2017 Kia SPORTAGE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Kia SPORTAGE has 549 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (40% of all complaints), specifically: 2017 kia sportage. driver remote starts vehicle, unlocks vehicle and immediately shifts from park to any other gear, without pushing start/stop button, and within 10 seconds engine shuts off while in drive, neutral or reverse. anti-theft programmed to shut off engine 10 seconds after unlocking door. ⚠️ 42 fire reports filed.

42 fire reports 17 crash reports 21 injuries

549

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

221 complaints

40%

• 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. DRIVER REMOTE STARTS VEHICLE, UNLOCKS VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS FROM PARK TO ANY OTHER GEAR, WITHOUT PUSHING START/STOP BUTTON, AND WITHIN 10 SECONDS ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. ANTI-THEFT PROGRAMMED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE 10 SECONDS AFTER UNLOCKING DOOR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED A
• WHEN PUSHING ON THE GAS THE RPM GO UP BUT THE CAR DOESN'T KICK IN RIGHT AWAY. THE TRANSMISSION? IT LIKE YOU HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND YOU HAVEN'T LET OUT ON THE GAS. DOESN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME, BUT IS DOING IT ABOUT ONCE EVERY TIME I DRIVE. IT IS GETTING MORE FREQUENT, WONDERING IF ITS DUE TO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 19 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“2017 KIA SPORTAGE. DRIVER REMOTE STARTS VEHICLE, UNLOCKS VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS FROM PARK TO ANY OTHER GEAR, WITHOUT PUSHING START/STOP BUTTON, AND WITHIN 10 SECONDS ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. ANTI-THEFT PROGRAMMED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE 10 SECONDS AFTER UNLOCKING DOOR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

75 complaints

14%

• THE CAR SLIGHTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT, AT FIRST. I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE SALES PERSON DURING THE DRIVE. THERE WAS ALSO A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME IN THE EVENING FROM THE DEALER. I BROUGHT IT BACK THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE COULD NO
• HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH KIA SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN DEC. OF 2016 TO NO AVAIL. PAID AN ADDITIONAL $4700 TO GET THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE GONE TO OTHER KIA DEALERS UNDER THE GUISE OF PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE AND NOT ONE OF THE FOUR DEALERS THAT I TESTED THE CAR AT
• CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT KEYS WERE TAKEN AND CAR LOCKED AT 8PM AT 530 AM HEARD CRASH CAR ROLLED INTO TREE AND DOORS WERE STILL LOCKED CAR CAME OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AFTER 9.5 HOURS OF SITTING CAR HAD TO BE IN PARK FOR KEY FOB TO LOCK DOORS AFTER IT ROLLED THE DOORS WERE LOCKED BUT GEAR WAS IN REVER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 9 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“THE CAR SLIGHTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT, AT FIRST. I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE SALES PERSON DURING THE DRIVE. THERE WAS ALSO A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME IN THE EVENING FROM THE DEALER. I BROUGHT IT BACK THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE COULD NO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

62 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE STARTER AND SHIFTING FROM THE PARK POSITION TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAIL
• 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. DRIVER REMOTE STARTS VEHICLE, UNLOCKS VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS FROM PARK TO ANY OTHER GEAR, WITHOUT PUSHING START/STOP BUTTON, AND WITHIN 10 SECONDS ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. ANTI-THEFT PROGRAMMED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE 10 SECONDS AFTER UNLOCKING DOOR
• TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING INTO AN ARMY BASE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. A WITNESS INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE FLAMES SPREAD TO THE HOOD AND WRAPPED AROUND T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE STARTER AND SHIFTING FROM THE PARK POSITION TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAIL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

40 complaints

• CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT KEYS WERE TAKEN AND CAR LOCKED AT 8PM AT 530 AM HEARD CRASH CAR ROLLED INTO TREE AND DOORS WERE STILL LOCKED CAR CAME OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AFTER 9.5 HOURS OF SITTING CAR HAD TO BE IN PARK FOR KEY FOB TO LOCK DOORS AFTER IT ROLLED THE DOORS WERE LOCKED BUT GEAR WAS IN REVER
• 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.
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT KEYS WERE TAKEN AND CAR LOCKED AT 8PM AT 530 AM HEARD CRASH CAR ROLLED INTO TREE AND DOORS WERE STILL LOCKED CAR CAME OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AFTER 9.5 HOURS OF SITTING CAR HAD TO BE IN PARK FOR KEY FOB TO LOCK DOORS AFTER IT ROLLED THE DOORS WERE LOCKED BUT GEAR WAS IN REVER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

25 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING ON A 4-LANE STREET IN MY COMMUNITY I STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. I STEPPED ON BRAKES AND THE PEDDLE WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. MY CAR GLIDED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. MY CAR'S MILEAGE WAS 810 MILES. I CALLED KIA AUTO REPAIR. THEY TOOK ME IN THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE BRAKE CYL
• WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY ENGINE ACCELERATED AS IF IT HAD A MIND OF IT'S OWN AND HIT A POST. I PUSHED HARD ON THE BRAKE WITH NO RESPONSE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN WITH $5,500 DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END.
• RECENTLY I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT , MY CAR BREAKS FAILED TO STOP WHEN I WAS DRIVING, MY KIA WAS GIVING ME ALERTS WITH TIRES PRESURES, NEEDS A LT S IDE BRAKE LAMP REPLACED IN MULTIPLE TIMES, BRAKES ROTATORS BEEN CHANGED, SMELL OF BURNT CABLE INSULATION, CAN YOU INVESTIGATE IF IT COULD BE RELATED TO THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING ON A 4-LANE STREET IN MY COMMUNITY I STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. I STEPPED ON BRAKES AND THE PEDDLE WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. MY CAR GLIDED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. MY CAR'S MILEAGE WAS 810 MILES. I CALLED KIA AUTO REPAIR. THEY TOOK ME IN THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE BRAKE CYL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 549 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. DRIVER REMOTE STARTS VEHICLE, UNLOCKS VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS FROM PARK TO ANY OTHER GEAR, WITHOUT PUSHING START/STOP BUTTON, AND WITHIN 10 SECONDS ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. ANTI-THEFT PROGRAMMED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE 10 SECONDS AFTER UNLOCKING DOOR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE CAR SLIGHTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT, AT FIRST. I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE SALES PERSON DURING THE DRIVE. THERE WAS ALSO A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME IN THE EVENING FROM THE DEALER. I BROUGHT IT BACK THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE COULD NO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SPORTAGE. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE STARTER AND SHIFTING FROM THE PARK POSITION TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAIL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT KEYS WERE TAKEN AND CAR LOCKED AT 8PM AT 530 AM HEARD CRASH CAR ROLLED INTO TREE AND DOORS WERE STILL LOCKED CAR CAME OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AFTER 9.5 HOURS OF SITTING CAR HAD TO BE IN PARK FOR KEY FOB TO LOCK DOORS AFTER IT ROLLED THE DOORS WERE LOCKED BUT GEAR WAS IN REVER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)