2017 KIA SORENTO

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine internal

    25 stranded, 100 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    126
    incidents
    Typical range: 44,000–105,500 mi

    Median 67,000 mi, based on 54 reports (70% had no usable mileage)

    • "AFTER 650 MILES: MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY: ENGINE RATTLED. ENGINE DIED. WE COASTED TO THE SHOULDER. WE STOPPED. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. LOOKING UNDERNEATH, WE SAW THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. INITIALLY THE FIRE WAS UNDER…"~650 mi, complaint #1389580
    • "ENGINE LIGHT IS ON TRY TO DRIVE IT'S STOPPING AND IT'S A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE"~37,000 mi, complaint #1718957
    • "FOLLOW UP TO LAST TWO COMPLAINTS. MAR 16 KIA SERVICE CALLED TO SAY A PART IF ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED A CYLINDER. ORIGINAL PROBLEM BEGAN 2/7/2021"~59,000 mi, complaint #1734559
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, a clicking noise was heard coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it w…"~70,000 mi, complaint #1887233
    • "MY CAR DIED GOING 50MPH AND WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. I BOUGHT THE CAR A YEAR PRIOR INSPECTED AND HAD THE OIL CHANGED. I ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR A YEAR."~700,000 mi, complaint #1733839
  2. #2

    engine oil consumption

    4 stranded, 115 unsafe, 1 broken, 2 annoyance

    122
    incidents

    Mileage not reported in 83% of these reports - too few people reported an actual figure to show a reliable typical mileage.

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. The contact was adding oil after driving two hundred miles. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mec…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1997699
    • "MY 2017 KIA SORENTO HAS HAD REPEATED OIL LEAKS DUE TO MULTIPLE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH ASSEMBLY FAILURES. AT 27,000 MILES MY KIA EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK (IDENTIFIED BY ME DUE TO THE STRONG SMELL OF OIL BURNING COMING FROM THE A/C.) KIA REPLACED THE OI…"~62,000 mi, complaint #1730339
    • "ENGINE BURNS UP OIL VERY QUICKLY WAY BEFORE 3,000 MILES AND THERE ARE NO ALERTS THAT THE OIL IS LOW. STEERING GETS "STUCK" AT TIMES FOR BRIEF AMOUNTS OF TIME AND NEEDS TO BE READJUSTED IN THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS ON STRAIGHT HIGHWAYS AND IN CURVE. WINDSHIELD WIP…"~69,000 mi, complaint #1729340
    • "THIS CAR IS UNSAFE BECAUSE THE OIL JUST DISAPPEARS WITHOUT ANY OBVIOUS EXTERNAL LEAK AND DOES NOT UTILIZE THE OIL LIGHT TO INDICATE THE VEHICLE NEEDS OIL AS IT DOES WITH THE GAS LIGHT AND FLAT TIRE ALERTS . THIS CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO CATCH FIRE OR CAR TO RED…"~80,000 mi, complaint #1684218
    • "We bought our 2017 Kia Sorento new from the Kirby dealership in, CA. The first 100k miles we took it faithfully to the dealer for all suggested service. For years it has had oil leak, oil where it should not be in the engine, and serious oil consumption issues…"~115,867 mi, complaint #1891384
  3. #3

    lighting exterior

    1 stranded, 109 unsafe, 9 annoyance

    119
    incidents
    Typical range: 31,000–65,500 mi

    Median 38,000 mi, based on 46 reports (70% had no usable mileage)

    • "THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT SHINE FAR ENOUGH FOR SAFE STOPPING IN AN EMERGENCY. DEER RAN ON TO ROAD AND ALMOST HIT IT."~10,000 mi, complaint #1401071
    • "DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE CUT OFF ON THEIR OWN 5 TIMES. I HAVE TO TURN THE AUTO OF AND PUT IT ON MANUAL FOR THEM TO WORK."~30,000 mi, complaint #1534876
    • "MY 2017 KIA SORENTO HEADLIGHTS WHEN OPERATING IN AUTO MODE WILL UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING TURN OFF. I HAVE TO TURN THE SWITCH MANUALLY TO MAKE THEM COME BACK ON. THIS CREATES AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. IT HAS HAPPENED BOTH ON THE HIGHWAY / INTERSTATE…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1618155
    • "WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND ALSO WHEN STARTING CAR AT NIGHT. I LEAVE MY LIGHTS ON AUTO. LATELY MY LIGHTS HAVE BEEN TURNING OFF, WHILE DRIVING ON BACK ROADS AND ON INTERSTATE. I HAVE TO TRN LIGHT SWITCH TO OFF THEN TURN TO ON."~64,000 mi, complaint #1719167
    • "The vehicle turns the headlights on while the engine is off, parked, and no occupants in the car and no keys in the ignition. I have experienced this multiple times. There are many other reports of this on the Internet as well. The multi switch was in the A…"~102,275 mi, complaint #1901406
  4. #4

    engine stall or no start

    32 stranded, 46 unsafe

    78
    incidents
    Typical range: 18,500–91,000 mi

    Median 49,500 mi, based on 66 reports (53% had no usable mileage)

