Kia Sportage 2005 and newer

janetedit · July 2005

I had the same thing with my brand new Sportage, right when I drove it off the lot. See my earlier postings from February. It turned out there was a minute crack in the wheel hub that was allowing moisture to come in and the sensor to act up. They replaced the wheel hub assembly, and I've had no problems ever since.

Hope this helps,

Janet

margofmanitoba · July 2005

I am replacing a 1989 Toyota 4runner that we have driven for 16 years. 12 of those years it was our main vehicle to take to work - 2 hours of mostly highway driving - 5 days a week. I actually got a 3rd muffler free last year because of Midas Muffler's policy that, if their mufflers don't last as long as you own the vehicle, they replace it free. Your can see that my new Kia will have a lot to live up to.....would you say "big tires to fill? I replaced the clutch 3 years ago but that was the only major work done. The back fenders have the circle of rust that the 4Runners are infamous for, but the rest of the paint still looks real good (silvery blue).
The Kia will be my first car, that is registered in my name, at the ripe old age of almost 60. I am now retired so the Kia's life should be pampered in comparison to the life of my old 4Runner. We do plan, however, to take a road trip to Inuvik, North West Territories, shortly after we break it in. That's about 4500 miles with the last 400 miles (rough guess) being gravel.
Is any one familiar with purchasing a package to give extra protection to paint, undercarriage, upholstery, and extra rust protection ( hood, doors, tailgates, trunk lids etc)? My dealership offers such a pkg & call it environmental protection. They claim it is most needed in the harsh climates like Manitoba. My record of keeping vehicles for a long time might mean I should take such an offer. My other self says that this should be part of every vehicle & we should not need to pay extra. It costs nearly $900 Canadian (before sales taxes).
I'd appreciate some input & it would really be great if anyone has personal experience with Automotive Protection Packages.
I appreciated reading this forum while debating my buying decision. My vehicle has to be ordered - the Kia Sportages are all gone except the Black & we have 4 miles of gravel before the blacktop & prefer a light color.

Thanks!

janetedit · July 2005

We bought our Sportage in Toronto and were appalled at what Kia wanted to charge us for rust proofing, Scotchguarding the upholstery, etc.

It's a ripoff.

Before you buy, phone around to Rust Check (or whatever you have in your area), as well as car detailing companies for prices on what they would charge to protect your fabric (Scotchguarding).

I don't think Kia's package was an all or nothing deal. So you could get Kia to do something about the extra protection to the paint, but handle the rest with independent companies.

Kia is making oodles of money off of this package. So why let them soak you?

We managed to get them to throw in the Scotchguarding when we bought our car, so that might be an option for you as well. It costs them almost nothing to do that. Just spray the stuff on. You could do it yourself. Buy it at Wal-mart.

I would highly recommend getting the rustproofing done by someone other than Kia. We had a 10 year old Plymouth Voyager van that we rust proofed every year at Rust Check, and only had a small amount of rust around the keyhole on the back door! And those things rust like crazy. So check around.

Janet

iluvmysephia1 · July 2005

on this handsome new 2005 Kia Sportage here is some information.

The Sportage's brakes are discs all around, with 215/65R-16 tires on four-cylinder models and 235/60R-16s on 4x4s. The Sportage also will tow a weight of 1500 lbs. with four-cylinder models, 2000 lb with V-6 versions. That's 500 lbs. more than recommended by Kia Motors on my 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4, Kia says only tow 1000 lbs.

BTW the '01 Sportage 4x4 performed like a champ towing 1000 lbs.over 2000 miles over several mountain passes and such. Great little hauler it is. We've sold our 4'x8' untility trailer but now are living in a place that boating is so common it's recommended by almost everyone. They don't put swimming pools in here in Pierre. Why, when "you can just hop in the Missouri River or swim at the Y?" they tell us! Or buy yourself a boat-the Sportage would tow a small boat wonderfully for us.

stever · July 2005

I agree with Janet; the mop and glow packages are big profit centers for the dealers and most of them are wax and Scotchgard.

