started blinking on and off. the car finally stalled and had to be towed. the car was given back to me and i was told that a gasket in the transmission was leaking. a week after that the over drive light and the engine light started flashing again and the car starting driving as if it was stuck in first gear. the car finally stalled again and wouldn't move.*ak | |||
| 04/12/1999 | |||
| Starter won't work, and consumer can't start vehicle up until the third time. also, windshield wiper's are working intermittently, causing the consumer to pull to the side of the road. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 15000 | 15 | 07/21/2000 |
| The car died while driving down the road repeatedly. battery leaked. brakes had to be replaced for the entire car at 60,000 miles. the vents on the dashboard have popped up and broken. now the defroster does not blow the air on the windshield. this vehicle was stored in a garage. the seams on the seat come undone. the cigarette lighter broke and flops in the dash. the switch to override the transmission lock is broken. the rear brake light broke when replacing the struts which you have to remove the back dash to get to. the board that is under the carpet in the trunk warped. the carpets came up from the sides of the car. the storage bin in the center console broke, twice. the wind shield chips and errodes when in a car wash. i have never seen a windshield in this bad shape before. the back seat does not stay down. the headlights have a bad seal and there is water now in them. the rubber around the doors comes out repeatedly. gear shifter is continually stuck. brakes take twice as long to stop my car as any other vehicle i have ever driven. i have to drive 2 & 1/2 hours to get repairs. the gas milage is closer to 24 mpg then the 35 that was marked on it when i bought it. there are noises from the engine compartment that are loud and unpleasant. there is a ground fault wire that is bad they want $75 an hour minimum of 10 hours to repair it. the fuse panel cover broke. the headlights cannot be alligned. *ak | |||
| 06/19/2003 | 5 | 10/01/1999 | |
| The vehicle had numerous recalls and problems. when the consumer put fuel in the vehicle it leaked out. when it did hit she had to play around with it, until the nozzle was in the tank just right, then it would take the fuel. also, the vehicle was had problems with the brakes, and rotors wearing out too quickly and the master cylinder was cracked and leaking brake fluid. the consumer had the vehicle in the repair shop at least 10 times and needed to be returned to the repair shop. *ak the fuel tank problem had been worked on four times and still was not fixed. there were gear shift problems where the shifter would stick, multiple wiring console light problems, the wiper blade links were defective and caused the blade to come apart. *scc *jb referenced in rq03-006 | |||
| 1 | 07/29/1999 | ||
| Consumer states that the vehicle experienced problems with the wiring being loose. *slc | |||
| 10/24/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated they had received a recall notice regarding a wiring problem and had the recall work performed at the dealership, vehicle experienced a fire in the engine compartment, claim 11-3544-661. *slc | |||
| 10/24/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured stated that they received a recall notice regarding a wiring problem, the work was performed at the dealership, possible fire. claim number 11-3544-661. *yh | |||
| 04/16/2001 | 4 | 04/16/2001 | |
| Consumer states when accelerating the vehicle speed decreases instead of increasing. replaced parts 4 times. problem still occurs. nlmvehicle has been repaired for wiring harness and sensor failure, the transmission is slipping, the transmission fluid is burnt and it is leaking fluid at the shift shaft (consumer was advised to replace transmission), the over drive light keeps flashing and the check engine light illuminates due to the hold unit not being applied. *jg | |||
| 10/24/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated they had received a recall notice regarding a wiring problem and had the recall work performed at the dealership, vehicle experienced a fire in the engine compartment, claim 11-3544-661. *slc | |||
| 08/03/1999 | |||
| Would be driving and vehicle stalled out. then, would restart on its own. cruise control remained unreliable. brakes would not release cruise control when it was on. took to dealership & mechanic replaced electrical wires. also, exhaust system had holes in it & was leaking, and air conditioner was replaced due to compressor seizing up. *ak | |||
| 10/04/2000 | |||
| Engine check light would stay on, vehicle overheated & overdrive would blink on/off. ground wire was suppose to be fixed,but vehicle caught on fire. vehicle was totalled. manufacturer said they couldn't do anything, filed a lawsuit. warranty was not up on vehicle.*ak | |||
| 06/22/2000 | 0 | ||
| While driving consumer smelled a very strong acid burning consumer's nose. he jumped out of the car, and flames were on steering wheel and under steering whee. consumer said no oil was in the car. a fire chief claimed it was electrical.*ak | |||
| 06/10/2000 | 0 | ||
| While traveling about 45 smelled smoke. consumer looked though rearview mirror and noticed that smoke was getting darker. pulled over, and took grand child out of vehicle. a second later, vehicle blew up. fire department was notified. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 06/30/2004 | 1 | ||
