1999 Kia Sportage problems & reliability
284 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1999 Kia Sportage, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (14 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1999 Kia Sportage vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 79 | 28% |
| Power Train | 57 | 20% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 44 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 41 | 14% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 34 | 12% |
| Structure | 29 | 10% |
| Visibility | 27 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 23 | 8% |
| Suspension | 19 | 7% |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 78,000 miles (middle 50% between 55,250 and 113,154 miles), based on 71 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 also stated that the…”
Electrical System · filed Sep 28, 2015
“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…”
Power Train · filed May 15, 2014
“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 this to check with…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Mar 14, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL TANK LEAKAGE
Engineering Analysis EA06007 · opened May 9, 2006 · closed Nov 30, 2007
- FUEL TANK LEAKAGE
Preliminary Evaluation PE06002 · opened Jan 4, 2006 · closed May 9, 2006
- SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALSE LATCH/MALFUNCTION
Engineering Analysis EA04007 · opened Feb 27, 2004 · closed Jul 26, 2004
- SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALSE LATCH/MALFUNCTION
Recall Query RQ03007 · opened Oct 14, 2003 · closed Feb 27, 2004 · led to recall 04V305000
- ENGINE STALLING POST-RECALL
Recall Query RQ02013 · opened Oct 18, 2002 · closed Sep 2, 2003 · led to recall 99V325000
- WINDSHIELD WIPER
Preliminary Evaluation PE02002 · opened Jan 9, 2002 · closed Aug 7, 2002
- TURN SIGHAL
Engineering Analysis EA00018 · opened Jun 29, 2000 · closed Jul 29, 2002 · led to recall 02V207000
- TURN SIGNAL, TRAFFIC SAFETY HAZARD
Preliminary Evaluation PE00004 · opened Jan 13, 2000 · closed Jun 29, 2000
Technical service bulletins
13 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1999 Kia Sportage. The 10 most recent:
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in…
TSB_BOD055_R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 13, 2021
PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine.
PS539 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 2018
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various Kia models and are strictly intended for ?one…
TSB-GEN085R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 18, 2017
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. Though not limited to the following, some examples are…
TSB-GEN085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2016
Kia: all models. Article provides information relating to the improved durability of bulb life for rear combination bulb; rear stop lamp/tail lamp bulb utilized on multiple kia models. *pe
KT-2008082201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 28, 2008
Fuel tank replacement under repair benefit program. On certain 1997-2000 sportages. *nj
014 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2008
Fuel pump relays & emissions failures. Kia technician times. *tt
76 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Subject on recall campaign to replace the manifold catalytic converter. *et
191001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 19, 2001
Information regarding manifold catalytic converter replacement. Questions and answers for recall. *et
1018 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 2001
Subject regarding recall campaign to replace the manifold catalytic converter due to existing mcc developing cracks at weld. *et
121001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 12, 2001
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1999 Kia Sportage has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1999 Kia Sportage?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 78,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.