10 complaints reported

2002 Kia Sportage Power Train

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

Reports
10
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE ALSO INDEPENDENTLY DOWNSHIFTED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2013
Jun 2013 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE KEY STILL IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED 20 FEET AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A NEARBY HOUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2013
Nov 2011

NOTICED A SMALL HIGH PITCHED WHINE TOWARD THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC CHECKED AND SAID THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A PINION BEARING IN THE DIFFERENTIAL GOING BAD AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A DETERMINATION AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED REPLACED AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY SINCE THE FLUID HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED EVERY 20000 MILES ALONG WITH A BILL FOR $126.00. WAS NOT ABOUT TO PAY THEM THE $1000 THEY WANTED TO REPLACE A DIFFERENTIAL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. STILL DRIVING THE CAR WHICH NOW MAKES A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND DRAWS ALOT OF ATTENTION WHICH ALLOWS ME TO DISCOURAGE ANY KIA PURCHASES FROM PROSPECTIVE BUYERS. THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE HAS QUIT WORKING ALSO LEAVING ONLY SINGLE WHEEL DRIVE MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSTABLE ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2006
Sep 2009

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ON 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. IT LOCKS UP AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO UNHOOK HOSES WHEN NOT IN USE AND TO HOOK THE HOSES UP WHEN NEEDED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2008
Jul 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN, IT WOULD CHANGE TO 4-WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT THE DRIVER MOVING THE LEVER. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD, EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,445 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2008
Dec 2005

DT: THE CALLER SAID H TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. IT JERKED AND SHOOK WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. IT HAPPENED WHEN DECELERATING. BROUGHT VEHICLE DEALER 5 TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND WHATS WRONG WITH IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME EXCEPT WHEN HE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE LAST TIME HE HAD IT TO DEALER THE LIGHT WENT OFF FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS, AND YESTERDAY THE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. DEALER SAID THEY WILL TRY TO GET SOMEONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, BUT NO ONE HAS COME YET. DEALER DID A DIAGNOSTIC, AND FIXED WHAT IT SHOWED, BUT THE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CAME BACK ON AFTER 30 MILES OF DRIVING. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2004
Mar 2005 Crash

30 SECONDS AFTER CONSUMER PARKED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE IT ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS REVERSING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2005
Apr 2003

CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH KIA SPORTAGE. SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS, BUT I FEAR THAT SOMEDAY THIS CAR WILL CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2003
Sep 2002

WHEN TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BETWEEN 1ST-2ND AND 2ND-3RD GEARS IT MAKES A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2002
Sep 2002

DIFFERENTIAL FAILED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2002

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Kia Sportage has 10 Power Train complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.