5th Apr 2008, 04:23

I have read these pages from the second day I bought a used 1999 Kia Sportage. It is a 'cute' car. Yes, so was "Christine" by Steven King.

I regrounded all the grounds, cleared the A/C tube and generally tried to keep it up. The 'check engine' light comes on after fueling up. The ignition key gets very warm. I bought a new ignition switch from Kia. I will NEVER take the car to the Kia dealer. I have never seen such a bunch of misfits in my life.

I am now retired. I worked for Chrysler as a mechanic, finished my studies as an electronic engineer and had a business. I bought this thing from an independent dealer. Crooks the lot of them! I feel for the majority of the population who are struggling with these junky cars. We have enough of our own problems with American cars and we are flooded with cheap foreign tin.

I ordered a repair manual when I bought this thing. I think the printer is hand setting the type, maybe making each letter, too. It's been over a year. I don't need it any more. It's probably faulty, like the car!

John, CA.

13th Apr 2008, 19:34

Hello, I have a 99 kia sportage with about 116,000 miles on it. I've actually had it for almost 5 years, so I guess that's pretty good. I have only been afraid to drive it a couple of times before repairs, for the most part, it gets me where I'm going, it's just kind of loud and not very powerful...

I have had 3 brake jobs, 2 major, and 1 small. I've had 2 batteries, alternator, major tune-up, including ignition coil, and major oil job, changing valve covers, and cleaning out the oil sitting on the spark plug wires, radiator front and back hoses replaced, and maybe a few other things, like muffler & tail pipe.

My car also does the revving up rpms while sitting in park, yes it is quite embarrasing, and the ac leak, my mechanic fixed that for me, and the crazy locks have spooked a few of my friends, it's funny to hear that we've all had most of the same problems, and my check-engine light has been on almost the whole time I've had the car, it went out after I replaced The computer module last year, ECM, and then it ran great for a few months, nice and smooth... Right now it's on again, even though I just spent about $300 for the oil job, and $150 for the radiator and $100 for the brakes.. Oh yes and what is that rattling noise while idling? some kind of loose plate in the back I think... and also had to replace the window switch on the passenger side...

I'm hoping I can get about six to 8 more months out of it, since I have no car payment, but the gas mileage is pretty bad, so I'm not sure, for now I need it to last lon enough to offset the last round of repairs!!! Believe it or not, it's not the worst car I ever had, that was a Chevrolet Monza... Don't ask!!!

13th Jun 2008, 15:27

Some people have posted over and over the grounding fix as the solution for the Check Engine light. I had this procedure done twice, once by the dealer and the 2nd time by a good electronic tech I know. News flash, the problem still exited and I am proud to say I got rid of the bloody piece of garbage and have never been so happy.

30th Jun 2008, 12:16

Just bought a 98 KIA SPORTAGE. Runs great.

Was told the blower motor needed replaced. No fan for heater / A/C. After checking uses and wiring, found a little more. If you jiggle wires near A/C under the hood, the clock goes off ob panel. If you turn the steering wheel just right, clock goes off. The ground wire by firewall has been melted on outside covering. Obviously it got hot! Would new wiring harness and ground help?

23rd Jul 2008, 19:17

Besides having the check engine light stay on, I replaced the radiator and the fan clutch because it kept overheating.

Then I wired the electric fan direct to the switch and solved my over heating problem. It still won't pass emissions though.

15th Aug 2008, 22:36

Wished I would have checked reviews before buying a 99 Kia Sportage. The problems are already starting: engine light, mass air sensor code, battery before I even got it home, and I still have 33 payments left.

The only reason I went Kia is my cousin's been driving a 2000 Kia front wheel drive small car and it takes a beating and runs good. Boy am I in trouble for the next three years. Ouch, I'm going to post warnings on craigslist not to buy.

18th Nov 2008, 20:56

My 98 Kia Sportage is a "deathtrap".

The rattling noise you hear from the back is your heat shield coming off, mine did.

The $800 brake job almost ran me into a building.

It's overheated and boiled over from "something"; dealership had no clue.

Power window motors have failed.

The ignition switch has been changed to keep the key from getting hot and now my fan, radio, CD player all work again.

Now I am battling a rough idle. After changing the plugs, wires, coils, and all I am still getting rough idle and a check engine light. Which gives me a code of cylinder # 1234 misfire. When we opened it up; the cold start valve won't close and is shooting oil down into the cylinders. Now we have to wait til the car completely warms up before we can drop it into drive and take off.

If not, it shimmies and shakes so bad you can't drive it. What screw up thought up this crap when building these cars. GEEEEZ.

28th Nov 2008, 10:45

I have a 2000 Kia Sportage EX 4x4. I have had my share of problems also from the master cylinder leaking at 40,000 miles, and the dealer telling me it's not covered under warranty to the exhaust rattling. I removed the heat shields on the exhaust to stop the rattling; much better now.

Was having lots of problems with it not running right and loss of power, but came to find out it had jumped time.

The mass airflow sensor went out; had to replace that.

Fixed the catalytic converters as they are a problem that everyone overlooks. Pipe and a hammer was the cheap fix for them.

It now runs pretty darn good. Have had it for about 6 years now. Bought it with 35,000 miles on. It has about 115,000 on it now, and I would feel comfortable taking it anywhere.

Oh yeah, also added better ground wires from the battery.