2002 KIA SPORTAGE Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2002 Kia Sportage. This model year has 237 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Engine Problems.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2002 Kia Sportage Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Fuel System
Gasoline
Considering a 2002 Kia Sportage?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2002 Kia Sportage. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 71 | — | 3 | — | |
| Fuel System | 47 | — | 1 | — | |
| Gasoline | 40 | — | 1 | — | |
| Brake System | 25 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 23 | 1 | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 23 | 2 | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 21 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 20 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 17 | — | 1 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 17 | 10 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 16 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 12 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 9 | 2 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 9 | 2 | — | — | |
| Equipment | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 3 | — | 1 | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2002 Kia Sportage. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 237 most recent complaints
WE HAVE RELIGIOUSLY CLEANED OUR 2002 SPORTAGE WITH UNDER WASHING TO KEEP UNDER CARRIAGE AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE...YET WE ARE TOLD THE FRAME IS TOO RUSTED, WITH HOLES AND CANNOT BE INSPECTED OR DRIVEN SAFELY...WE HAVE LESS THAN 90,000 MILES ON IT. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A SAFETY RECA…
I PURCHASED A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE IN FEBRUARY OF 2017, AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A COUPLE MONTHS IT ALL THE SUDDEN STARTED ROCKING SIDE TO SIDE UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE DRIVING. WHEN LOOKING AT THE CAR WE NOTICED THE WHOLE FRAME IS RUSTED AND FALLING APART. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM, ES…
FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS WHEN GOING TO THE GAS STATION TO REFUEL THE GAS TANK, WITH THE CAR STOPPED AND THE ENGINE OFF, GAS SUDDENLY SPURTS OUT THE GAS TANK AND SPLASHES ONTO ME AND MY CLOTHING. I HAVE CALLED MY KIA DEALER, BUT THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS. THERE ARE NUMERO…
DRIVER SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELTS ARE FRAYED WHICH MAKES THEM UNABLE TO STAY SECURE. IT WON'T STOP UPPER BODY MOVEMENT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED QUICKLY. DRIVER SIDE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN AND MOTOR IN DOOR STILL MAKES THE NOISE LIKE ITS WANTS TO WORK B…
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS HIT WHILE PARKED THE BUMPER WAS DESTROYED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TUNE SIGNALS DO NOT WORK, THE FUSES BLOW EVEYTIME THEY ARE REPLACED, THE HAZZARD SIGNAL BLOWS ALL THE FUSES, THERE IS A RECALL ON BEFORE THIS YEAR AND SOME AFTER, BUT NOT THIS ONE. GA…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED CARBON MONOXIDE AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO FALL SLEEP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CANAL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDE…
TAKATA RECALL I PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER ON 6-6-2016 IT HAS ALL THE SYMPTOMS OF KIA'S RECALL # CS-048 THE CAR IS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE VIN [XXX] WITH 87K MILES AND ON JULY 4TH SHE STOPPED FOR A LIGHT AND THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THAN STOP RUNNING, SHE LOO…
"TAKATA RECALL" NOTHING NEW, SAME AS THIS AND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ... COMPONENT(S): FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE FUMES,AIR BAGS LIGHT STAYS ON, HOLD LIGHT STAYS ON, RUST UNDERNEATH THE CAR,WINDOWS DONT WORK, ONLY BACK LEFT DOOR OPENS, AC DONT WORK, WILL RUN HOT IF ON. CONSUMER LO…
REAR SECTION OF VEHICLE FRAME IS ROTTED BEYOND A SAFE CONDITION TO CONTINUE USE. REAR SUSPENSION MOUNT POINTS ARE CRUMBLING AND FALLING OFF. VEHICLE HAS 38,000 MILES. VEHICLE ALWAYS PARKED ON PAVEMENT OR CONCRETE AND USED AS A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR AN OLDER FEMALE. VEHICLE USED VER…
I BOUGHT A CAR LAST WEEK FROM A PRIVATE SELLER, AND IT HAS A GAS LEAK COMING FROM THE GAS TANK AREA. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN YET TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THE SELLER HAD REPLACED THE FILLER HOSE, AND HAD SAID THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD REPLACED THE GAS TANK, SO HE SAID T…
MY CAR HAS RUSTED SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE.. TO THE POINT WHERE IT APPEARS THAT IT RUSTED THE FRAME AND SHOCK ABSORBERS. MY CAR WAS MADE IN KOREA... WONDER IF THESE IMPORTS HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS AMERICAN MADE CARS WITH UNDERBODY TREATMENT? ALSO T…
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND STARTED BRAKING FOR A RED LIGHT,MY BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE,LUCKILY I WAS FAR ENOUGH FROM LIGHT & NOBODY WAS IN FRONT OF ME LIGHT TURNED GREEN,I WENT SLOW 20 MPH TO THE NEAREST FIRESTONE & COASTED IN.I THOUGHT I JUST NEEDED NEW BRAKES,THE MECHA…
AN OVERWHELMING SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN, OVER THE YEARS HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING INCLUDING KIA DEALERS THAT COULD NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE UNTIL NOW. A FEW WEEKS AGO (APRIL 2015) AS I TRIED TO FILL THE CAR IT WOULD NOT ACCEPT FUEL SO I DETERMINED THE VENTING SYSTEM WAS FAULTY,…
THE WHEEL STARTED SCREECHING AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO FALL APART I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AS IT CUT OUT ON ME IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT
NOTICING STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS DURING TIMES OF COLD WEATHER. IT HAS BECOME MORE OF AN ISSUE SINCE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR MORE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 MECHANICS WHO TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE NOT SMELLED THE ODOR, EVEN AFTER GIVING ONE OF THEM THE CAR OVERNI…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AROMA OF FUEL WAS PRESENT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE FUEL SCENT VANISHED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE WINTER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAI…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE PRESENT IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED …
JUST GETTING IN VEHICLE READY TO PUT ON MY SEAT BELT IT WOULD NOT TIGHTEN NOR RETRACT BACK IN SO I COULD TRY AGAIN NOW THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT TIGHTEN AT ALL IT IS VERY UNSAFE I WILL GET TICKTED. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AS IS. *TR
THERE IS A VERY STRONG RAW GAS SMELL THAT FILLS THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE UPON STARTING AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT REST AND RUNNING. FUEL TANK LEAKING. SEAM AREAS AND FUEL PUMP/SENDING UNIT AREA DUE TO CORROSION AND VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PA…
FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH. *TR
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2002 Kia Sportage.
Recalls for 2002 Kia Sportage
3 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2002 Kia Sportage. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2002 Kia Sportage — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2002 Kia Sportage reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2002 Kia Sportage has 237 NHTSA owner complaints, 16 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Engine Problems (71 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Kia Sportage?▾
#1: Engine Problems (71 complaints). #2: Fuel System (47 complaints). #3: Gasoline (40 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2002 Kia Sportage?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2002 Kia Sportage?▾
The 2002 Kia Sportage has 16 crash-related complaints and 7 fire reports out of 237 total NHTSA complaints. 10 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2002 Kia Sportage have any recalls?▾
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2002 Kia Sportage. The largest issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2002 Kia Sportage?▾
The 2002 Kia Sportage has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Engine Problems issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Kia Sportage reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2002 Kia Sportage
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.