2017 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 804 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 13 involved a crash and 32 involved a fire. 17 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Trailer hitchesPark outsideSep 19, 2022
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. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Campaign 22V703000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsDec 19, 2018
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. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
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. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Campaign 18V907000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineSep 21, 2017
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.
If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A failed crankshaft also increases the risk of a fire.
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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC153.
Campaign 17V586000 on NHTSA.gov
Trailer hitchesNov 30, 2016
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."
If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Campaign 16V862000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
804 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine and the check oil warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over and stopped the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle in park (P) and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that she drove the vehicle to a local dealer who added oil and changed the spark plugs. The contact had a recent oil change performed less than two weeks prior to the engine failure. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that over the next several years the vehicle stalled intermittently. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and had the vehicle diagnosed and was advised that the catalytic converter had been damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Engine, Aug 18, 2023
Excessive oil consumption. I get oild changes every 3 months at the dealership. I must add 6-10 quarts of oil inbetween these changes. I notified the dealer, but they are unwilling to replace my engine. I was told it needs to "blow up" before issue will be addressed. My 2017 Kia Sorento has 63,000 miles this issue started at 60,000 miles. It is outside my warranty as I am the second owner. This is not a safe approach from Kia, as i feel waiting for my car to "blow up" could cause injury to myself and others. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle speed control, Aug 17, 2023
Cruise control works erratically when turned on at times I can't set the speed, othertimes it won't cancel using the cancel button the only way to cancel it is to tap the brake pedsl or turn the cruise off, sometimes it will not turn on and at other times it works as it should.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, Aug 16, 2023
The vehicle headlights intermittently turn off while driving the vehicle.
Electrical system, Aug 14, 2023
several occasions my headlights have completely gone out. I have to toggle the blinker button to get the lights to come back on. This happened 5 times at 5 am in the morning. I have taken my vehicle into the shop several times. It is in the shop again today. They are saying it is switch that causes headlights to go out. This is dangerous to others on the road and also myself. I have read online there has been over 1300 complaints but have not seen a recall come out. Please investigate why lights are going out sporadically. I had to slam on my breaks because I cannot see in the dark. Thank God other vehicle were not on the road. Please investigate this matter as I am not the only customer that has complained.
Engine, Aug 13, 2023
I have KIA 2017 Sorento, the engine has oil consumption with no leak and I have to add oil almost every 3 days. I take it to KIA dealer and after checking he oil level for 1000mile, the dealer informed me that they can change the engine only when it fails and not before that. I found this solution is risky because I drive it in highway and it could cause a serious cars accident if it suddenly stopped in the middle of the highway. I can't find any reason why they don't want to do engine change and It is clear that KIA knows about the engine problem but they want to save money not save people life.
Engine, Aug 11, 2023
The contact's wife owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while attempting to coast to the side of the roadway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts; however, the vehicle made abnormal knocking sounds. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the piston ring and valves had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,702.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the message "Assist Emergency Braking Disabled - Radar Blockage" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no failure was found. On one occasion while driving 65 MPH, the headlights shut off and an unknown warning illuminated. The contact stated that after several minutes the warning light disappeared, and the headlights returned to normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the cameras were updated; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Electrical system, Jul 29, 2023
UNKNOWN 2017 KIA Sorento v6 XL July 29, 2023 @3am - Parking lights were found to be on. Upon checking, the vehicle was locked. The FOB was used to unlock the doors and I turned the light control switch from Auto to OFF. This turned off all lights and I locked all doors using the FOB. What triggered this event? Concern for battery draining will be an eventual result if this is not investigated?
Exterior lighting, Jul 29, 2023
On many occasions while driving at night (happens almost every night when we are driving), the headlights turn off on their own. This is when the headlights are set to "auto". This is a very dangerous situation - especially when driving on poorly lit roads. When it happens, I can get the lights to come back on by switching from "auto" to "off" and back to "auto". Drivers should not need to do this. Apparently a lot of people with my (or similar) year Kia Sorentos have experienced this issue based on online postings.
Structure, Jul 28, 2023
The paint on the hood of this vehicle rapidly flew off the hood while traveling on I95 creating a significant safety hazard in a moving vehicle.