I had a ten year old Voyager in Anchorage and didn't have rust problems (and I drove it to Inuvik one time) - Canadians sure seem to love to oil down the undercarriages of your vehicles. I'm not convinced that's necessary either - most new cars offer a 5 year rust perforation warranty.

Steve, Host

iluvmysephia1 · July 2005

Steve. Rust and perforation is covered for 5 years standard for no extra charge on new Kia's with the Long-Haul Warranty. Don't throw more of your money away than is absolutely necessary, really.

stever · July 2005

Just to be clear, the warranty protects you from rust and corrosion that are severe enough to cause a hole - surface rust is not covered. Unless your warranty says something a bit difference than our vehicle pages? link

Steve, Host

iluvmysephia1 · July 2005

admit that I never spend more than a second or two looking over my car's manual for rust/perf. issues and Warranty coverage information. I just turn down any offers to buy additional "undercoating protection" or Scotchguarding or anything like that. My last two car purchases have both been new Kia's with the outstanding Long-Haul and I turned down offers to buy any additional "anything" that was offered to me. I remember the Kia finance guy telling me that the Long-Haul Warranty has gaps and doesn't cover every single part in your engine and tranny. Yeah, right. There's no way I'm paying anything extra for a new car's Warranty when you're already paying so much for a new car anyway, ya know what I mean? So far it has worked out fine and I've been covered for everything and there's no rust-out trouble or anything like that. I just can't fork out more for "extra" coverage on a new car.

Now, people near the Great Lakes with snow and slush and salted streets a lot may feel a little differently. Just doesn't apply to me and hasn't ever applied to me. Different situations for different car buyers, I realize.

ctsiames · July 2005

I am looking into buying the new Kia Sportage. I have had mixed opinions on how well it has done in crash tests? Any info?

artgpo · July 2005

As of today neither NHTSA or IIHS have crash tested the Sportage or Tucson.

carrigan · July 2005

"Have you looked under the front passenger seat for the subwoofer? it should be mounted there, I believe its a woofer/amplifier combination unit. If there is nothing under the seat...then I would say you have a problem."

Yes, there it was. I adjusted the subwoofer volume and now all is well, sounds great. Since moving from Hawaii (sea level) to Colorado Springs (over 6000 ft) I've noticed a significant reduction in engine power and the downshifting is more jerky, but everyone says that happens to all the vehicles up here. Today was very chilly so I drove without the A/C and the old Hawaii horsepower was back, downshifting and all. Didn't notice the A/C causing such a drag at sea level, but I guess that's the way it is.

By the way, we just drove the Sportage from Los Angeles to Colorado Springs over 3 days. We loaded it with four adults, one child, two guinea pigs, a rooftop carrier, and fully loaded cargo section. Much of the drive was uphill at 70+ mph. I only had problems at around 10,000 feet near Aspen and the other ski resorts, the cruise control disengaged a few times and the Sportage had problems holding 50+ mph at full throttle (with A/C running). It was a pretty good stress test, and quite a few other vehicles were barely doing 35 mph so I was still passing on the left.

terry92270 · July 2005

At higher altitudes, it is very important that your air filter is clean. Change it or at least take it out and blow it out, more often. If you never paid any attention to it before, start!

Your engine breathes like you do. There is less air at higher altitudes, so it is even more important than before that it is replaced right on schedule, more often if you live or drive in areas with unpaved roads, or lots of construction dust, etc.

jimpas · July 2005

Recently purchased a 2005 Kia Sportage Luxury EX, V6, with 4-wheel drive. It currently has over 500 miles, and I haven't seen much improvement in gas mileage since I bought it. I've been driving mostly around town in a suburb of Pittsburgh. It started out at 12.1 mpg and is currently getting 13.1. I'm very disappointed and I was wondering if I will ever get to the 19-24 mpg promised. Otherwise I am really enjoying this great SUV.

