NHTSA Complaint #714204 — 1998 KIA SPORTAGE

TURNED OFF VEHICLE TO PUMP GAS, ON ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. BATTERY WAS JUMP STARTED, CAR FUNCTIONED PROPERLY FOR 4 DAYS. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE FAILED AGAIN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START, JUMPED STARTED THE VEHICLE & DROVE TO SERVICE CENTER. DEALER SERVICE CENTER FOUND A CELL IN THE BATTERY HAD FAILED & REPLACED THE BATTERY. VEHICLE FAILED AGAIN, 4 WEEKS LATER, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHEN THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS THOROUGHLY CHECKED BY SERVICE MANAGER & FOUND NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START, AGAIN, 3 DAY LATER & DID NOT RESPOND TO A JUMP START. THE DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY INSPECTING VEHICLE, I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, I AM NOT RECEIVING ANY COOPERATION. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED TO ME A CONSUMER REPORT THAT WAS REPORTED BY A LOCAL NEWS STATION, THEY DO NOT RECALL THE COMPLETE DETAILS BUT DO HAVE A RECOGNITION OF THE REPORT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REPETIVE PROBLEM FOR SPORTAGE OWNERS.