18th Jun 2004, 15:16

Regarding your comments about KIA sportage 1998, and how the check engine light would come on and off, I like to mention, as I bought mine used from RhodeIsland, USA like a week ago with 98.000 miles on it, I surely started to face the same problem? I wish if someone would be able to answer our question, why this light keeps on coming?

14th Nov 2005, 18:08

I have a 2000 Kia Sportage and my engine light has been coming on and off for months... Well, after numerous trips to the dealer, they said there was nothing wrong with it, reset it then a few days later it would come back on. After several attempts they decided it was the emmisions control panel. Also alternator... I got that fixed, sure enough, heading back to work, the engine light came back on again... dealer now claims it is the transmission control module which is almost $1000 to fix! A co-worker's friend had the same problem, dumped the money to get it fixed and guess what... still comes back on. SO, if anyone can give a suggestion so I don't keep spending my money on repairs. ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS OR IF ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM ALSO???

28th Feb 2006, 18:54

Make sure that you turn your gas cap until it clicks.. I had the same problem with the check engine light come on and off until someone told me about the gas cap.. Works great now.

17th May 2010, 14:46

Put a piece of electrical tape over the light. :) I am serious, it doesn't matter what car you have; at some point the engine light keeps coming on. My husband has a thing to plug into the computer to read the codes, and it was usually something unimportant that did not effect the car. He would clear the code and even replace the part sometimes and the light would come back on. My dad when I was young told me not to worry if the car was running correctly unless the light started flashing (an old car that actually happened). We are convinced it is just a way for the car manufacturers to get money.

6th May 2011, 23:03

I have a 98 Sportage, and except for when my daughter ran it without oil, it is fine.

I just bought 10/1000ths oversized rod bearings, and ground them in gently in about four "passes", and it is fine.

Please answer me what is all the worry about the check engine light???

A 60 dollar code reader tells you what the check engine light is trying to tell you... NO ONE has to take it to a dealer or a shop to read the code!!!

Unless it is flashing (a bad plug wire makes it flash, and when it flashes because a misfire causes it to OVERHEAT the cat... it's very dangerous and causes a fire!!) BUT why do people not just buy a code reader and be done with shops and dealers for good?

As far as the Sportage, it's a lot of fun to drive, and the automatic seems fine to me, and we have almost 200k on it.