2000 Sportage Electrical issues?

[scottf1029]

I have a 2000 Kia Sportage EX with 4WD. When I bought it, the car worked excellent, and then began to have an issue where after filling up the gas tank, it would start shaking real hard when I tried to accelerate, and sometimes would die. I would simply keep trying to start it until it came back up and drove home.

I ended up taking it to a local auto repair shop, and they said it was bad spark plugs and a bad Mass Air Flow Sensor, I paid them to replace these and it worked fine for about 3 days and started up again. A friend of mine then brought over fuel injection cleaner and a bunch of other items and it did the trick, it fixed the problem and the car ran for about a month.

When the month was over I was driving accross town to run an errand, and when I got back in the car it would not start. Eventually after probably some 20+ tries of starting it, the engine would kick over and slowly move forward or backward while shaking very hard.

I had it towed to a different local repair shop, and they had the car for a week and charged me $850 dollars for changing the timing belt, mass air flow senser (changed for the second time), spark plugs, air filter, valve cover, and several other things I have no idea if I even needed. I do know for a fact that several of the things including MAF and spark plugs were brand new. Anyway he gave the car back and the next day it was having the exact same problem.

The next day I took it back to the same shop and told them it was the same problem. They proceeded to charge me another 400 dollars for the Speed Sensor, and labor along with various charges for working on the electrical harness. After nearly 3 weeks we finally got the Kia back. After driving it not 12 miles when I pressed the break to stop at a red light the car died, same exact problem and still would not start.

I took it back to the repair shop for the final time, this time they completely sliced up the dash and engine harnesses trying to do various things they read on IDENTIFIX or so it read that on the paperwork they gave me. I still have the exact same issue, I'm out $1,250 dollars and a none working car. I'm really not sure what to try at this point. I had the car towed to another repair shop, but they said they don't know whats wrong with it and I need to take it to a dealership. The dealer wants A LOT of money to even look at it.

Has anyone encountered this issue before? What can I do?

Thanks

[RahX]

First off, get your money back. You took it to them to fix the car not for you to waste your money and still be dealing with the same issue. As far as getting it fixed, more info is needed. When it runs like crap is it losing spark, fuel or compression.

[scottf1029]

Thanks for the reply, is it possible to demand a refund without taking them to small claims that you know of? Is there any law or something I can use?

As far as the symptoms, from my understanding right out of no where it just starts missing. The local Kia dealership told me over the phone that the most common cause they've seen for my issues is a bad Dash and Engine wiring harness. Would this make sense at all to anyone?

Thanks

[bbutchart63]

Hi, I kind of wonder with all the work done on your vehicle, did the mechanic delete the codes out of the vehicles computer? Because I had some problems, (see my threads) with the mass airflow sensor. After installing a new one still experienced some of the problems I had earlier, and it was all because I didn't delete the codes.
You have to delete the codes with the external computer to eliminate the codes from the cars computer. This resets everything and usually the vehicle will run ok. Just my experience with the problem I had. May or may not work for you, but worth a try.

[kimilsportage]

1999 Sportage electrical issues.

I have a '99 Sportage 2wd auto. that would run then stop. The first thought I had was the crank position sensor since the fuel pumps are not know problems but it turned out to be the MAIN RELAY. There are two relays under the hood in a small fuse box on the passenger side. The main relay is a 30 amp unit that has a proprietary design. This relay feeds the fuel pump relay, I solved my problem by putting new relays from the dealer ($17 each).

I have a continuing problem with P0135, P0137 and Po141 fault codes. I have replaced the O2 sensors (twice) but used aftermarket 4 wire types. Are the O2 sensors proprietary as well so that aftermarket sensors will not work?

[bbutchart63]

Hi kimilsportage: Aftermarket parts should work. I installed a MAF (mass airflow sensor) last fall and it works fine. The one day last fall our 2000 Sportage died a block from home, it was pouring raint etc., and my wife had everything running. (lights, heater, wipers etc.) I tried repeatedly to start it. No way. But left it until the next day and sit started up okay. But I noticed a lot of moisture on the battery surface, so it could have been shorting out across the surface to each battery post to cause the stall. We live in a damp-wet-rainy climate here in winter.
I also check the specific greavity of the electrolyte in the battery cells and found three of them below the required levels. (almost dead cells) So found out the battery was not holding its charge. So I think that was the main problem. I replaced the battery and the vehicle has been running fine except the engine light is still on. I also made sure the alternator was putting out the correct voltage. It should charge at 13.5 to 14.5 volts.
I had a diagnostic code finder and the 02 sensors came up. They were in the amber level which means they are slowly going. Also the crankshaft position sensor came up too, that was all before the new battery. But since the new battery the vehicle has been running great even with the engine light on.
You are probably correct in that your problem was electrical. My code book reads for your codes as follows:
P0135 = 02 sensor heater circuit malfunction (bank 1 sensor 1)
P0137 = 02 sensor circuit low volts (bank 1 sensor 2)
P0141 = 02 sensor heat circuit malfunction (bank 1 sensor 2) That could be related to P0137.
Make sure your battery is up to par and your alternator is functioning to the correct voltage. Anyway thats best I can come up with. I am not a licensed mechanic or
electrical tech guy. But I do almost all my own work on my vehicles.

[LMP]

WIring KIA O2 sensors is a known issue depending on the make of the sensors and color coding. Verify
THIS LINK

[KnobbyTires]

This may not be an electrical issue at all. If it is, I'd start looking for a worn out battery cable. Sometimes they wear clear through and cause a jerking performance on an intermittent basis when they ground out. If your car is automatic, a faulty hydraulic clutch has been known to cause a big wham and car lurch problem in an intermittent way. You should also suspect a dirty fuel filter if this happens then goes away as the fuel sloshes around and cleans the screen. If you don't keep your tank full, it will rust in there. Also, battery cells don't always die like we like them, and you could have a loose array that shorts on occasion and kills your engine. Good luck.