Most common 1998 Kia Sportage problems
Share of the 303 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Sportage complaints by model year
Best Sportage years: 2019, 2014. Years to avoid: 2023, 2025, 2017, 2024, 2012. Compare all years →
1998 Kia Sportage recalls (3)
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle May "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
Remedy: Owner notification began December 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kia at…
Electrical system › Wiring
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The wires connected to the c123 and c124 connectors can be put under tension by movement of the engine, thus pulling the wires and connectors, loosening them and resulting in a loss of circuit continuity.
Remedy: Dealers will install spring clips to lock the connectors together. In addition, the dealers will be instructed to solder a splice in the wire harness.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles without an anti-lock braking system (ABS). The steering intermediate shaft coupling can contact a hydraulic brake pipe causing fluid leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, increase the clearance between the brake pipe and steering intermediate shaft coupling.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 1998 Kia Sportage:
Engine stalling post-recall
Rq02-013 was opened to assess the scope and adequacy of recall 99v-325, which involved modifications to the engine fuel injection wire harness (harness).vehicles produced after the recall population have shown no signs of a defect trend.the majority of recall remedy failures identified were repaired within one day of the initial work.subsequent failure experience is minimal (249/55,548 vehicles remedied).field data…
Windshield wiper
Alleged windshield wiper becomes inoperative when the wiper arm and pivot separate
Safety belt buckle malfunction
By letter dated August 25, 2002, Kia advised NHTSA that the subject vehicles will be recalled.specific corrective action to be taken by Kia has not been reported to NHTSA at this time.the safety recall program has been assigned campaign no. 02v-216.
Turn signal, traffic safety hazard
Allege that while driving, the trun signal switch failed.this failure increases the risk of a vehicle crash due to operator distraction and due to other vehicles being uninformed of the operator's intentions.
Fuel tank leakage
A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.review of the warranty data revealed elevated tank leakage experience in vehicles produced from June 1999 to October 2000.analysis of complaints and warranty claims identified multiple causes and origins of fuel tank assembly leakage.the majority of complaints involve non-specific allegations of fuel leakage where more than one fuel system component…
TURN SIGHAL
There is no summary currently available
What 1998 Kia Sportage owners say
Engine & cooling all 81 →
Driver and passenger scalded with boiling radiator fluid with foot on pedal, had to keep foot on petal to get off road on May 30, 2013, at approx. 4:30 pm edt, I was driving my 1998 Kia Sportage on the garden state parkway north, just after entering the highway at exit 98 in wall, nj. The air conditioner had not been working well. The local temperature was in the high 90s, near 100 degrees. I had a passenger in the front passenger seat. Suddenly, anti-freeze smoke came out of the dashboard vents, then, hot scalding anti-freeze began falling on my right foot as it was on the accelerator pedal. At the same time, the front-seat passenger was also getting scalded. In my case, I sustained a 1st to 2nd degree burn on my right small (pinky) toe, which was blistered. It was fortunate that I was able to get off at the monmouth service area at milepost 100 in wall, nj. …
This is a repeat of confirmation no. 10514519, but with "was there an injury or fatality? Marked "yes" above. Driver and passenger scalded with boiling radiator fluid with foot on pedal, had to keep foot on petal to get off road. On May 30, 2013, at approx. 4:30 pm edt, I was driving my 1998 Kia Sportage on the garden state parkway north, just after entering the highway at exit 98 in wall, nj. The air conditioner had not been working well. The local temperature was in the high 90s, near 100 degrees. I had a passenger in the front passenger seat. Suddenly, anti-freeze smoke came out of the dashboard vents, then, hot scalding anti-freeze began falling on my right foot as it was on the accelerator pedal. At the same time, the front-seat passenger was also getting scalded. In my case, I sustained a 1st to 2nd degree burn on my right small (pinky) toe, which was blistered. …
Brakes all 71 →
While at a complete stop in driveway of home, I went to put the car in park and it just took off, I tried braking , but it continued to go forward straight through the garage door at a very high speed, front air bag did not deploy. Contacted dealer about problem, had car towed to them. They stated they had never had any complaints about this . Contacted the 1-800-4kia help line and was told I was the third complaint about this. Dealer is now trying to tell me this was a brake problem, it is not a brake problem, front brakes had just been replaced by an automotive repair establishment using certified parts from the Kia dealer. Also, while driving the sound of air is coming in making me think a window is down , but no windows are down. The car failed to start one day and we ckecked the battery, which by the way the manual states is maintence free, but is not, you have to put water in it. …
First time I brought the car back was because the engine light went on and I had a oil leakage in the engine. Car started to shake even after it was hot and made a weird noise in the engine. The motor rr window was not working and the brakes were making some weird noise. Brought to the dealer to fix and he sent it to Kia for repair, the Kia crew found the front caliper frozen, but the customer denied to fix it. So I brought it to a specialist to check double check the car. They found the following defects and found the car unsafe (caliper rgt worn, frozen, caliper hardware worn, wheel cyl rgt- new/kit leaky, shoe hardware worn, c.v. Boot/joint rfo/rfi/lfo/lfi worn, coil springs front broken rr broken, ball joints/lower l worn). …
Transmission & drivetrain all 63 →
Driving uphill in one inch of snow the axel hubs on the front of vehicle did not engage causing the loss of control of the steering, sliding sideways and backwards to a stop. The parts replaced were as follows: axel hub seals, axel bearings, upper ball joint, vacuum line and realignment of front end.
First time I brought the car back was because the engine light went on and I had a oil leakage in the engine. Car started to shake even after it was hot and made a weird noise in the engine. The motor rr window was not working and the brakes were making some weird noise. Brought to the dealer to fix and he sent it to Kia for repair, the Kia crew found the front caliper frozen, but the customer denied to fix it. So I brought it to a specialist to check double check the car. They found the following defects and found the car unsafe (caliper rgt worn, frozen, caliper hardware worn, wheel cyl rgt- new/kit leaky, shoe hardware worn, c.v. Boot/joint rfo/rfi/lfo/lfi worn, coil springs front broken rr broken, ball joints/lower l worn). …
1998 Kia Sportage engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Kia Sportage a good car?
Based on 303 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Sportage rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sportage at the same age. It is one of the Sportage years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Kia Sportage?
The engine & cooling — 81 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the brakes (71) and transmission & drivetrain (63).
How many recalls does the 1998 Kia Sportage have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1998 Kia Sportage, the most recent from August 16, 2002 (buckle assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Sportage?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2025, 2017, 2024 and 2012. See the full Kia Sportage years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Kia Sportage problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 9% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.