1997 Kia Sportage Vehicle Speed Control Problems

NHTSA component category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · data through 07/14/2026

20Vehicle Speed Control complaints

11%Of all 181 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How vehicle speed control ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE39 · 21.5%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL21 · 11.6%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL20 · 11%

Unspecified / other16 · 8.8%

AIR BAGS14 · 7.7%

Share of the 181 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Kia Sportage overview page.

What owners report

“VACUUM RESERVOIR FAILED CAUSING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO NOT HOLD SPEED. NLM”NHTSA complaint 551384 — filed 03/15/2000

“VEHICLE WOULD JERK. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHCLE WOULD OVERHEAT & FAIL TO START. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD REVVED WHILE AT STOP LIGHT DUE…”NHTSA complaint 845632 — filed 08/23/1999

“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NEEDS NEW EGR KIT (CONTROLS EMISSIONS MIX). 6/99 EXPERIENCED ENGINE RACING ON IGNITION, HIGH IDLE AT STOPS, ENGINE SURGES AT…”NHTSA complaint 706465 — filed 05/13/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Vehicle Speed Control complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Kia Sportage have vehicle speed control problems?

Vehicle Speed Control is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Kia Sportage: 20 of 181 complaints on file (11%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Kia Sportage have in total?

181 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 32 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 24 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's vehicle speed control category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.