1998 Kia Sephia fuel system, gasoline problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLE WOULD PERIODICALLY FAIL TO START. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP RELAY, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE MECHANIC REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 99V317000 AND 99V318000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) AND SHOWED THE CONTACT A WIRE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM THAT WAS NOT INSULATED AND HAD BEEN OVERHEATING. ONCE THE WIRE WAS REMOVED, THE FAILURE SEEM TO BE RESOLVED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED ALL THE WIRES AND CONNECTORS AND RE-SAUTERED EVERYTHING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS ALREADY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,250 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,083.”

“I PURCHASED A KIA IN MARCH 02' I USED THE CAR FOR LONG TRIPS THE FIRST YEAR I HAD OWNED THE CAR AND I HAD NO FAULTS IN JAN.- FEB 03' THE CAR BEGAN TO SHIFT IN TO NUMEROUS GEARS AND THEN STALL. I WAS THEN DEPLOYED TO IRAQ. I LEFT THE CAR WITH A GOOD FRIEND. WHEN I CAME BACK HE INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. FRIEND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP.FRIEND THEN REPLACED FUEL PUMP AGAIN WHEN CAR WOULDN'T START. FRIEND LEFT THE CAR ALONE,WHEN IT DIDN'T START, UNTIL I HAD RETURNED FROM IRAQ. I CAME BACK AND TOOK THE CAR TO MIDAS, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE DEALER DIDN'T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. MIDAS THEN SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR A THIRD TIME. CAR RAN FOR A DAY THEN DIED. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MIDAS THEY SAID IT WAS THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAD THAT REPLACED. CAR STILL DIDN'T START. SO MIDAS SAID THREE WEEKS LATER THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL MODULE. THE CAR THEN WORKED FOR ABOUT A MONTH THEN WOULDN'T START. TOOK CAR TO SEVERAL SHOPS ALL SAID IT WAS THE PUMP. I THEN HAD A MECHANIC FROM MY UNIT CHECK IT OUT. HE SAID IT WAS WITHIN THE WIRING TO THE FUEL PUMP STILL HASN'T FIGURED IT OUT. SINCE THEN I HAVE FOUND…”

“I PAID TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED BUT I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO. WHEN REFUELING MY 1998 KIA SEPHIA, THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF GASOLINE THAT WOULD SPILL ON THE GROUND UNDER THE FUEL TANK--WHETHER I COMPLETELY FILL THE VEHICLE OR SIMPLY PUT A GALLON OR TWO IN THE TANK. I COULD NOT PUT MY CAR IN THE GARAGE AT NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID THAT THE GAS WATER HEATER WOULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION--THE LINGERING FUMES WOULD EXIST FOR A DAY OR TWO AFTER EACH VISIT TO THE GAS PUMP. *LA”

“THE BATTERY HAD BLOWN UP AND SPEWED LIQUID/ACID. THE CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED TWO RECALLS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, ONE IN RE: GAS VALVE AND THE OTHER WAS ELECTRICAL. THE DEALER CONTINUES TO POSTPONE THE DATES FOR REPAIR. (RECALL# 102944) SCC”

“IN 2 YEARS I HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION, REPLACE MY BRAKES 6 TIMES, SERVICE ENGINE PROBLEMS 7 TIMES, FUEL PUMP, 8 RECALLS, WIPERS, NEW TIRES, AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS... COPIES OF REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE DEALER MANY TIMES.”

“CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V175000, AND HAD IT REPAIRED IN DECEMBER 2000. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED AS THOUGH IT WAS NEVER FIXED. WHEN TANK IS FULL GAS SPITS OUT. DEALER ISN'T RESPONDING TO RECALL.*AK TANK MAKES A THUMPING SOUND WHEN GAS IS PUT IN VEHICLE, AND BEGIN TO START VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES SHE IS SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE THAT IT MAY EXPLODE.*JB REFERENCED IN RQ03-006”