Faults:

I bought my 1999 Kia Sportage with 49,000 miles for $5,000 in April 2007. The first year I had to replace the timing belt at 60,000 miles. Since that it has been one thing after another.

I am replacing the radiator today. It now has 104,000 miles and I am looking to get rid of it anyway I can. I will never buy another one again. The only cheap part about the car is the car itself. Passes everything but the repair shop and gas station.

General Comments:

This car is deemed the gutless wonder, as it has never had any get up and go power ever.

I have a soft top on mine, which has been a complete nightmare.

Faults:

Would not start sometimes. Found the problem; one of the main relays under the hood went bad.

Front lockout hubs don't work; soft top is tearing at threads.

General Comments:

Drives good, just not very powerful.

Faults:

I have nothing but trouble from this vehicle, and no one knows why including the dealership.

The hold light and the engine light goes off at least once a month, then a day or two later it just want start, then I have to have it jumped off. This last time it would not change gears until the next day.

It has been a peace of junk since I purchased it and I will never buy any other KIA.

Faults:

I just got the 1999 Kia Sportage from my Mom about 2 months ago. She gave it to me after buying it from a dealership 6 months prior.

Had to take it to 3 different mechanics/body shops today because the frame completely rusted through. The rest of the car is in great shape, and runs perfect... except for the fact that it is a death trap. Turns out that in the slightest accident, the entire back end of the car will crumple in and seriously hurt or kill the person driving and whoever else is in the car. Needless to say, it's going back to the dealer.

The mechanics told me it is illegal/unethical to fix the problem, because no amount of repair work can fix it. You can literally stick your hand through the holes where it rusted in the frame.

General Comments:

I will never own another one.

Faults:

Front end struts had to be replaced at 102,000 miles.

Door mechanisms keep failing and a door came flying open with a passenger next to it.

The car developed an intermittent starting problem. Finally after finding a good mechanic, I was told the security plug under the dash was never removed by the dealership and it was corroded out.

The sun-visors rotted out and it costs $100 each for new ones.

The tire hatch wire has been stuck now for two years so I cannot use the hatchback.

General Comments:

When it runs, it's a fun car. Parts are expensive and something is always wrong with it.

Faults:

When I bought the car, there was a hole in the gas tank, which I did know about, but the cost to replace the tank and the gasoline sending unit was about $1000. The sending unit was so rusty that the mechanic could not use it in the new tank.

After about a month of routine driving, the cross-member under the rear end rusted in two and broke as I was driving down the road at 45mph. I nearly lost control of the car. When I got the car to the mechanic, he checked and said that the entire rear end of the car was so rusty that I will have to find a new rear end from another car, as well as have major welding done to repair the rusted cross-member.

General Comments:

The car gets really good gas mileage, about 30mpg, and I like driving it, but now I can't drive it at all, because I have to save the money to do another $1000 in repairs.