P0171 on Kia vehicles The engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants
P0171 is named on 6 Kia model years (2016–2024): 2 manufacturer filings and 6 owner reports in NHTSA’s files, across Sorento, Sportage, Cadenza, K5, Seltos and 1 more.
Which Kia model years name P0171
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Kia Sorento | Fuel/Propulsion System | — | 2 |
| 2016 Kia Sportage | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2024 Kia Seltos | Fuel/Propulsion System | — | 1 |
| 2022 Kia K5 | Engine | — | 1 |
| 2021 Kia Soul | Fuel/Propulsion System | — | 1 |
| 2017 Kia Cadenza | Engine | — | 1 |
A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.
What Kia owners said
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners’ own words, scrubbed of anything identifying. Unverified reports filed with NHTSA — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
A diagnostic scan performed afterward showed DTC P0171 (System Too Lean), but the code was subsequently cleared
Kia filings that name P0171
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsBulletins and campaigns Kia filed with NHTSA whose summary names P0171. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
- TSB-ENG160 Service bulletin2016-10-11 · Engine
- TSB: ECU UPGRADE ? MIL ON WITH DTC(s) P0420/P0171 - This bulletin provides information related to the ECU software upgrade for some 2012~2015MY Optima (QF) vehicles, produced from August 12, 2011 to October 2, 2015, some 2012~2015MY Sorento (XMa) vehicles, produced from April 19, 2011 to December 11, 2014, some 2011~2015MY Optima (TF) vehicles, produced from August 12, 2010 to July 23, 2015, and s
- TSB-ENG160R1 Service bulletin2016-11-15 · Engine
- TSB: ECU UPGRADE ? MIL ON WITH DTC(s) P0420/P0171 - This bulletin provides information related to the ECU software upgrade for some 2012~2015MY Optima (QF) vehicles, produced from August 12, 2011 to October 2, 2015, some 2012~2015MY Sorento (XMa) vehicles, produced from April 19, 2011 to December 11, 2014, some 2011~2015MY Optima (TF) vehicles, produced from August 12, 2010 to July 23, 2015, and s
What P0171 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIThe engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Kia and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardIs P0171 a known problem on Kia vehicles?
It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 2 manufacturer filings and 6 owner reports naming P0171 on 6 Kia model years (2016–2024). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.
Which Kia models does P0171 appear on most?
2023 Sorento (2 documents), 2016 Sportage (2 documents), 2017 Cadenza (1 document).
Does P0171 on a Kia mean it is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.