YearToAvoid

2017 Kia Sorento Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 37 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2017 Kia Sorento, 5% of its 804 total complaints for the year. Owners report rollaway while parked, failure to shift out of park, sudden power loss with engine rattling, and oil leaks from the 4WD coupling assembly. No related recalls are listed for this component on this year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
37
5% of 804
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
56,574 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle rolled away on its own after being shifted into park on a sloped driveway, with the parking function apparently not engaging.
  • Some owners report the transmission would not shift out of park when the brake pedal was pressed, requiring use of the manual shift override.
  • Sudden loss of power on the road accompanied by a rattling or knocking engine noise, in some cases leading to complete engine failure.
  • Owners describe a loud over-revving or clicking noise while accelerating uphill or making turns, as if the transmission was hunting for the correct gear.
  • Oil leaking from the 4-wheel drive coupling assembly onto the rear differential actuator motor, referenced in a Kia service bulletin from November 2019.

When 2017 Kia Sorento transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 5, 2017, latest Jul 31, 2026.

2017 Kia Sorento transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Jul 2017Nov 2018Oct 2021Sep 2022Mar 2023Jan 2024Nov 2025Jul 2026
37 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2017 to Jul 2026; peak Dec 2023 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2017 Kia Sorento

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Sorento model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20100 (0%)
  2. 2011265 (17%)
  3. 201255 (6%)
  4. 201369 (7%)
  5. 201471 (7%)
  6. 201542 (6%)
  7. 2016125 (10%)
  8. 201737 (5%)
  9. 20189 (4%)
  10. 201951 (12%)
  11. 202018 (13%)
  12. 2021137 (55%)
  13. 202264 (34%)
  14. 202320 (17%)
  15. 20244 (10%)
  16. 202519 (26%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2017 Kia Sorento have?
NHTSA lists 37 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2017 Kia Sorento, which is 5% of the 804 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2017 Kia Sorento?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the Transmission & Powertrain area on the 2017 Kia Sorento.
At what mileage do 2017 Sorento transmission problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure across complaints in this area is 56,574 miles.
What kind of transmission failures do owners report on the 2017 Sorento?
Owners describe the vehicle rolling away after being put in park, failure to shift out of park, sudden power loss with engine rattling, and oil leaks from the 4WD coupling assembly.
How does the 2017 Sorento compare to other years for this problem?
The 2017 model's 5% share of complaints in this area is lower than the 2011 model's 17% and well below the 55% share reported for the 2021 model year.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.