2023 KIA SORENTO

3 recalls, 208 complaints - 39 TSBs - 4/5 safety rating

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Defect Description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.

Consequence

A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall wi... Read more

39,536 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Defect Description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply ... Read more

Consequence

A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.

144,979 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Defect Description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sorento vehicles. The air bag warning labels on the driver and front passenger sun visors may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence

A detached air bag warning label will not warn occupants about the risks of air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the driver and front passenger sun visors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC277.

50,517 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Complaint Statistics

208 total complaints 16 crashes 1 fires 6 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ENGINE	31
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	27
POWER TRAIN	27
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	18
SERVICE BRAKES	16
STEERING	15
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	11
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL	5
SUSPENSION	5
AIR BAGS	5

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

My 2023 Kia Sorento has experienced repeated failures involving the engine, transmission/powertrain, and electrical wiring system. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired multiple times by authorized Kia dealerships, including Kia of Round Rock and Clay Cooley Kia in Irving, and the repair histo... Read more

Incident date: Aug 20, 2026

I own two Nuna RAVA car seats, and both have developed unraveling/tearing of the two-point harness buckle/strap between the child’s legs. One seat had noticeable tearing, which prompted me to closely inspect the second seat, where I found the same area beginning to unravel. I contacted Nuna and w... Read more

Incident date: Aug 20, 2026

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

The transmission failed for the fourth time. The transmission (Power Train) is the component that failed and is available for inspection at the dealership. The vehicle became unsafe and unreliable to drive due to the repeated transmission failures, creating a risk of sudden loss of power or control.... Read more

Incident date: Aug 22, 2026

On multiple occasions, my 2023 Kia Sorento has experienced an intermittent failure where numerous dashboard warning lights and alerts illuminate and the engine will not start. During the failure, the brake pedal becomes very stiff and the vehicle cannot be shifted out of Park. The problem is unpredi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 22, 2026

Incident date: May 8, 2026

The brakes failed; they felt spongy, as if my foot were pressing directly against the road. The car accelerated and I headed toward a wall; the sensors didn't stop the vehicle. It came to a halt against the wall after the impact. I was on my way to the repair shop for a scheduled appointment due to ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Dec 7, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated and the messages "Parking Brake Failure", "Transmission Failure”, and "ABS Failure" were displayed with an audible alarm. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the failure m... Read more

Incident date: Dec 7, 2023

Tailgate keeps randomly opening when driving down the road. Vehicle was taken to a Chevrolet dealership for them to address. GM denied warranty claim and will not provide anything in writing. This is a huge safety concern for a work truck that hauls tools and equipment on a daily basis. And the fact... Read more

Incident date: Dec 7, 2023

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

I am reporting a chronic manufacturing defect on my 2020 BMW X3 that poses an immediate electrical short-circuit and vehicle safety hazard. The passenger-side panoramic sunroof drainage system/roof structure leaks water heavily through the side panel joint of the door frame, directly saturating the ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Edge. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable am... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

The vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure due to an inherent manufacturing defect involving internal engine coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Prior to the failure, the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard, accompanied by engine misfires and rough idling. A certified service ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Incident date: Jul 26, 2026

Incident Description: The vehicle entered an Auto Idle Stop event at a traffic light and stalled completely instead of restarting when the brake pedal was released. The red battery warning light illuminated, and the vehicle had to be shifted into Park and the ignition key cycled multiple times to ev... Read more

Incident date: Jun 5, 2025

Engine sudden loss of propulsion while driving on interstate w/out warning. Pulled to side and check engine light and hot oil warning came on prior to engine dying. Had to call tow and dealer says engine needs to be replaced but they won’t ship vehicle back after repair and it’s 4 hours from my ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 5, 2025

Saw smoke coming from an under the hood, pulled over opened hood and there were flames all across the top of the engine. Immediately evacuated the vehicle within seconds the vehicle was engulfed in flames and exploded several times. Total loss.

Fire

Incident date: Jun 5, 2025

The power sliding door on my Kia Carnival has repeatedly failed to reopen when an occupant was caught in the doorway. On multiple occasions, my young child has become trapped by the sliding door after it began closing. Instead of consistently detecting the obstruction and reversing as expected, the ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

I am writing to report a direct violation of the Theta II Class Action Settlement terms by Hyundai Motor America. This morning , I emailed an Executive Case Manager explicitly explaining that my 2017 Sonata has an active P1326 code, has the 2019 KSDS update, and requires a mandatory diagnostic unde... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

Vehicle purchased late March. Since then, the 12V gets completely drained to 0% over the weekend. This is a biweekly problem. Vehicle taken to dealership, they were not able to replicate problem. Dealership claims battery and vehicle perfectly fine. 12V battery continues to get discharged. This issu... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V675000 (Power Train), 26V117000 (Visibility), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a rea... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 14, 2026

Crash

Incident date: Jul 9, 2026

I've had consistent issues with the vehicle accelerating and shifting. These include sluggish acceleration, loss of power and sputtering when we've come to a complete stop and starting to move again. We've almost been hit by other vehicles at least over 20 times because the vehicle has failed to acc... Read more

Incident date: Dec 10, 2025

The primary failure is in the Engine/Powertrain system and Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS), causing 6 identical sudden engine stalls (OBD-II code P1326) from 09/2000 to 06/2026. Additionally, severe excessive oil consumption was documented during 2 of these diagnostic visits, showing deep-seate... Read more

Incident date: Dec 10, 2025

It looks like this is possibly at this point a wide spread issue with most if not it will be all honda clarity models. The lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, front camera honda sense electronics keep to go out and then will work for a little bit. sometimes just not work at all for mon... Read more

Incident date: Jun 29, 2026

On July 8, 2026, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled while I was driving in the middle lane on the I-95 highway, creating a safety concern. There was complete loss of engine power and low power to steering. The vehicle had to be towed to BMW of Peabody, Massachusetts. The vehicle had 30850 miles duri... Read more

Incident date: Jun 29, 2026

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

I was at a red light and all of a sudden my car switched to neutral. I could not get out of neutral and tried unsuccessfully to get my car into drive. I finally was able to shut the car off (not sure if opening the door helped reset the system) and start it again. I now turn off the idle option

Incident date: May 12, 2026

Car seem to misfire alot , having a lot of head gaskets issues aswell as turbo issues, 10s of 1000s of people like me are experiencing these common problems, taking so much money out of our pockets when its should be handle the correct way

Incident date: May 9, 2026

On Feb 25, 2026 My 2022 Tesla model Y with only 25k miles on it suddenly stopped knowing where it was and almost drove me into a ditch. All cameras stopped working and the gps was stuck in the same wrong location. (Service Mode showed Primary DAS ECU shows "AP IN COREBOOT" and "Status: INIT." Second... Read more

Incident date: May 9, 2026

On April 8, 2026, while riding on a busy 8 Lane (4 each direction) interstate during evening rush hour, I experienced immediate loss of propulsion when I attempted to engage the throttle. There was absolutely no power, just a grinding noise. I immediately put on my hazard lights and began working my... Read more

Incident date: Feb 6, 2026

I am writing to report a serious, premature failure of a primary emissions and safety-related component (the catalytic converter) that has occurred as a direct consequence of a known, unaddressed manufacturing defect in Hyundai's Theta II engine. My vehicle has a documented history of excessive engi... Read more

Incident date: Feb 6, 2026

High voltage battery pack, Power Inverter Module (PIM), and HV charging system. PIM replaced twice (p/n 68381781AD, 8/4/25 and 8/18/25) after being found melted with arcing damage at HV connections. Battery pack has active BPCM fault codes and a recorded cell voltage excursion. Vehicle available for... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica steering wheel started locking in place at approximately 10 a 2 o'clock the other day as we were on a couple hundred-mile trip over the Memorial Day weekend. We looked up the symptoms, it said there was a recall for the Power Steering Assist v53/NHTSA 19V-348. I drove the c... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while her husband was driving 75 MPH in the far-left lane, with the contact in the front passenger's seat, the vehicle completely lost power steering functionality in heavy traffic. Both the contact and her husband were significantly frightene... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the tailgate was opened, however the tailgate failed to function as intended. The contact noticed an abnormal grinding sound and the tailgate independently closed while the contact was removing packages from the tru... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

Both of the turbos on my truck failed with a code description of "waste gate actuator stuck closed". This resulted in a significant drop in power while on the interstate. This code appeared several months before this incident when it was at the dealer for service and Toyota cleared the code and se... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

Moisture build-up in the high-voltage electrical system through a faulty seal on the charging socket, which can cause a short circuit and significantly increase the risk of a vehicle fire. If you get a warning light saying "electrical system: fault," you should stop driving immediately, park outdoor... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

infotainment center and modules related to the front-facing display have malfunctions 5x since 9/2024 and have been in the shop 5 times for the same issue, 4 downloads and updates, 3 recalls, and 2 battery and a front-facing module replacement in the last 15 months of issue stsrting

Incident date: Apr 28, 2026

Whining noise on a cold start and at acceleration. Transmission fluid was replaced less than 1000 miles ago and noise has gotten louder.

