Owners have filed 800 safety complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 13 crashes, 32 fires, 17 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2017 Kia Sorento, engine & cooling issues stand far above everything else.
"While I was driving my 2017 Kia Sorento, the R.P.M suddenly maxed out and then it rapidly went down to zero. My car lost power completely and stopped. There was a burning smell. Now it is dead. There is no clicking sound. Repair place tells me I need a new engine now."
"The car started sticking when driving then a knocking in the engine. Upon investigation/ diagnostics we found that the engine is blown and needs replacing. I have owned this car for 3 years to date and have keep up on all maintenance which you can find on carfax there is no reason at 136,000 an engine should blow. I would like this fixed asap"
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2017 Kia Sorento peaked later than usual, in 2023.
Across the Kia Sorento model years we track, the 2011 has the most complaints on file (1,517); the 2017 ranks 6 of 8.
4 recalls apply to some or all 2017 Kia Sorento vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
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…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Sorento vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The engine crankshaft may have been improperly heat treated and may fail.
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 pip…
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 an…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 800 complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.
The 2017 Kia Sorento has 4 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2017 Kia Sorento an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.