Most common 2017 Kia Sorento problems
Share of the 807 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Sorento complaints by model year
Best Sorento years: 2020, 2018, 2024. Years to avoid: 2011, 2016, 2017, 2013, 2014. Compare all years →
2017 Kia Sorento recalls (4)
Trailer hitches
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.
Remedy: 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.
Engine
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.
Remedy: 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.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Sorento vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The engine crankshaft may have been improperly heat treated and may fail.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the crankshaft, and, as necessary, replace the engine sub assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017.
Trailer hitches
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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2017 Kia Sorento:
Loss of Motive Power
On November 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23-019) to investigate allegations of loss of motive power relating to head gasket and/or head bolt failure in Model Year (MY) 2016-2017 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with the 3.3 L Lambda II engine.
Loss of Motive Power
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.
Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak
In a letter dated September 30, 2021, Mr. Gerald James (the petitioner) requested that NHTSA conduct an investigation of the Model Year (MY) 2015-2017 Kia Sorento equipped with 3.3L V6 ?Lambda? engines for ?severe oil leaks? from the oil pressure switch (OPS) that could ?lead to engine failure? with little warning to the driver. Mr.
What 2017 Kia Sorento owners say
Engine & cooling all 404 →
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband noticed a cloud of smoke in the rearview mirror, but the contact stated that the smoke was coming from the engine compartment. The contact's husband pulled over, and she, her husband, and daughter all exited the vehicle safely. Before the vehicle was engulfed in flames, the contact checked underneath the hood and discovered a piece of plastic on fire. The contact dialed 911, and police and firefighters arrived on the scene. The firefighters extinguished the fire. The contact was unaware whether a police or fire department report had been filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, and the insurance company was made aware of the fire. …
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal fuel odor, and there was white smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact was able to safely pull into a driveway, and the contact noticed flames coming out of the hood. The contact stated that the fire caused property damage to the driveway, including debris and burn marks. The entire vehicle was engulfed in fire and deemed destroyed. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire department incident report was filed. The police arrived at the scene, assisted in directing traffic, but did not file a report. The contact further stated that while attempting to exit the vehicle, the contact's mother fell on the ground. No medical treatment was sought, and no injuries directly related to the vehicle fire were reported. …
Lights all 125 →
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, an audible message indicated that there was engine failure, and the infotainment screen displayed the option to send an engine failure report. The vehicle then shuddered and made an abnormal sound. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the abnormal sound persisted. The vehicle was shaking, and the contact detected an abnormal odor inside the vehicle. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle. Additionally, the headlights failed to illuminate while driving at night. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with multiple cylinders misfire. The dealer determined that the spark plugs and headlights needed to be replaced, as well as an induction cleaning and oil change. …
The vehicle turns the headlights on while the engine is off, parked, and no occupants in the car and no keys in the ignition. I have experienced this multiple times. There are many other reports of this on the Internet as well. The multi switch was in the Auto position. I started the car, then turned it off, removed the keys, locked the doors and the lights went off. I checked on it later and the headlights had come back on (with the tail lights) while parked in my driveway. I then searched on the Web for others having this issue and there are many with this same year and model. This could run down the battery repeatedly, and also it is unknown if it is an electrical/fire hazard because something is clearly still activated after the car has been turned off.
Electrical system all 97 →
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed that the exterior of the driver's side mirror housing had melted. The contact stated that shortly after she could no longer lock or unlock the doors of the vehicle using the driver's side power door lock switch and the key fob. The contact was also unable to roll down the windows using the window switches. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had also failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an electrical fire had occurred in the driver's side mirror housing. The independent mechanic disconnected the electrical wiring system of the driver's side mirror housing. …
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while seated inside the vehicle with three other occupants and the engine turned off, there was black smoke quickly coming from underneath the hood. The contact and the passengers exited the vehicle. The contact stated that a fire had started in the engine bay on the passenger's side of the vehicle and another vehicle was damaged in the fire. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department. The contact stated that a Police report was filed. The contact believed that the vehicle was destroyed, but the insurance company had not yet deemed the vehicle a total loss. There were no injuries sustained. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000.
2017 Kia Sorento engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 19 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Kia Sorento a good car?
Based on 807 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Sorento rates avoid: 4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sorento at the same age. It is one of the Sorento years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Kia Sorento?
The engine & cooling — 404 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › oil/lubrication › oil cooler. Next are the lights (125) and electrical system (97).
How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Sorento have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2017 Kia Sorento, the most recent from September 19, 2022 (trailer hitches). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Sorento?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2018 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2016, 2017, 2013 and 2014. See the full Kia Sorento years comparison.
At what mileage do 2017 Kia Sorento problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 47,000 miles; 51% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.