2000 Kia Sportage trouble with auto locking hubs

If your hubs say KIA, you have camlock style. If they have two "half moon" indentions, they are the vacuum lock style. If you had hubs replaced, they might have installed a totally manual hub that has to be turned to engage. It will say lock and unlock. The cam or vacuum lock hubs don't like being engaged under load. Only engage them when stopped. The vacuum lock style are troublesome and are usually replaced with cam style or manual. If you have manual hubs, you should never break another one. Warn Hubs makes manual hubs and you can get a picture off website. Good luck

Thank you for your repley. The guy said that there is a spring, diaphragm, and I think he said two gears with teeth. He said he could change the spring and lock the hubs in full time, but it would use more gas. But wouldn't that also wear out the hubs. Thanks.

I would have to recommend replacing with manual hubs then. When you need 4x4 you would lock them in. When you didn't, unlock and motor on. The cost of both manual hubs is way cheaper than one new vacuum hub and way more dependable. My sportage gets about the same in 4x4 as in the summer with air conditioning on. It is worth the little extra gas to have it when you need it. The vacuum style hubs are pretty lousy hubs. They can suck dirt into the hubs and just flat don't work dependably. If you have to pay to have them modified, you might as well pay for better manual hubs. They are easy to use and should never wear out.