radar · August 2005

We recently drove approximately 2200 km. Most of the trip involved the Rocky Mountains. We pulled our 1600 Lb tent trailer and had the air conditioner on all the time. The Sportage performed great and scored an average fuel mileage of 12l/100km, not bad for a journey that included some very long and steep inclines. Normally our mileage averages around 11.5l/100km, that is driving to and around Calgary Alberta. We reset our average fuel consumption indicator every time we fill-up (except for our holidays) and did notice an improvement over time. Currently our 4x4 V6 EX has 6000km on it. In another 2000km I will change the oil to synthetic and see if I can replace the air filter with a K&N high flow model. I think it is too bad that Kia decided that the only fuel consumption displayed is the average one; if they would have included an actual consumption, one could have observed the effects driving style has on fuel usage. By making small adjustments, mileage can improve substantially.

sportnic · August 2005

:shades: Hi we recently bought the 2005 Kia Sportage - the UK version is XS which is 2.0 litre, automatic - top of the range. What is the USA equivalent, please? It is 4 speed automatic gearbox with "tiptronic" extra bit- I think that is what is called here.!

It is also the diesel engine. Thanks.

kcrnmale · August 2005

Seems low?? Have your oil changed at the dealer when you hit 1000 miles (new engine) and tell them about your dilemma. Either your driving stop and go all the time, or something else is amiss. Maybe your engine is running a little too rich? The dealer will probably drive around the lot for a minute or two and tell you some BS story to send you away. Good luck.

artgpo · August 2005

My wife's V-6 4WD EX is averaging about 20 mpg in mixed Dallas driving. The Sportage has 4,600 miles accumulated since early April. In Consumer Report's test of the Tucson they got about 18 mpg overall. I would not expect better.

kcrnmale · August 2005

I'm averaging 20 mpg with mixed driving too. 12 mpg the other poster stated seems low.

Still having the intermittent ignition lock problem but not as frequent. I have vacation coming up in a couple of weeks and plan on taking my car into the dealer where I made the purchase. I need this fixed because it's driving me crazy. If they don't correct it, I will ask for the regional KIA rep phone #. Then I'm gonna put my camcorder in my car and record several instances when my ignition locks up after putting the tranny in park and not allowing me to move the ignition switch to take out the key (I have to take the tranny out and into park...sometimes for several minutes before the ignition switch will release). I'll burn this on a DVD and mail it to the rep and another copy to the KIA company itself.

Another infrequent problem is my ESP OFF light comes on suddenly and stays there. Hitting the ESP button on the dash does nothing. It resets itself if I turn off the engine and start up again. Not as annoying as my first problem, but not something I enjoy on a brand new car.

I know I have potential for the lemon law if my problems persist w/o the dealer fixing them, but I really like my Sportage and don't want the aggravation of pursuing something that shouldn't be rocket science to repair in the first place. I'm hoping somebody else had the same problem fixed and can tell me what the dealer did to correct the problem. Unfortunately, this is a new model and I don't think there are many drivers out there on the internet expressing a similar concern yet.

janetedit · August 2005

I had that right from when I drove the Sportage off the lot back in Feb (see my earlier posts). Turns out there was a minute crack in the wheel hub that was letting moisture in and buggering up the ESP/ABS sensor. The dealer replaced the wheel hub assembly, and no problems since. It took 3 visits to the dealer before they were able to figure it out. Mention the crack to your service department and see what they find.

johnwb · August 2005

We today brought home a new Honda CR-V to try out on our unusually steep (35%) and long gravel driveway. It was a total flop as the computer would shift power suddenly from side to side as a tire slipped, rather than gently braking the spinning wheel so that all four could work together. Our older Audi Quattro works so well that the gravel is not even disturbed, much less causes washboarding. Has anyone put their Sportage to the test in really slippery, uphill and very slow speed conditions? The real test is to start from a dead stop on very steep loose gravel!

Also the Audi requires no application of brakes going down hill when placed in low gear. The CR-V exhibits very little engine braking. How is the KIA?