Incident date: Apr 28, 2026

The vehicle doors will not auto lock when the vehicle exceed 15mph. The function is not available in the menus.

Incident date: Feb 13, 2026

Hello: I own a 2018 Nissan Rogue. While on the internet I found an NHTSA announcement that said there were problems with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The vehicle has 80,800 miles on it. The recall states that the warranty covers 7 years/ 84,000 miles. I looked on your website and ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 14, 2026

Life-threatening, unoccupied rollaway vehicle with personal injury. Possible and/or suspected issues: "Not-P" switch circuit malfunction; "false park"; lack of cross-module redundancy; lack of BCM and PCM redundancy; Diagnostic Blind Spot; lack of Occupancy-Brake interlock; systematic safety failu... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Apr 30, 2026

The backup camera on the trunk of the 2023 Kia Sorrento has fallen out. It is attached only by the wires. Apparently, my specific vehicle is not a part of the initial recall; however, the camera has fallen out and is now hanging. I do not feel as though I should be responsible for this repair as it ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 30, 2026

2023 Kia sorento rear camera mounting bracket broke. There was are recall SC280 in 2023. Rear camera recently fell out of housing unit and is hanging. Still under warranty, dealership and Kia America refusing to cover and pay for issue. Want a new housing unit and brackets because it is similar to ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 30, 2026

Incident date: Feb 6, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Showing 50 of 208 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2023 KIA SORENTO

2023 Kia Sorento SUV AWD

Category	Rating
Overall Rating	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash, Driver	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash, Passenger	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Side Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk	15.9%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	Standard & Optional
Lane Departure Warning	Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Technical Service Bulletins, 2023 KIA SORENTO

39 manufacturer communications from 25 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	15
100000 POWER TRAIN	6
130000 VISIBILITY	5
060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	2
160000 STRUCTURE	2
353400 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.	2
220000 SEATS	1
081100 FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY	1

130000 VISIBILITY

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC298) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to apply additional body seam sealer to prevent potential water intrusion into the

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

130000 VISIBILITY

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: COWL WATER INTRUSION REPAIR (SC298) - This bulletin provides information to apply additional body seam sealer and also to inspect and, if necessary, replace the blower motor on certain

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

130000 VISIBILITY

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC298) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC298.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC298) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC298.

130000 VISIBILITY

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (SC298) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2023-2024 Sorento vehicles

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

130000 VISIBILITY

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC298) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2023-2024 Sorento vehicles manufactured from October 25, 2

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. Th

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE SCREEN FREEZING OR MAP DELAY WITH WIRED APPLE CARPLAY - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles to remedy an inaccurat

353600 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

353400 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) (SA550) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin ar

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

131000 VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: WINDSHIELD WATER RAIL GARNISH REPLACEMENT (SA551) - This bulletin provides information to replace the left (driver) windshield water rail garnish on certain 2023MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles produced

160000 STRUCTURE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: UNEVEN/SLIPPERY ROAD WARNING DISPLAYED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) (SA550) - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on some 2023MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles produced from December 02

353400 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 4WD COUPLING ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to replace the AWD coupling actuator assembly on some 2021-2023MY Kia AWD models listed on page 4. The affected vehicles may exhibit

020000 SUSPENSION

PITSTOP: AWD SYSTEM CONCERN DUE TO TIRE CIRCUMFERENCE - This Pitstop provides information regarding potential concerns with the All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system due to tire sizes of differing circumference. Some customers may complain of a chat

010000 STEERING

100000 POWER TRAIN

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DATA COLLECTION: EXTRACT CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS DATA FROM ECU (DC23) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the mar

081100 FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

100000 POWER TRAIN

PITSTOP: PRECAUTIONS FOR WET 8-SPEED DCT: This Pitstop provides information related to the replacement of an 8-Speed Wet Dual Clutch Transmission (WDCT) assembly on some 2021-2023MY K5 (DL3a) and Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles, where the High Flow

