NHTSA Complaint #10499483 — 2013 KIA SPORTAGE

WE EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN THE INTERIOR CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED A FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND HAS PERSISTED EVER SINCE DESPITE 3 REPAIR ATTEMPTS AT KIA DEALERSHIPS (22AUG2012, 07JAN2013, 30JAN2013). BECAUSE IT IS INTERMITTENT (OCCURRING ONCE OR TWICE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS) AND WITHOUT AN OBVIOUS PATTERN, THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE SMELL ON THE DAYS WE'VE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN. ON THE 3RD REPAIR VISIT (30JAN2013), THE TECHNICIAN WAS "UNABLE TO VERIFY SMELL, BUT INSPECTED AND FOUND FUEL AROUND INTAKE AT THE FUEL INJECTOR BASES." THEY REPLACED O-RINGS TO ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUE. FOR A WEEK OR SO WE THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS FIXED, BUT SINCE THE 3RD VISIT HAVE ON AT LEAST FOUR OCCASIONS NOTICED A PROMINENT RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN THE CABIN. THE CLOSEST TO A PATTERN THAT WE'VE NOTICED IS THAT ON DAYS WHEN THE SMELL OCCURS, IT IS STRONGEST AND MOST OBVIOUS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING WITH THE HEATER/AC FAN ON. WE ALSO THINK, BUT ARE NOT SURE, THAT THERE MAY BE A CORRELATION WITH DAYS INVOLVING PRECIPITATION (SNOW/RAIN). *TR