NHTSA Complaint #716342 — 1998 KIA SPORTAGE

I'VE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR SINCE PURCHASING IT, IT HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THE SHOP FOR THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON 2 TIMES, THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID IT WAS A SENSOR, BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED 2 DAYS LATER , THEY THEN SAID IT WAS A HARNESS, THAT WAS REPLACED THEN I'VE TAKEN IT IN FOR TWO RECALLS ON THE BRAKES AND A HUB PROBLEM, I'M CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR HANDLES STICKING SO IT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FROM THE OUTSIDE, DEALER STATES THAT THEY CAN'T GET IT TO HAPPEN WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE SHOP BUT IT OCCURES CONTINUALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MY POSSESSION, BACK HATCH DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY UNLESS YOU SLAM IT SEVERAL TIMES, DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG, ENGINE ALWAYS SMELLS LIKE IT IS BURNING AND NOW THE CAR WILL ONLY START WHEN IT WANTS TO, DEALER SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY BUT THE CAR IS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER SPORTAGE OWNERS WHO ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, I FEEL THE MANUFACTERER NEEDS TO BUY ALL THESE CARS BACK, I'VE TRIED TO TRADE THIS CAR AND NONE OF THE DEALERS WANT IT THEY TELL ME THAT IT IS NOT WORTH WHAT I'VE PAID FOR IT SO I'M STUCK WITH IS PIECE OF JUNK, I'M AT MY WITTS END...I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I'M AFRAID TO GET STUCK SOMEWHERE. THE CAR IS LITTERALY FALLING APART IN MY HANDS AND THERES NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT, I'VE TALKED TO A LAWYER IN REGARD TO THE LEMON LAW BUT THEY SAY THAT IT HAS TO BE A REOCCURING PROBLEM OF THE SAME ORIGIN BUT THERES APPARENTLY HELP FOR THE COMSUMERS THAT ARE STUCK WITH AWFUL PRODUCTS LIKE THESE SUV'S. THERE WERE 166 COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND ALMOST EVERY PERSON HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS I'M HAVING WITH MY VEHICLE. I AM PERSONALLY TELLING AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN ABOUT THESE JUNKIE KIA'S. THE MANUFACTERER SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. IF I OR ANYBODY IN MY CAR SHOULD BE HURT IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS, KIA WILL SEE A LAW SUIT THAT WILL MAKE THEIR HEAD SPIN. *AK