2002 Kia Sportage Body & Structure Problems

After a few months of driving your 2002 Kia Sportage, you noticed the car rocking side to side uncontrollably while on the road. Upon inspection, you found the frame severely rusted and deteriorating. This structural damage is a serious safety concern, particularly when transporting children, as a compromised frame can affect vehicle stability and crash protection.

Despite regular cleaning and undercarriage maintenance, your 2002 Sportage's frame has developed significant rust with holes, making it unsafe to drive or inspect properly—even though the vehicle has less than 90,000 miles. The dealer indicated the frame damage is severe enough that the vehicle may need to be replaced rather than repaired. Addressing this issue would likely require professional frame inspection and either frame repair or replacement, which is typically a major structural repair.

Your vehicle has experienced significant rust underneath, affecting the frame and shock absorbers. Additionally, fuel is backing up out of the gas tank, and you've had difficulty getting the correct replacement parts from the dealer. Your brakes have been replaced and rotors ground down multiple times, but the braking problems continue to recur.

Your car's frame has rusted completely through in one or more areas. This is a structural integrity issue that affects the vehicle's strength and safety. A mechanic will need to inspect the extent of the rust damage and determine if welding repairs, frame replacement, or if the vehicle is beyond safe repair.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE UNDERBODY FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

CAR WAS AT DEALER FOR SERVICE. WE WERE TOLD THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN DEC 2002. WE HAVE HAD IT SERVICED THROUGH THE YEARS AT THE LOCAL DEALER. THEY TELL US THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT FIXING THE CAR. WE HAVE HAD MANY NEW CARS FROM 1962 TO 2011 AND NEVER HAD A CAR OR TRUCK RUST OUT IN 11 YEARS OF USE. I NOTICE THEIR ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND IT APPEARS NOTHING IS BEING DONE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHY THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT BEING LOOKED INTO AND A RECALL OF THESE KIA HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET KILLED FIRST.

I BOUGHT THIS CAR KNOWING I HAD TO REPLACE A FENDER AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. AFTER COMPLETING THE BODY WORK THE SHOP NOTICED THE REAR FRAME RAILS WERE RUSTED OUT TO A POINT IT WOULD NOT PASS PA STATE INSPECTION, WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE COSMETIC DAMAGE. *TR

THE FRAME AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION WITH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND I AM UNABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA AND THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND IT'S WARRANTY. I WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A THUMPING SOUND. THE SOUND GOT LOUDER AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE TERRIBLY. A MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME WAS BROKEN. *TR

I WAS FIRST MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN JANUARY 2013 WHEN I WENT TO MUNROE MUFFLER IN JOHNSTON, RI FOR A NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD OF SIGNIFICANT ROT ON THE FRAME OF THE CAR. THEN AGAIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER BY ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO GAVE ME A BETTER PRICE ON THE MUFFLER SYSTEM AND INSTALLED THE MUFFLER SYSTEM. HE ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH KIA, WHICH I DID. I WAS TOLD BY CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO GO TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER AND HAVE THEM TAKE A LOOK AT THE ISSUE, THEY DID. I WAS THEN CONTACTED BY SOMEONE IN CONSUMER AFFAIRS LETTING ME KNOW THAT MY WARRANTY WAS UP AND THIS SEVERE ROT ON THE CHASSIS WAS MY PROBLEM AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. THEY KIA DEALER HAD GIVEN ME AN ESTIMATE OF APPROXIMATELY $10,000 TO REPLACE THE CHASSIS BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT AND VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I WENT TO HAVE MY CAR INSPECTED TODAY, AS IT IS DUE FOR RENEWAL AT THE END OF APRIL AND GUESS WHAT? IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE SEVERELY ROTTED CHASSIS. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY 11 YEARS OLD! I HAVE ASKED KIA TO DO A RECALL AND REPLACE MY CHASSIS AT THEIR EXPENSE BECAUSE SURELY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES. THEY REFUSED. I JUST LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND MAKE KIA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. THE CHASSIS SHOULD NOT BE ROTTING OUT AT ONLY 11 YEARS OLD!!! I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT IF I HIT A BUMP THE FRONT OF THE FRAME COULD SNAP AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW DANGEROUS THAT WOULD BE FOR ME OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE CAR WITH ME. PLEASE HELP!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6), *TR

MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE HAS 112,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER HEARING A CLANKING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP. THE REAR FRAME HAS RUSTED OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UPON CALLING KIA HEADQUARTERS @800-333-4542 AND SPEAKING WITH RICHARD I WAS TOLD THAT "THERE IS NOTHING KIA CAN DO TO HELP. THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY ON THE FRAME IS 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES." I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT I COULD HAVE IT REPAIRED AT A BODY SHOP BUT THE COST WOULD BE VERY HIGH AND WOULD NOT BE WORTH IT. THEY WOULD NOT CONSIDER BUYING IT BACK FROM ME EITHER. THEY COULD CALL A SALVAGE YARD AND GET "A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS" FOR ME. I PAID $17,000.00 FOR THIS VEHICLE NEW IN JANUARY 2003. WHO EXPECTS THE FRAME TO BE SHOT AFTER 9 YEARS?? I HAVE LOOKED ON-LINE AND SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH KIA SPORTAGES. WHY WAS THERE NEVER A RECALL? HAD THERE NOT BEEN A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME OR SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ROAD HAD THE FRAME COMPLETELY LET GO WHILE I WAS DRIVING. *JS

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A WELL TAKEN CARE OF, 59,000 MILES, 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED THE RIGHT FRAME RAIL AT THE MOUNT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED SO BAD THAT YOU CAN PUT YOUR FIST THROUGH THE HOLE. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND HAVE TO DRIVE IT TO WORK. I HAVE TAKEN TO AVOIDING ANY BUMPS OR POT-HOLES IN THE ROAD AND HAVE BEEN KEEPING MY SPEED UNDER 40 MPH. I AM A LITTLE SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BUT HAVE NO CHOICE. I AM DEALING WITH KIA MOTORS AMERICA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER CURRENTLY, HOPING THEY WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *KB

2002 KIA SPORTAGE *TT

I JUST REPAIRED MY EXHAUST ON MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE 4X4 TODAY AS IT KEEPS RUSTING OUT ON ME. TODAY I NOTICED THE ENTIRE FRAME ON THE BACK END IS EXTREMELY RUSTED TO THE POINT IT'S LITERALLY FALLING APART BRACKETS HAVE DETACHED FOR THE EXHAUST AS WELL AS HOLES IN IT. I WAS SHOCKED! THE METAL IS LITERALLY SPLITTING AND FALLING APART! THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND GOING TO BE DANGEROUS TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR. I AM SURE THE CAR WON'T EVEN PASS INSPECTION IF THEY SEE THIS! IF YOU EVEN TOUCH IT YOUR FINGERS GO THROUGH THE FRAME! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS I FEEL KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES! THERE IS ONLY 40K MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES EITHER THAT ARE OLDER AS WELL AS HAVE MANY MORE MILES ON THEM! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!!!! *TR

THE FRAME IS ROTTED AWAY ABOVE THE REAR SPRING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (BROKEN IN TWO). *TR

THE FRAME ON MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE HAS RUSTED THROUGH. I CAN STICK MY FINGER THROUGH IT LITERALLY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND NOT ABUSED. NOW THE FRAME IS CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES!!!!!!!!! *TR

FRAME ROTTED OUT. *TR

AT 245K,ONLY RIGHT SIDE FRAME ROT INSIDE OUT. THEREFORE SHOWING NO NOTICE OF DETERIORATING WITH ORIGINAL ENGINE AND ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. *TR

THE DOOR STRUCTURE ALLOWED WATER TO GET INTO THE EDGES. THIS RESULTED IN THE DOORS BEING FROZEN SHUT WHEN THIS OCCURRED IN COLD WEATHER. THE DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT PROVIDED A FIX FOR IT. *NLM THE KIA DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE WEREN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM DUE TO SNOW AND SLUSH WERE NORMAL WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT WOULD GET INTO THE DOORS. *SCC *JB

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR STAYS AJAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT DOOR WAS NOT OFF LINE, YET DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY.*AK