NHTSA Complaint #10177557 — 2000 KIA SPORTAGE

TL* - THE CONTACT PURCHASED A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. ON 1/1/2007, AFTER DRIVING 1.5 MILES THE CONTACT'S SMELLED GAS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ,AND WHEN THE CONTACT CHECKED THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING. THE CONTACT FOUND A SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK ,AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE LEAK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GAS WAS LEAKING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SCREWS THAT HELD THE FUEL PUMP IN THE GAS TASK RUSTED , AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE PUMP WHICH FITTED INTO THE FUEL TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED KIA, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING ,AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT A WIRE WAS LO0SE AND IT WAS REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATED DUE TO AN OXYGEN SENSOR FAILURE. *AK