Kia Sportage Owners

mtbikeviki

I just put 600 miles on it. Mostly city driving, coming from a 4.0 Wrangler, gas hog I love my luxurious sportage. Wish i would of held out for the Luxury Package, heated seats, etc
Reading groups, i put in the expensive K&N air filter to improve gas mileage. Don't know if it has made a diff or not??
Beautiful vehicle, roomy, leather interior is great, sunroof, love the fold down back.

crazedcommuter

Did you put on a CAI or just the K&N replacement? How much did it cost and do you think it's worth it? Has MPG improved?

tatubyz

i own a 97 kia sportage and i need to change my fuel filter,but i have no idea were it is located on the car there no kia dealer around were i live and would have to drive three hour to the near one so please let me know so i can fix it ,thanks sheila

stever

You can register at Kia's techinfo site and get access to lots of factory information. That may tide you over until someone responds to your post.

The techinfo link is in this Online Repair Manuals guide.

doitgranny

I bought a 2000 sportage without a manual.I need to change the oil. My other vehicles were v-8's. I ran 20-50. I was told that I should use a lighter weight for a 4 cylinder. Any truth to it? Am getting ready for a 15 hr trip. Driving straight through.
I'm not real good at searching,but I can't find a manual that recommends a type.
Thanks, Vickie

ricnaz

Has anyone used their Sportage to tow? I am thinking of getting a tent trailer and wanted to find out how the Sportage towing performance is. Thanks. :shades:

iluvmysephia1

I just traded in a 2001 Kia Sportage 4X4 that my wife and I used to tow a 4' X 8' utility trailer. I just went to a RV place in Washington and had them install a tow kit.

I read in my Kia Sportage manual that if you don't have extra braking installed and just have your regular factory Sportage brakes you can tow up to 1,000 lbs.

We were moving from Washington to Missouri in 2003 and sold most of our belongings(or gave them away)and fit everything we still wanted in to this 4'X 8' utility trailer. We crammed that baby full-must've been around 900-1,000 lbs. of furniture and other possessions back there.

The trip to the Midwest went pretty well-the Sportage is a tough little nut. Just some slow going up hills and mountains, but the Sportsman got us there with no over- heating or any problems. Remember to tie down your tarps well with stretch ties and check them every 100 miles or so, they do like to come undun from the wind.

ricnaz

Thanks for the info. I'll be going with trailer brakes as th trailer I will be towing tips the scale @1700#. We'll see how it goes.

iluvmysephia1

yeah, definitely go with trailer brakes!

I hope it all goes well and please do come back here and post your results. Happy motoring!

mtbikeviki

sorry so long in getting back on the board. Just the K&N filter, not sure what other item is???

Hard to say if gas mileage has improved or vehicle just getting broken in better. Did long distance trip, w/ac running, cruise control on at 80mph. Gas mileage was 24.8/25 mpg. For a 6 cyc./4wd I am happy!!!

Around town w/stop and go, barely 14 to 15mpg w/ac on.

Love my Sportage, people sneer when I tell them what I have, but they can pay $10k for a toyota or honda vehicle!!! who's laughing now?????

crazedcommuter

Glad to hear that you're getting satisfaction with the K&N. The CAI is a cold air intake, and it forces more cold air into the engine. The K&N filter does the same thing as a CAI but on a lesser scale. I ran the KIA from the WV/MD area to the Jersey shore at about 80 mph. I avg'd. 24.44 mpg. I too am laughing at the Toyota and Honda owners who are paying thousands more.

tkilla

I got a 2000 kia sportage soft top and fully removed the air condining now she pulls off about 25 city 29 highway. It also makes the front end lose about 25lbs.

pmarchione

I have a 2002 and I pull my harley on a 4X8 utillity trailer fully loaded. have to down shift quite a bit but it pulls.

iluvmysephia1

the 2001 Kia Sportage 4X4 towed our 4 X 8' utility trailer chock full of furniture and keep-sakes and vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners, rakes and lawn gear, clothes in boxes, pictures (pictures can weigh a lot if you've got a lot of 'em!) and all kinds of stuff of ours up and over several mountain ranges and across the center of the U.S. to Missouri in 2003. Must have weighed about 1,200 lbs. when full. Tarps were a flappin' in the wind and I had to stop and readjust our tie-downs several times. But the little Kia SUV tugged and chugged and made it fine.

