- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- —
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2017 Kia Sorento
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 788
- Complaints citing a crash
- 12
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 18V907000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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.
Consequence
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 17V586000high
Engine issue
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.
Consequence
If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A failed crankshaft also increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 16V862000high
Trailer hitches
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. 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."
Consequence
If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 22V703000high
Trailer hitches
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. 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.
Consequence
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2017 Kia Sorento.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 15%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2017 Kia Sorento 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 15% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
The EPA holds no fuel-economy record for this model year.
The EPA does not publish a record for every model year.
Consumer complaints
788 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 788
- Total
- 12
- Crashes
- 31
- Fires
- 16
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE406
- LIGHTING89
- STEERING87
- OTHER73
- ELECTRICAL51
Notable Issues
788 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 16 reports involve injuries. 12 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2017 Kia Sorento, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE23019
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE23019
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP21002
Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP21002
Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak
- Recall
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Recall
If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A failed crankshaft also increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Unknown
- Drive type
- Unknown
- Engine
- 0L 0-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Unknown
- Seats
- 0
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE23019
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE23019
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP21002
Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.