Yes, I know that the Audi is more expensive (new) and is more refined mechanically than lesser expensive vehicles. But we would like to have a smaller, cheaper vehicle for local errands. Thanks for any input.

tidester · August 2005

on our unusually steep (35%) and long gravel driveway

That works out to about 19^o incline which will give any vehicle -- or pedestrian -- quite a workout!

tidester, host

omaha_racing · August 2005

My wife and I just purchased an 05 sportage. I called the dealer yesterday morning since we had an appointment to get her 00 sportage fixed, and I asked him if their were any TSB for the car. He said yes and one was for fuel pressure and the other was for the ESP problem that you are having. Both issues are a software fix. Take it to the dealer and have them check it out.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

anyone who gets one or both of those TSB fixes done to their '05 Kia Sportage please post the results here of those service visits, OK? I wanna see how well your customer needs were taken care of and your overall satisfaction of your 2005 Kia Sportage.

janetedit · August 2005

Yes, it's true. There's another recall. This time it's for the parking brake. Check the NHTSA website:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm

Of course Kia Canada knows nothing about this one. It'll take them about 2 months to get the info, as per the ESP problem. They still didn't know about the fuel tank problem in the States. I got that info from transport Canada.

As for the ESP recall work, mine took less than half an hour, and my dealer treated me very well. They know me well after the fiasco when I first bought the Sportage (see earlier posts from February).

Canadian fuel tanks were replaced before shipment to the dealers, according to Transport Canada. So no recall here (yet!) for us for that.

jazzy88 · August 2005

Has anyone found a good place that has accessories yet? I'm having trouble finding them for the '05's.

janetedit · August 2005

Well, here we go again (and again and again). I wrote to Transport Canada regarding the hand brake recall in the States. They informed me that yes, there was a recall and to get in touch with Kia Canada. Which I did. They informed me that there was no brake recall (at this time, meaning she hadn't heard of it yet, been there before with her). However, that there was a fuel tank recall, and my Sportage was affected.

Funny...Kia Canada had told Transport Canada that the fuel tanks were replaced and the whole problem cleared up before delivery to dealerships in Canada.

Just goes to show you...Kia can't get the correct info out to its own people, let alone Transport Canada, let alone their customers.

Really beginning to regret this purchase. I have had no problems since my earlier ESP problem in Feb (see earlier posts). Love the car. But am getting really fed up with Kia.

Ranting over!

:mad:

nckia · August 2005

Thank you for the information! The ESP OFF light has appeared three (3) times since I purchased my 2005 Sportage in April and the dealer has no idea. Have already run a diagnostic on the computer but nothing appeared to be wrong. I will take the information you posted to him and see what can be done. Thank you again!

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

your electronic sensor light for the ECS system sounds like a new technology/learning curve deal with your Kia dealer. This is something that Kia could improve in. When they get new technology they need to have a network with highly-trained technology wizards ready to see the problems the dealer service departments are having and be ready to easily spot problems-or diagnose them from their own worksite if possible and get an answer back to the dealer with said problem more quickly than it is done now. This is something that I know Kia America CEO Peter Butterfield would acknowledge that Kia wants to accomplish but they aren't quite there yet. Hang in there-you're getting a lot of safety euipment standard on your 2005 Kia Sportage that will work well for you and quite possibly save you from hazards out on the open road in dangerous situations. You are getting a good deal for your money and your 2005 Kia Sportage looks better than all of the competition combined. For sure, for sure, dudes.

kcrnmale · August 2005

Found other Kia owners with my same problem but nobody mentioned how the dealer fixed it......and they weren't Sportage's either.

So I buy a one week membership to Kiatechinfo.com and the first thing I see on the home page is a news alert stating a problem Spectra owners are having with a stuck key in the ignition, especially in warm weather. The cable that runs from the gear shift to the ignition needs a very MINOR adjustment. You have to remove the center console for access. I thought about fixing it myself but in order to replace the parking brake handle (recall notice), they have to remove the center console as well. I plan on taking my car in to the lame dealer with my printed out fix and have this nightmare over. I'll let you know the outcome in a couple of weeks.

The ESP OFF light problem is a whole different issue. The recall is for earlier Sportage's that have a calibration error. So my intermittent light problem isn't the same. I've learned that if I have a problem, so do many others. The car is simply too new for the problem to be common for the dealer to recognize.

mikehean · August 2005

I have had exactly the same problem and the dealer could not find the fault.

