16th Jul 2009, 22:16

I have a 98 Kia Sportage and I love it. It's been 7 years I've had this car, had no problems at all, only one timing belt, and tune ups. Only the last week that I had real problems with the idle going up to 2000 or even 3000, and sometimes will go down so much that it will cut off, exhaust smelling real bad and smoking. Just decided to spend only $500 on sensors, plugs, and coil packs. And now I'm not having any problems, the car is running real good. It has 145000 miles. I've been running this car for 100000 miles since I bought it. Good Kia.

18th Aug 2009, 09:32

I've had a green 95 Kia Sportage for three years now. I love her. * Chicago has horrible winters, but my little Kia started everyday... (even when newer cars would not) The car was originally from California, and had 119,000 original miles on it when I purchased it. * (We call it, the little Kia that could, or Bessie.)

About two weeks ago, I drove Bessie home from a late meeting; in the morning she would not start. There was full power, but no crank. A kind neighbor noticed the car sitting and offered his limited mechanical experience. When he jacked the car up, and turned the key, to everyone's surprise it started. So it wasn't a starter problem.

Now that it was running I took it to my regular mechanic, who told me that it was just a loose starter wire connection, and bad battery connectors. So I drove the car from the shop, happy to be rolling again; but the car would not shift into 2nd gear! So needless to say I rolled right back around to the shop. Later it was determined that it was my transmission, and this particular auto shop does not work on those! Argh!

Well, sadly driving Bessie home at 15 mph, I noticed that she wanted to switch into second. It kept jumping in and out of second and then the hold light started flashing. I do not want to have to put her down, but right now she is quietly sitting in my mother's back yard. :(

22nd Jan 2010, 11:29

I bought a Kia Sportage XE. from new in 2003.

I would like to say that I absolutely love my car. I have had no problems apart from a faulty ABS sensor that has been `ON` for at least 6 years!.. I reported the fault when it was still under warranty, and was told there wasn't a serious issue, but would get the part replaced as soon as the backlog of waiting for parts was over.. and they would "let me know".. I'm still waiting for that call...

And now 7 YRS on.. it has just failed its MOT "because the ABS light on!"

I have had my Kia serviced and MOT'd with the same firm since new.. and they have never picked up on it before. So now they are in a panic because they have tried 3 new parts.. none of which do seem to fit the car.. it's the same model number as the old one they took off.. but wrong part??

So now I have a Fiat 500 courtesy car to run around in while they try sort it.

Apart from the ABS problem.. I still rate my KIA.. so much so that.. I had mine written off as a CAT C in Nov 2007 and had it restored to its former glory. And still love it!

3rd Feb 2010, 21:57

I'm experiencing a 2000 KIA Sportage EX 4x4 with too many personality issues! My original idea of purchasing an SUV was for the 4wd and bad weather conditions. I've only had it a month, and the 4wd no longer works, the power locks lock automatically when the vehicle is warm on the inside, the heat is terribly cold and barely defrosts the windows, the horsepower stinks, and the cup holder is a joke.

I've never owned a vehicle where you have to remove the wheel splash guards first to replace the headlight bulbs. I can't find the fuse box, and I can't get the CHECK ENGINE light to turn off permanently. AutoZone claims that it's the gas cap, but the light turned back on 3 days later.

The back seat is a joke for any adult taller than 4'11'. Since it's a 2000 and it's now 2010, I'm basically screwed without any type of warranty.

4th Feb 2010, 14:50

Sorry, but you should have checked sites like this before you bought this car. This car is from the 'dark age' of Kia when they churned out one car worse than the other, where 'Shortage' (sorry for my pun) is among the worst of the worst. On a Rio, at least there's few parts to break, here you have a crappy 4x4 system that breaks too.

But I've been there myself, and all I read and all I heard said the same. Keep away from the Shortage. A neighbour in the auto trade said I was mad when I bought mine. And yes, they are really, really bad. How bad? So bad that the rear axle partially fell off the car due to rust and metal fatigue. And yes, the 4x4 never worked properly and was repaired several times. It just seemed that parts on this car was made of butter and not steel. I mean, you could repair something and the year later it would break again. And what about that sagging rear door. I hardly ever used that thing and even then it was worn out.

23rd May 2010, 19:46

I bought my 2000 Kia two door Sportage new.

I have replaced seals in the front hubs, to fix not going into four wheel drive, hinges on tailgate, gas tank, timing belt twice, coil packs twice, four tail pipes, brakes & rotors three times.

Now I'm having trouble with it shutting off driving down the road, and then two seconds later starting back up again, just like if you would shut the key off and then turn it back on. I've lost power; it seems to be worse after driving awhile, and is worse on hot days. I've taken it to the mechanic & tried to eliminate converters, changed fuel filters etc. no luck. The car has 164,000 miles on it. Maybe it is just done!

19th Aug 2010, 11:54

I bought a used 2000 Kia Sportage 4WD in May. It is now August and I have installed new brakes ($150), new power steering line ($150), new serpentine belt ($400), and now a new water pump ($800.)

It has been one thing after another since I bought it. I wish I would have read reviews on this car before I looked at it... I never would have even looked at it.

I would not recommend buying this car or any pre-2008 Kia of any type.

1st Jan 2011, 20:44

I bought my 2000 Sportage EX in October 2008 with 262,000km on it, just for use as a winter beater. After some hard times, I had to sell my summer toy in June 2009 and have driven my Kia daily since, and honestly, I don't understand why everyone else is having such problems with their Sportage's, mine now has just under 300,000km on it, and has never given me a lick of trouble, but I also maintain it according to the maintenance schedule. It is starting to rust on the body & frame, but that is nothing unusual for any vehicle operated in the rust belt.

I am in a position now to buy another vehicle, and it will be another Kia, this time a Sorento.