Illustration2008 KIA SPORTAGE DO NOT HAVE A PROTECTIVE SHIELD UNDER THE GAS TANK. CONSUMER HAS A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK AFTER DRIVING OVER AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD. *NJ
2008 Kia Sportage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Kia Sportage do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 122.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sportage years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
80–25K
1125–50K
1150–75K
1175–100K
17100–150K
6150K+
64 reports with mileage · 34 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports24 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
98 reportsI HAVE PURCHASED A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE AND I AM DISABLED AND OBESE. I TELEPHONED KIA TO REQUEST A SEAT BELT EXTENSION AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT NHTSA SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE THEM. WHY DO ALL OTHER AUTO MANUFACTURERS FORD,CHRYSLER,CADILLAC OFFER SEAT BELT EXTENSIONS? *TR
I RENTED A KIA SPORTAGE AND WHILE CLOSING THE TAILGATE THE TOP HINGED PORTION OF THE TAILGATE LIFTED UP AND THEN SLAMMED DOWN ON MY FINGER CAUSING A PAINFUL CONTUSION AND EXTENSIVE DISCOLORATION UNDER THE FINGERNAIL. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TAILGATE WAS HINGED OR I NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD MY HANDS LOC…
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I RENTED A KIA SPORTAGE AND WHILE CLOSING THE TAILGATE THE TOP HINGED PORTION OF THE TAILGATE LIFTED UP AND THEN SLAMMED DOWN ON MY FINGER CAUSING A PAINFUL CONTUSION AND EXTENSIVE DISCOLORATION UNDER THE FINGERNAIL. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TAILGATE WAS HINGED OR I NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD MY HANDS LOCATED ANYWHERE NEAR THE GLASS PART OF THE TAILGATE. *TR
TPMS - TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM AND HEATING UNIT. *TR
WE HAVE A NEW 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. THE TPMS (TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM) COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, FOUR TIMES IN 10,000 MILES. WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS TO HAVE THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. IT WENT OFF BY ITSELF ON THE OTHER TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALER SAYS THE TPMS SYSTEM IS NEW AND WE SHOULD …
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WE HAVE A NEW 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. THE TPMS (TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM) COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, FOUR TIMES IN 10,000 MILES. WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS TO HAVE THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. IT WENT OFF BY ITSELF ON THE OTHER TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALER SAYS THE TPMS SYSTEM IS NEW AND WE SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT IT. THEY ALSO STATED IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY ON OTHER MODELS, NOT JUST OUR VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO NOW IF WE REALLY HAVE LOW TIRE PRESSURE? *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
I WAS RECENTLY INJURED WHEN USING A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. AS I WAS OPENING THE BACK DOOR, THE RING FINGER ON MY LEFT HAND WAS CAUGHT IN THE LATCH, BELOW THE EXTERIOR METAL PORTION WHERE YOU PUSH THE DOOR SHUT. THE END OF THAT FINGER WAS CRUSHED IN THE LOCK HIDDEN UNDER THE LATCH. IT BLED PROFUSELY AND HURT TERRIBLY. IT CONTINUED …
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I WAS RECENTLY INJURED WHEN USING A 2008 KIA SPORTAGE. AS I WAS OPENING THE BACK DOOR, THE RING FINGER ON MY LEFT HAND WAS CAUGHT IN THE LATCH, BELOW THE EXTERIOR METAL PORTION WHERE YOU PUSH THE DOOR SHUT. THE END OF THAT FINGER WAS CRUSHED IN THE LOCK HIDDEN UNDER THE LATCH. IT BLED PROFUSELY AND HURT TERRIBLY. IT CONTINUED TO BLEED, AND WAS HORRIFICALLY BRUISED, ALTHOUGH I HAD IT IN ICE FOR OVER AN HOUR. THE INJURY KEPT ME UP DURING THE NIGHT, AND CONTINUED TO HURT, ANY TIME THE FINGER TOUCHED ANYTHING. WE RE-BANDAGED IT, ALWAYS PUTTING NEOSPORIN ON IT, THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING WEEKS. THE USE OF MY HAND WAS GREATLY LIMITED FOR THAT WEEK AND WELL INTO THE THIRD WEEK AFTER THE INCIDENT. I WAS TERRIBLY INCONVENIENCED WHEN TRYING TO TYPE, OF COURSE. THE INJURY CONTINUES TO CAUSE PAIN OFF AND ON, NEARLY FOUR WEEKS LATER. DURING THE FIRST WEEK, I DID NOT SLEEP THROUGH A SINGLE NIGHT WITHOUT BEING AWAKENED BY THE SHARP PAIN CAUSED WHEN THE FINGER BRUSHED AGAINST SOMETHING. IT CONTINUES TO HURT, HOWEVER, WHEN THE HAND IS USED FOR NORMAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS GRIPPING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A SHARP TURN, PICKING ITEMS UP AT THE GROCERY STORE, WASHING MY HAIR, OR WHEN I INADVERTENTLY STRIKE MY HAND, EVEN LIGHTLY, SO THAT THE TIP OF MY HAND STRIKES A SURFACE. IT CONTINUES TO CAUSE PAIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND SOMETIMES EVEN NOW DURING THE NIGHT. OTHER USERS OF VEHICLES WITH MECHANISMS SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE WARNED OF THE INJURY THEY CAN CAUSE. RENTAL CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY, SHOULD BE WARNED OF THIS POTENTIAL DANGER. *TR
Official recalls
322V800000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
Oct 24, 2022
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 & remedy
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 letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC253.
16V815000 · Electrical System:wiring
Nov 10, 2016
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 wire harness connector pins may corrode and the circuit board may short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
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 of charge. The recall began on November 28, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC138.
13V114000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Apr 1, 2013
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 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Consequence & remedy
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 campaign number is SC098.
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
1AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires
Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.