2002 Kia Sportage temp gauge rising, engine not overheating

Could be a faulty temp. Sensor.

Hello

Is your model a 2 door or 4 door, is it a normal Sportage or is it a Sportage EX?

I want to make sure I understand you correctly. Your temp gauge started getting hot so you changed your thermostat and coolant. Now it still raises slowly.

How do you know your engine is not overheating?

Does your heater blow hot air when on high?

Are the heater hoses going into and out of the firewall hot at operating temperature?

When the engine is cold. The engine cooling fan. Please spin it by hand. Does it free wheel without drag, that is the fan blades will revolve more than five turns when spun by hand?

Last, please go to Auto Zone or O'Reilly's and for FREE they can pull the codes to the car. Most important: Once they check your codes, if they find something and you don't get it fixed and need to get back with us, please make sure you tell us exactly what the code was, number and all. Example, if the code was E0568 O2 Sensor bad. Then make sure you give us all of that. While there for FREE also they can bring their tester out and check your battery, alternator and starter.

Let me know the info above and we can take it from there.