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I acutally like the Forester because it gets better gas milage and is not as big as a standard SUV.
The Sportage is fine through almost 500 miles. When it has 10,000 the report card might change.
Trouble is, they keep saying the same thing:
"We cannot confirm if a recall will be applied to your vehicle until a recall has been officially released within Canada. Recalls are vehicle specific. If a recall is released on your 2005 Kia Sportage, you will receive written notification via mail."
So I told the person that Transport Canada told me the Consumer Affairs department in any car manufacturer is always the last to hear, so no wonder she hasn't heard anything. Earlier this month I had to direct her to the US recall information on the NHTSA site, and forwarded her an e-mail from Transport Canada indicating that Kia Canada had been in touch with THEM, saying that yes, there was a Canadian recall.
She just said she had not received any information on that.
Yeah, no kidding.
Why do they have to wait until something serious happens? I don't understand why it takes so long to get the info out there, when the fix is the same fix provided to the already-public recalls in Germany, England and the States? As far as I understand it, they simply take 90 minutes and download the software. Not rocket science.
I still don't know if all the reprogramming they did on my Sportage in Feb (see earlier posts) was for this problem or not. They then just replaced the computer. Am I driving a time bomb here?
I got rid of my '95 Voyager because it was starting to become unreliable with repairs. Now I'm back in the same boat?
Whew! Venting done! :sick:
Not sure about the airbags though- it has head and torso side-airbags and scored "GOOD" on the side impact tests. Not bad even without curtains.
Price-wise it will be intersting to see how close the base-model '06 Forester comes to the AWD V6 Sportage. If it came down to it, I'd rather purchase a Subaru over a Kia.
See Transport Canada at http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/recalls/
"On certain vehicles, while cornering under conditions where Electronic Stability Program (ESP) activation may not be needed, a sensitive ESP may cause the engine to reduce power and the brake at one of the wheels to be applied without brake pedal application by the driver. This may cause the vehicle to slow and may affect the path that the vehicle is traveling. Brake application caused by inadvertent ESP activation may result in a crash. Correction: Dealers will reprogram the ESP Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU)."
So it's been out for at least a month in the rest of the world; why so long for Canada? Hopefully nobody has been hurt. I've fired off an e-mail to Kia Canada to see what they say about my Sportage. Also, my dealership promised to keep me informed. We'll see how long it takes for them to get back to me.
Still floors me that I've known about the Canadian recall for ages, and Kia Canada refused to say anything. We threatened to go to the media if nothing were done by May 15th. Doubt that had anything to do with the timing, but just glad it's out there before someone does get hurt.
Still love my car. Took it to Niagara Falls for a mum's weekend away with my best friend, and it drove like a charm (ESP off of course), and it handled the torrential rain/snow like a dream. Let's hope this is the last problem (fingers crossed).
Janet
(Note, my salesman claimed the condition had already been fixed before i took possession in March. But he had no proof or papers to back his claim....I think i will insist on documentation for this kind of a thing. If it turns out the fix was not yet done I will have to file a complaint against the salesman. To mislead someone on a safety recall is a serious issue IMO)
Have any of you US Sportage owners had the recall condition repaired yet ?
I would like to hear any feedback on how it went, simple or a headache.
Still loving my sportage, It handles the endless rains of spring without any problems and on a long drive the reclining back seat is a great place for the passenger to nap.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The 06 Forester does look interesting, and that moon roof! (where is that drool emotioncon??) That is why I am putting off my purchasing decision until it hits showrooms in June and I can test drive one. That's about the only thing that's keep me from biting the bullet and buying one of the 'twins'
The new H-4 with VVT is the golden apple, although I still wish they would put a 5 speed auto in there, same goes for the 'twins'. 4 speed autos are so yesterday, but I must say any 5 speed must be geared correctly or it wouldnt' be any better than a 4, maybe better fuel economy.
I love Subarus and will always have one in my stable but the 'twins' are really ramping up their game. And with Subaru moving their product lines upmarket it leaves them with out a true contender for this particular price point, too bad really, since Subaru will loose some potential buyers. The 06 Forester will probably not see any significant price increase over the 05s but its the 07 model year that will determine where the Forester is headed price point wise since it will be a complete redesign fully integrating the new corporate front facia design.
Mike
B
But up here in Canukistan the Kia warranty is good for 100,000 Km which is about 60,000 miles. Kind of disparity like our dollar which is worth about 78 cents in greenback.
B
that is insteresting news, would you happen to know what is the typical time frame of Hyundai/Kia's new model introductions? Subaru introduces new models in June, if Hyundai/Kia introduces around the same time frame it may be interesting to compare 06 vs 06. If they introduce later I may be forced to pick 05 vs 06, since my deadline is early July.
Mike
Does anyone has the hitch option and would know if there is a trailer wiring package available? (must be if you have a hitch)
We were just over in Holland and heard that they are waiting between 6 months to (expected delivery) 1 year for a new sportage!
