Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Kia Sportage owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My daughter and I were driving home from my brother's house, when we stopped by McDonald's to grab food, we noticed our car smoking really bad. I had her pull away from the drive-thru and into the empty parking lot. We got out just seconds before the car burst into flames from underneath the hood of the car.
Rear doors are randomly not able to be opened from outside or inside door handles. Multiple clicks of drivers door unlock / lock will sometimes (30-50 clicks) will allow the door to open from the inside handle. Once opened from the inside door handle the outside handle will work until the door is relocked. The locking mechanism clicks ( sounds like other doors ) removal of the door panel did not reveal any clips broken or cables disconnected. It appears the lock solenoid is not traveling far enough. The left rear door is out least used door. If this happens to the right side rear door, passengers would be stuck inside as the door won't open from the inside or outside. This could ( would ) create an extreme safety hazard. We are reluctant to use the vehicle with more than 2 people due to the potential of trapping someone as one door already failed.
The front panel of the sunroof spontaneously exploded as I was driving down the interstate. There were no vehicles in front of me, and clear skies above me. No rock or debris hit my vehicle to cause this. Had my interior sunroof cover not been closed, glass shards would have fallen onto my baby in the car seat, and myself in the front seat! Not to mention the horrible gun shot/bomb like noise that was so disorienting while driving. There were no warnings or signs that this would happen. Terrifying! Thank goodness the cover was closed and there were no vehicles near me!
The passenger door behind the driver's seat will not open, which limits access to the rear passenger compartment should there be an emergency. No lights indicate this problem. We have tried all the troubleshooting instructions from the manufacturer's manual. Furthermore, many Kia owners report this same issue via social media forums Examples: https://www.reddit.com/r/CarRepair/comments/gcict7/2017_kia_sportage_rear_door_stuck_shut/ https://www.kia-forums.com/threads/i-locked-the-rear-door-and-it-wont-open-at-all.357185/#post-2094581
The passenger door behind the driver seat suddenly would not open from either inside or outside the vehicle. The faulty lock makes it difficult to reach a child or pet in that seat quickly, as we have to go around the car to get to them through the other passenger door. Therefore, we don't consider the seat behind the driver safe, given the extra time needed to unlatch the seat belt and retrieve the passenger sitting there.
My rear driver side door hatch malfunctioned and had a mechanical fail as confirmed by Auffenberg KIA, he stated "he see's this all the time", in O'Fallon, IL. I can not open the door from the inside or outside. Child lock is not active. Just a mechanical fail. This is not safe! What if there had been a car accident and my children needed to vacate the car! There were no warning lamps or other symptoms.
The back passenger door behind the driver's seat will not open from the outside or the inside. The driver's door handle (outside) must be pulled several times before the door will open. I had the handle replaced (driver's door) but now must pull 3 times before opening. Vehicle is available for inspection at Phil Long KIA Colorado Springs There was not an accident before this started.
My 2017 Sportage is Burnish Copper. I've seen at least 2 other cars (same color) with discoloring paint. I've tried reporting this to Kia dealer to no avail. This is a defeat in paint which is now fading in certain areas of my car and I don't think I should have to pay to have it repainted. This should be a recall issue.
The rear passenger door will not open. This is a safety concern should we need to exit the vehicle rapidly in an accident. Other KIA Sportage vehicles are on the recall, but for some reason, my VIN model is not on the list for recall.
I was involved in a head on collision, resulting in my SUV being totaled. I was stationary in the double turning lane of a city street. The engine block was pushed nearly into the driver's seat. Front windshield cracked from end to end, heavy front end damage. The vehicle that hit me was doing about 45-50mph and her airbags did deploy although she had side impact/damage. My airbags never deployed. I have a concussion resulting in memory loss and painful swelling behind my eye. I am also being treated for multiple back injuries. My 17m old was in the vehicle as well but was in his rear facing car seat, not yet showing any signs of injury.
Body complaints in other Sportage years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2017 Kia Sportage?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the body & structure of the 2017 Kia Sportage, 6% of the model year's 402 complaints. The component named most often is body (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Kia Sportage body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2017 Kia Sportage, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 Kia Sportage body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 6 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.