Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Kia Sportage problems

Owners filed 187 complaints about the 1997 Kia Sportage with NHTSA between Sep 1997 and Jan 2019. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (52).

Complaints
187
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
33
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
26
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling52
  2. Air bags41
  3. Power train23
  4. Vehicle speed control21
  5. Electrical system21
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic18
  7. Fuel system, gasoline16
  8. Structure9
  9. Seat belts7
  10. Latches/locks/linkages7
  11. Suspension7
  12. Visibility6
  13. Equipment5
  14. Steering4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19977
199832
199934
200047
200114
200212
200310
200411
20059
20060
20071
20083
20090
20101
20110
20120
20131
20141
20150
20160
20170
20183
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

52 reports1 fire
“TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT SAID THAT THE USED CAR DEALER REPLACED THE RADIATOR AND THE MAIN HOSE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT, AND WHEN DIAGNOSED ,THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE OVERHEATING WAS DUE TO THE CLUTCH OVERHEATING AND THE FAN STICKING. THE CONTACT DIDN'T THINK THAT TRANSMISSION OIL WAS CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY WILL NOT START. THE DEALER WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2007Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10178267

Air bags

41 reports22 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SPORTAGE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE OCCUPIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF WILMINGTON (1603 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806, (302) 656-3100) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO DIAGNOSED WHY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,620. *BP*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2018Air bagsODI 11140727

Power train

23 reports5 crashes2 fires
“IN MAY 5, 2003 I TOOK TO INSPECT THE CAR FOR A NOISE AT THE BACK. ITS LIKE BEING ON A PLANE FOR DEPARTURE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE BACK DIFFERENTIALS WAS DAMAGED. IT ONLY HAD 25,317 MILEAGE IN 2003. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT. THIS YEAR 2005 A INSPECT THE CAR AT WESTER AUTO I WAS TOLD THE DIFFERENTIAL IS DAMAGE. AT THE STORE I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE SEEN OTHERS KIA SPORTAGE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. I ALSO WHEN TO PED BOYS. ALSO, THEY SAID VERB THERE WERE PROBLEMS KIA DIFFERENTIAL. AT WESTER AUTO I CHANGE THE BACK BEARING THINKING THAT WILL FIX THE NOISE. KIA DEALER ESTIMATE THE REPAIR FOR $865 ON 2003.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2005Power trainODI 10118075

Vehicle speed control

21 reports7 crashes
“WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY WHEN APPROXIMATELY AT 55MPH ENGINE WILL STALL. SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITHOUT WARNING. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN TURN ENGINE OFF RESTART RUN IT THRU ALL OF THE GEARS AND IT WILL BE FINE FOR AWHILE UNLESS ON BUMPY ROAD OR STOP WARNING BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I CAN NOT FILL GAS TANK UP DUE TO IT LEAKING OUT UNDER VEHICLE REFRASE THAT POUR OUT. IT WILL ALSO VIBRATE REALLY BAD AFTER BEING DROVE FOR OVER 2 HOURS STRAIGHT. PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE IT CAUSES A INJURY OR DEATH. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Vehicle speed controlODI 10586244

Electrical system

21 reports1 crash3 fires1 related recall
“DT: KIA SPORTAGE 1997, VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE, AFTER THE DEALERSHIP WAS SUPPOSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IT KEPT SHUTTING OFF. VEHICLE HAD A BENT FRAME. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, AND THEY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ELECTRIC WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP AFTER BEING PUSHED DOWN. CONSUMER HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE THEREFORE TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2005Electrical system, VisibilityCrash reportedODI 10127028

Service brakes, hydraulic

18 reports6 crashes
“ABS AND PARKING BRAKE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. MECHANIC SAID THAT LOW FLUID IN MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED THE LIGHTS AND THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD A LEAK AND NEEDED REPLACED. ALSO STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR VEHICLE. COULD HAVE LOST ALL BRAKING CAPABILITY IF CAR WAS CONTINUED DRIVEN WITH THE LIGHTS ON CAUSE FLUID LEVELS WOULD DROP.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 25, 2003Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10033448
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.