First off I'd like to say excellent forum! Can't find a thing for sportages anywhere else.

I'll cut to the chase:
As we were going up the driveway in 4hi (ice covered in compact snow)the car stalls and wheels lock. Take it out of 4wd and it moves normally. it appears the front diff has given up the ghost.
While messing about with it later it wouldn't let the transfer case disengage the front end as it seemed to be loaded up with torque. Car wouldn't move, even with transfer case in 2hi (front end locked solid, rear wheels spinning) and I had to be somewhere. Put it in 4lo and gave it a little pop with the clutch. Gggggrrind says the front end, take it out of 4wd and we're moving again.

I'm guessing it's something to do with the pinion/carrier as if I turn one cv the other turns the opposite way, and the front driveshaft is solid at the front diff flange.

I recently put in warn autolockers (hubs) when I replaced the 210,000km old front wheel bearings as i broke the vacuum hubs when I was removing them. Being that they were used on and off the last 5000km I don't believe this is my issue but I could very easily have done something wrong.

So, what I'm getting at is has anyone else had a similar experience? What sort of weirdness am I likely to experience when I finally go to remove this (quirky kia engineering or fairly straightforward)? and does anyone have one of these miata lsd they want to get rid of?

sounds like the spider gears have decided to go south for the winter........ im on to my third diff because of this..........good luck......

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I figured somebody would have had a similar issue. It would have been nice if this happened in the summer but I guess I don't use 4wd as much then.
Found a whole front housing assy. with guts from a 1999 36,000mi wreck I'd guess. Price is right so if the shipping is reasonable I'd rather just swap it out for time savings and ease...
As I'd have a spare housing sitting around I'd probably keep an eye out for a lsd anyway as I'd like to eventually retire it from daily driver (2 kids the wife + gear make it seem a lot smaller than it is) and put it on 31x10.5 rubber. Still, it continues to surprise me the places I can take it on 205/75R15 El Cheap-o all seasons.

Yea, it sounds like you trashed the front diff. A quick check on it's condition:

Jack up front so both wheels are off the ground.
Transfer case in 2H.
Lock both hubs.
Spin one front wheel.

The other wheel should spin in the opposite direction. Plus the front shaft should turn. If neither occurs or you get a grinding sound chances are the diff is toast.