Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Kia Sportage owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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 timing belt failed three times and was replaced by a mechanic. The drive train failed once and was replaced by a mechanic. The crank shaft was also replaced once. The contact also was experiencing a transmission failure in which the gears slipped randomly and were slow to change over. The vehicle was taken to the dealer more than three times and they were not able to remedy the failure. The contact replaced the seals due to the transmission failure. The fuel leak continued and was not repaired. The VIN was not available. …
I have a 1999 Kia Sportage. On 23 April, 2003 I accelerated after stopping at a stop sign at an intersection and all of a sudden I heard a "clunk" sound coming from my transmission, my vehicle stalled in the middle of the intersection and the "hold" light and the "check engine" light came on. I was able to get the vehicle moving again after a few seconds and after checking things out in a local parking lot and not seeing anything wrong under the hood I took it to a local dealer to get fixed. The vehicle was put on the diagnostics machine and it showed the p0101 code. The fix for this problem is around $500 and my warranty doesn't cover this problem. Kia has a bulletin on how to fix this problem, so they are aware that this problem exists. …
Vehicle does not want to start, however, the radio and power windows are still working so it is not a battery issue. Once the vehicle did start it would die when you started up from a stop at a traffic light and/or sometimes would simply die when put your foot on the gas pedal. I took it to a shop and they indicated it was a fuel pump issue. The following day after the fuel pump was repaired the vehicle did the same thing. The shop then indicating there had been a wiring recall so they changed out the wiring harness. Two days later the vehicle almost died on the way to the airport, it would shake violently when idling and there was very limited power when I was attempting to accelerate. The shop looked at it again and the air manifest indicator came on so they cleaned out the air flow. Two days later it was still doing the same thing. …
This Kia was purchased new and is a one owner car. It has had 2 master cylinders, and 4 sets of brake pads. The car currently has 50,000 miles on it. The car slides to the right on wet roads and does not stop until it hits something or slows to a stop. I have slid 2 times, rear ended someone the 3rd, and my son hit a light pole. The other times the brakes May or May not work. The problem is worse during rainy weather. The brakes go to the floor and the car does not stop. At times the brakes vibrate. This car has had a new cloth top, new air conditioning 2x, 5 catalytic converters, new carpet from the air leaking and molding, new seat covers as they ripped, new brakes, rotors, pads several items I have lost count, the check engine light comes on, the car has been re-wired, at times the car won't accelerate if the air conditioner is on. …
I purchased my Kia used, from a dealer, less than a year ago, and it passed the electronic systems check for vehicle inspection. I immediately had to have dealer replace the gasoline tank after smelling gasoline. This car is used solely for light usage to transport myself and my children to and from dr's and grocery stores. After owning the car for less than two months, check engine light came on, reporting issue with catalyst. Found a recall on this issue and am trying to get original dealer to fix. Now experiencing loss of power to engage inclines or hills, causing a hazard to other drivers. Also back brakes simply "blew"! Without any forewarning, with my children in the car, I lost all braking abilities. Thank goodness I was not going fast and have a standard to quickly downshift. …
ECM not operable (check engine light reoccurring after service visits) going on 8 visis to the dealership for check engine light. 2 misdiagnosis , gas cap not tight enough, fuel canister valve. Purchased used 2 months ago, problem occurred 1 month after ownership. Have warranty with deductible. Have researched make and model history and fear that safety is a factor. First time owner of a 4wd and feel that what I thought was rough travel expected from a 4wd is something in the braking system, which seems to be common for this vehicle in my research. Have asked for my money back , down pmt $2000 and trade in of $200, as my experience with the dealership has been more than unpleasant. I recieved "a slap in the face" offer which would have cost me $ 5000 a penalty for purchasing a vehicle only 2 months previous. Was not an as is sale, and I did purchase an extended warranty with deductible. …
Dt: the contact states the dashboard lights will stay on which caused the battery to die. A fuse kept blowing, out, but she was not sure which fuse. She had a mechanic look at the car, and he said the problem was definitely electrical. She started having this problem at the end of August. The contact saw recall 99V325000 on the internet but was not sure if this vehicle was included in this recall. She did not to a dealer about this problem, but planned to do so when she finished this call. She still wanted to file a complaint. Updated 03/28/06.
Windshielwipers would go so fast at times they flew off windshield, or so slow that they wouldn't hardly move, the driver side power window controls would not put down the back p[assenger side window, vehicle had a tendency to loose all power at 55 - 60 MPH, vehicle caught fire on 9/06/200 due to electrical reasons vehicle is totaled most likely, all interior wiring , dash assemlby shifter and radio comp needs replace ment as well as all the interior windshiel headliner etc.
While driving vehicle stalled. Consumer tried to restart vehicle, but was unable to do so. Consumer contacted the manufacturer. Dealer informed consumer that this was not a recall pertaining to the information obtained from all data 2cmp01c1. The consumer's vehicle exhibited all the symptoms of the Kia recall 99v-32000. The consumer believes her vehicle's VIN should have been included in the stalling recall.
Dt: the vehicle takes about twenty minutes to start, it will turn over. The vehicle will stall in the middle of the road, and it will shake right before stalling.. Found recall 99V325000 for the electrical system wiring but Kia said my vehicle not included in the recall due to VIN. Took vehicle to two mechanic shops, and they could not find what was wrong with it. This started on April 15, 2005.
Related recalls
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.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Electrical complaints in other Sportage years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Kia Sportage?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Kia Sportage, 14% of the model year's 284 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Kia Sportage electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 99V-325 (wiring, Nov 19, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Kia Sportage electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 71,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.