Car Issues Tracker
Vehicle complaints, recalls & safety data — sourced from NHTSA

2017 Kia Sportage: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 399 safety complaints about the 2017 Kia Sportage with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved September 7, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

399
Complaints
4
Recalls
2
Investigations
5★
Overall crash rating

Complaints for this vehicle report 14 crashes, 27 fires, 19 injuries. No deaths have been reported.

Key findings
  1. Engine & cooling issues dominate. They appear in 57% of the 399 complaints on file — an unusually concentrated failure pattern.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 41 of the 399 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. Complaints peaked 6 years after the model year (61 filed in 2023) — a pattern consistent with wear-out failures rather than assembly defects.
  4. 2 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2017 Kia Sportage, engine & cooling issues stand far above everything else.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 399 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Engine & cooling
227
Other / unspecified
76
Electrical
62
Power train / transmission
40
Brakes & stability
28
Body & structure
27
Fuel & propulsion
24
Visibility & lighting
23

"Engine burns excess oil, I am forced to add oil every other day as it consumes an excessive amount. When I spoke with the Kia Dealership they told me I have an unlimited warranty on the engine but it need to blow before they will replace it. I’m spending a fortune on oil."

Owner complaint filed July 2026 · Engine · NHTSA ODI 11752117

"My car went into limp mode on the high way due to a faulty knock sensor. my car decelerated rapidly, which could have put me and others around me at risk. I had to repair this problem on my own even though other cars similar to my make and model have had the same issue."

Owner complaint filed July 2026 · Engine · NHTSA ODI 11751195

When complaints were filed

For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2017 Kia Sportage peaked later than usual, in 2023.

Complaints filed per year — 2017 Kia Sportage
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
7
19
23
37
31
41
51
61
45
50
34
1617181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through September 7, 2026). A late peak is the signature of wear-out failures: parts that don't fail until the vehicle has years and miles on it.

Recall history: 4 recalls

4 recalls apply to some or all 2017 Kia Sportage vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

Nov 201616V-862
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…

Dec 201818V-907
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 pip…

Mar 202121V-137
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module

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.

Sep 202222V-703
Trailer Hitches

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…

Does your car have an open recall?

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 →

Crash-test ratings

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.

★★★★★
Overall
★★★★☆
Frontal crash
★★★★★
Side crash
★★★★☆
Rollover

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2017 Kia Sportage have?

As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 399 complaints about the 2017 Kia Sportage with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.

How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Sportage have?

The 2017 Kia Sportage has 4 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Is the 2017 Kia Sportage safe in a crash?

NHTSA gives the 2017 Kia Sportage 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.

Methodology & source

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.