Engine
2.0L 4-cyl
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Fuel system
102 complaint records1 fire report
"THE GAS TANK SHIELD IS RUSTING TO PIECES. NOTICED A PIECE HANGING DOWN AND CHECKED UNDER THE CAR. IT IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse fuel system parts in the directory →
Brakes
60 complaint records3 crash reports
"POWER LOCKS GO ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. POWER WINDOWS DON'T WORK , THEN SUDDENLY WORKS. COMPUTER FAILURE WITH BRAKES. *NM..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Power train
52 complaint records2 crash reports
"CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE PARKED IN GEAR WITH PARKING BRAKE NOT ON, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACK. VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *SLC..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse power train parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA06007 opened May 2006 | closed Nov 2007 | Fuel System, Gasoline | FUEL TANK LEAKAGE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY DATA REVEALED ELEVATED TANK LEAKAGE EXPERIENCE IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JUNE 1999 TO OCTOBER 2000.ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE CAUSES... |
| PE06002 opened Jan 2006 | closed May 2006 | Fuel System, Gasoline | FUEL TANK LEAKAGE ON JANUARY 4, 2006, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE STEEL FUEL STORAGE TANK IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2000 KIA SPORTAGE VEHICLES.ODI SENT A LETTER TO THE MANUFACTURER ON... |
| EA04007 opened Feb 2004 | closed Jul 2004 | Seat Belts | SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALSE LATCH/MALFUNCTION THE MANUFACTURER HAS INITIATED A SAFETY RELATED CAMPAIGN TO RECALL THE SUBJECT VEHICLES FOR CORRECTION OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE DEFECT.THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS/BUCKLES.THIS SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM HAS BEEN ASSIGNED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. |
| RQ03007 opened Oct 2003 | closed Feb 2004 | Seat Belts | SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALSE LATCH/MALFUNCTION - led to recall 04V305000 INFORMATION RECEIVED AND ANALYZED DURING THIS RQ DISCLOSED THAT MY 1999 AND 2000 KIA SEPHIA AND SPORTAGE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE SAME SAFETY BELT LATCH ASSEMBLY AS THOSE RECALLED IN CAMPAIGN NO. |
| DP02006 opened Jun 2002 | closed Sep 2002 | Suspension | VEHICLE ROLLOVER There is no summary currently available |
| PE00026 opened Jul 2000 | closed Jul 2000 | Electrical System | INCORRECT BATTERY JUMP-START - led to recall 00V205000 ALLEGE BATTETY MAY EXPLODE IF OWNER'S ATTEMPT TO JUMP-STATE THE VEHICLE BY FOLLOWING THE OWNER'S MANUAL DIAGRAM |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04V305000 | Seat Belts | ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES MAY EMIT A "CLICK" SOUND DURING THE BUCKLING PROCESS THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE SOUND EMITTED WHEN A BUCKLE IS BEING LATCHED, WHEN IT IS NOT. | Normally free |
| 00V205000 | Electrical System | VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE. THESE VEHICLES WERE DISTRIBUTED WITH OWNERS MANUALS WITH AN INCORRECT JUMP START DIAGRAM. THE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR JUMP STARTING ARE ACCURATE. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005064 2005-03-17 | Fuel System | 8,749 | Certain vehicles may develop fuel leaks at the fuel pump outlet spigot located on top of the fuel pump cover plate. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. |
| 2004294 2004-08-23 | Seats And Restraints | 9,601 | On certain vehicles, the front seat belt buckles may not latch properly, even though they emit a clicking sound during latching. |
| 2000095 2000-04-14 | Other | 5,466 | Certain vehicles do not comply with Regulation 6 - Statement of Compliance. The outer circle of the National Safety Mark was omitted and the vehicle type was not stated in both official languages on the compliance label. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_BOD055_R1 Sep 2021 | Structure | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. | |
| TSB_ELE220_R1 Feb 2021 | Equipment | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: FRONT CAMERA OPERATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA449) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. | |
| PS539 Mar 2018 | Engine And Engine Cooling | PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine. | |
| TSB-GEN085R1 Jan 2017 | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various Kia models and are strictly intended for ?one time use.? | |
| TSB-GEN085 Nov 2016 | Latches/Locks/Linkages | TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. | |
| PS443 Apr 2016 | Equipment | TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides information regarding the use of USB ports and 12V power outlets to connect/charge mobile phones. | |
| KT-2008082201 Aug 2008 | Exterior Lighting | KIA: ALL MODELS. ARTICLE PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATING TO THE IMPROVED DURABILITY OF BULB LIFE FOR REAR COMBINATION BULB; REAR STOP LAMP/TAIL LAMP BULB UTILIZED ON MULTIPLE KIA MODELS. *PE | |
| 014 Jan 2008 | Fuel System | FUEL TANK REPLACEMENT UNDER REPAIR BENEFIT PROGRAM. ON CERTAIN 1997-2000 SPORTAGES. *NJ | |
| 76 Jan 2004 | Fuel System | FUEL PUMP RELAYS & EMISSIONS FAILURES. KIA TECHNICIAN TIMES. *TT | |
| 007R Mar 2001 | Power Train | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON A CHANGE TO THE SPORTAGE 4WD HUB SEALS. *TT | |
| 011200 Dec 2000 | Fuel System | INFORMATION ON THE ONBOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) SYSTEM. *TT | |
| 2017 Aug 2000 | Equipment | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO A OWNER NOTIFICATION ON CERTAIN VEHICLES TO CORRECT AN ERROR IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. *TT |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Smell for fuel and watch the first restart when hot.Hard starting when warm, hesitation under load, or any fuel odor near the tank or engine bay match this vehicle's fuel-system cluster. Check the recall table for fuel pump campaigns.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Drive it from a dead stop, twice, on a hill if you can.Shudder, hesitation, or a lurch under light throttle is how this vehicle's largest complaint cluster shows itself. Then ask for the transmission service history in writing; repeat repairs are a pattern, not a fluke.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 2 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Kia Sportage →