Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2008 Kia Sportage. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Engine Compartment Fire
- Summary
- 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
- 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.
Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit may Short
- Summary
- 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
- 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.
Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently
- Summary
- 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
- 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.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (98)
98 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 98 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 27 | 27.6% |
| Service brakes | 23 | 23.5% |
| Engine | 17 | 17.3% |
| Structure | 13 | 13.3% |
| Power train | 12 | 12.2% |
| Electronic stability control | 9 | 9.2% |
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 7.1% |
| Air bags | 5 | 5.1% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 5.1% |
| Tires | 4 | 4.1% |
How 2008 compares with other Sportage years
Best and worst Sportage years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 4 | 0 |
| 2005 | 68 | 3 |
| 2006 | 111 | 1 |
| 2007 | 77 | 2 |
| 2008 | 98 | 3 |
| 2009 | 80 | 3 |
| 2010 | 20 | 2 |
| 2011 | 181 | 6 |
| 2012 | 392 | 5 |
| 2013 | 381 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 22 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,050
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 404 g/mi
- EPA class
- Sport Utility Vehicle -
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 22 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 25 / 22 | $3,050 | 404 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 / 25 / 21 | $3,200 | 423 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 24 / 21 | $3,200 | 423 |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 / 23 / 20 | $3,350 | 444 |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 / 21 / 19 | $3,550 | 468 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2008 Sportage for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2008 Kia Sportage FAQ
How many recalls does the 2008 Kia Sportage have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 22V800000 (brake), 16V815000 (electrical), 13V114000 (brake). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2008 Kia Sportage problems?
Owners filed 98 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (27), Service brakes (23), Engine (17) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2008 Kia Sportage get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual version at 20 city, 25 highway and 22 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 2008 Sportage compare with other years?
Among the 2003–2013 Kia Sportage model years at least five years old, the 2003 drew the fewest complaints (4) and the 2012 the most (392). The 2008 drew 98. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.