There are 2 US recalls for the 2000 Kia Sportage, and 3 in Canada. Owners filed 304 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system, gasoline.
Check by VIN to confirm the exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES MAY EMIT A "CLICK" SOUND DURING THE BUCKLING PROCESS THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE SOUND EMITTED WHEN A BUCKLE IS BEING LATCHED, WHEN IT IS NOT.
Risk: THE LATCH CAN THEN PULL OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN TENSION IS APPLIED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE. THESE VEHICLES WERE DISTRIBUTED WITH OWNERS MANUALS WITH AN INCORRECT JUMP START DIAGRAM. THE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR JUMP STARTING ARE ACCURATE. HOWEVER, THE DIAGRAM DEPICTS THE JUMPER CABLES ATTACHED TO THE WRONG POLARITY TERMINALS. IF THE DIAGRAM WERE FOLLOWED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE INSTRUCTIONS, THE RESULTING IMPROPER CONNECTIONS COULD CAUSE THE BATTERY TO RUPTURE AGGRESSIVELY DUE TO INCREASED INTERNAL PRESSURES.
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURY TO BYSTANDERS.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ADHESIVE LABEL WITH THE CORRECT ILLUSTRATION TO PERMANENTLY AFFIX TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS MANUALS.
Certain vehicles may develop fuel leaks at the fuel pump outlet spigot located on top of the fuel pump cover plate. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel pump outlet spigot with an improved version.
On certain vehicles, the front seat belt buckles may not latch properly, even though they emit a clicking sound during latching. Improperly latched buckles would not provide passenger restraint and could pull out at any time, especially during a collision. Correction: Dealers will replace the front seat belt buckles.
Certain vehicles do not comply with Regulation 6 - Statement of Compliance. The outer circle of the National Safety Mark was omitted and the vehicle type was not stated in both official languages on the compliance label. Correction: A correct National Safety Mark will be affixed to affected vehicles. An adhesive label, which indicates the vehicle type in both French and English, will be affixed to the permanent compliance label.
Owners filed 304 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Kia Sportage (23 crashes, 7 fires, 17 injuries reported). Among 31 model years of this model, it ranks #4 for the most complaints (median 125).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system, gasoline | 75 | |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 48 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 45 | |
| Power train | 41 | |
| Electrical system | 32 | |
| Structure | 31 | |
| Visibility | 23 | |
| Suspension | 23 |
EPA ratings for each 2000 Kia Sportage version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sportage 2WD 2.0 L Automatic 4-spd | 16 | 20 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Sportage 2WD 2.0 L Manual 5-spd | 18 | 21 | 19 | $3,550 |
| Sportage 4WD 2.0 L Automatic 4-spd | 17 | 20 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Sportage 4WD 2.0 L Manual 5-spd | 18 | 21 | 19 | $3,550 |
Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada). Recalls updated 2026-10-30.