2017 Kia Sportage Problems, Recalls & Reliability
560 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 Kia Sportage, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 71,500 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2017 Kia Sportage sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1995, 2005, 2019, 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 2017 sits among all Sportage years
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and remained at the dealer for over 30 days and was not repaired. The manufacturer was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sportage
“I notice engine lite on dash lit up. I only have 6641 miles on this vehicle. I am planning to take my kia to my dealer to have this item checked out on 9 aug 18. I was driving vehicle at the time. I was driving vehicle at the time on citu street.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sportage
“All the windows in the car do not go up and down, I can hear the motor moving but no movement with the windows. Started with the rear passenger window, then front passenger, followed by rear driver and ultimately driver window.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sportage
“Without warning the car drops out of gear, the engine revs. You have to take your foot off the gas for the car to go back into drive and you can continue driveing. This happens at any speed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sportage
“The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V051000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sportage
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 241 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 20,000 and 83,044 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
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…
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: 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…
Model years named: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Technical service bulletins
191 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2017 Kia Sportage. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2017 Sportage TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2017 Kia Sportage reliable?
The 2017 Kia Sportage drew 560 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2017 Kia Sportage problems?
The top reported problems for the 2017 Kia Sportage are engine (227 complaints), other (78), and electrical (76).
At what mileage do 2017 Kia Sportage problems show up?
Owners most often report 2017 Kia Sportage problems around 55,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 20,000 and 83,044 miles.
Does the 2017 Kia Sportage have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 Kia Sportage. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.