RecallMyCar

2002 Kia Sportage Recalls, Complaints & Specs

1 safety recall lists the 2002 Kia Sportage, and owners have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

1
safety recall
234
owner complaints to NHTSA
15 / 6
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–19
MPG combined (EPA)

1 safety recall for the 2002 Kia Sportage

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Fan (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 07V161000 Reported 35,090 vehicles potentially affected KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.

    On certain vehicles, the heat generated by the engine causes repeated bending deformation of the polypropylene cooling fan including its retaining ring, which stresses the polypropylene thereby initiating cracking of the blades. The centrifugal forces generated by the rotation of the blades can cause the cracks to propagate until…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine cooling fan with a fan made of improved material. The recall began on june 11, 2007. Owners may contact KIA at 1-800-333-4542.

234 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Kia Sportage have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA; 15 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 9 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 66,960 miles. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 29 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“We have religiously cleaned our 2002 sportage with under washing to keep under carriage as clean as possible...yet we are told the frame is too rusted, with holes and cannot be inspected or driven saf”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 27, 2017 · Structure

“I purchased a 2002 KIA sportage in february of 2017, after driving it for a couple months it all the sudden started rocking side to side uncontrollably while driving. When looking at the car we notice”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 17, 2017 · Structure

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Kia Sportage (Sportage 2WD, Sportage 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–19 mpg
City / Highway16–17 / 20–21
FuelRegular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine4 cyl, 2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Kia Sportage model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Sportage model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1995 Kia Sportage256
1996 Kia Sportage357
1997 Kia Sportage3181
1998 Kia Sportage3303
1999 Kia Sportage3284
2000 Kia Sportage2304
2001 Kia Sportage0228
2002 Kia Sportage1234
2003 Kia Sportage04
2005 Kia Sportage368
2006 Kia Sportage1111
2007 Kia Sportage277
2008 Kia Sportage398
2009 Kia Sportage380
2010 Kia Sportage220
2011 Kia Sportage6181
2012 Kia Sportage5392
2013 Kia Sportage3381
2014 Kia Sportage3123
2015 Kia Sportage2146
2016 Kia Sportage2132
2017 Kia Sportage4401
2018 Kia Sportage3164
2019 Kia Sportage270
2020 Kia Sportage2161
2021 Kia Sportage254
2022 Kia Sportage146
2023 Kia Sportage6191
2024 Kia Sportage373
2025 Kia Sportage152
2026 Kia Sportage127

Checking a specific 2002 Kia Sportage

How do I know if my 2002 Kia Sportage has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2002 Kia Sportage; your car may already have been repaired under it.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 07V161000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Kia models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.