NHTSA Complaint #10475480 — 2000 KIA SPORTAGE

(1) NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK SHIELD IS SEVERELY ROTTED OUT AND IS BARELY CONNECTED. (2) SMELL FUEL VAPORS PERIODICALLY WHILE IN THE VEHICLE. (3) FUEL TANK APPEARS TO BE RUSTING, AFRAID TO MESS WITH TANK IN FEAR OF DISTURBING THE RUST AND RUPTURING A HOLE IN TANK. (4) BRAKE LINES WERE SO SEVERELY RUSTED IN ONE AREA THAT IT BLEW A HOLE IN THE LINE AND PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM STOPPING AND REQUIRED THE PROMPT ACTION FOR REPAIR. OTHER BRAKE LINES LOOK LIKE THEY MAY FAIL IN NEAR FUTURE. (5) STEEL PORTION OF POWER STEERING LINE RUSTED OUT AND BLEW FLUID EVERYWHERE PREVENTING THE ABILITY TO TURN THE WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. (6) THE FRAME HAS HEAVY RUST SCALE AND APPEARS TO BE ROTTING IN SEVERAL PLACE. (7) PAINT IS STARTING TO BUBBLE WHICH IS INDICATING BODY IS RUSTING UNDER PAINT JOB. THIS IS A 12 YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH VERY BAD ROTTING OF METAL FROM SALT CORROSION. HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS MUCH RUST ON 20+ OLD VEHICLES THAT ARE IN THE SAME NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE US. *TR