general problems of the 2001 Kia Motor Sportage

I was hearing a clunk every time I started going forward and backwards and got underneath the car to notice the frame crossmember was totally separated from the frame. It is the frame crossbar that holds the rear axle support to the frame. The affected frame cross member goes underneath the gas tank and would require 2 days labor to fix at my local repair shop. To remove the gas tank is one project and to have a new welded support bar is another project and will cost alot to fix. I called kia for possible recals and they said "OH its out of warranty" goodluck with that!!! this car is unsafe and could have caused serious damage.

I have a 2001 kia Sportage 4 wheel drive. I am the original owner and I am supposed to have an extended 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty. I only use the 4wheel drive when it snows. Two years ago I discovered that the vehicle was going into 4 wheel drive. When I went to the dealership I was told that I needed new vacuum lines to the front hubs. Without vacuum to the hubs they won't engage. I had no opportunity to verify that the vehicle would go into 4 wheel drive. In 2008 when it snowed again I again found that the vehicle would not go into 4 wheel drive. Now I am told that I have to buy $1500. 00 worth of parts and labor to fix the front hubs so that they will maintain a vacuum. They claim that there is no warranty fix and because the parts necessary to fix the problem are different from what is on the vehicle they don't have to warranty them. The safety defect involved here is that when the 4 wheel drive is engaged the dash has an indicator that says the vehicle is in 4 wheel drive when in fact it is not. This can lead to a very dangerous situation with loss of control on snow or slick surfaces.

While driving between 20 and 30 mph speedometer would jump. Could not tell what speed was driving. Took to dealer, and dealer put in new modulator, but problem still exists.