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2003 Kia Sportage

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

4 reports
150,000 miles · Jul 6, 2011
Fuel System, Gasoline

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORRENTO EX (NA). WHILE THE CONTACT DISPENSED FUEL INTO THE FUEL TANK, FUEL WOULD SPRAY OUT ONTO THE GROUND AND CLOTHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORRENTO EX (NA). WHILE THE CONTACT DISPENSED FUEL INTO THE FUEL TANK, FUEL WOULD SPRAY OUT ONTO THE GROUND AND CLOTHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ODI #10410706

109,209 miles · Apr 11, 2011
Fuel System, Gasoline

APRIL 11, 2011 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THIS LETTER IS TO OFFICIALLY SUBMIT A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR 2003 KIA SORENTO WITH MILEAGE OF 109209 MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BEFORE THE BIRTH OF OUR BABY BACK IN MAY 2010, BECAUSE WE NEEDED THE EXTRA SPACE. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE S…

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APRIL 11, 2011 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THIS LETTER IS TO OFFICIALLY SUBMIT A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR 2003 KIA SORENTO WITH MILEAGE OF 109209 MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BEFORE THE BIRTH OF OUR BABY BACK IN MAY 2010, BECAUSE WE NEEDED THE EXTRA SPACE. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH WE FOUND THAT THIS PARTICULAR COMPLAINT ALONG WITH OTHER FUEL PUMP COMPLAINTS ARE COMMON AMONG OTHER KIA OWNERS. I AM ASKING THE PERSON OR DEPARTMENT IN CHARGED TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND TAKE THE PROPER ACTION. OUR COMPLAINTS ARE AS FOLLOWS. THE MAIN PROBLEM AND CONCERN IS WITH THE FUEL TANK, EVERY TIME WE PUMP GAS THE GAS SHOOTS BACK AND SPRAYS ME OR MY HUSBAND AND IT RUNS DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR. WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY STOP PUMPING GAS EVERY 10 SECONDS TO PREVENT THE SPRAYING OF GAS. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE GAS HAS ALMOST SPRAYED ME ON MY EYES, AND JUST RECENTLY IT SPRAYED ME IN BOTH ARMS, AND BURNED MY SKIN. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL EVERY TIME I PUMP GAS, I'M AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO SPRAY ME IN MY FACE OR WORST YET HARM MY CHILD! OUR SECOND COMPLAINT IS THAT THE KIA NEEDS CONSTANT ANTI-FREEZE BECAUSE THE HEAT THERMOMETER SHOWS THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS ABOUT EVERY 3 MONTHS. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE TO VARIOUS MECHANICS, AND TWICE TO THE KIA DEALERSHIPS, HOWEVER THEY CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM, ON BOTH OF THE ISSUES LISTED ABOVE. THE KIA IS THE MAIN VEHICLE WE USE TO GET AROUND, HOWEVER LATELY I HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CAR. PLEASE TAKE THIS LETTER AS OUR OFFICIAL COMPLAINT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING AN OFFICIAL RESPONSE BACK. I?M CONCERN ABOUT OUR SAFETY, BUT ALSO THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME KIA MODEL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THE MATTER, AND I TRUST THE RIGHT THING WILL BE DONE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10395458

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE BLADES ON HIS COOLING FAN BEGAN TO COME OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECENTLY RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 07V161000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE BLADES ON HIS COOLING FAN BEGAN TO COME OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECENTLY RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 07V161000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN). THE PURCHASE DATE AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 93,314.

NHTSA ODI #10193335

Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2003
Unknown Or Other

PROBLEMS WITH 2002 KIA SPORTAGE/ LEMON VEHICLE..*MR THE CONSUMER WAS REQUESTING THAT KIA OF AMERICA INC PURCHASE THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE RESPOND PROMPTLY IN RESOLVING MATTERS* CB

NHTSA ODI #10044528

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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