Eventually claimed that this was a result of fitting a tow bar

In addition whilst journeying home today my 2005 Kia Sportage suddenly veered violently to the left as a result of the brakes locking on the left hand side of the vehicle without any application of the brakes by me, the driver. Power became erratic, and I was fortunate not to have a serious accident.

If I had been travelling at 120 kph which had been my average speed until then, my wife and I would almost certainly have been seriously injured if not killed.

Has anyone else had this experience?

marleybarr · August 2005

I'm thinking of purchasing a new Sportage. What are your impressions after one month of driving and are you having any problem with the ignition key like I have heard in a few of the Sportage posts?

marleybarr · August 2005

Did KIA eventually fix your car?

marleybarr · August 2005

I'm thinking of buying a new Sportage. How is your vehicle working at the present time?

artgpo · August 2005

My wife's Sportage has 5,200 + miles since April. The car has been recalled twice and possibly a third time. There was a worn spot on the carpet we did not see at delivery. All of the above was handled quickly, correctly and courteously by the Kia dealer. Overall the Sportage is delivering about 19.5 mpg in mixed driving. The a/c is killer cold, the coldest of any car we have owned in 40 years. Would we buy another Kia product? Yes.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

what's more, the only SUV that looks anywhere nearly as nice as the 2005 Kia Sportage SUV is the earlier Kia Sportage model. I have a 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 and love it...it is performing flawlessly and Kia body designers are the best in the business. Enjoy your '05 Sportage and keep us abreast of any updates and performance highlights, OK?

ken_zen · August 2005

Everything of Kia Sportage 05 06 looks great to me except one:
It doesn't have any crash test result.
Anybody knows when it'll be tested?

Safety features of KIA Spectra look great but when it's tested, it got a disproportional result.
:confuse:

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

indeed, the Kia Spectra had a bad frontal crash test result. Evidently they have made some changes to the Spectra to fix this problem. Something about the air bag/crumple zone combo not holding off enough force at just the right time.

I have good confidence in buying a Kia Spectra or especially a Kia Sportage right now new. They would be very safe vehicles to drive, providing you bring your brain along with you for the drive, from the start, that is. Leave your cell phones at home, also.

mikem10 · August 2005

I have an '05 Sportage EX with 1200 miles. So far everything is fine but recently after I drive it, there is a yellow residue or leakage that seems to be seeping out from under the driver side hood. Haven't been able to locate the source. I'm going to call Kia service tomorrow about this, but I was wondering if anyone else is having this kind of problem.

boltguy · August 2005

Yes, I've had that issue. I believe it's grease or some other kind of lubricant. The tech told me that its sprayed inside the hood assembly to prevent interior rusting (from the inside out). But when too much of it is applied, it will leak out (especially in hot weather) on to the grill or headlights. I recently took my 05 in to check on the 3 recalls, (mine has a March 05 build date, and did not need any of the recalls done). They also installed 2 "snot plugs" as they lovingly called them, to keep the grease from oozing out. There are 2 small holes on the underside of the hood that they plug with rubber stoppers.

BTW, I'm averaging between 19-21 mpg in a 70/30 hwy/city ratio. Have 4,300 miles on mine. I'm still holding out hope that the mileage improves slightly in time.

mikem10 · August 2005

Don't know if you got my reply, so again, that sounds exactly like my problem. Also, thanks for the tip about the plugs. I'll call Kia service tomorrow about them.

BTW. My mileage is also about the same. Not great, but could be worse. Otherwise, except for a faster trans, I couldn't be more pleased with the Sportage.

Thanks again.

kcrnmale · August 2005

Sounds like white lithium type grease. Good luck.

lucyinfiniti · August 2005

Recently I emailed SaferCar.gov the government agency that crash tests vehicles. They told me that neither the 2005 Kia Sportage nor the 2005 Hyundai Tucson would tested as they are not "popular, high volume" vehicles and that is only what they test, seeing as according to them that's what most Americans buy.

xenamena · August 2005

I bought an '05 Kia in April. It performed great and I loved the way it looked. 2400 miles later, another car ran a red light and I was broadsided towards the front end. I had NO injuries. the car however was totaled, the frame and cross members were bent and there was damage to the transmission. I asked the body shop if there was so much damage because the car was "cheap". She said no, the car did its job, absorbed the shock of the crash, allowing me to walk away. after I received my insurance settlement, I got another one - with the luxury package.

