2017 Kia Sportage electrical problems
62 of the 401 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Sportage name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 76 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 62 reports a crash · 7 a fire · 3 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 4
Half of the 27 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 37,000 and 83,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
401 complaints in all about the 2017 Kia Sportage, 4 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Sportage electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
All four power window regulator/motors have had to be replaced. Vehicle placed in service may 2016 and currently has 34,000 miles. Driver side and passenger side regulator/motor's failed while vehicle still under warranty.
Power window motors failing. This car has less than 55,000 mile one it and only 2 years old but three out of the four power window motors have failed in the past two months
Sometimes when we accelerate the car stalls & revs up, then it will act fine, but the check engine light will stay on for a bit. Then goes off and it acts normal. This is all while driving. This has been happening over a few months,,,it's just every so often
Starter stopped working after 80000 miles. It was the issue with solenoid but I had to replace the starter. My safety concern was that I was ate gas station at sams club and I was not able restart the car after fueling gas
On sat morning my SUV caught fire without warning. This occurred in indianapolis on harding st. near the interstate exit. We were at a complete stop when smoke started coming out of the car then flames. I got my kids and dogs out. Then I realized our medications were in there. I then went back to try to grab the bag.
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 16V862000 ModerateNov 30, 2016 · 10,212 vehicles
- 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."
76 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- CS2302_TSB_R5 Service bulletinJun 6, 2024
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGREADE $ DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2302) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Module (
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 Kia Sportage names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2017 Kia Sportage
Source: the same files- engine problems 228 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 62 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (15% of everything owners filed about it), and 76 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 16V862000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 60,000 miles; half of them between 37,000 and 83,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.