    • "ENGINE JUST LOST ALMOST ALL POWER,CAR HAS ONLY 5000 MILES, HAD SAME PROBLEM WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT NEW CAR AFTER 24 HRS TOOK IT BACK AND THEY GAVE US THIS ONE ,SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT IF NOT KILLED WITH ENGINE LOSING POWER,CAR IS IN KIA SHOP NOW ,…"~5,200 mi, complaint #1531928
    • "LOST POWER,UNABLE TO ACCELERATE.ENGINE LABORED FORCED TO DRIVE AT SLOW SPEED TO DEALER SHOP.CAR AT DEALERS SHOP FOR 7 DAYS.UNABLE TO GET A PICK UP DATE.CAR HAS 16500 MILES WAS IN SHOP FOR FACTORY RECALL PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM."~16,500 mi, complaint #1532661
    • "WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROX. 70MPH THE SORENTO LOST ALL ENGINE POWER AND SHUT DOWN. NO CHECK ENGINE OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. PRIOR TO THE SHUTDOWN THERE WAS NO PERFORMANCE ISSUE WITH THE SORENTO, OR ANY INDICATION THERE WAS AN ENGINE PR…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1706090
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle began to stall. The contact stated that the low oil warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The…"~60,411 mi, complaint #1856924
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the engine started shaking uncontrollably and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and restart the vehicle. After restarting the vehicl…"~102,000 mi, complaint #1940361
  5. #5

    steering electric assist

    70 unsafe

    70
    incidents
    Typical range: 21,000–60,000 mi

    Median 32,500 mi, based on 32 reports (61% had no usable mileage)

    • "2017 SORENTO LX FWD AUTO - STEERING STICKS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN YOU APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IT THEN RELEASES CAUSING DRIVER TO OVER CORRECT. THE ISSUE IS THEN REPEATED OVER AND OVER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE STRAIGHT."~12,000 mi, complaint #1522425
    • "INTERMITTENT STEERING PROBLEM EXPERIENCED DURING BOTH HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING. WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, THE CAR'S STEERING WILL STICK IN THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL RIGHT OR LEFT CAUSING CONSTANT OVER STEER ADJUSTM…"~20,486 mi, complaint #1636021
    • "WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING LOCKS AND YOU CAN'T MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO STAY IN YOUR LANE OF TRAVEL WITHOUT HAVING TO APPLY HEAVY PRESSURE TO BREAK IT FREE. THIS CAUSES YOU TO OVER CORRECT. BROUGHT IT IN TO KIA IN JANUARY AFTER A COMPLETELY MIS…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1537494
    • "STEERING BECOMES NOTCHY WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND AROUND TOWN. PROBLEM IS OCCASIONAL, MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, BUT IS VERY DISTRESSING WHEN IT HAPPENS. THE CAR STARTS TO WANDER TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AND WHEN I TRY TO SMOOTHLY CORRECT, THE STE…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1658486
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering assist and seized without warning. The contact was able to safely guide the vehicle off the roadway. The contact had the vehicle towed t…"~110,000 mi, complaint #1798678
  6. #6

    other

    7 unsafe, 6 annoyance

    13
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "MY VIN IS COMING UP AS INVALID WHEN I SEARCH FOR RECALLS. [XXX] IS WHAT IS ON MY REGISTRATION AND ON THE DASH. ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE DASH VIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR"~18,000 mi, complaint #1421530
    • "DRIVING AT ABOUT 75 MILES PER HOUR AND SUDDENLY THE HOOD POP OPEN FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP ON TIME AND PREVENT SOMETHING MAJOR HAVE TO NOTE THAT THERE WAS NO TOO MUCH TRAFFIC."~48,100 mi, complaint #1735691
    • "WE DROVE HOME FROM A WEEKEND OUT OF TOWN. THE TRIP TOOK 5 HOURS. WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME I LET THE DOGS OUT OF THE CAR, GRABBED TWO SUIT CASES AND BROUGHT THEM INTO THE HOUSE. WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE TO FINISH UNPACKING THE CAR (5 MINUTES LATER) THE CAR WAS COMPLETEL…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1584729
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SORENTO WITH A TRAILER IN TOW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE TRAILER REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA FORT WALTON BEACH (LOCATED AT 343 MIRACLE STRIP PARKWAY, FORT WALTON BEACH, F…"~68,100 mi, complaint #1505902
  7. #7

