AutoUtility currently tracks 399 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 Kia Sportage. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 212 complaints (53.1% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 14 filings cite a crash, 27 cite a fire, 17 report one or more injuries.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 399 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Engine & Cooling (212 reports • 53.1% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Electrical System (62), Powertrain & Transmission (40)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 14 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 27 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 17 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2017 Kia Sportage
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Engine & Cooling
Electrical System
Powertrain & Transmission
Brakes & Traction Control
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #21V137000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Body & Structure
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #21V137000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Kia Sportage
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.
Loss of Motive Power While Driving
Engine Coolant Intrusion / Oil Leak
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Kia Sportage
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"I have a 2017 Kia Sportage with a recurring door latch problem. Several years ago, the driver’s door developed a problem where it would not open properly from the outside. Kia repaired the driver’s door latch under warranty extension WTY020. The passenger door has now developed the exact same..."
"Engine caught fire , insurance denied the claim . Kia has a class action lawsuit Theta 2 . It was towed into the dealership for approximately 3 mts . During the diagnostic they discovered a crack in the number 3 cylinder wall . They rejected the claim due to what they said was a leaky valve cover..."
"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."
"The engine consumes a massive amount of oil to where I have to check my oil constantly and refill as often as weekly. This can pose a risk to myself and others due to the engine failing while I am driving. I am sure other issues can come from an engine running out of soil that I’m not aware of."
"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."
Complaint History for Kia Sportage
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Kia Sportage | 146 | 7 | 2 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Kia Sportage | 130 | 8 | 2 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Kia Sportage Current Page | 399 | 14 | 4 | Current |
| 2018 Kia Sportage | 162 | 7 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Kia Sportage | 69 | 3 | 2 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Kia Sportage | 159 | 11 | 2 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Kia Sportage | 50 | 3 | 2 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Kia Sportage | 45 | 6 | 1 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Kia Sportage | 296 | 28 | 7 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Kia Sportage | 98 | 11 | 3 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Kia Sportage | 68 | 7 | 1 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Kia Sportage | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2026 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2017 Kia Sportage
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 83 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 139 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 10 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TRAILER HITCHES | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CHEST CLIP, BUCKLE, HARNESS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FIRERELATED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TRAILER HITCHES,FIRERELATED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (2)
Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
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 fo...
Loss of Motive Power
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 experienc...
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.