Yeah, on the hills I really had to downshift a lot (5-speed manual tranny) to get up the mountain passes. I just took it really easy as my college classes weren't going to be statring for about 2 1/2 months and that was the reason we were moving to Missouri. I must say the little Sportage 4X4 got the job done well for us.

batman47

Canada has issue a new catalogue for the 2008 Sportage to see if Kia is getting up to with the competition. The competition has left the Sportage and Tucson miles behind. The only change I have seen is that instead of solid disc in the rear now they offer vented disc on the rear disc. An improvement but enought. I have a Tucson and the car has never complaint, but I do not expect to order a new Tucson because I personally like Xenon lights, controls in the steering wheel, 6- speed shiftable automatic, vented disc front and rear, mirrors with integrated LED turning lights, skid plates (front and rear), ground clearance above 8.0 inches, immobilizer & anti-theft alarm, 18 inches wheels, turning circle lower than 36’, rear seats folding flat, and so on. Nissan has produced the Rouge, Mitsubishi has the Outlander, VW has the Tigua, Mazda has the CX-7, Saturn has the VUE, and so on.

Wake up Kia and Hyundai.

bkirbey

I have recently had to replace my clutch and after reassembly have not been able to get it to start. Changed all relays, the ecu and still not fuel to engine. Have checked the fuel pump and it runs when bypassing thru link in engine compartment. Found this ecu-etwis under console in front of shifter, but KIA can't tell me anything about it's function. does anyone know?

lmp4

Reply deleted..this is a duplicate thread...

kinderfo

hi,
if anyone can help me please do i dont know whats wrong but when you stop it bogs down when you press the gas it goes to the floor but the car barely moves it takes for ever to get to 25 mpr but once you get going your fine until you have to stop and then you have to start again many new parts including the timing belt please help thanks

kreuzer

give me their impressions of the 2009 Kia Sportage with 4cyl. automatic and either 4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive? If you can comment, please indicate if you thought the 4 cyl. was adequate to pull a small trailer with passengers. I'm trying to decide on a small crossover that is decent on gas and under $20,000 after tax.
Thanks!

mtnbiker4life

My wife has a 4,300 mile old Forte,and I recently got a '99 Sportage 2 door. I'm pretty impressed with the Forte with the fuel economy package, (haven't had the Sportage long enough,basing my opinions on it from the previous owner's...he's my Dad),in every aspect (price,MPG's performance,comfort,hauling the kids...). The reason I'm mentioning this is,I'm considering buying a new Sportage 4 cylinder next year. I'm not sure about an automatic 4 banger pulling a trailer,but definately go for the 4WD...besides the winter driving aspects,what's the point of an SUV (even a X-over) in a 2WD? We had a '06 Saturn VUE that was only front-wd...liked the MPG's,hated the 2wd SUV thing.

Sorry...back on subject-my opinion (that's all it is) is that you may be better served with the V6 if pulling much weight,and either way,with an automatic,definately keep check on your transmission temps (have a gauge installed),as towing increases strain there tremendously. A manual wouldn't have the same issues,just clutch wear (and leg work,LOL!). Hope this helps

tonester5

I have the luxury package with headed seats, black leather & so on. The only real problem is I have a noise over audio system that is present when on the road or in parking sturcure. I have no problem if engine is off. I have family who have KIA's also and they do not have this problem. has anyone had this problem? If you have any ideas let me know.

bornleader

Could you provide more detail?

Do you mean that the audio system has an unwanted sound coming from the speakers?

Does the sound persist when the volume is all the way down?

Does the sound get louder if you turn the volume control up?

Describe the sound.

Does the sound change when you increase the speed of the engine?

Any other clues to this problem?

D

tonester5

That's a yes to unwanted sound coming over speakers.

Not sure It does persist when volume is all the way down, will check.

The is louder if volume turned up.

Now there is a crackling sound along with high frequency chirping.

Yes the sound increases , but if I turn off engine radio work fine?

dannyd3

Hello all,

Does anyone know when the New Sportage will be available in Canada, I want to compare it with the new Tucson then make my choice.

Thanks

boltguy

Everything I've seen says late summer early fall of this year for the new Sportage release in the U.S., don't know if it would be the same for Canada or not.

Here's some interesting stuff from the Korean website on the new Sportage.

http://sportage.kia.co.kr/

tonester5

I have no idea, but will ask my sister how work for KIA.