Your vehicle report
1998 Kia Sportage
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 303
- Received Apr 1998 to Apr 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving24 complaints · 7.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Transfer case shifts into 4-wheel drive unexpectedly22 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Check engine light comes on repeatedly20 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #02V216000On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
- Recall #99V325000Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The wires connected to the C123 and C124 connectors can be put under tension by movement of the engine, thus pulling the wires and connectors, loosening them and resulting in a loss of circuit continuity.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 19 crashes, 6 fires, 9 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
- Brakes make grinding or squealing noise
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps
- Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches
- Wheel bearings fail prematurely
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 21 |
| 1999 | 75 |
| 2000 | 61 |
| 2001 | 63 |
| 2002 | 23 |
| 2003 | 26 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 303 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 24 | 7.9% | – | NHTSA recall #99V325000 |
| Transfer case shifts into 4-wheel drive unexpectedly | 22 | 7.3% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 20 | 6.6% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 16 | 5.3% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 11 | 3.6% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 10 | 3.3% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 9 | 3.0% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 8 | 2.6% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 8 | 2.6% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 7 | 2.3% | – | NHTSA recall #02V216000 |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 6 | 2.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #02V216000August 16, 2002189,706 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: buckle assembly
On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Owner notification began december 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.
NHTSA recall #99V325000November 19, 199976,986 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The wires connected to the C123 and C124 connectors Can be put under tension by movement of the engine, thus pulling the wires and connectors, loosening them and resulting in a loss of circuit continuity.
This condition Can cause engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install spring clips to lock the connectors together. In addition, the dealers will be instructed to solder a splice in the wire harness.
NHTSA recall #98V222000September 15, 199839,656 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles without an anti-lock braking system (ABS). The steering intermediate shaft coupling Can contact a hydraulic brake pipe causing fluid leakage.
This condition Can cause a loss of rear brake increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, increase the clearance between the brake pipe and steering intermediate shaft coupling.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1998 Kia Sportage.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN