no report yet
Cooling system: fan
Risk. SEPARATION OF THE FAN BLADE(S) CAN CREATE A RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
2002 Kia SportageProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 234 owner complaints about the 2002 Kia Sportage, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 27, 2017. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2002 Kia Sportage has problems
234 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
69Engine and engine cooling3 crash/fire/injury
40Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury
23Power train2 crash/fire/injury
23Structure1 crash/fire/injury
21Service brakes, hydraulic
20Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
17Air bags
16Electrical system
15Visibility
6215 other systems6 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 69 | 3 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 40 | 1 |
| Power train | 23 | 2 |
| Structure | 23 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 21 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 20 | 1 |
| Air bags | 17 | 11 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 1 |
| Visibility | 15 | 0 |
| 15 other systems | 62 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2002 Kia Sportage recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.
Mileage at failure
When do engine and engine cooling problems start?
60kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 50 engine and engine cooling complaints. 82% were reported before 100,000 miles.
10under 30k miles41under 100k miles9100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2002 vs. every other Sportage year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sportage median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2002 Kia Sportage safety ratings
2002 Kia Sportage in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2002 Kia Sportage, and the recalls they led to.
- FUEL TANK LEAKAGENo recall
- FAN BLADE CRACKING/SEPARATIONLed to recall 07V-161
- FAN BLADE CRACKING/SEPARATIONNo recall
- SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALSE LATCH/MALFUNCTIONLed to recall 04V-305
In owners' words
What Sportage owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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 PARKED, AND I HAD A HARD…
VEHICLE RUNS HOT AND WILL NOT PASS THE SMOG TEST. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT THREE TIMES AND THE RADIATOR ONE TIME JUST RECENTLY. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWS THAT THE ENGINE COOLING COIL OR SYSTEM HAS A PROBLEM. I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT WILL NOT PASS THE SMOG AND I CANNOT GET IT…
THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH MY 2002 KIA SPORTAGE IS ENGINE HEATING, ENGINE OVER HEATING, ENGINE COOLING FAN ( FAN BLADES BRAKE OFF CUT INTO MY RADIATOR, CUT MY FUEL LINES, WATER HOSES, AIR INTAKE LINES. SINCE THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON I.E. MISFIRE ON CYLINDER NUMBER 3 THE CAR…
Own a 2002 Sportage?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.