KiaSportage2008Overview/kia/sportage/2008/base/

2008 Kia Sportage

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Sportage.

Body SUV

The 2008 Kia Sportage is a compact SUV whose 98 recorded owner complaints and three recalls place it squarely in the moderate tier of the model's reliability history, which spans from 1995 through 2026. Electrical system issues dominate the complaint ledger for this year, making that the area most worth scrutinizing for anyone researching ownership prospects. With complaint volume sitting well below the 2017 peak of 394 and considerably above the 2003 low of just four, the 2008 represents a middle-ground model year — not a trouble-free standout, but far from the worst the Sportage has offered, suggesting a used example is a reasonable prospect provided the electrical system gets a thorough look.

Model year202620252023202220212020201920182008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque66-81 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124R · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124R · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length172 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height66.5 in
Wheelbase103.5 in
Curb weight3527 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sportage of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

10.2–10.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.20 sec — 2005 EX V6
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2005EX V6 2.7L V610.20 sec17.60 sec173 hpAWD
2005EX V6 2.7L V610.40 sec17.80 sec173 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 66-81 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.7 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-85 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity4.7

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs10-11 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs6
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings35-38 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts123-130 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts123-130 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts87-94 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts53-56 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts66-81 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub148-206 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub148-206 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.52-.64 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance7,480-10,120 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.86-1.0 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance10,625-14,375 ohms
Ignition Timing8, Not adjutstable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance5 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.07-1.18 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.0 L
Standard BCI Group Number124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number124R

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177-182 °F
Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-19 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)50.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13.8-15.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58-72 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0016 in / 0.0012 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in / 0.393 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in / 0.393 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113-16 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-9413–16 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
120-23 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60-6420–23 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 25,000 miDifferential (inspect fluid level) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miBody Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 37,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In the context of its generation, the 2008 Kia Sportage represents a secondary spike in federal complaints, rising from 77 in 2007 to 98 before tapering to 80 in 2009 and just 20 by 2010. The 2008 model logged 3 recalls and 1 investigation, with the electrical system (14 complaints), service brakes (9), and structure (8) as the top problem areas. Most alarmingly, 24 of its 98 total complaints are fire-related—a disproportionately high figure for which the data does not specify a root cause. Rather than benefiting from end-of-cycle reliability improvements, the 2008 model sits at a peak in the generation's complaint arc, implying unresolved manufacturing vulnerabilities. Given the severe fire risk indicated by the data and its position as a mid-generation spike, the 2008 Sportage is a risky purchase that should be passed over in favor of the significantly improved 2010 model year.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
24
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
98
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 24 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 98 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System14
Service Brakes9
Structure8
Engine7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5
Air Bags5
Power Train4
Exterior Lighting3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V815000Electrical System:WiringReported 10/11/2016

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… 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…

13V114000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 01/04/2013

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 24 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_TRA046_R52025-04-17Power TrainTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been…
TSB_TRA046_R42024-05-16Power TrainThis bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and…
TSB_TRA046_R32022-11-18Power TrainTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin provides…
TSB_BOD055_R12021-09-13StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This…
PS5392018-03-02Engine And Engine CoolingPITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sportage. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2008 Sportage have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.