28 complaints reported

1999 Kia Sportage Power Train

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

Reports
28
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2014

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 REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2014
Sep 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING AND WHEN IT WOULD, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2011
Mar 2008

99 KIA SPORTAGE TIMING BELT SNAPPED BECAUSE OF A FREEZING VALVE, CAUSE HEAD TO WARP, THE VEHICLE STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING AND STALLED ON THE FREEWAY.*CN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2007
Feb 2008

4WD FAILURE, WILL ENGAGE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN SLIP OUT . ON THIRD TRIP TO MY MECHANIC FOR THIS PROBLEM, HE DISCOVERED A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE REGARDING THE 4WD HUBS. UPON TALKING TO THE KIA REP HE WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR WERE MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE REP GAVE HIM NO SATISFACTION ON MY BEHALF. I WILL BE CALLING KIA AS WELL, BUT WOULD LIKE TO ACTIVATE THIS SERVICE BEFORE THE FACT AS I DO NOT EXPECT ANY SATISFACTION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2008
Dec 2004

4 WHEEL DRIVE HUBS WON'T ENGAGE ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE STRAINS AS IF IT IS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE, AND THE DISPLAY SHOWS IT IS ENGAGED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2004
Jul 2004

VEHICLE HAD DRIVESHAFT REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES DUE TO WEAR. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON WET ROAD CONDITION, WATER IS GETTING INTO THE SEAL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *LA

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2001
Jul 2003

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE 4-WHEEL DRIVE, THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, BUT 4-WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT ENGAGE. PH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2003
Jun 2003

THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING HUBS ON MY '99 KIA SPORTAGE HAVE FAILED AGAIN. THIS IS 4 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. I HAVE HAD A VACUUM LINE REPLACED AND THE ENTIRE FRONT ASSEMBLY REPLACED. LAST YEAR THEY WOULD NOT WORK DURING A SNOW STORM , CAUSING ME TO ALMOST GET STUCK IN A SNOW DRIFT. HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A WEEK LATER---AND THEY WERE WORKING. TEMPERATURES WERE WARMER WHEN THE DEALER LOOKED AT THEM. DURING RECENT SNOW STORM (12/5/03) HUBS ONCE AGAIN WOULD NOT ENGAGE. INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON, BUT THE REAR WHEELS SPIN IN THE SNOW. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. WOULD LIKE KIA TO REPLACE WITH MANUAL LOCKING HUBS. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *LA

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2003
Apr 2002

WHILE TRYING TO ENGAGE FOUR WHEEL IT DID NOT WORK. VEHICLE WAS SLIDING IN SNOW. ALSO, ONLY BACK WHEELS WERE TURNING. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2002
Dec 2001

4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT ENGAGE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2001
Aug 2001

4 WHEEL DRIVE WENT OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER SINCE THEN. ACCORDING TO DEALER,PART IS ON BACKORDER, NOT KNOWN WHEN WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK THE DEALER DENIED THE VEHCILE WAS ON RECALL BUT FIXED THE PROBLEM AFTER LONG DELAY. *YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2001
Jun 2001

WAS DRIVING IN SNOW WHEN 4WD LIGHT CAME TO INDICATE IT WAS ENGAGED, BUT 4WD WAS NOT WORKING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TWICE, AND HAD IT REPAIRED. MECHANIC IS REFUSING TO REPAIR IT FOR A THIRD TIME.*AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS ALL OVER THE ROAD DUE TO 4WD NOT WORKING. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2000
Jun 2001

WAS DRIVING UP A SMALL HILL WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOSS POWER...AND SPEED DROPPED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2001
Apr 2001

EVER SINCE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP WHEN GOING FROM 2 WHEEL DRIVE TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END, AND WILL CONTINUE DURING NORMAL OPERATION. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES, NOISE WILL RANDOMLY DISAPPEAR. DEALERSHIP CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSES DEFECT. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2001
Jan 2001

FRONT HUB WILL NOT LOCK UP, CAUSING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. DEALER CAN NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2000
Jan 2001

WHILE DRIVING TWICE IN LIGHT SNOW 4-WHEEL DRIVE UNIT KICK OUT OF GEAR SPONTAENOUSLY. *AK THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE KICK OUT FORCED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN 180 DEGREES. AFTER THE THIRD FAILURE, THE CONSUMER RENTED A VEHICLE, BUT HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE RENTAL VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2000
Dec 2000

4-WHEEL DRIVE GETS STUCK WHICH CAUSES CONSUMER TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2000
Dec 2000

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE UNIT SEALS WENT BAD. CONSUMER TRIED TO PUT IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE, AND VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPAIRED. BUT, CLAIMED THATSEALS WILL GO BAD AGAIN. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2000
Nov 2000 Fire

WHILE DRIVING FRONT PASSENGER'S WHEEL BEARING BROKE OFF, CAUSING WHEEL TO BENT INWARDS/ SPARKS FLYING, AND FIRE STARTED. DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT WHEEL ALMOST FELL OFF FROM THE AXLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2000
Jun 2000

SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE IN AUGUST 1999, IT HAS INTERMITTENTLY "POPPED" OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL. THE SHIFTER, WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED, SUDDENLY POPS INTO NEUTRAL UPON ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN TEST DRIVE AND RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO VERIFY. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A COPY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PRINTER. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Mar 2000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSED GEARS TO MALFUNCTION. YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Mar 2000

TRANSMISSION WON'T KICK INTO GEAR. WHEN DRIVING OF SPEEDS OF 70 IT STAYS IN FIRST GEAR . RPM'S GO UP TO 6 AND WON'T KICK INTO GEAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 1999
Mar 2000

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Feb 2000

ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION HAS DOWNSHIFTED AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 1999
Jan 2000

CONSUMER WAS SITTING INSIDE OF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WHEN IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND JERKED. IT TOOK BOTH FEET TO MAKE THE CAR SAFE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1999 KIA SPORTAGE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1999 Kia Sportage has 28 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.