    wiring harness

    1 stranded, 9 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 72,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THE CAR WILL BE OFF AND LOCKED AND ALL THE LIGHTS WILL PERIODICALLY COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 15TIMES IN THE 2YRS WE HAVE OWNED IT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED. WE WERE TOLD THE KIA'S ON THE LOT DO THE SAME THING AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHY????"~500 mi, complaint #1524642
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from underneath the driver's side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had…"~68,700 mi, complaint #1905953
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at night at an undisclosed speed, the lights on the instrument panel and the headlights became inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned…"~70,000 mi, complaint #1911555
    • "POWER STEERING WENT OUT. RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF GOING DOWN THE ROAD. HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF AND ON BY THEMSELF. BATTERY IS NOW DEAD. CAR WILL NOT RUN. TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON ALL IN ONE DAY..I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 TO 5 MONTHS"~72,000 mi, complaint #1720228
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed that the exterior of the driver's side mirror housing had melted. The…"~97,000 mi, complaint #1804593
  8. #8

    airbag system

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A CITY STREET AND STRUCK HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE IS SHOWN BELOW IN THE UPLOADED IMAGE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY."~65,000 mi, complaint #1593383
    • "THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS STAYING ON SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER. THE DIAGNOSED IT AS THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE. IT WILL COST ME ALMOST $800 TO REPAIR. SHOULD THIS BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUE AND BE REPLACED AT NO COST? IF I DON'T REPAIR IT, IT COUL…"~114,320 mi, complaint #1660085
    • "The airbag light stays on and the Tunersville NJ dealership charged me $169 for a diagnostic of the problem. The error code was a B1448 OC sensor MAT defect and they need to replace the cushion because the Occupant Detection System (ODS) Sensor Pad is located…"~162,577 mi, complaint #1973261
    • "The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving into an intersection at a speed of approximately 10 MPH a second vehicle crashed into the front end of the vehicle. During the crash, the front was severely damaged and the vehicle was…"~165,000 mi, complaint #1912529
  9. #9

    paint and clearcoat

    3 unsafe, 7 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The paint off of my Kia Sorento is starting to peel off. I have seen videos where this flies off while driving in large and smaller pieces that can obstruct the drivers view or distract them while driving. If it were raining, it could damage the windshield…"complaint #1749848
    • "The paint on the hood of this vehicle rapidly flew off the hood while traveling on I95 creating a significant safety hazard in a moving vehicle. "complaint #1914098
    • "The vehicle is in immacutlate condition and when I went to wash it yesterday I noticed what appear to be a spot. When I sprayed with water the paint peeled off and I noted that it is dowing this on other spots on the bumper. I take excellent care of this car a…"complaint #1952595
    • "This is a 2017 vehicle, and the paint is peeling off of various areas of the vehicle. "complaint #1991374
    • "I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a significant issue with the paint on my 2017 Kia Sorento. The vehicle, which is painted in Snow White Pearl, has been experiencing rapid and extensive paint peeling, a condition referred to by body shops as…"complaint #2009206
  10. #10

    sunroof

    9 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=12, median 30,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY IMPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT ON SORENTOS AND HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS OTHERS. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 MONTHS OLD."~5,000 mi, complaint #1319499
    • "OUR SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON US I-5 JUST NORTH OF EVERETT, WA. THE GLASS BLEW UPWARD OUT OF THE CAR & GLASS SHARDS FLEW ON US AND OUR DOG. WE CLOSED THE FABRIC ROOF COVER SO THE GLASS WOULDN'T FALL ON US. KIA TACOMA SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WA…"~13,600 mi, complaint #1423303
    • "WHILE DRIVING(60MPH) ON I10 WEST BOUND IN NEW ORLEANS, LA AT AROUND 7:45PM ON APRIL 18TH, 2018 THE SUNROOF OF MY 2017 KIA SORENTO EXPLODED. IT WAS A CLEAR EVENING AND ONLY A FEW CARS AROUND ME ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE…"~16,820 mi, complaint #1462883
    • "MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO IMPACT; I SAW NOTHING, WITNESSES BEHIND ME SAY NOTHING HIT ME, I WASN'T UNDER AN OVERPASS, I WASN'T FOLLOWING ANYONE CLOSELY. DRIVING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 75MPH."~44,000 mi, complaint #1639172
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was started and running, the air conditioner failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat was moldy, and the sunroof had seized. Additionally, the…"~61,000 mi, complaint #2135980
  11. #11

