RoadVitals

1999 Kia Sportage Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
30
Latest May 15, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 284 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Kia Sportage submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words

Transmission
Filed May 15, 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.

NHTSA ID
10588573
Incident
Feb 21, 2014
Mileage
189,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 3, 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

NHTSA ID
10213654
Incident
Dec 19, 2007
Mileage
89,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 4, 2002

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

NHTSA ID
8003480
Incident
Jan 1, 2002
Transmission
Filed Jun 27, 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

NHTSA ID
891402
Incident
Dec 21, 2000
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Jun 19, 2001

THE VEHICLE MAKES NOISE WHEN STARTING IN THE MORNING. FIRST, SAID IT WAS END PLAY IN THE CRANK THEN THE WATER PUMP, THEN ITS THE ALTERNATER THEN THEY REPLACE THE VALVE. AFTER ALL THIS THE CAUSE WAS THE HYDRAULICS ARE BLEEDING DOWN AND THAT WAS THE TICKING NOISE COMES AND IT WAS ON RECALL 98V-222.THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. *YH

NHTSA ID
561698
Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 2001

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

NHTSA ID
746880
Incident
Jun 12, 2001
BrakesElectricalSteering+1 more
Filed May 9, 2001

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A NOISE, THEN STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO TURN, AND BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO USE TRANSMISSION TO SLOW VEHICLEDOWN.*AK 4 WHEEL DRIVE FAILED. WIFE OF THIS VEHICLE'S OWNER ALSO HAS EXACT SAME VEHICLE, VIN [XXX] WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE FAILURE, ALSO CONSUMER EXPERIENCED POWER WINDOW FAILURE AND HAS EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS EVER SINCE. *SLC INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
887795
Incident
May 9, 2001
Transmission
Filed Apr 23, 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

NHTSA ID
886492
Incident
Jan 2, 2001
Transmission
Filed Feb 12, 2001

4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT ENGAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID
880366
Incident
Feb 8, 2001
Transmission
Filed Feb 8, 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

NHTSA ID
880121
Incident
Jan 8, 2001
EngineTransmissionVisibility
Filed Feb 6, 2001

4-WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE, BOTH FRONT HUBS WERE REPLACED AND PASS OPERATION CABLE ADJUSTED, DEALER CLAIMS THE PROBLEMS IS FIXED, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATES THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE ONCE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED WINDOW MOTOR. *SLC

NHTSA ID
879906
Incident
Nov 30, 2000
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Jan 31, 2001

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

NHTSA ID
879404
Incident
Dec 30, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jan 23, 2001

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHICH IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM. ALSO, DUE TO DEFECT VEHICLE HAS STALLED TWICE; ONCE IN REVERSE GEAR, AND IN DRIVE GEAR. DEALER HAD VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AND CLAIMED THAT A SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
878777
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Tires & wheels+1 more
Filed Jan 23, 2001

4-WD NOT WORKING, HUBS NOT LOCKING. ENGINE IS STRAINING AS IF IN 4WD, INDICATOR LIGHT IS LIT, LEADING YOU TO BELIEVE YOU ARE SAFELY IN 4WD, BUT THE BACK TIRES ARE SPINNING AND THE FRONT TIRES ARE NOT TURNING. THE DEALER HAS CHECKED THE TRUCK AND ORDERED PARTS...THAT WAS 2 WEEKS AGO, AND DEALER HAS NO IDEA WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE IN. KIA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE DEALER'S INQUIRY. THE WIRE HARNESS THAT WAS REPLACED TOOK A WEEK BECAUSE KIA SENT A FAULTY HARNESS AS A REPLACEMENT AND THE PART HAD TO BE REORDERED.*AK

NHTSA ID
739809
Incident
Dec 30, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jan 22, 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

NHTSA ID
878762
Incident
Dec 20, 2000
Body & structureBrakesEngine+3 more
Filed Jan 12, 2001