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2304) - This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Mo

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: 8-SPEED DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION (DCT) S/W LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA526) - This bulletin supersedes SA502. This bulletin provides information to update the software logic of the A/T system on certain

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: CLUSTER LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR ADAS ALERT VOLUME CHANGE (SA517) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black ba

160000 STRUCTURE

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: MULTI-POINT TRIM INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT (SA516) - This bulletin provides information to inspect for looseness and damage of the Multi-Sensor Cover, Door Belt Outside Weatherstrip, and Windshie

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmis

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

PITSTOP: POTENTIAL LOW OIL PRESSURE DUE TO FILTER DRAIN PLUG THAT WAS LEFT IN FILTER - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 8-SPEED WDCT REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS - This bulletin provides information to clear the line pressure information stored in the Transmission Control Module (TCM) prior to replacement of the reman transmission ass

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE REMINDER SETTING RESET PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides the procedure to turn OFF the service reminder lamp, at the first service interval reminder alert that will display on the instrument cluster. The

220000 SEATS

PITSTOP: REAR OCCUPANT ALERT (ROA) W/REAR DOOR LOGIC - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This Pitstop provides informatio

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DATA COLLECTION: EXTRACT CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS DATA FROM ECU (DC23) - This bulletin provides information related to extracting in use performance tracking emissions data from the Engine Control Unit (ECU) of certa

NHTSA Safety Investigations, KIA SORENTO

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2016

Loss of Motive Power

On November 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23-019) to investigate allegations of loss of motive power relating to head gasket and/or head bolt failure in Model Year (MY) 2016-2017 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with the 3.3 L Lambda II engine. W... hen the investigation was opened, ODI had received 13 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) related to reports of loss of motive power. In an information request letter dated November 30, 2023, ODI requested technical information and failure data relating to the alleged defect in the subject MY 2016-2017 Kia Sorento as well as several peer vehicle populations which share the 3.3 L engine. In its February 26, 2024, response to ODI’s information request, Kia provided 2022 customer complaints (including techline and field reports) and 1738 warranty claims representing 2411 unique vehicles within the subject vehicle population. Of the customer complaints provided by Kia, they identified only 53 unique allegations of a loss of motive power resulting from the alleged defect. Kia determined that the remaining reports were minor vehicle drivability or engine performance issues. ODI reviewed the information provided by Kia, along with additional VOQs submitted to NHTSA following the opening of the investigation. When eliminating duplicative reports across the data sources, the total number of allegations of loss of motive power relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles is 77, representing an incident report rate of 59 per 100,000 vehicles. The MY 2016 Kia Sorento exhibited both the highest overall complaint rate and loss of motive power report rate across all subject and peer vehicle populations, representing an incident report rate of 102 per 100,000 vehicles. Across all data sources, there are no allegations of crashes or fires relating to the alleged defect. The one injury incident reflected in the failure summary table above is related to a consumer who was reportedly burned (minor burn requiring medical attention) while attempting to remove the coolant reservoir cap following a loss of motive power event. In their response to ODI, Kia described that if the threads of a head bolt hole in the subject engine becomes damaged, the clamping force between the cylinder head and engine block can decrease in the area of the affected head bolt. Kia’s assessment of the alleged defect is that when the failure occurs, drivers are provided with numerous warning signs prior to a potential loss of motive power event. According to Kia, potential warning signs associated with this failure include coolant leak/consumption or noticeable coolant odor, engine oil leak/consumption, engine temperature gauge rising to “H” (hot), check engine light illuminating, engine cooling fan remaining on following the engine being shut off, HVAC system not functioning properly, unusual engine noise, difficulty starting the vehicle, and smoke/condensation emitting from the engine compartment or exhaust. Through both its review of the information provided by Kia and outreach to consumers, ODI confirmed that there is reasonable detectability present in the vast majority of occurrences of the alleged defect. To mitigate the alleged defect, Kia increased the engagement depth of the head bolt threads for all subject engines, beginning in May 2017. ODI’s analysis of the failure data demonstrates that this corrective action correlates with a much lower incident report rate for engines produced following the change (8 per 100,000 vehicles for the MY 2018-2020 Kia Sorento). In December 2023, Kia launched extended warranty campaign WTY035 covering failures associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicle population through 15 years or 180,000 miles, whichever comes first. Through its investigation, ODI identified the following peer vehicle populations, which were produced prior to the corrective action and exhibit failure rates comparable to the subject vehicles: MY 2014-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2015-2016 Kia Sedona, and MY 2014-2017 Kia Cadenza equipped with the 3.3 L engine. Through discussions with ODI during the investigation, Kia decided to launch extended warranty campaign WTY039 in May 2024, which covers these peer vehicle populations through 15 years or 180,000 miles, whichever comes first. Based on analysis of the failure data indicating a low incident report rate of loss of motive power for the alleged defect, and in consideration of the warning signs which frequently occur from head gasket and/or head bolt failure in the subject engines, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.Read more