Engine, Jul 25, 2023
Car began to overheat. Took into mechanic. Diagnosed as a blown head gasket with head bolts that had stripped out.
Air bags, Jul 24, 2023, crash
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving into an intersection at a speed of approximately 10 MPH a second vehicle crashed into the front end of the vehicle. During the crash, the front was severely damaged and the vehicle was destroyed but no air bags were deployed. The contact sustained a head injury and was examined at the local hospital. The driver of the second vehicle also sustained an undisclosed injury. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. the local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 22, 2023
BOTH rear speed sensors have gone bad. One under warranty, one outside. This disables safety speed systems and speed control.
Electrical system, Jul 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at night at an undisclosed speed, the lights on the instrument panel and the headlights became inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the headlights and instrument panel lights turned on independently. The contact stated that while attempting to unlock the vehicle with the key fob, the vehicle failed to unlock. The contact was able to manually unlock the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V862000 (Trailer Hitches, Electrical System). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine, Jul 11, 2023
My engine has been consuming oil at an usual rate. I have been experiencing this issue since I bought the car in August 2021, but it is slowly getting worse, especially during the summer. I have to constantly check my oil level to ensure it isn’t running low. I got my oil changed last month, around June 15th or so, with a 3000 mile interval. After ~1400 miles, when I checked my oil, there were little oil on the dipstick (below the low line) along with small metal bits on the end of the dipstick with the oil. As usual, I have checked the oil color to make sure it wasn’t mixing with something in the engine, and checked the drain plug to make sure it was tight. I genuinely cannot tell where this oil is going or how it is being burned. This is the only issue I have encountered with this car. I have no warning lights, but my miles are high at about 144,000.
Engine, Jul 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 45-55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the knock sensors were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a hole in the piston and there was no compression in the valves. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 11, 2023
Regularly the head light’s randomly turn off as well as the tail lights and break lights. This is absolutely terrifying! It has been happening for over a year and know one can fix it. This is a huge problem across 2017 & 2018 Sorrentos. There are multiple forms for it as well as mechanic discussion groups trying to solve the problem. This NEEDS to be a recall and fixed immediately before some gets hurt or worse!
Engine, Jul 4, 2023
High oil consumption between oil changes. Usually add 3 quarts of oil between 5K mile oil changes.
Engine, Jul 1, 2023
Engine failure SUV hasn’t even reach 100,000 miles.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Electrical system, Jun 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from underneath the driver's side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,700.
Engine, Jun 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle started to decelerate independently. The contact stated that the low oil pressure, the check engine, and the battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to roll to a stop on the side of the roadway. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the drain plug was missing, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Engine, Jun 22, 2023
When the car had engine light was on at 60200 mileage, the dealer replace the engine in 2021. I have the same symptom in 2021 and engine light on. The dealer did diagnosis and said cvvt problem. The dealer refused to cover it with the extended warranty. I can't drive the car because of not enough power to speed-up on high way.
Engine, Jun 22, 2023
High oil consumption- needed to add additional oil before 3,000 miles post oil change. This has happened for the last three oil changes. This last time, exactly 3,000 miles post oil change, there was no oil at all. Oil sensor light went on to indicate low oil.
Other or unspecified, Jun 22, 2023
I purchased a 2017 Kia Sorento new from Kia of Puyallup. I have taken the vehicle for all changes to Kia of Puyallup. The last two oil changes (9/16/22 and 03/18/23) have shown that within two to three months there wasn’t any oil in the car. During my last oil change 9/16/22, I asked service consultant - Karsten Malin why there was no oil in the car and he stated that it was normal for Kia’s to burn that much oil. Then, a couple of months after the oil change (the dipstick was dry) I reached out to Kia of Puyallup and was told “just put oil in it”. On June 16, 2023 I again reached out to Kia of Puyallup about there being no oil in the car and spoke with the service center manager Tom Evans. This wasn’t normal as I just had an oil change on 03/18/23. At this time I was informed that I would need to bring the car in for an excessive oil consumption test. It would take three attempts and if the last test fails I would need an engine replacement. At that time I asked to make an appointment and was informed they are booked until August and I would need to call during the week to see if I could get the car looked at. In addition, they’re short staffed during certain days during the week/weekend so I would need to check everyday for availability.