NO LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD CAME ON .THIS IS ONE TIME ENGINE CHECK LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. OIL ALL OVER MOTOR. AROUND AREA OF DIP STICK.PRESSURE FROM MOTOR BLEW OUT DIP STICK HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD TO REPLACE MOTOR ON THESE CARS? ALSO HAVE HAD BRAKES REPLACED 5 TIMES. WIPER ASSEMBLY REPLACED. FOURWHEEL DRIVE HOSE REPLACED. WINDSHEILD REPLACED. EMISSONS REPLACED. ROTORS 5 TIMES. SEATS FRONT AND BACK 1 TIME EACH. SOFT TOP REPLACED 3 TIMES NEED REPLACED AGAIN.SMELLS LIKE SULFUR ALL THE TIME. WILL NEVER BUY ONE AGAIN . FIRST I HAVE TO PAY 3000.00 FOR A NEW MOTOR AND PAY THIS ONE OFF.ASKED FOR HELP FROM KIA THEY SAID NO.THEY WILL NOT REPLACE MOTOR. I BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRENTY . DON'T BUY IT DOESN'T COVER BRAKES OR ROTORS OR HUBS.HAD HEADLIGHT SWITCH BY MOTOR REPLACED NO HEADLIGHTS THEY WOULD GO OFF WHEN I PUT THEM FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM OR LOW TO HIGH. THEN THEY STOPPED WORKING ALLTOGETHER HAD TO HOLD SWITCH TO SEE TO GET HOME.

NHTSA ID
739244
Incident
Dec 8, 2000
EngineTransmissionVisibility
Filed Dec 28, 2000

THE HEAT SHIELD ON MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER RUSTED OFF,THE MANIFOLD CRACKED,THE MUFFLER RUSTED THROUGH WITHIN A YEAR,THE WIDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION BROKE AND WAS REPLACED,WHILE THE KIA SPORTAGE IS ENGAGED IN 4WD IT POPS OUT INTO TWO WHEEL DRIVE AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES THIS WINTER AND THE RECALLED PARTS HAVE NOW FAILED AGAIN CAUSING KIA TO PUT IN MANUAL HUBS FROM 1997 INTO MY 1999 SUV.I FEEL THIS IS A DANGER TO ALL WHO OWN A KIA SPORTAGE AND I HAVE CONTACTED A LAWYER TO LOOK INTO POSSIBLE LITIGATION AGAINST KIA.I HAVE FOUND A RECALL ON A PREVIOUSE MODLE FROM 1998 BUT THE COMPONENTS SEALS ARE FAILING IN THE REPLACMENT PARTS HUBS .THANK IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND LETTING ME INFORM YOU OF THIS DANGEROUSE SITUATION...ED GEISLER. *AK

NHTSA ID
738450
Incident
Aug 20, 2000
Transmission
Filed Dec 27, 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

NHTSA ID
877028
Incident
Dec 26, 2000
Body & structureDriver assistanceTransmission+1 more
Filed Jun 15, 2000

THROTTLE: CAR INTERMITTENTLY JERKS IN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. SERVICE PERSON AT DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN PRESENT AND EXPERIENCED THIS AND SAID THROTTLE HAS PROBLEMS, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES TO BE UNRESOLVED. TECHNICIAN SAYS HE CAN'T DUPLICATE IT. THIS JERKING OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK AND AFTER THE CAR HAS WARMED UP. THIS IS DANGEROUS ON THE ROADS IN THE WINTER AND CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. TAILGATE ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT LEAST TWO TIMES - IT FAILS TO SHUT PROPERLY - WHICH ALLOWS EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER VEHICLE. THE TAILGATE HAS TO BE SHUT THREE OR MORE TIMES BEFORE FINALLY CLOSING. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. SAME PROBLEM - NOT SHUTTING PROPERLY - WITH PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOORS. DURING THE WINTER, INSIDE OF WINDOWS STAYED "FOGGED UP" PREVENTING A CLEAR VIEW OF TRAFFIC. DEFROST FAILED TO CLEAR MOISTURE INSIDE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SAID THIS WAS NORMAL. *AK

NHTSA ID
724062
Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 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

NHTSA ID
724060
BrakesEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Apr 12, 2000

FAN BELT FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
551847
Incident
Jul 1, 1999
Transmission
Filed Mar 23, 2000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSED GEARS TO MALFUNCTION. YH

NHTSA ID
551520
Transmission
Filed Mar 16, 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.

NHTSA ID
720189
Incident
Aug 24, 1999
Heating & air conditioningTransmission
Filed Mar 15, 2000

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
784564
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Mar 6, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL., AND GEAR WILL GO INTO OVERDRIVE, AND THEN VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO ACCELERATE. *AK

NHTSA ID
858043
Incident
Dec 12, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .