'98: engine light on, hold blinking, what do the trouble codes mean?

[sinamg]

Hi,

I just bought my Kia Sportage 2 weeks ago from a private party. It already had 108k miles on it, but it seemed to be in a very good condition.

Well a week a go the problems started: The engine light came on and yesterday a blinking 'hold' light came on, too. I called KIA and they told me to hit the button 'hold' on the shift and the light would turn off. Of course it didn't.

I took the car to Autozone today and they scanned the trouble codes for me. Here they are, I hope, you can help me (I really have no idea what they mean):

• P0705 (Trans Range Sensor Circuit Malfunction)
• P0440 (Evap Emission Control System Malfunction)
• P0452 (Evap Emission Control Pres Sensor)
• P1624 (???)
• P0422 (Main Catalysator below Threshold (Bank1))

I already bought a new gas cap as the guy from Autozone told me that this is often the problem. But unfortunately that didn't help. Well, before I take the car to KIA and they take all my money, may be there is somebody out there who can help me?

Thanks,
Sina

[LMP]

Got that for P1624:
"P1624 MIL Request Signal from TCM to ECM. This is only a request from TCM to ECM to tum the MIL on. The fault code is stored in the TCM. The Freeze Frame Data is stored in the ECM under the P1624 request code. Be sure to retrieve freeze frame data before clearing code P1624 from ECM."

The flashing "hold" simply means that transmission diagnostic has generated a trouble, P1624 tells there has been a request to transfer the diagnostic to the ECM..and the error code is one of those that was read, namely, P0705. THis can be a problem with range switch contacts in the transmission that tell of which range is engaged...or even problems with the connector to the transmission. You can tell from running the car if it shifts normally..which in such case it normally does.

THe other codes are not transmisison related.
P0440 (Evap Control System Malfunction)
P0452 (Evap Control Pres Sensor LOW)
Related to purge circuit..indeed changing - or simply tightening - the cap was a good easy move, but loose/broken hoses that run back to fuel tank may be involved, as well as stuck purge solenoid. www.geocities.com/lmp4203/kiasport/kiapurge.jpg
The car can run without danger, but would not pass EPA test.

P0422 (Main Catalysator below Threshold (Bank1))
Can be problem with O2 sensor, catalyser itself, or (less probable) stuck injector....