The Lemon IndexAll cars · Kia Sportage · 2008
2008 Kia Sportage. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Engines and drivetrains 5
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | 20 / 25 / 22 | Regular | $2,850 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Auto 4-spd | FWD | 19 / 25 / 21 | Regular | $2,950 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | 4Wheel or AWD | 19 / 24 / 21 | Regular | $2,950 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | FWD | 17 / 23 / 20 | Regular | $3,100 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | 4Wheel or AWD | 17 / 21 / 19 | Regular | $3,300 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 45,800 and 124,500 miles. Median 80,500, from 64 complaints with a mileage.
| System | Median | Middle half | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 90,000 | 48,600–140,000 | 19 |
| Engine | 90,000 | 61,600–134,500 | 13 |
| Brakes | 75,000 | 47,000–106,500 | 12 |
| Body structure | 117,000 | 90,000–153,000 | 8 |
| Transmission & drivetrain | 24,900 | 13,800–99,000 | 9 |
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Transmission & drivetrain | 22% |
| Engine | 17% |
| Electrical | 17% |
| Tires | 17% |
| Visibility | 11% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 | 2 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 3
22V800000 Oct 2022 Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/Module
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.
Risk. 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 Nov 2016 Electrical System / Wiring
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 wire harness connector pins may corrode and the circuit board may short circuit.
Risk. 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 Apr 2013 Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
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 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
Risk. 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.
NHTSA investigations
| Status | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Hyundai and kia abs module fires | 2023 | – |
Manufacturer communications 24
Kia filed 24 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…
- Combined tsb/service action-ecm upgrade-mil o with dtc p0130/p0150
- MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in…
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | No | No |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated
Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
. Get the data