Yes. I had a 99 right off the show room floor. It caught on fire after 3 months. It never ran right after that. It would constantly run with the temp gauge pegged way past H. I had to drive with the heat on full so it wouldn't overheat.
After speaking with other Sportage owners there is only one conclusion. All Sportages (all Kia, all Hyundai) are junk. Hyundai is Kia parent company.