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2017 Kia SorentoProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 811 owner complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento, most often about the engine. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-703 the manufacturer reports only 29% of affected cars repaired.

2017 Kia Sorento
29
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.5× the Sorento median · #6 of 21 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 29%Owner complaints81158 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage64kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 7, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2017 Kia Sorento has problems

811 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine38819
Exterior lighting1261
Electrical system995
Steering970
Fuel/propulsion system392
Power train373
Engine and engine cooling283
Service brakes222
Vehicle speed control211
17 other systems9118

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2017 Kia Sorento recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

29%repaired · 2026 Q1

Trailer hitches

Park outside

Recall 22V-703 · Sep 19, 2022 · 70,887 vehicles · 20,450 repaired

Risk. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

62%repaired · 2020 Q2

Engine

Recall 18V-907 · Dec 19, 2018 · 71,653 vehicles · 44,721 repaired

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

87%repaired · 2019 Q1

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 17V-586 · Sep 21, 2017 · 62 vehicles · 54 repaired

Risk. If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

65%repaired · 2018 Q2

Electrical system

Recall 16V-862 · Nov 30, 2016 · 10,212 vehicles · 6,605 repaired

Risk. If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

64kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 108 engine complaints. 77% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 34% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
21under 30k miles83under 100k miles25100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine

24 owners mentioned a cost

$9,050median

Middle half: $5,750 – $10,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2017 vs. every other Sorento year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sorento median. How we score

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2017 Kia Sorento safety ratings

2017 Kia Sorento SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2017 Kia Sorento frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2017 Kia Sorento side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2017 Kia Sorento side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (15.0% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Optional
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2017 Kia Sorento, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Engine Oil Pressure Switch LeakDP21002 · closed Jun 26, 2023
    No recall
  2. Loss of Motive PowerDP22003 · closed Dec 12, 2023
    No recall
  3. Loss of Motive PowerPE23019 · closed Jul 23, 2024
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sorento owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

1. Headlight Failure (Recall Malfunction): Last year, my headlights began intermittently shutting completely off while driving at night, creating an immediate visibility hazard. Kia of Palmdale performed the designated recall repair, but the dangerous defect remains. The headlights still shut off…
Complaint 11775235 · Nov 2, 2026
Yesterday our car was making a knocking noise. It lost power temporarily. Upon pressing the gas pedal to the floor we were able to get up to 30 mph. We made it to a repair shop. They looked at it today. The Dip stick showed no oil. The did an oil change and it was down 3 quarts of oil. We just had…
Complaint 11766758 · Sep 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle had started independently. While the vehicle was in the driveway, the contact became aware that the vehicle had been running for a while. While driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off but restarted independently. While driving…
Complaint 11764746 · Sep 16, 2026 · 149,000 miles

Own a 2017 Sorento?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.