There are 12 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Kia Sportagein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Was parked and after driving to pick up please came back out and it was in flames
The radiator fan component was smoking. The car is available at anytime for inspection. I definitely feared that the car was going to explode in front of my baby cousins and elderly Aunt. The car has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealship or independent service center. It also has not been inpected by manufacturer or police, insurance. The vehicle was not going faster than 30 mph, when parked, the radiator expelled the all the water on floor. It began to let out white smoke, and than black smoke. A lot of black smoke, and than a loud pop sound. The hood of the car melted shut. Everything that surrounds the radiator and battery was melted.
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor detected. The vehicle failed to drive forward or reverse as needed. Additionally, the brakes seized. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS hydraulic module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
2008 KIA SPORTAGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE WHILE PARKED THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WANTS TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE LOSS OF THE VEHICLE.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEMS. KEEPS FAILING EMISSIONS INSPECTION
2008 KIA SPORTAGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE CATCHING FIRE AND IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE VALUE OF VEHICLE AND DAMAGE TO THE HOME. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *JS
I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT STALLED, RESTARTED THAN STALLED AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. ON 6/25/14 THE SAME HAPPENED AGAIN (INTERMIT, RUNS ROUGH THEN STALLS OUT. *TR THIS TIME THE DEALER FOUND A PIN ON MASS AIR FLOW CONNECTOR WAS BAD AND THE REPLACED CLIP ASSEMBLY. TODAY, 06/28/2014 THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO LOANED ME ONE OF THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE I HAD TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE. *TR
THE KIA SPORTAGE 2008, HAS THE MODULES MISFIRE AND THE KIA SPORTAGE COMPLETELY TURNS ITSELF OFF WHILE IN DRIVE AT 45 MILES PER HOUR. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS RANDOMLY, AND THE KIA DEPOT IN SANTA ANA, SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM ON THE VEHICLE, AND DECIDED NOT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE LONGER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM THAT COULD BE A FATAL HAZARD FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD BE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY OTHER CARS WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. KIA DEPOT HAS SO FAR NOT DONE ANYTHING AT ALL TO ASSIST ME FOR MY CAR AND TOLD ME I HAD TWO DAYS TO GET THIS CAR OFF THERE LOT THERE AT KIA DEPOT SANTA ANA, OR THEY WOULD START CHARGING ME FOR KEEPING MY CAR THERE. *TR
I PURCHASED A KIA SPORTAGE 2008 AUG OF 2010 ABOUT 1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASING I NOTICED THE ESC LIGHT THAT CAME ON, WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON THE ENGINE FORCES ITSELF TO DO MORE WORK, THE CAR WON'T GO MORE THEN 40MPH, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED, 2 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN, HERE WE ARE 1YR LATER AND IT'S STILL HAPPENING. THE DEALER I TAKE IT TO TELLS ME "THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS THIS TYPE OF CAR" AND KNOW THE BATTERY LIGHT IS COMING ON AT THE SAME TIME THE ECS LIGHT IS COMING ON. I HAVE AN APPT. TO GO TO THE DEALER BACK ON MONDAY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'M STILL GETTING NO ANSWERS. *TR
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE AT AN AUCTION. IT HAS SUSTAINED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE WIRING HARNESS AND / OR ABS PUMP. THIS IS THE LX MODEL WITH 2.7 V6 AUTOMATIC 4WD. I JUST SAW ANOTHER SPORTAGE 2010 MODEL THAT HAD A FIRE IN THE SAME ABS PUMP AREA AT AN AUCTION. THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED AS THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM .. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FROM DAY ONE. ALMOST ALWAYS WHEN TANK OF GAS WAS AT THE 3/4 MARK. COMPRESSOR MAKES LOUD NOISE AFTER IDLING A WHILE, AND TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOES NOT CHANGE PROPERLY. *TR
2008 KIA SPORTAGE HAD PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE. CONSUMER HAD PROBLEM WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. *NJ
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026