2008 KIA SPORTAGE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
138
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
6
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE
The 2008 KIA SPORTAGE has received a total of 138 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 4 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING. 6 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (26 complaints), Engine (17 complaints), and Service Brakes (15 complaints).
Recalls for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE
NHTSA has recorded 4 recalls for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE, potentially affecting up to 1,195,489 vehicles.
Recall 22V800000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
| 71,704 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2008-2009 Sportage vehicles previously recalled under recall 16V-815. An engine compartment fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may occur while parked or driving.
Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and other vehicles until the recall repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the HECU, its wiring harness, and its fuses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification...
View full details →Recall 22V800000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
| 71,704 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2008-2009 Sportage vehicles previously recalled under recall 16V-815. An engine compartment fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may occur while parked or driving.
Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and other vehicles until the recall repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the HECU, its wiring harness, and its fuses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification...
View full details →Recall 16V815000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
| 71,704 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured August 9, 2007, to May 13, 2009. The wire harness cover on the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may be improperly sealed allowing water to get onto the HECU circuit board. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as could occur from melted snow, the...
Consequence: If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector pins for corrosion, if no corrosion is found, the connector cover will be replaced. If corrosion is present, the dealer will replace the HECU assembly and the connector cover, free...
View full details →Recall 13V114000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
| 980,377 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007...
Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE
138 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "ESC Off" was displayed and the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and to several independent mechanics; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Was parked and after driving to pick up please came back out and it was in flames
The contact owned a 2008 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was shuddering. Additionally, the contact stated while driving on another occasion, the vehicle experienced brake failure, which nearly led to a crash. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact decided to total the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
The contact owned a 2008 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was shuddering. Additionally, the contact stated while driving on another occasion, the vehicle experienced brake failure, which nearly led to a crash. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact decided to total the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V800000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Safety Rating for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE
Kia America, Inc. has issued 6 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
SC104QA — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
Q AND A - SC104 ? 2005-2010 MY Sportage - Application of Additional Anti-Corrosion Material to Underbody of Vehicle Voluntary Service Campaign
SC 080 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
KIA MOTORS: FOR FUEL ADAPTION IMPROVEMENT THERE IS A SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE 2007-2008 SPORTAGE. *RM
TSB-075 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
KIA: COMBINED TSB/SERVICE ACTION-ECM UPGRADE-MIL O WITH DTC P0130/P0150. PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO AN ECM/ECU/PCM SOFTWARE UPGRADE OF SOME MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.7L ENGINES WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) SYSTEM RELATED DTC P0130 AND/OR P0150. *PE
TSB-075 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
KIA: COMBINED TSB/SERVICE ACTION-ECM UPGRADE-MIL O WITH DTC P0130/P0150. PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO AN ECM/ECU/PCM SOFTWARE UPGRADE OF SOME MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.7L ENGINES WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) SYSTEM RELATED DTC P0130 AND/OR P0150. *PE
TSB-075 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
KIA: COMBINED TSB/SERVICE ACTION-ECM UPGRADE-MIL O WITH DTC P0130/P0150. PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO AN ECM/ECU/PCM SOFTWARE UPGRADE OF SOME MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.7L ENGINES WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) SYSTEM RELATED DTC P0130 AND/OR P0150. *PE
021 — SEATS
SPORTAGE (KM) PASSIVE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM INFORMATION - THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES SYSTEM INFORMATION RELATED TO SPORTAGE (KM) MODELS REGARDING PASSIVE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) PRODUCED FROM 10/28/2004. *NJ
NHTSA Investigations for the 2008 KIA SPORTAGE
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the KIA SPORTAGE
- 2003 KIA SPORTAGE — 4 complaints
- 2005 KIA SPORTAGE — 93 complaints
- 2006 KIA SPORTAGE — 169 complaints
- 2007 KIA SPORTAGE — 113 complaints
- 2008 KIA SPORTAGE (current)
- 2009 KIA SPORTAGE — 120 complaints
- 2010 KIA SPORTAGE — 28 complaints
- 2011 KIA SPORTAGE — 260 complaints
- 2012 KIA SPORTAGE — 450 complaints
- 2013 KIA SPORTAGE — 447 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA OPTIMA — 10,045 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints
- KIA RIO — 1,784 total complaints