2017 Kia Sportage engine problems
228 of the 401 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Sportage name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 74 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. 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 engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 228 reports a crash · 20 a fire · 6 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 13 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 16 · 2022: 33 · 2023: 40 · 2024: 29 · 2025: 39 · 2026: 27
Half of the 88 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 30,000 and 100,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
401 complaints in all about the 2017 Kia Sportage, 27 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 “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Sportage engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I have a 2017 Kia Sportage sx turbo my car has not run right ever since I leased it. There were times where it seemed like the car wasn't going to start, cranking, but not turning over. There are times when I hear a loud clicking noise when I accelerate, which sounds like something under the hood of my car is about to break.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sportage. While driving various speeds, the vehicle decelerated on its own. Also, while at a stop, the vehicle vibrated and made a tapping noise when the engine was turned off. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The failures recurred several times.
The car was running then lost power while driving up a hill on a street. It would not accelerate, then shut off. It would restart, idle for 10 seconds and die. I took to the dealership. It only had 20000 miles
My car has service engine light on, when to dealer tuesday and they schedule me an appointment a week later on tuesday, but my car breakdown on friday night on highway, radiator overheat and start leaking, damage some other parts and now dealer doesn't want to fix my car and want me to pay $2800.00.
Engine failure occurs while in motion on city streets - 2x in one week. Towed both times. Dealer unable to detect problem, said to just drive it and call if it happens again. Gas smell when this happens
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- DP22003 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
74 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SC340_TSB_R5 EmissionsApr 4, 2026
- VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS: ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340 REVISION 5) - 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 information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module ‘ECM’ system software for certain 2016-2020MY Optima, 2016-20
- TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletinApr 3, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - 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 information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
- TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletinFeb 28, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - 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 information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w
The 3 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
P1326 P0014 P0449 P0128 P0303 P0420 P0442 P0455
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- electrical problems 62 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 228 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (57% of everything owners filed about it), and 74 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation 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 engine on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 72,000 miles; half of them between 30,000 and 100,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.