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2017 Kia Sportage: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Kia Sportage, most recently filed September 2022. Owners have filed 401 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (4)

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Kia Sportage. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2017 Kia Sportage. Not checked against your VIN.
Park outside: fire risk. NHTSA advises parking outside and away from buildings until the recall repair is done.
Recall 22V703000 Filed Sep 19, 2022

Tow Hitch Harness Fire While Parked or Driving

Trailer hitches
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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
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.
29.6% repairedof 70,887 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V703000
Listed for 2017 Kia Sportage. Not checked against your VIN.
Park outside: fire risk. NHTSA advises parking outside and away from buildings until the recall repair is done.
Recall 21V137000 Filed Mar 4, 2021

Engine Compartment Fire

Service brakes, hydraulic · antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip · control unit/module
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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
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.
90.8% repairedof 379,931 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V137000
Listed for 2017 Kia Sportage. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 18V907000 Filed Dec 19, 2018

High Pressure Fuel Pipe May Leak

Engine
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
65.5% repairedof 71,653 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V907000
Listed for 2017 Kia Sportage. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 16V862000 Filed Nov 30, 2016

Trailer Brakes May Stay Illuminated/FMVSS 108

Electrical system
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
64.9% repairedof 10,212 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V862000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (401)

401 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.

14involved a crash
27involved a fire
19injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Sportage, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 401.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2017 compares with other Sportage years

Best and worst Sportage years →
2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
This year (2017)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 4★ · Passenger 5★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 15.5%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2017 Kia Sportage suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 26 mpg combined

26
mpg combined
23
city
30
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$2,600
CO₂ tailpipe
351 g/mi
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle

What it costs you to run

$2,512per year
$209per month
577gallons a year

Miles ÷ 26 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2017 Kia Sportage configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive23 / 30 / 26$2,600351
2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive22 / 29 / 25$2,700358
2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive21 / 26 / 23$2,900392
2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticAll-Wheel Drive21 / 25 / 23$2,900397
2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticAll-Wheel Drive21 / 25 / 22$3,050400
2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticAll-Wheel Drive20 / 23 / 21$3,200424

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2017 Sportage for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Sportage years

Where to next

2017 Kia Sportage FAQ

How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Sportage have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 22V703000 (trailer hitches), 21V137000 (brake), 18V907000 (engine), 16V862000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2017 Kia Sportage problems?

Owners filed 401 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (220), Unknown or other (69), Electrical system (62) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2017 Kia Sportage get?

EPA rates the 2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 23 city, 30 highway and 26 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2017 Kia Sportage get?

NHTSA rated the 2017 Kia Sportage suv fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (15.5% rollover risk).

How does the 2017 Sportage compare with other years?

Among the 2013–2021 Kia Sportage model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (53) and the 2017 the most (401). The 2017 drew 401. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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