2002 Kia Sportage Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

NHTSA component category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE · data through 07/14/2026

35Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

15%Of all 234 complaints

#1Most-reported category

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

How fuel system, gasoline ranks on this vehicle

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE35 · 15%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN22 · 9.4%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM20 · 8.5%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE12 · 5.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12 · 5.1%

Share of the 234 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Kia Sportage overview page.

What owners report

“2002 KIA SPORTAGE, GASOLINE ODOR/LEAK, BEEN SEEN BY DEALERS, WENT TO PRIVATE GARAGE AND HAD DIFFERENT DEALER LOOK AT IT TOO. TODAY, 1/17/2004 GAS ODOR…”NHTSA complaint 10106489 — filed 01/17/2005

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

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Kia Sportage have fuel system, gasoline problems?

Fuel System, Gasoline is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Kia Sportage: 35 of 234 complaints on file (15%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Kia Sportage have in total?

234 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 15 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's fuel system, gasoline category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 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.