Vehicle Data Hub

2002 Kia Sportage engine problems

40 complaints about engine have been filed for the 2002 Kia Sportage, which is 12% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the 2nd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
40 13% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
60,000 miles 31 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
0 and 3
Injuries and deaths
0 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When engine problems show up

Engine complaints by mileage, 2002 Kia Sportage Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 60,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 8 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 5 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 3 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 6 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 2 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 4 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 1 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 1 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 1 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 60,000 miles
Based on 31 complaints that include mileage. 52% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles8
20k to 40k miles5
40k to 60k miles3
60k to 80k miles6
80k to 100k miles2
100k to 120k miles4
120k to 140k miles1
140k to 160k miles1
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles1
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Of the 31 engine complaints that report mileage, the median is about 60,000 miles, and 52% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 3 fires.

What owners wrote

Vehicle caught on fire within the engine compartment on three separate occasions while driving 45 MPH or more. Consumer extinguished the fires. After the last incident vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed consumer that the cause was due to oil dripping onto the manifold. Manufacturer was also notified.

Reported at 59,500 miles, November 2004 Fire

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.

Reported at 102,000 miles, June 2006

Other problems reported for the 2002 Kia Sportage

Engine problems in other years

Engine problems across all Kia models