| While in the street vehicle was in park and the key was taken out of the ignition switch. then, vehicle caught on fire under the steering wheel. dealership was notified. floor manager indicated to the consumer there was nothing we could do. *ak | |||
| 03/18/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2099 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 03/22/2002 | 0 | ||
| Wiring under hood got so hot that it melted all of wiring under the hood and tail light. consumer was told that it was the main harness. it also melted computer in the car.*ak | |||
| 01/20/2002 | 3 | 07/01/1999 | |
| After i t-boned a jeep, i got out of my car and then my car caught fire under the hood and quickly went up and flames.*ak | |||
| 12/15/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving at approximately 25 mph, an electrical fire started in steering column and flames were coming from underneath the hood. consumer was unable to turn engine off by turning the key in the ignition. insurance company is in possession of vehicle, but has not informed consumer as to what caused the fire to occur.*ak consumer was unable to turn engine off, but was able to jump out of vehicle while moving, three recalls were performed on this vehicle and consumer believes that recall should have been performed prior to purchase, consumer also complains that the vehicle is noisy, exhibits hard start condition, sluggish acceleration, and inoperative fuel gauge. *tt | |||
| 06/24/2001 | 06/01/1999 | ||
| Hartford claim #: ybsmd79874. fire under hood - battery cable/trans area. total loss.*ak | |||
| 03/02/2001 | 3 | 09/01/1999 | |
| Have taken vehicle for fuel pump problems over 6x..3 recalls & still seems to run hard/stall. transmission first brought in on 1/1/00, they couldn't diagnose and then 3/23/01 diagnosed for same problem- repaired. now sticks in 3-4th gear. all 4 original tires have separated and been replaced (15k miles and 24k miles). electrical still causing powertrain and accessory-related (radio) recurringly fail. car is extremely dangerous and kia/dealership fails to diagnose/repair only until recall on exact prev brought in problems occur (and keep recurring). this partic vehicle is extreme hazard/liability to drive. (tiresize: 185/65r14)( dot number: tire size: 185/65r14 ) | |||
| 4 | |||
| I am a fire investigator. i have examined 4 kia sephia's with same fire origin. +12 volt conductor from battery to starter is chafing on transmission dipstick tube. *ak | |||
| 11/21/2000 | |||
| While driving smoke appeared from underhood & sparks were poppingout. pulled over. lifted hood & flames shot out. tried using fire extinguisher to no avail. fire department arrived & put flames out. fire had remained underhood and did not spread, possible indication was electrical. *ak | |||
| 11/15/1999 | 08/01/1999 | ||
| The car blown white smoke from the hood of the car!!!now the car don't run under 10 to 15 miles and hour!!! this car has too many recalls and too many major problems. in some cases i feel like suing someone who sells a car in such dangerous conditions know my warranty is up i guess!!*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 08/12/1999 | |||
| All indicator lights on instrumental panel come on and stay on at different times. contacted dealer. this could be an electrical system short. had different part replaced, problem still reoccurred. *ak | |||
| 03/31/2001 | 11/01/1999 | ||
| We have had many prblems with this car. first the orvr valve for the gas tank wead, then we have had prblems with the automatic door locks not opening or closing the other doors from the drivers side door, then the automatic windows on the passanger side both the front and back doors have gone up very slowly almost to the point of having to push them up by hand. then a dash was replaced, do to it bubling up. we have a battery replaced once because the vehicle would not turn over at all. also just recently we have the same problem, after only two weeks of the dealership that we took the vehicle to did a electrical check on the car and said that it was ok (tempe dodge kia) located in temmpe, az. the reason we had them check the electrical system out was because after the replaced the dash we noticed that the indicator lights for the fan and the air flow selactor were dimming out and the a/c was running really slow at idle speed. all in all this car has been a nightmare and we haved cotacted kia mottors corp. several times with no real answers to are problems and no compensation or upgrade of a warranty on the existing warranty. if you could please help us out in any way at all or not please e-mail us at jsundown2000@aol.com or contact us at 480-481-0351 or 602-625-8079. we thank you for your time and consideration in these matters. jessica june brady & keil william conley.*ak | |||
| 10/01/1999 | 100 | 09/01/1999 | |
| This car has been, nonstop, 1 mech problem after another with kia co & manuf claiming 'normal wear/tear or first heard of problems.' your site shows that other consumers of same vehicle have all experienced same problems (esp brakes, battery, tires, steering column, fuel assembly). kia & dealership unresponsive and unaccountable for products sold and represented- esp. highly dangerous vehicle problems/defects. (dot number: 96737 tiresize: p185/65r14) | |||
| 06/11/2000 | 1 | 05/01/1999 | |
| A fire commenced under the dash. insurance company has vehicle for inspection. dealer/manufacturer notified. *ak | |||