1998 KIA Sportage

Typical pattern

11% of complaints about the 1998 KIA Sportage came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 1998 vehicle — around the middle of the 180 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 2.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine cooling (65 complaints), typically at 2.3 yr or about 65,000 miles.

Complaints: 437
Median age at failure: 2.3 yr
Median mileage: 70,000 n=51
Crash / fire / tow: 8.2% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine cooling

65 reports · 65,000 mi

2.3 yr

1.5%

Service brakes, hydraulic

58 reports · 73,000 mi

1.8 yr

8.6%

Power train

55 reports · 85,000 mi

2.0 yr

5.5%

Electrical system

51 reports · 62,225 mi

3.0 yr

7.8%

Visibility

26 reports · 51,000 mi

1.7 yr

Structure

23 reports · 175,000 mi

1.5 yr

Equipment

21 reports

2.3 yr

Suspension

21 reports · 79,000 mi

3.6 yr

4.8%

Other

20 reports · 101,000 mi

3.0 yr

10%

Fuel system

16 reports · 84,459 mi

6.0 yr

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

09E025000 2009-05-11

Exterior lighting:headlights

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

09E012000 2009-04-07

Exterior lighting

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

02V216000 2002-08-16

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.

99V325000 1999-11-19

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.

98V222000 1998-09-15

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.

In owners’ own words

Engine cooling mileage not reported 9 mo in service

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STALLING WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER/MFR NOTIFIED AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE CONDITION CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK *ML

Engine cooling mileage not reported 11 mo in service

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE VALVES . ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM 4 TIMES.

Engine cooling mileage not reported 8 mo in service

BRAKES: HYDRAULIC BRAKE PEDAL HAS TO BE PRESSED TO THE FLOOR BEFORE VEHICLE STOPS. THE LIFTERS MADE LOUD NOISES & RATTLING & NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. REAR DOOR IS OFF LINE & NOT SHUTTING PROPERLY. *AK CUSTOMER STATES DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR FELL OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON DUE TO OXYGEN SENSOR FAILURE. THE REAR HATCH DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE CUSTOMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A TICKING NOISE AT ENGINE WHEN HOT OR COLD, THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. DOME LIGHT SCREW FELL OFF, DEALER FOUND LOOSE GROUND AT LIGHT, THE GROUND WAS RESECURED AND A NEW SCREW WAS INSTALLED. *YH

Structure mileage not reported 1.3 yr in service

WATER RUNS OFF MY WINDSHILD INTO THE DOOR AND FORMS ICE IN THE HINGES WHICH RESULTS IN HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IN OR OUT OF MY VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATES THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE FOR THIS, AND I HAVE TO ACCEPT IT AND LIVE WITH IT ALL FOR $17,000.00. *AK

Other Sportage model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.