15 complaints reported

1997 Kia Sportage Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
15
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2005

DT THE VEHICLE REVS UP TO ALMOST 2000 RPM'S, THE VEHICLE JERKED THEN STALLED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED, BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE SERVICE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS ALREADY DONE. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2005
Aug 2004 Fire

WHILE DRIVING 34 MPH SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2004
Apr 2004

I HAVE BEEN HAVING STALLING PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT 2WEEKS NOW, AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY; BUT I CHECKED IT OUT AT AUTOZONE FOR FREE AND THE MACHINE THAT DETECTS HOW MUCH POWER IN THE BATTERY SUGGESTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE. THE STALLING PROBLEMS STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO AND I HAD TO PUSH-START THE CAR ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND THEN IT DECIDED TO NOT START AT ALL, I KNOW ITS NOT THE BATTERY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IT STILL HAS POWER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2004
Oct 2003

MY CAR WILL NOT GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE KIA COPRORATION FIELD EXPERTS CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT, THEY SAY IT'S A WIRING NIGHTMARE, THEY REFUSE TO TAKE IT TO IRVINE (KIA HEADQUARTERS) BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THEY WIRING HARNESS RECALL OF 1997 PROVES THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN PROPERLY FIXED, AND I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE MISSION BAY KIA DEALERSHIP SINCE 12-1-02, AND I'M STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2002
Jul 2001

TWICE IT HAS SHOT SPARK PLUG RIGHT OUT OF ENGNE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2001
Jul 2001

VEHICLE STALLS/DIES WHEN IT COMES TO A STOP, AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT RESTART. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2001
Nov 2000 Fire

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE FOLLOWED BY FLAMES CAME FROM DASHBOARD AND FLOOR BOARD AREA OF VEHICLE, TOTALLY DESTROYING VEHICLE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Oct 2000

I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY. WHEN I CALL PHIL LONG FORD, THEY TELL ME THAT HAPPENS WITH KIAS AND THEY CAN'T FIX IT UNLESS THE LIGHT IS ON AT THE TIME I BRING IT IN. AFTER ONCCE TAKING IT DOWN ANYWAY AND BEING REFUSED REPAIR BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF BY THE TIME I GOT DOWN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PASS, I GAVE UP ON THAT ONE. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT ANY ADDITIONAL RECALLS LAST SPRING WHEN I TOOK THE KIA IN FOR A TAILGATE LATCH RECALL, PHIL LONG FORD TOLD ME THERE WERE NO OTHERS. NOW I FIND THAT THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL (99V325), WHICH COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. NOW MY BATTERY WENT DEAD SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AFTER READING SO MANY COMPLAINTS. ALSO, MY HORN PERIODICALLY WON'T WORK WHICH PHIL LONG ALSO SAYS IS COMMON. (WHY THEN HAVEN'T THEY FIXED IT?) KIA AND THEIR PARTNER, FORD, NEEDS INVESTIGATING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2000
Sep 2000

COST ME $450 TO STOP KIA FROM IDLEING HIGH AND SPUTTERING. TOOK MANY TRIPS TO DEALER BEFORE THEY COULD LOCATE PROBELM. WE ARE VERY UPSET AT THE SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED AT ALL KIA DEALERS. THE "DONT CARE" ATTITUDE IS VERY APPARENT. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE SAFTEY PROBLEMS WITH THE KIA.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA KIA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2000
Aug 2000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING FAILED PRIOR TO RCALL NOTICE CAUSING IT TO STALL. NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Jul 2000

INTERMITTENTLY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE, RESULTING IN CIRCUIT CONTINUITY. DEALER HAS INSPECETED THE VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Dec 1999

SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/15 )

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 1999
Apr 1999

BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES PROBLEM PERSISTS. LOSS OF CONTROL NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 1999
Sep 1998

WIRING FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 1998
Aug 1998

WHILE TRAVELING THE VEHICLE INDICATION LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 1998

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Kia Sportage has 15 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.