Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Kia Sportage owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked on a slight incline without the emergency brake engaged and the key still in the ignition when the vehicle rolled 20 feet away and crashed into a nearby house. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contact's residence. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 159,000.
30 seconds after consumer parked and exited the vehicle it rolled approximately 10 feet and collided with another vehicle while it was reversing. The cause of the failure has yet to be determined.
I have a 2002 Kia Sportage it has 80,000 miles on it and I was driving it came up on a red light and the clutch wouldn't disengage the pedal would go down but the clutch wouldn't release so I drove through a red light with no ability to stop there was alot of cars coming and they barely missed t-boning me there where kids also playing on the side walk I had to shut the engine of and coast to a stop the gear shift wouldn't come out of gear as long as the engine was turning over. It will start and run all day as long as its in neutral. I had to have the vehicle towed and it has sat for two years now ( I deployed for 15 months that's why its sat so long) I replaced the slave and master cylinder and it hasn't changed anything I was in a parts store and heard another guy talking about his 2002 Sportage it done the same thing and he rear ended someone totaling it. …
The left front rotors were defective. This was discovered during vehicle inspection. The vehicle was serviced at least twenty times for other defects. No service for the brakes. There was a short in the wiring in the shock arms, a problem with the catalytic converter, rattling in the exhaust system, license plate lights were inoperative due to rotted sockets, wheel bearings were extremely loose, pulling to the right, the right rear power window was inoperative, check engine light had come on possibly due to a small leak or a loose gas cap, transmission hang up when cold, bad front brakes, crack in dash, cup holder was broken, tailpipe rusted and fell off, when the heater and defrost was on the A/C would come on, the consumer would get shock when exiting the vehicle, intermittently both rear window would not go up or down, and the left rear window was totally inoperative. …
2002 Kia Sportage 4wd has a vacuum-hub system, I have been researching on the internet and have found that this has a history of failure, however there is no way of knowing that the 4wd is not engaged,because the indicator on the dashboard lights whether or not the 4wd is working. This is a common ongoing problem in these vehicles, the solution would be to install manual hubs,however Kia does not offer to pay for this option to its consumers. I live in wisconsin and am a single mother and depend upon the 4 wheel drive to get me through the wisconsin winters, now that the 4 wheel drive is not working I get stuck in the smallest amount of snow, and feel like a idiot calling aaa to tow me out all the time. I think that this problem should be made into a recall especially since I only have 56,000 miles on the vehicle and am the original owner.
Noticed a small high pitched whine toward the rear of the vehicle. My mechanic checked and said that it was probably a pinion bearing in the differential going bad and should be covered by the warranty. Took the car to the dealer for a determination and was told that the differential needed replaced and was not covered under the warranty since the fluid had not been changed every 20000 miles along with a bill for $126.00. Was not about to pay them the $1000 they wanted to replace a differential that should have been covered under warranty. Still driving the car which now makes a loud grinding sound and draws alot of attention which allows me to discourage any Kia purchases from prospective buyers. The 4 wheel drive has quit working also leaving only single wheel drive making the vehicle very unstable on wet road conditions.
I started taking my 2002 Kia Sportage to the dealer and it had a clunking sound in the back. I took it in and the technician said he thought it was the muffler and it was loose so he kicked it with his foot and sent me on my way. I got a new muffler and it still made the noise so I took it to a local shop and it was the differential failure. It ended up costing me over 2500. I had to have a new differential put in and it every once in awhile makes a clunking noise when you put the transmission in gear. If the tech would have made the right decision it would have been covered by warranty.I have owned several cars in my life and never had this happen to any of them. I feel like the Kia people should reimburse me for my time and money!!!
Dt: the caller said h transmission shifts gears without warning. It jerked and shook when shifting gears. It happened when decelerating. Brought vehicle dealer 5 times, but they could not find whats wrong with it. The check engine light was on all the time except when he took it to the dealer. The last time he had it to dealer the light went off for about 3 weeks, and yesterday the light was back on. Dealer said they will try to get someone from the manufacturer to look at the vehicle, but no one has come yet. Dealer did a diagnostic, and fixed what it showed, but the light on the dashboard came back on after 30 miles of driving.
Prior,at 97K the rear was making noise. Brought to dealer,they said rear needs to be replaced. Because I had no receipts from a garage stating the oil was replaced,it was not covered under warranty. Dealer wanted to charge $900. To replace rear and axle. Part changers.had rear rebuilt $400. Radiator was replaced at 100K. After over years,cooling fan was replaced under recall. Vacuum hub was replaced to manual. Fuel smell, was rubber return line from fuel psi regulator to metal return line leaking. Kept up on all maintenance since new,a reliable car with original engine and transmission, at 222K.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving from 5 to 65 MPH on a normal road conditions, all dash lights dimed completely. The horn was also affected by the electrical failure. The engine started to shake up and the steering became difficult until the vehicle completely stalled. There was also a problem with the automatic transmission. The vehicle was taken to the dealership who was apprehensive to accept the vehicle for repairs. Based on the power train warranty, the vehicle was accepted for inspection.
Transmission complaints in other Sportage years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2002 Kia Sportage?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2002 Kia Sportage, 10% of the model year's 234 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Kia Sportage transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2002 Kia Sportage, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Kia Sportage transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.