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Kia Stalling

Common Kia Problems • Brakes • Stalling • Sudden acceleration • Transmission • Collision Damage • Just everything! --- News • Kia.com Rated Best Web Site for New-Vehicle Shopping • Kia Owners Awarded $6 Million in Class Action • Hyundai Offers $85 Million to Settle Horsepower Suit • Kia Aces J.D. Powers Survey • Horsepower Overstated

Angel of Seaford NY (5/5/04):
Car has been nothing but a saftey hazard. Car shuts off while driving, no pickup after stopping, a HOLD light comes on all the time. I am going to get killed in this car. Kia can not find anything wrong. Everyone that has this vechicle complains and NO RECALLS are ever seen. The car is dangerous and someone needs to have some pulled off the road to test them out. I am stuck making payments on a car that is going to kill me. Please look into this and the hundreds of complaints KIA receives - they take no responsibility.

Steph of W. Islip NY (5/4/04):
I purchased my (used) 1999 Kia Sportage in August of 2002. I too, have had MANY problems in which have put me in harm's way. I am going through the same thing over and over again!! I can see that many people are having the "stalling" problem, but no one knows what the cause OR the solution is? It is obviously a factory problem and should have a recall on it before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. This is NOT a safe vehicle and if anyone were to drive mine right now they would know what I mean. It dies on me taking off in intersections, I have to ride the brake to keep it started and not to mention the embarrassment of all this!

Now I have a car that I am paying payments on and can not drive. This car is putting not only the people in it in danger but also others on the road!

Melissa of Miami (7/17/03): I bought my car in December of 2001. A month after I got it I started having problems. Since then my car has been towed at least 6 times and it's been in the dealer exactly 10. My car stalls and I can't even turn on the air because when I do the car stops. It wasn't doing it for about 2-3 weeks but now it started up again. I have replaced several parts in my car and I still have the problem.

I have almost gotten into 3 accidents in the past week alone. If I am at a stop sign and I try to accelerate my car will not advance. Then I turn off the air and it will just take off. The car also makes very loud noises and in the morning when I turn on my car and I sit in the car for a minute before I put it in reverse, I finally put the gear in reverse and it feels like someone kicks the back of my car. I have gone to the dealer and they won't check the car because they said that the check engine light isn't on. Also when it is on they say that nothing is wrong with the car that I just don't know how to drive.

I don't trust my car, I can't find good Insurance for it because an insurance co. told me that KIA's are not good cars so I have to pay almost 2,000 every 6 months for insurance.

Carol of Keizer OR (7/15/03):
I bought a 1996 Kia Sportage 2 years ago. It has been a wonderful little SUV until recently. I will be going down the road and the vehicle just decides to stop running. It shakes violently and I lose steering ability, so I turn it off. The last time, it took 3 attempts of re-starting it to get it to run again. Then it's fine ... till the next time. I cannot connect any time of day, weather conditions or anything that would piece this puzzle together. My husband changed the fuel filter after the first time it acted up. This hasn't stopped the problem.

I am really wondering if the Kia dealerships are aware of this dangerous situation, but they don't do anything to remedy it. I have never had a vehicle do this. It could cost me a truckload of money for them to troubleshoot the problem, and MAYBE end the problem. This is my fear, as I bought the SUV used, to save money.

Celia of Charleston SC (4/8/02):
I own a 98 KIA Sportage. I am convinced the KIA has a stalling problem and an engine surging problem that I would call dangerous. I can't tell you how many times I have pulled into traffic and had my car almost stall on me. After reading the KIA problem web page I am very concered that I can't do anything about a problem that is inherently wrong with this car.

I love my car and don't want to give it up but I feel like it is a very dangerous car to drive around in. I feel like (the Kia dealer) is baffled too.

Tara of Woodbridge, NJ:
I recently bought a 99 Kia Sportage and am having nothing but problems with it. The second day I had the car, the check engine light came on. Once I took the car back to the dealer, they told me it was just a sensor. This happened a few more times, until finally on the way home from work, the engine light came on and the vehicle lost power, and started shaking uncontrollably.

Once I got it back to the dealer, I was told that I would have to leave the vehicle with their service dept. At that time I was also told that the dealer had no loaner car program. So I missed a day of work. The next day I recieved a call from the dealer stating that they found nothing wrong with it, but they put it on a computer, and reset the codes.

I soon (2 weeks later), was back at the dealer with the same problem. This time I was told that they found the problem. The valve cover gasket had to be replaced, because it was leaking oil onto the sensor, therefor causing the problem. Also a problem with the fuel injector system. So after another day out of work and 90 dollars invested into a car rental, I got my car back.

Now less than 2 weeks later, I am having the same problem with the loss of power, and the strain of dealing with a new problem of water leaking in from the front passenger floor. I am dealing with less than professionals at this dealership. I was told by a manager that there was a possibility that Kia would buy the vehicle back. But, that still remains to be seen.

JBL of New York:
I bought a 4-dr '97 Kia in January '98. 13 months to date, whether I put the gear on drive or reverse and step on the gas for 10 minutes, the car won't budge an inch and if it does it runs at 5-10 miles an hour and don't even think on hitting the brakes for the stop lights because you suffer the same predicament as frequently as you brake.

Barbara of Camp Hill, PA:
Manufacturer defects with this 1998 car have left me stranded on several occasions. I am experiencing added costs with car rentals when my NEW car is in the shop. I am experiencing long distance phone charges trying to resolve the situation.

I drive with fear and panic wondering when the next time the car will leave me stranded...will my children be in the car with me? Will it stall again at an intersection and someone slam into me from behind? Will the problems ever GO AWAY? I bought a new car with a warranty so that I wouldn't need to worry about these issues. The car is still not repaired to satisfaction.