DP, Closed , Model Year: 2015

Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak

In a letter dated September 30, 2021, Mr. Gerald James (the petitioner) requested that NHTSA conduct an investigation of the Model Year (MY) 2015-2017 Kia Sorento equipped with 3.3L V6 ?Lambda? engines for ?severe oil leaks? from the oil pressure switch (OPS) that could ?lead to engine failure? with... little warning to the driver. Mr. James based this request on his own experience and data found in NHTSA?s Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) database. NHTSA reviewed the material cited by the petitioner, information submitted by Kia, NHTSA?s testing, and other pertinent information in NHTSA databases.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-002 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed an analysis that included evaluation of the petitioner?s vehicle, searches of ODI complaints from vehicle owners, non-dealer field reports, manufacturers? supplemental information relating to design of the component, and component testing performed by ODI.On December 16, 2021, ODI and Kia North America performed a joint inspection on the petitioner?s vehicle. ODI and Kia agreed the OPS was leaking oil and observed oil in the crevices atop the engine block. The vehicle received a new replacement OPS and was delivered back to the petitioner. The original part that was removed from the subject vehicle was retained by ODI for further analysis.As of December 30, 2022, for the MY 2015-2017 Kia Sorento population of 161,519 vehicles with 3.3L engine, NHTSA reviewed internal data and has identified no consumer complaints or field reports in its database, with unique Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN), citing engine failure or stalling related to the petition?s allegation of defective OPS. When combined with the supplemental warranty and technical analysis from the manufacturer, field report and customer complaint data in response to the Information Request letter sent, NHTSA identified no unique VINs alleging engine failure or stalls caused by OPS leaking on the subject vehicles named in the petition.On April 4, 2022, the Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) performed testing of the petitioner?s component (OPS) based on testing protocol consistent with Kia?s specifications for the subject vehicle. The testing involved the petitioner?s original OPS in a controlled system to replicate the subject vehicle?s oil pressure, flow, and temperature. VRTC determined that a vehicle would have to miss more than a dozen oil change intervals to reach low engine oil capacity. Testing also revealed the OPS would operate, as manufacturer intended, illuminating the vehicle?s MIL to alert the driver of lower oil pressure.In April of 2022, Kia North America issued a warranty extension that extended the coverage of the Oil Pressure Switch from 5 years/60,000 miles to 15 years/150,000 miles on MY 2014-2018 Sorento, MY 2014-2016 Cadenza, and MY 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles, all equipped with the 3.3L Lambda engine. The extended warranty coverage includes diagnosis, repair, and applies to customers experiencing engine oil leaking from the engine or if the engine oil pressure warning light stays illuminated after the engine is turned on.After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, testing performed by VRTC, technical information provided by Kia, the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that an engine failure due to the alleged defect is likely and does not warrant a formal investigation. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be publiRead more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Headlight Failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) based on seventy-four Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting headlight failures on model year (MY) 2011-2013 KIA Sorento vehicles.In its response to ODI's June 25, 2020, information request letter (portions of w... hich were submitted under request for confidentiality), Kia Motor America (Kia) provided design details of the headlight system showing that each headlight circuit is independently powered by the Smart Junction Box (SJB), a power control module. Kia claimed that the design minimizes the chance of both headlights failing simultaneously due to a headlight connector defect, a component located downstream of the SJB. Kia also advised that the SJB contains a safety feature designed to monitor power consumption for each headlight circuit; if excessive current is being demanded by either headlight the SJB will open the circuit (i.e., stop supplying current). Lastly Kia presented testing showing that the maximum headlight connector temperature achieved prior to the SJB opening the circuit was below the autoignition temperature of the plastic material the connector housing is made of, which Kia maintains eliminates the potential for a fire originating from an electrically overheated headlight connector. In its review of all available data, ODI determined that the majority of both VOQ and Kia customer complaints (1,339 reports in total) involved the loss or dimming of a single low beam headlight assembly caused primarily by a poor or overheated connector terminal located at the headlight. In some cases the failures were momentary in nature (i.e., flickering) with the headlights coming back on without driver intervention. A minority of VOQs and Kia complaints (the 196 Other reports) alleged simultaneous (and persistent) loss of both low beam headlights, and in most cases the driver was able to take an action (e.g., toggle the headlight switch, or use the ON rather than the AUTO setting on the headlight switch) to reinstate the low beam headlights. The high beam headlights were not seen to be affected and were available for drivers to use as alternate lighting.ODI did not identify any crashes or injuries, nor any fire incidents caused by a headlight related defect. While some VOQ and Kia reports alleged or indicated a fire occurrence, the incidents were found to involve melting or smells/odors due to thermal overheating of the plastic headlight connector housing, rather than an open flame fire.ODI notes that in April 2019, Kia initiated a 10 years/unlimited mileage warranty extension program to replace the headlight connector for MY 2011-2013 Sorento vehicles.Based on this analysis, a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time, and ODI is closing the investigation. This does not constitute a finding by the Agency that a safety-related defect is not present; the Agency will take further action if warranted by additional information received.The reference (ODI) numbers for the VOQs cited above are included in the downloadable version of this closing resume available at NHTSA.gov.Read more

