2000 Kia Sportage Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I OWN A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE EX [4X4] AND ADD I DONE MORE RESEARCH ON THIS I NEVER WOULD'VE PURCHASED IT. LIKE ALL SPORTAGES APPARENTLY THE 4WD DOESN'T WORK. I LIVE IN CLEVELAND OHIO AND WE NORMALLY GET 6MONTHS OF SNOW. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH ONLY REAR WHEEL DRIVE. IT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE BACK WHEELS ALWAYS SPIN OUT DURING BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. KIA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HASN'T RECALLED THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE FOR SOME STRANGE REASON. I WON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT SOME OF OTHER MINOR DEFECTS OF THIS SUV, BUT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE FAULTY 4WD!!!! RECENTLY I GOT STUCK IN 2INCHES MUD IN MY BACKYARD AND IT TOOK 4 HOURS OF ROCKING, LIFTING THE SUV WITH A JACK AND 2X4'S, AND CLEVER IDEA'S TO GET UNSTUCK. KEEP IN MIND I RECENTLY PURCHASED 4 BRAND NEW TIRES AND HAD THE SUV IN 4WD THE ENTIRE TIME. THIS IS A MAJOR FAULT OF KIA THAT SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED!!! *TR

THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE ON MY KIA SPORTAGE 2000 HAS STOPPED WORKING. MY MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM WITH THE KNUCKLE/HUB ASSY W/O ABS (PART # QK081-33-020-DQ). IT'S A SYSTEM THAT WORKS BY AIR PRESSURE TO ENGAGE THE 4X4. THE DEFECT WITH THIS PART IS THAT AIR LEAKS OUT OF IT AND CAUSES THE 4X4 TO STOP WORKING. KIA HAS MADE A NEW VERSION OF THIS PART (PART # QK082-33-020-EQ) THAT CORRECTS THE ISSUE BY DOUBLE SEALING THE AIR PRESSURE LEAK. THEY ARE NOT HOWEVER WILLING TO MAKE THE REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE, WHICH I THINK THEY SHOULD. THE REASON WHY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IS BECAUSE THIS CAR HAS REAR WHEEL DRIVE AND WE LIVE IN UTAH WHERE IT SNOWS EVERY WINTER. REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES IN SNOW-COVERED ROADS ARE USELESS AND CANNOT BE CONTROLLED. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR THE 4X4 FACTOR THAT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN SNOWY WEATHER. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FACT THAT THE COMPANY IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE FREE OF CHARGE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN THIS KIND OF WEATHER. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT THIS DEFECT WAS ALSO IN THE 98, 99, 00 AND 01 MODELS OF THIS CAR. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME I DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT THIS UNTIL AFTER THE PART BROKE. CURRENTLY WE ARE NOT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE ROADS ARE COVERED WITH SNOW. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY THE $800.00 PART + LABOR FEES. I WAS TOLD BY KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT RECALLS ARE ONLY MADE WHEN YOUR COMPANY DETERMINES THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT. I DON'T KNOW IF MY SINGLE REPORT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE SITUATION WITH THIS VEHICLE. *JB

INCIDENTS: 2000 KIA SPORTAGE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE - I (AND AT LEAST TWO OTHER KIA SPORTAGE OWNERS I HAVE TALKED WITH) HAVE EXPERIENCED SLIPPAGE IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE WERE ALL TOLD THAT NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND BUT WE HAVE ALL CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM FROM TIME TO TIME. *NM

WHEN ENGAGING FROM TWO-WHEEL DRIVE TO FOUR WHEELS DRIVE VEHICLE REMAINS IN TWO WHEELS DRIVE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK

DT: FIRST GOT CAR SEEMED TO DRIVE GOOD, BUT IN THE WINTER THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE DIDN'T WORK. KIA FIXED IT, AND THIS HAPPENED AGAIN, KIA FIXED IT AGAIN. THIS SEEMED TO HAPPEN WHEN IN HIGH SPEEDS AND THEN SLOWING, THE WHEELS WOULD SHAKE. AT THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO FIX IT, KIA DEALER SAID THEY CHANGED THE KIT THAT PUTS IT INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO FIX IT, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID, BUT IT HAD TO DO WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE. AT THIRD ATTEMPT KIA SAID THE HOSES WERE CLOGGED. TOOK HOSES OFF AND CLEANED THEM AND PUT THEM BACK ON. ALSO, SAID THERE WAS A NEW KIT INTO THE CARS, BUT HE DID NOT PUT IT INTO CONSUMER'S CAR. HE ASSURED CONSUMER THAT THE CAR WOULD BE FINE. ABOUT THREE MONTHS LATER THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND TRANSMISSION IWERE NOT WORKING RIGHT. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE FRONT WHEELES LOCKED UP AND SLID.*AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PERTAINING TO THE REAR AXLE, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY SPORTAGE, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEAR CONTROL ON THE FLOOR. TO MY SURPRISE, IT MOVED FORWARD FROM THE DRIVE POSITION TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. I FOUND AN ISOLATED STREET AND TESTED IT AGAIN AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE GEAR HANDLE DOES NOT PROPERLY LOCK INTO EACH POSITION AS IT SHOULD. THE SAFETY BUTTON ON THE GEAR LEVER DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY SORT OF PROTECTION. I DID NOT WANT TO DAMAGE MY CAR BY TESTING TO SEE IF I COULD SHIFT FROM DRIVE INTO REVERSE USING THIS NEWLY-FOUND PROBLEM. I'LL LEAVE THAT ONE TO THE AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONALS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND DETERMINE IF THIS IS AN ISOLATED CASE OR A VEHICLE DESIGN FLAW. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! *NLM

THE 4WD OF MY VEHICLE HAS STOPPED WORKING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT NOTICED UNTIL AFTER I HAD BEEN IN A CIRCUMSTANCE WHEREAS THE 4WD WAS NEEDED SUCH AS SNOW AND ICE. ONE ONCE OCCASION I NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT AND BECAME STUCK. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SUBMITTED FOR REPAIRS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND SUBSEQUENTLY INFORMED THE REPAIRS WERE REQUIRED DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONED VACUUM LINE. THE REPAIRS WERE REQUIRED THREE TIMES BEFORE I FINALLY RETURNED THE VEHICLE AND DEMANDED A MORE THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS THEN INFORMED PARTS WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED FOR CORRECTION OF THE DEFICIENCY. I HAVE STILL NOT RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK FROM REPAIRS.

KIA SPORTAGE WAS MAKING A METAL ON METAL BANGING SOUND INTERMITTENTLY WHILE NORMAL OPERTION IN 2 WHEEEL DRIVE. KIA DEALER FOUND ONE FRONT WHEEL HUB AND VACUMM LINE WERE LOCKED TO ENGAGE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. HUBS AND LINE WERE REPLACED HOWEVER THERE IS A NATIONAL STOCK OUTAGE ON UPDATE KIT FOR A RECALL BY KIA. ALREADY HAVE WAITED 3 WEEKS FOR PARTS. CAN NOT GET INFORMATION FROM KIA ON WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. MANY OTHER KIA OWNERS ALSO ON WAITING LIST FOR PARTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AT BRENNER DEALERSHIP IN HARRISBURG, PA. CAN NOT USE 4 WHEEL DRIVE UNTIL PARTS ARE INSTALLED.

DASH LIGHTS INDICATED VEHICLE WAS IN 4WD, VEHICLE SLID BACKWARDS. *TS

WHILE DRIVING 4-WHEEL DRIVE DID NOT FUNCTION.*AK

WHILE PUTTING VEHICLE INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IT WOULD NOT LOCK INTO PLACE, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE ON FOUR WHEEL DRIVE EVEN THOUGH LIGHT INSIDE TURNED ON, SHOWING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ON. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE PARKED IN GEAR WITH PARKING BRAKE NOT ON, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACK. VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HEARD A GRINDING SOUND FROM LEFT FRONT WHEEL. THEN, 3 LOUD CLICKS. SHE PULLED OVER TO CHECK WHEEL, AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE LEFT FRONT TIRE BACK AND FORTH WITH BOTH HANDS ABOUT 2 INCHES. SHE THEN DROVE AT A SLOW SPEED TO NEAREST DEALER. DEALER REPLACED DUST BOOTS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS/ REPLACED BEARINGS, AND BOTH ENDS OF AXLE. ON THE WAY HOME AFTER THIS REPAIR, VEHICLE MADE SAME NOISE AGAIN. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. DEALER STATED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON 2000 SPORTAGE.*AK

ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 60 MPH OR MORE, TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE SLIPPING INTO THE NEXT GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

2000 KIA SPORTAGE. 4 WHEEL DRIVE FAILED TO ENGAGE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *TT *NM

CONSUMER STATED THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FAILED TWICE. *YH

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM. ALSO, REAR DRIVELINE WAS BENT, AND HUBS WERE CONTAMINATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THERE WAS A NOISE FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, THEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. FRONT TIRE ALMOST CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE.*AK