2017 Kia Cadenza: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
32 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 32 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.56
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Engine oil light is on and there is a burning smell when I drive. Fear of a fire breaking out in the engine when driving or parked. Had it looked at by a technician and they expressed those concerns to me and that brings me great worry. The service technician believed it was just the oil cap being loose but there was no evidence of that.
The vehicle harness is burned and under recall sc206 for HECU fuses that was allegedly repaired which should have required a check of the harness connections . part number 91223f6632 is for the wire harness during engine replacement for campaign wty039 I was told the harness was melted and needed replacing , dealer put the car back together and told me we had to wrap up the work and return rental and get my car knowi…
I currently have a complaint 11709255 regarding the electric thermostat. I just had that part replaced in November of 2025 for the 3rd time. Last week, again I had a warning of engine problem. The next day there was cold air blowing when the heat was on. The dash thermostat immediately began to move to hot. I was thankfully close to home. I turned car off and fan continues to run under the hood. I cannot afford to k…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V137000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment. |
| 17V190000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Cadenza vehicles. The brake vacuum hose on the affected vehicles may kink, reducing braking performance. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,900
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine11 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System6 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other6 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System5 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes4 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Wheels3 complaints · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$460–$920
Other Kia Cadenza years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Kia Cadenza?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (11 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Kia Cadenza a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 32 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Kia Cadenza's most common problem?
11 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Kia Cadenza sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2017 Kia Cadenza cost to run per year?
About $4,897 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,485 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2017 Kia Cadenza have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Kia Cadenza, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/03/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2017 Kia Cadenza really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 32 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 32 NHTSA complaints on record (3.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (2.5/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality