IllustrationAirbag light came on. Was inspected by dealership. They informed me that the front side airbag needs to be replaced, as it is not grounded properly, and it could randomly deploy, or not deploy if accident occurs.
2017 Kia Sportage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sportage years
Owner complaints for the 2017 Kia Sportage are substantially higher than the model-year median of 122.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sportage years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
570–25K
2325–50K
4250–75K
3075–100K
25100–150K
4150K+
181 reports with mileage · 218 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 219 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports27 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
399 reportsI have taken my 2017 kia sportage in the dealer several times due to loss of power and hesitation when trying to accelerate. They always say they cant find any issue. Also, my Kia is using or losing oil. I get oil changed every 5000 miles and the last two changes I had less then the low mark, barely showing on dip stick. I have…
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I have taken my 2017 kia sportage in the dealer several times due to loss of power and hesitation when trying to accelerate. They always say they cant find any issue. Also, my Kia is using or losing oil. I get oil changed every 5000 miles and the last two changes I had less then the low mark, barely showing on dip stick. I have had to add quarts of oil after only 2000 miles since oil change. Oil light does not come on, even when showing no oil on dip stick. It is very scary when I go to accelerate and nothing happens when trying to get on on rap for highway.
After engine was replaced the car dash lights still come on and care looses power. I was just told my 2017 engine block is corroded as well as electrical wires and plugs and everything needs to be replaced at a charge of $5,000.
The engine was misfiring causing issues when trying to reach the posted speed limit. This was/is especially dangerous when having to get on the interstate where vehicles are going up to 80 mph. The engine light did come on. Took the vehicle to a certified KIA dealer where the confirmed the problem and said a new engine was neede…
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The engine was misfiring causing issues when trying to reach the posted speed limit. This was/is especially dangerous when having to get on the interstate where vehicles are going up to 80 mph. The engine light did come on. Took the vehicle to a certified KIA dealer where the confirmed the problem and said a new engine was needed. New engine was ordered and replaced (took 4 months to get new engine in) and then a month later the same thing happened again.
I got a 2017 Kia Sportage May 2022 and in September 2022 I started having problems with it I have taken it to the Kia dealership 3-4 times once even by tow. I have been told by the workers at the dealership that the engine needs to be replaced (car has roughly 87,000 miles). I was driving it down the road and it made a noise and…
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I got a 2017 Kia Sportage May 2022 and in September 2022 I started having problems with it I have taken it to the Kia dealership 3-4 times once even by tow. I have been told by the workers at the dealership that the engine needs to be replaced (car has roughly 87,000 miles). I was driving it down the road and it made a noise and lost power I literally had to floor it just to go around 30-40mph. Now it shakes, it's missing, and it has smoke coming from the exhaust on top of the oil consumption problem that I found out about after purchasing ad was told Kia knows about the problem. I haven't had it a year and can't drive it on the highway or nowhere else because of the possible engine fire hazard when I have a toddler in a car seat in the back seat that I may not be able to get out if fire was to happen. This is my only means of transportation nobody wants to take it as a trade-in because of the known problems with kia. And my car insurance has since doubled because of the liability of the vehicle and all the problems and safety concerns and I need answers because I wouldn't recommend any one to purchase a kia.
I purchased my car in September 2017 and in or around July 2022 my front passenger window would not open. In the next few months the back passenger windows and front driver-side window as well. After taking it to Benson Kia on 4/17/23 they told me that for 1 its a Good Will repair and only for the front windows on 4/22/23 I rec…
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I purchased my car in September 2017 and in or around July 2022 my front passenger window would not open. In the next few months the back passenger windows and front driver-side window as well. After taking it to Benson Kia on 4/17/23 they told me that for 1 its a Good Will repair and only for the front windows on 4/22/23 I received a call saying that they declined the repair due to mileage on the car which is roughly around 94,000 miles. I will be lookin into getting an attorney for this issue since this is not normal wear and tear for this vehicle after 5 years and I have vehicles that are almost over 10 years older and are not having any issues of the sort. After research, I have found a class action lawsuit for the windows for 2016 and 2017 Optima and Sportage models on Carcomplaints.com
The rear driver side dock is locked and will not open. It may randomly become unlocked but as soon as the door closes again, it will remained locked. It looks like this is an issue that the dealers were supposed to rectify at one point but know they want $900 (latch assembly)to fix. It is a safety issue as the passengers of t…
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The rear driver side dock is locked and will not open. It may randomly become unlocked but as soon as the door closes again, it will remained locked. It looks like this is an issue that the dealers were supposed to rectify at one point but know they want $900 (latch assembly)to fix. It is a safety issue as the passengers of the vehicle cannot get out if something were to go wrong.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not …
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The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 107,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. T…
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The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
As I was driving one day my car began to "miss" or jump. The check engine light illuminated and began blinking. I took the truck home and parked it. The next day I cranked the vehicle to see what it would do. Smoke began coming from my exhaust. We turned the car off and I had someone check my oil. It was extremely low. I've had …
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As I was driving one day my car began to "miss" or jump. The check engine light illuminated and began blinking. I took the truck home and parked it. The next day I cranked the vehicle to see what it would do. Smoke began coming from my exhaust. We turned the car off and I had someone check my oil. It was extremely low. I've had the car looked at by a professional. I was told the turbo is gone. I was quoted $4700 at one place and $7500 at another. This seems to be a similar issue everyone is having. I have a 2017 with 90K miles. I keep the vehicle maintained properly so I have no idea how this happened.
Official recalls
422V703000 · Trailer Hitches
Sep 19, 2022
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
21V137000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
Mar 4, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.
18V907000 · Engine; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Dec 19, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
16V862000 · Electrical System; Trailer Hitches
Nov 30, 2016
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Trailer Hitches
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Electrical System
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires
Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.
DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.