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1998 Kia Sportage Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

558 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.28 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical99V325000

Electrical System:Wiring

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE ENGINE STALLING, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious02V216000

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, raises the risk of PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & full details

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 1-800-333-4542.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY "FALSE LATCH" AND EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO UNRESTRAINED MOVEMENT DURING A CRASH.

Serious98V222000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INCREASE THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE PIPE AND STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COUPLING.

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.

Serious09E025000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Serious09E012000

Exterior Lighting

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Complaint volume

558 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

31Crashes
7Fires
19Injuries
0Deaths

Across 558 complaints. Severity Index 0.28.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine And Engine Cooling…47 · 8%Unknown Or Other24 · 4%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…21 · 4%Power Train · Automatic T…18 · 3%Engine And Engine Cooling…16 · 3%Power Train · Automatic T…15 · 3%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…15 · 3%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…15 · 3%
  1. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 47 reports
  2. Unknown Or Other — 24 reports
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components — 21 reports
  4. Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift — 18 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 16 reports
  6. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 15 reports
  7. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 15 reports
  8. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc — 15 reports
  9. Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner — 14 reports
  10. Vehicle Speed Control — 14 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (2) · 1996 (3) · 1997 (3) · 1998 · 1999 (5) · 2000 (4) · 2001 (2) · 2002 (3) · 2003 · 2005 (3) · 2006 (1) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (3) · 2009 (3) · 2010 (2) · 2011 (6) · 2012 (5) · 2013 (3) · 2014 (3) · 2015 (2) · 2016 (2) · 2017 (4) · 2018 (3) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (2) · 2021 (2) · 2022 (1) · 2023 (6) · 2024 (3) · 2025 (1) · 2026 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.