Todd of Puerto Rico:
We brought my wife's '97 KIA Sportage to the dealer, still under warranty for the 3rd time in the last month for the same problem. The problem is that the transmission slips very badly sometimes -- to the point were it will not even move the KIA. Every time we bring it in they tell us its a computer problem and that they fixed it. Less than a week later the problem happens again and we are forced to call a tow truck.

My wife drives the car at night to school and it is very unsafe here at those hours and we also know that the problem will happen agian soon in the future. Very upset with the service. It's like they are waiting for the warranty to run out.

Evan of Coral Springs, FL:
I own two '98 Kia Sportages, that are in the shop every month. For problems ranging from electrical, lifters, suspensions, drive shafts, brakes, rust, etc. I lose time from work every month, since both Kias are undependable, and have to carry a celluar phone with me at all times, since you never know what will go wrong next. I would like Kia or the dealership to buy back the cars, since this is a monthly problem.

The service manager at Kia, said he could not help at all. Just keep bringing them in every month for there problems. Or sue Kia.

CP of Gaithersburg, MD:
I purchased a '99 Sportage 7/22/99. A serious problem began 7/25, while returning from a trip to South Carolina. The vehicle hesitated twice while I was driving at 65 mph in 5th gear. The hesitation caused a hard jerking effect. The second time it happened on this trip, I noticed green writing flash underneath the fuel gauge. I had been driving over 90 minutes non-stop.

It happened again after driving over an hour, on a return trip from NJ, 7/31. The same problem happened again upon the return trip from New Jersey with my family. Again the green lite flashed, this occurrence was on July 31st. The next occurrence was on August 1st from a return trip to NY and again 8/31.

On August 5th I spoke to a service person at Gaithersburg Kia, Mr. D, who was honest enough to admit to me that a woman brought her Sportage there with the same exact problem and that he could not detect the problem, therefore could not fix it! He said that hers was an older model.

Other problems detected within one month of ownership: after drought in this area, the rain came, both front windows would stick/not roll up during and after a rain. I had to play with the windows, the driver side always went up off track. Service fixed this problem, now the driver side window has too much play in it.

Heather of Haskell, NJ:
I purchased a 1997 Kia Sephia in September 1997. It was in and out of the service station for numerous things. On October 30, 1999 my car began stalling while being driven. It was taken in and we were told a tune-up was necessary. We had this done and rented a car for a day. The next week, my car stalled again while driving. When brought in again, the service department told us they missed a bulletin from Kia to fix a ground connection. That was done under warranty and we rented a car for two nights.

The following week, my car stalled in morning rush hour traffic while I was driving 40 mph in the left-hand lane. I managed to get my car to the side of the road. I was towed to the service station. They made me rent another vehicle since at this point I was two hours late for work. After one rental and two loaner vehicles (finally at no charge), 24 days total days and a brand new central computer my car was returned to me.

Two weeks later, my car stalled once again. I was told I needed a new electric fuel pump. However, the part was not available and would not be until the following week, but I could pick up and drive my vehicle until that time. Needless to say, my vehicle stalled once again while driving. I managed to get to the service station and had to wait 2 1/2 hours for them to replace the part. They replaced the fuel filter at no charge (how selfless)!!

Two days later my vehicle stalled in the middle of highway traffic and had to be towed into the shop. They gave me a loaner vehicle. The diagnosis this time is it "possibly needs a new transmission".

I have had it! I bought a new vehicle, granted it did not cost $30K--but it was new, and all I ask is that it actually run. I am not able to rely on this vehicle at all! I have lost too many work and school hours. I have written a letter to Kia and upon first responding they are no longer returning my calls. The service department is even worse. They are absolutely no help.

I am constantly worried and stressed over this situation. And completely frustrated with the service dept. and Kia for thier horrible service and vehicle--and worse, their treatment of me!

Ann of Wyoming, PA:
I have a 97 Kia Sephia.It has been in the shop for shop on and off for the last 3 months. The headlights dim and the car stalls. They replaced a few items but never fixed the problems. They want me to drive the car to the dealership when it acts up. Now I have two kids which I don't like to have in the car with me because it stalls as you drive it down the road. Try driving on a highway at 65 and it stalls in the passing lane -- what an experience that is.

I have missed work. Had to buy a cell phone because I work at night. It is kind of scary stalling out in the middle of a highway when cars are coming at you 65 or faster and you can't get out of the way.

Eleanor of Westminister, CO:
I have a 98 Kia Sportage that I purchased brand new. The first incident occured on my way to work -- the check engine light came on and the vehicle began to act funny, the engine would feel like it was going to die then it would, all of a sudden, start reving up. I took it in the same day and was informed that it was a sensor and they had to order the part so they would have to keep it overnight.

The next day they called. When I got in the car I noticed that the engine light was now off but it still didn't "feel" right to me, the engine was still shaking but I took it home anyway. Within three days the car started doing the same thing and the check engine light came on again.

What can we do? It is the only car I have and I'm stressing big time. I work far from my home and had to get a cell phone because I'm afraid I will break down.

Postscript: I am over 40 years old, this is my first new vehicle. I purchased it to escape the continuring problems from used cars and to transport my daughter and her things from college and the other daughter some and cheerleading members to and from their games. I had to make four trips when it was time to return oldest to college, instead of making one trip, because this Kia was again in the shop for service. I had to pay someone to bring her refrigerator, etc, because the loaner car was a Nissan Sentra (small car). I cannot express how scared I am having to drive this thing. The third time the jerking occured, the car in back of me had to swerve in order to keep from rear- ending me. We stay in prayer for our safety while on the road, hope you will include us in your prayers also.

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