1999 KIA Sportage Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportage years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 284 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 KIA Sportage. That ranks 6th out of 31 Sportage model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (79 complaints, 28%), typically at around 50,280 miles. Complaints mention 27 crashes, 3 fires, 14 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 8 defect investigations involving it.
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- 284owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 8NHTSA investigations
- 27complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 KIA Sportage problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 79 | 28% | 50,280 | “engine stalling” (9%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 57 | 20% | 67,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 44 | 15% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 41 | 14% | 70,100 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 34 | 12% | 78,100 | — | — |
| Structure | 29 | 10% | 100,198 | — | — |
| Visibility | 27 | 10% | 117,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 23 | 8% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 19 | 7% | 122,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 6% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 5% | 50,280 | — | — |
| Equipment | 11 | 4% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 4% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 10 | 4% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 9 | 3% | 103,478 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 6 | 2% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 63,559 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 250,695 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 333,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 KIA Sportage recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the front safety belt buckles may emit a "click" sound during the buckling process that is similar to the sound emitted when a buckle is being latched, when it is not.
Risk: The latch can then pull out of the buckle when tension is applied.
Fix: Dealers will replace both front seat belt buckles. The recall began august 16, 2004. Owners should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The wires connected to the c123 and c124 connectors can be put under tension by movement of the engine, thus pulling the wires and connectors, loosening them and resulting in a loss of circuit continuity.
Risk: This condition can cause engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install spring clips to lock the connectors together. In addition, the dealers will be instructed to solder a splice in the wire harness.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles without an anti-lock braking system (abs). The steering intermediate shaft coupling can contact a hydraulic brake pipe causing fluid leakage.
Risk: This condition can cause a loss of rear brake increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, increase the clearance between the brake pipe and steering intermediate shaft coupling.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel tank leakage (EA06007) — opened May 9, 2006, closed Nov 30, 2007.
- Fuel tank leakage (PE06002) — opened Jan 4, 2006, closed May 9, 2006.
- Seat belt buckle false latch/malfunction (EA04007) — opened Feb 27, 2004, closed Jul 26, 2004.
- Seat belt buckle false latch/malfunction (RQ03007) — opened Oct 14, 2003, closed Feb 27, 2004, led to recall 04V305000.
- Engine stalling post-recall (RQ02013) — opened Oct 18, 2002, closed Sep 2, 2003, led to recall 99V325000.
- Windshield wiper (PE02002) — opened Jan 9, 2002, closed Aug 7, 2002.
- Turn sighal (EA00018) — opened Jun 29, 2000, closed Jul 29, 2002, led to recall 02V207000.
- Turn signal, traffic safety hazard (PE00004) — opened Jan 13, 2000, closed Jun 29, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 kia sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted strong fuel fumes on the exterior and the interior. The dealer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in a manufacturer's recall and the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 kia sportage. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the transmission slipped gears without warning. The failure recurred sporadically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis, who stated that the transmission would need to be…
I had just filled gas tank with unleaded gas. When i noticed a strong gas smell. The car sits all day. I only move it for emissions each year i work from home. They tested and told me evap emission control sys malf. The guy said he could see gas leaking from my fuel line. He said it was a recall on…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 kia sportage. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle began to shake violently and caused that contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact noticed that there was corrosion on the rear end of the vehicle after he regained control, stopped and…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 kia sportage. The contact stated that while driving 15 mph, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but they did not inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was…
Other KIA Sportage years
← 1998 Sportage · 2000 Sportage →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sportage | 27 | 1 |
| 2025 Sportage | 54 | 1 |
| 2024 Sportage | 73 | 3 |
| 2023 Sportage | 192 | 6 |
| 2022 Sportage | 46 | 1 |
| 2021 Sportage | 54 | 2 |
| 2020 Sportage | 162 | 2 |
| 2019 Sportage | 70 | 2 |
| 2018 Sportage | 164 | 3 |
| 2017 Sportage | 401 | 4 |
| 2016 Sportage | 134 | 2 |
| 2015 Sportage | 146 | 2 |
| 2014 Sportage | 124 | 3 |
| 2013 Sportage | 381 | 3 |
| 2012 Sportage | 392 | 5 |
| 2011 Sportage | 181 | 6 |
| 2010 Sportage | 20 | 2 |
| 2009 Sportage | 80 | 3 |
| 2008 Sportage | 98 | 3 |
| 2007 Sportage | 77 | 2 |
| 2006 Sportage | 111 | 1 |
| 2005 Sportage | 68 | 3 |
| 2003 Sportage | 4 | 0 |
| 2002 Sportage | 234 | 1 |
| 2001 Sportage | 228 | 0 |
| 2000 Sportage | 304 | 2 |
| 1999 | 284 | 3 |
| 1998 Sportage | 303 | 3 |
| 1997 Sportage | 181 | 3 |
| 1996 Sportage | 57 | 3 |
| 1995 Sportage | 56 | 2 |
See all KIA Sportage problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 KIA Sportage?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 79 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 KIA Sportage?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 KIA Sportage a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sportage model years, the 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.