kcrnmale · August 2005

Does Kia offer an extended warranty? I couldn't find any info on the website. My dealer sold me one from a warranty company that acts the same but requires me to have the work done at the dealer only...just wondering if anyone else has one?

emt16 · August 2005

:surprise: Just bought an '05 EX about 1month ago. As an owner of various Honda and Toyota vehicles over the last 20 years, this was a big leap of faith for me. My last car was a '92 Camry LE which served me well. Figured it was time to retire it. I checked out the CR-V was disappointed with its lack of style and the salesman (what an [non-permissible content removed]). Gas mileage is disappointing, about 13 mpg. Dealer says the computer is trying to get "set" what ever that means. Stay tuned........

swaman · August 2005

Just wanted to give a little update on my 05 sportage. I purchased a Sportage EX with cloth interior. I ended up putting a different exhaust system on it and put in a K&N filter. One of the techs at Kia told me not to purchase the "Cone" style filter that has the the whole intake assembly. He said that the car is designed with a cool air intake and should do great with just the filter. Well, it does. I have so much more power. I would like to take it in and see how much increase it gave me. But I will say there is a BIG difference in performance. I have not had any problems what so ever since I purchased it. It now has 2,000 miles on it.

backy · August 2005

What a crock! Like SUVs such as the Isuzu Ascender and Suzuki Grand Vitara are "high volume" vehicles that most Americans buy. Those were tested. As will the Sportage and Tucson, after the NHTSA realizes how many are sold.

radar · August 2005

Swaman I agree, when changing the oil I had a quick look at the exhaust system and noticed the extensive number of curves in the exhaust tube coming from the rear cylinder bank. They reduce the diameter, direct the tube forward, take a 180 degree and splice it in with the tube coming from the front bank, pretty complicated.
Could you do me a favor and specify what you did? Did it change the interior sound levels?
What about the fuel mileage, any better? Please keep us informed!

alpinetester · August 2005

been driving our 05' black cherry ex for about 3 wks now.our previous vehicle,94' grand cherokee bought in 99,didn't owe us anything.our purchase was based on 1.price 2.warranty 3.options.we chose the sportage.gas milege was also a concern but looking at estimated 19-23 mpg we figured we could live with that.
first impressions are great.handles nice,quiet,feels pretty solid.true test will come soon when the snow starts.had the jeep for 6 yrs and never went "off road"so i'm hoping the awd/tcs/esc/ systems perform well in the snowy slushy roads.it's the wife's daily driver,200-300km per wk.

first drive -500km{400km highway} averaged about 14.5l / 100km-16mpg.
week 1 -400km{200km highway} 13l -18mpg
weeks 2 and 3 -300km each week,daily driving 11l -21 mpg.
i think it will do better on the highway when not pushed as hard as the first two trips,had to try try it out.it shifts pretty smooth on its own but its nice to be able to drop it down to 3rd when needed-used it passing uphill a couple of times and it worked fine.

so far we like the sportage.still alot of unknowns.been doing lots of reading on the sportage-read about 3 recalls but never went to dealer yet.date code on door panel 12/04 bought it july29/05.everything seems ok but still gonna find out if the earlier 2 recalls were done[parking brake lever probally not}.

i guess since were gonna keep it,i'd like to accessorize it{hood protector,sunroof visor,door shades}.anyone purchase any af these,installed by dealer?seen them online-67,67,72--us dollars +shipping/handling/duty/taxes/blablabla.
who was the first to swap their wood trim??i can't wait to see my dash panel/door switch panels match my shift plate{brushed aluminum}seen the dash plate 90 us but no door panels.

hope to read more good{hopefully not bad} things from happy owners.

re - xenamena

glad to hear you walked away ok.your post was the first crash results i"ve read.if you wouldn't mind sharing some more info,i'd like to know approx how fast each vehicle was going,was the door hit as well as the front and what airbags activated.

norne · August 2005

ohhhh I'm sure thats what you received in email reply

Kia Sportage 2005 and newer

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