The only problem I'm having, although minor, is with the MP3 player. It doesn't seem to play MP3 disks even though it says it does on the window sticker. I get ERROR on the CD changer display and it ejects the MP3 disk. The manual for the 6 CD Changer says it doesn't play MP3 disks. If I had to choose I'd rather have the MP3 disk support than the 6 CD changer.
Interestingly, on the Kia web site it specifically mentions MP3 on the standard audio but does not mention it for the CD changer that comes in the EX luxury package. Is it possible the text on the window sticker refers to the standard audio? Or is MP3 mentioned on the line item with the luxury package?
Hopefully it's not a "take it back to the dealer and have them reprogram the computer while they're handling the recall" situation. Kia Canada is STILL insisting my Sportage is not involved. It was built in November, one of the first.
Still waiting on that front...
:mad:
On top of that, since the '06 Forester has a v4 (w/173hp) it should get much better milage than the v6 equiped AWD Sportage.
I would also like to test drive both cars before deciding.
Steve, Host
Dealers can't seem to keep the sportage on the lot, they are selling like hot cakes. Good thing I am not in that much of a hurry.
Mike
Mike
I have recently bought a 05 EX-V6 Sportage in this color and like it very much. This has to be the best finished vehicle I have ever owned and I have had quite a few, the attention to detail detail is amazing and I love the way it drives after the "Jimmy" I traded in for it.
The gas mileage is a good improvement also.
The Tucson, otoh, had a $750 owner loyalty rebate in April, and they've now tacked on a $500 "regular" rebate on top of that for May.. Interesting, same parent company but different marketing strategies.
In their defense, nobody at the dealer has any idea what an MP3 is or how to burn an MP3 disk. When I asked if they had a sample disk to play in the vehicle they didn't. They're currently saying the model/serial on my vehicle shows an MP3 audio system, even though the actual model and manual say it's not. I think they're at a loss for what to do about it, I must either be the first to return it for an audio change or the first to notice.
But my heart and my brain is fighting it out right now over which vehicle to get, my financial side is telling me to go with the twins, my emotional side is telling me to go with Subaru. I can swing either way, so the 06 Forester really has to wow me or Kia comes out with some rebates, someone has to do something to tip the scale in my head one way or the other.
Car shopping was never this hard, two weeks ago I was dead set on a Subaru, then I HAD to go check out the Tucson, then just HAD to drop by the Kia dealer to see the Sportage...I tell ya, this curiousity thing, it makes my life harder every time...
Mike
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Kia Canada called me to thank me for filling in my survey (2 months ago!). I asked them about the recall, and when would it be announced. She said she had no information on that. I said that technically it had been announced in Canada because it was listed on Transport Canada's website. I said this was a safety issue, and why are they sitting on it? It will soon be a legal issue if someone gets hurt. Mentioned it was already out elsewhere in the world, blah blah blah.
She went quiet, then said she had been given no information on a *release date*, asked me if I had any other questions, no, good-bye.
So I phoned Hyundai Canada who told me their recall notices were sent out already!
What is going on?
All you Canadian Sportage owners, start calling Kia Canada. This recall has to get out and the repair work has to get done before someone gets hurt or killed.
Janet
p.s. Kia Canada just e-mailed me again, saying the same old thing. Their key phrase every time is: "Once the details have been released, all customers included in a recall will receive written notification via mail."
So my question to them is, as always: When are you going to get the word out?
Even if it turns out my vehicle isn't included based on the VIN #, I have a different ECU (ECM?) computer than the one originally installed in my vehicle. My original one was replaced during the whole set of problems I encountered when I first got it in Feb. (See my earlier posts from then.)
So once recall notices have been sent out, and Kia Canada lets the dealerships know what software they need to download to fix the problem (and they've probably already done that) I will have to go in anyway to get the ECU checked. My earlier problems involved the ESP and ABS.
I need to know when the fix is available so I can go to my dealer and get them to test for the problem and make sure the ECU is OK or needs to be reprogrammed (again!).
You guys down south are lucky. Seems that Kia USA is right on the ball.
Also, mine was produced in November, and when I called Kia in Korea last month, they confirmed mine would be involved, based on the production date.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2005-04-14-sportage_x.htm
-SM
Speaking of dropping incentives on the Sportage, Toyota just increased theirs to pump sales. (Inside Line). Makes you say "huh."
Apparently Subaru is still ahead in CR's rating according to their April reliability article.
Re Kia's branding strategy vs Hyundai's, that's another thing that makes you say "huh," now that the Korean cars are selling strongly enough to focus on more than a great warranty. (Hyundai-Kia Launches Brand Differentiation Strategy)
Steve, Host
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
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Steve, Host
Question for sportage owners, if you have changed the oil on your 2005 sportage, can you tell me how hard is it? are the drain plug and filter easy to access?
Thanks.
Mike
P.S. any know if a shop manual is available for the sportage?
Otherwise the Sportage has been flawless through the first month and a half and 2,400 miles.
I rented a Rio for a week last April and was impressed by the variety of ways the seat could be adjusted for an econobox.
Steve, Host
Any thoughts?