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.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
NHTSA listing: SPORTAGE. Kia campaign SC249.
Brakes
Mar 4, 2021
antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip · control unit/module
The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Risk: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles.
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.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
NHTSA listing: SPORTAGE. Components: Engine; Fuel system: delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. Kia campaign SC172.
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."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2017 Kia Sportage apart from an audit query, which reviews a company's recall and reporting duties rather than the vehicle.
What owners report
Owners have filed 404 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Sportage. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Engine failure or replacement71 · 18%
Median 90,000 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Check engine light57 · 14%
Median 81,800 miles at failure, from 30 reports with mileage
Excessive oil consumption53 · 13%
Loss of power or limp mode48 · 12%
Median 83,500 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off44 · 11%
Median 93,700 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Smoke or a burning smell35 · 9%
Median 83,500 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
Median 68,500 miles at failure, from 84 reports with mileage
Electrical system63 · 16%
Median 60,000 miles at failure, from 29 reports with mileage
Powertrain41 · 10%
Median 37,000 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
Brakes25 · 6%
Body structure24 · 6%
Most named: body (22)
Fuel and propulsion system21 · 5%
Speed control18 · 4%
Unknown or other69 · 17%
Median 31,600 miles at failure, from 26 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Kia Sportage recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2017 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2023 Sportage drew the most (244) and the 2017 drew 86.
Owner complaints
2017: 404 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Kia Sportage
Model year
Complaints
2010
20
2011
181
2012
392
2013
381
2014
125
2015
146
2016
134
2017
404
2018
166
2019
71
2020
169
2021
54
2022
47
2023
313
2024
110
2025
76
2026
44
Safety recalls
2017: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Kia Sportage
Model year
Recalls
2010
2
2011
6
2012
5
2013
3
2014
3
2015
2
2016
2
2017
4
2018
3
2019
2
2020
2
2021
2
2022
1
2023
7
2024
3
2025
1
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 404 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Sportage, the problems described most are engine failure or replacement (71), the check engine light coming on (57), and excessive oil consumption (53). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2017 Kia Sportage safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2017 Kia Sportage earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2017 Kia Sportage?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2017 Kia Sportage apart from an audit query, which reviews a company's recall and reporting duties rather than the vehicle.
How do I check if my Sportage has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Kia dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SPORTAGE.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.