18th Jun 2007, 12:03

I own a 2006 Kia Sportage, bought it new in 2005. In reading troubleshooting about the little SUVs, am I to understand that since my check engine light comes on when I've got less than 1/4 tank of gas, that it's an evap problem with the gas cap? Gas here in Texas went down and I probably did overfill it.

12th Oct 2007, 16:16

I bought a 1999 4x4 model for $5000 in 2002 and still believe it was a great buy. Of course my perception is quite different than of that somebody who paid a full price.

This is a TRUCK (frame-based body) -- I am not expecting a "soft-n-quiet" ride on it either and being DIY guy I just enjoy fixing the car when needed.

You can get access to Sportage's service manuals for $10 a month from KIA's website (access was free until two years ago) and download needed/all pages for "eternal" use.

Hubcaps could be replaced with manual (reliable) aftermarket ones. That means you should stop and exit a car to engage/disengage them. I guess most readers here (including me) will not like to do it.

For myself I did a known "trick" with original hubs reassembly with springs' position relocation to have hubs engaged permanently. This does not mean I have 4x4 at all times (you still control it on AT) -- it just keeps front wheels connected to each other through differential even if power is disengaged. This adds some extra wear to front wheels, true, but not too much. My city gas mileage is 15-16 mpg on Shell's 87 (hilly place and I am a "lead foot") with this thing always on.

19th May 2009, 11:45

I KNOW! The placement of the cup holders is so stupid! Not only in front of the air conditioner, but also the clock. Just an overall stupid car.

11th Sep 2009, 13:41

Thanks for the info. I was looking at buying one. You're all life savers.

21st Oct 2009, 11:40

I own a 2000 Kia Sportage, which I bought used in 2005 with 52,000 miles. I too had problems with the 4 wheel drive, which was luckily covered under warranty. My problem now is with the frame rusting out. I checked to see if there was a recall, as there is on the fuel tank for rust, and there is not. However, I contacted Kia at 800-333-4Kia and was told that if enough people with the same problem call it will be logged and possibly there will be a recall. Unfortunately this will be probably too late for me but hopefully, if we get the word out, it may help other Sportage owners who would like to keep their car.

25th Oct 2009, 19:10

I have the exact same problem. I purchased a used 2000 Kia Sportage last spring. I recently brought it into the garage due to my 4 wheel drive not working, and was told it wasn't worth fixing as my frame is rotting!!! This car only has 70,000 miles.. this is crazy, I am calling the number.

25th Nov 2009, 16:47

Oh gosh I just read your story. I have / had a Kia Sportage. Worst car ever, and like you said, just as a snow storm hits, that's when your fourwheel drive goes bad. Yes this has happened to me as well. I just wrote my own review; it's a horrible SUV and I just purchased myself a new Jeep - amazing and working, and yes the Kia is very unsafe and unreliable.

7th Feb 2010, 12:19

I have a 2000 Kia Sportage and had no 4-wheel drive for the first few years, had to drive 2 hours to the dealer in snowy weather to get the hubs changed 9 times! They replaced the front end that the hubs fit into, and it stayed about a year until I got stuck in the snow again. My mechanic just replaced the lines and I had vacuum power for 8 hours, now he says it is a poor design and can't be fixed: he found water and mud in the seals and lines and had to blow them all out. Whenever you engage the 4-wheel, it sucks in water and mud. Now I'm having them changed to manual locking hubs. I'm tired of walking home!

13th Feb 2010, 13:05

We are having the same issue with the frame rotting out above the rear driver's side axle. It has cracked all the way through, and has a hole rusted through big enough to put your hand in. It's a 2000 Kia Sportage, which was just inspected by Pep Boys last September. Any thoughts on what we should do? Can we get Pep Boys to pay for the repairs since they inspected it and didn't see it? There is no way that the frame rusted through in just a few short months. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The car seems to have a lot of life left in it with only 83K miles on it, and we would hate to have to junk it just for this. We were told that to cut out and fabricate a new piece to weld on would cost roughly $800-$1000.

5th Mar 2010, 18:59

I too have a Sportage. It's a good car, but at 77,000 miles, the frame is rusting. Let's go after them; just like Toyota with Tacomas, they are denying the frames will rust.

19th Mar 2010, 13:19

I also have a 2000 Kia Sportage, and it is at the mechanics right now where it was supposed to be getting the muffler replaced. But the mechanic just called and said that the frame had rusted through and broke. He told me to have it towed off of his lot, because he did not want to be responsible for it. I don't know exactly how much this is going to cost, but it cannot be worth it.

13th Jul 2010, 12:39

These Kia Sportages pre 2004 should all be recalled.

We bought a 2002 with 30K miles on it and have had every problem described in the previous postings and more, except the power windows. Also the fan blew apart ruining the radiator. Unbelievably there was a recall on that and was fixed twice by a dealer.

Last year the gas tank had to be replaced as it rusted through. The mechanics said the top of the tank was almost gone. We had been smelling gas for a few months but it never seemed to leak. It was all on top.

Now at 110,000 the frame has rotted through and the sway bar is hanging on by a thread. No one will touch it to fix it as there is not enough metal to weld anything to. There is no way an 8 year old car should have all these problems.