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Panoramic Glass Sunroof Breakage

The investigation focused on spontaneous breakage (fracture) of the panoramic sunroof (sunroof) on MY 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles. The sunroof is constructed of tempered glass (often referred to as ?safety glass?), which, when broken, crumbles into granular chunks rather than splintering into jag... ged shards. The failure summary above shows NHTSA reports identified by the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), and reports submitted by Kia from start of production of the subject MY 2011-2013 Kia Sorento through October 8, 2019, the date of ODI's last request for Kia data.Reports of sunroof failures typically occurred while the vehicle was in motion and often described a loud noise when the fracture occurred. If the sunshade is closed when the sunroof fractures, the particles are contained, otherwise the particles can drop into the passenger compartment.Reported injuries generally were minor in nature, such as nicks and cuts that often occurred when complainants were cleaning-up glass particles post-incident. No crash incidents have been identified, and complaints display a declining trend since 2014.During EA14-002, ODI requested and obtained failure data for the subject vehicles, the MY 2014 Sorento (which used a similar sunroof from a different supplier), and other peer Kia products (Optima and Sportage).ODI also requested and obtained failure data for peer vehicles produced by Hyundai, Ford, Nissan, and Volkswagen and failure reports through a General Order NHTSA issued to 13 OEMs (including Kia) in April 2016.This produced a significant volume of data upon which ODI bases this closing. NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) also conducted testing on the subject sunroofs in an attempt to better understand potential hazards.In its responses to ODI, Kia states it has continuously monitored sunroof failure allegations throughout this investigation, and that the only consistently identified cause is external impact from foreign objects. Kia notes that the sunroof complies with the applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for glazing, and that it has not identified a manufacturing defect or assembly process error despite significant investigative efforts. Kia maintains that the field data supports its conclusion that an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety does not exist, citing a comparatively moderate failure rate, low injury risk posed by tempered glass, and the lack of an identified defect mechanism. Kia further notes it has received no reports of crashes due to driver distraction related to roof failure events, nor is NHTSA aware of any such reports.NHTSA's April 2016 General Order requested data on vehicles with panoramic glass sunroofs greater than 0.5 square meters in area. The response identified 97 distinct models produced over 11 model years totaling some 10 million vehicles. Over 4,000 sunroof fractures were reported (none of which alleged a crash due to driver distraction) forming a high to low frequency continuum by model.While the subject vehicles were at the high end of the spectrum, they were not the highest.Through its analysis of the information obtained to date, ODI has not identified sufficient evidence of a safety-related defect in the subject sunroof. This includes the absence of any suggestive trends by region, seasonality, date of production, or vehicle age, together with the minor nature of the alleged injuries and the lack of crash allegations in the subject or any of the peer vehicles. Accordingly, the investigation is closed. ODI will take further actions if warranted by new evidence. The reference numbers for the ODI failure reports cited above, as well as additiRead more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Panoramic Sunroof Breakage

