2017 Kia Sportage: Rodent damage to engine harness made of soy
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2017 Sportage report: rodent damage to engine harness made of soy. CarComplaints.com lists 1 owner complaints, average mileage 14,000 miles.
NHTSA has 63 owner complaints for the 2017 Sportage in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11772332 (filed 10/20/2026): “Odometer fraud. the contact purchased a 2017 kia sportage. it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. the vehicle was a dealer sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 131,600. the carfax report listed the mileage as 140,000 in 2024.…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11744476 (filed 06/16/2026): “Window regulator failure - power window could not be rolled up. had to be replaced.…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: fixed by kia dealership (no warranty coverage) (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Moderate
Finding and splicing chewed wiring is doable with a multimeter and patience but can be time-consuming; harness replacement is pro work. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $4,500 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
- CarComplaints.com: Rodent damage to engine harness made of soy (2017 Sportage)
- NHTSA complaints API, 2017 Sportage
Page last updated .