On October 21, 2013 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-035 in order to further examine claims that the sunroof would spontaneously break on 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles.The majority of these claims occurred while the vehicle was in motion.Glass shattering while driving may distr... act the driver, and the resulting glass particles which enter the passenger compartment may injure occupants.To date, ODI has received a total of 26 reports of sunroof breakage on the subject vehicles. Of those, 24 occurred while the vehicle was in motion.There were also four (4) injury incident reports for minor cuts/scratches. Kia submitted a total of 123 field incidents related to sunroof breakage in response to ODI's information request. Of this number, ODI identified 78 unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs), with 9 matching ODI complaint vehicles.Sixty of the submitted reports occurred while the vehicle was in motion.Fourteen (14) of the submitted reports alleged minor cuts/scratches from falling glass.Kia also submitted a total of 101 warranty and goodwill claims for sunroof replacement, of which 86 unique VINs were identified.Kia stated in its response that their field inspections identified only one potential cause for the sunroof breakage - external impacts from rocks or other foreign objects encountered while the vehicle was in motion.In the other instances, no evidence of a defect was found, however, Kia's inspection results were inconclusive as to a cause for the breakage.Kia advises that the Sorento sunroofs also have a greater surface area than many other vehicles, potentially making them more susceptible to road debris strikes.While ODI recognizes that the Sorento may be more at risk due to its larger impact area, the rate of ODI reported incidents is concerning.Thus, the investigation has been upgraded toan Engineering Analysis (EA14-002) to further analyze the scope, frequency, and consequence of these failures.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10345933, 10410440, 10432904, 10453957, 10466987, 10478778, 10492886, 10502219, 10508983, 10514388, 10531972, 10534883, 10553341, 10555931, 10556212, 10562460, 10562516, 10563779, 10564555, 10567351, 10568629, 10572959, 10575487, 10583122, 10583626, 10584650Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2003

Fuel Spill During Refueling

Complaints allege that while refueling the vehicle, fuel can spill out or spit back from the fuel filler port on model year (MY) 2003 Kia Sorento vehicles (subject vehicles).Consumers report that the spilled fuel can splash on the person fueling the vehicle, or on the side of the vehicle and the gro... Read more

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2007

Air Bag Occupant Classification System

The Sorento's front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is seated in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2007

AIR BAG OCS

KIA REPORTS THAT FOR VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO THE SOFTWARE UPDATE OF 11/27/2007, THE VEHICLES CAN IMPROPERLY CLASSIFY AN ADULT AS A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT AND THUS ILLUMINATE THE AIRBAG OFF WARNING LIGHT AND SUPPRESS THE FRONTAL PASSENGER AIRBAG.ON MAY 12, 2009, KIA LAUNCHED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETI... Read more

KIA SORENTO - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the KIA SORENTO across all model years (2003, 2026).

79 Total Recalls

14,060 Total Complaints

8 Investigations

576 Reported Crashes

486 Reported Fires

14 Reported Deaths

KIA SORENTO - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	2	8	View
2025	3	128	View
2024	2	57	View
2023 (current)	3	208
2022	6	290	View
2021	4	367	View
2020	1	191	View
2019	2	632	View
2018	3	340	View
2017	4	1,041	View
2016	8	1,635	View
2015	3	964	View
2014	6	1,379	View
2013	5	1,298	View
2012	5	1,208	View
2011	8	2,077	View
2010	2	3	View
2009	3	79	View
2008	3	319	View
2007	4	224	View
2006	1	382	View
2005	0	457	View
2004	0	341	View
2003	1	421	View

Other KIA Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
SPORTAGE	165	6,601	View
SEDONA	118	3,350	View
OPTIMA	100	10,128	View
TELLURIDE	70	2,186	View
SOUL	66	7,233	View
SOUL EV	62	50	View
SORENTO HYBRID	62	159	View
FORTE	56	3,494	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2023 KIA SORENTO

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2023 KIA SORENTO

Safety Technology

Technical Service Bulletins, 2023 KIA SORENTO

Most Affected Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations, KIA SORENTO

KIA SORENTO - All Years Overview

KIA SORENTO - Year by Year

Other KIA Models