    adas collision warning

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 1,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP MANUALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONE…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1349249
    • "ASSIST EMERGENCY BRAKING/FORWARD COLLISION SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK TO IDENTIFY, WARN OF POTENTIAL IMPACT, AND DOES NOT APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKING FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN AT ANY SPEED AS DESCRIBED IN 2017 KIA SORENTO MANUAL. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT DISPLAY ANY…"~1,500 mi, complaint #1436037
    • "ON MAY 9, 2018 I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE WHEN FOR NO REASON AT ALL THE AEB SYSTEM ALARM SOUNDED AND LOCKED UP ALL 4 WHEELS. THE ROADS WERE WET AND IT WAS RAINING LIGHTLY. I WAS TRAVELING APROX 40MPH AND WAS NOT BRAKING AT THE TIME. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I COULD NO…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1475274
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the message "Assist Emergency Braking Disabled - Radar Blockage" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no failure was found. On one occasion while driving 65…"~65,000 mi, complaint #1917244
  12. #12

    fuel pump

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for a scheduled oil change, the contact was informed that the fuel pump was leaking on top of the fuel tank, and the fuel tank was leaking from the bo…"~38,000 mi, complaint #2151883
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal gasoline odor permeating through the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mecha…"~85,000 mi, complaint #2019037
  13. #13

    glass and windshield

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was a loud booming sound coming from the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, it was discovered that the front panel glass sunroof had shattered i…"~41,000 mi, complaint #2153386
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED. THE GLASS COVER WAS SHATTERED, BUT DID NOT COMPLETELY C…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1530496
    • "I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, SUNNY DAY TODAY. I HAD MY 6 MONTH OLD BABY IN HIS CAR SEAT, WHEN I HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION. AT FIRST I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I LOOKED UP AND THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. IT SOUNDED LIKE WHEN GLASS IS PUT INTO A FIRE THEN EXPLOD…"~61,000 mi, complaint #1506142
  14. #14

    transmission automatic

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE AND AUTONOMOUS FUNCTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE REGAINED…"~3,532 mi, complaint #1500236
    • "WHILE DRIVING MY KIA SORENTO AROUND THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD REV UP THEN DROP OFF THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROB…"~31,000 mi, complaint #1544290
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the gear shifter was stuck in park(P). The contact stated that once the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter remained stuck in park(P). The contact manually depressed the button under the gear shifte…"~94,000 mi, complaint #2076495
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle was shifting extremely roughly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed…"~141,128 mi, complaint #2148701
  15. #15

    engine head gasket

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Sudden Engine Failure: My car died in the middle of a highway on-ramp lane, so I had to call 911 to ask a police officer to come help. Our car came to a complete stop with no warning signs prior. My car was driving totally fine up until that point and then su…"complaint #1895165
    • "Car began to overheat. Took into mechanic. Diagnosed as a blown head gasket with head bolts that had stripped out. "complaint #1912928
    • "Due to the engine block and heads being aluminum, the head bolt threads are stripping and pulling out of the block and creating a loose seal around the head gaskets. This does not allow the engine to cool properly resulting in overheating and damage to the eng…"complaint #1944592
    • "Smell of oil burning on exhaust manifold. Inspected by dealer service and found oil leaks at head gasket at rear cylinder bank. Dealer service instructed me not to drive vehicle any further and provided a loaner vehicle. Continued driving with oil leak could…"complaint #1981735
    • "Vehicle over heated on vacation trip. Had mechanic check out vehicle to get it moving again. They removed the thermostat in hopes of a stuck thermostat. Once we arrived at our vacation house I set up appointment with KIA dealership to have them make repairs. I…"complaint #2024846
  16. #16

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    4 unsafe, 1 broken, 2 annoyance

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "LR SEAT BELT BAYONET FAILED TO RETURN TO FLAT, WHEN PASSENGER ENTERED CAR, DURING TURNING AND TWISTING GETTING IN, HEAD STRUCK BAYONET CAUSING CONCUSSION."~1,500 mi, complaint #1417244
  17. #17

    fuel tank and lines

    1 stranded, 5 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2017 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS MASSIVE FUEL LEAK ENGINE FIRE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE LEAKED TWO GALLONS OF FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE COVER. THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED ALONG WITH SOME PERSONAL ITEMS. *JS"complaint #1697565
    • "Check engine light came on. 65,000 miles with documented regular maintenance. Took to dealership where i purchased the vehicle new. Engine code (P0172). Was told gas was getting into the oil and i would need a new high pressure fuel pump. This is a common issu…"complaint #1923881
    • "Strong smell of gas while driving and under the hood of car with no visible leaks. "complaint #2098692
    • "For several months, there has been a noticeable smell of gas fumes coming from my 2017 Kia Sorrento EX. Recently, smell has been getting much stronger and cause for concern. I have discovered a visible gas leak dripping from the gas tank area. This could likel…"complaint #2107422
    • "On 3-21-26 I noticed the smell of gasoline after driving the vehicle. Upon inspection a noticeable fuel leak from the top of the fuel tank was evident from underneath the vehicle. Further inspection found fuel leakage at the fuel pump outlet line. After online…"complaint #2190095
  18. #18

    alignment and pull

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "PURCHASED NEW IN 2018, THE 2017 SORENTO AWD VEHICLES STEERING FROM THE SHOWROOM FLOOR WAS FINE. AFTER ROUGHLY 1000 MILES, THE STEERING HANGS AS I'M DRIVING INTO A 12:00 POSITION. AS SPEEDS INCREASE ON HIGHWAY, THE LEVEL OF EFFORT TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL PAS…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1543462
    • "STEERING DRIFTS AND VERY DIFFICULT TO CORRECT HAPPENS IN CITY DRIVING AND HIGHWAY. CONSTANTLY HAVE TO CORRECT STEERING"~2,000 mi, complaint #1522253
    • "AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 25MPH TO 70MPH I MUST CONTINUALLY ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. THE CAR WILL DRIFT TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT AND FEELS "STICKY" TO TRY TO BRING BACK TO STRAIGHT. STEERING BECOMES UNSTUCK AND THERE IS AN OVER-CORRECTION A…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1522947
    • "A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE 2017 KIA SORENTO WE BEGAN NOTICING STEERING ISSUES. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT APPEARS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE CAR WARMS UP. YOU MUST CONSTANTLY ADJUST THE STEERING TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. THE CAR WILL DRIFT TO THE LEFT AND…"~11,432 mi, complaint #1455770
    • "STEERING WHEEL FEELS VERY LOOSE. IT GIVES YOU THE SENSATION THAT THE CAR IS MEANDERING BUT IT IS NOT. YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS RESPONSIVE. ALSO, IT FEELS LIKE IT IS STICKING WHICH CAUSES AN OVER CORRECTION AND YOU…"~14,000 mi, complaint #1547721
  19. #19

    control module

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "TAKATA RECALL THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR SHOWS AS "OPEN" ON THE DASH SCREEN EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF. THE DOOR IS CLOSED AND SHOWS AS OPEN WHEN DRIVING ELIMINATING IMPERATIVE ON-SCREEN NOTIFICATIONS."complaint #1477868
    • "Kia Sorento are being stolen like crazy. I took my Sorento to Russ Darrow Wauwatosa to get the anti-theft software updated. When I got there, the supervisor told me that 80% of cars on which the update was applied ended up having the steering wheel have all bu…"complaint #1891364
    • "BOTH rear speed sensors have gone bad. One under warranty, one outside. This disables safety speed systems and speed control. "complaint #1912082
    • "Shifter isn't releasing from park. They state the Body Control Module (BCM) I been reading on this and it goes out with higher mileage Kia Sorento SUV. This is a safety hazard."complaint #2046474
    • "Following an engine replacement performed at Billion Auto Kia in Rapid City, SD, I began experiencing persistent electrical system failures in my 2017 Kia Sorento. The vehicle alarm would activate randomly without cause, including while I was inside the vehicl…"complaint #2217284
  20. #20

    steering column

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "I PURCHASED I USED 2017 KIA SORENTO FWD IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019. THE VEHICLE IS GREAT EXCEPT THE MORE I DROVE IT, THE MORE I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS VERY SENSITIVE. IT HAS A STICK JUST AT THE TOP AS WELL. I FEEL THAT THIS CAN CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN…"~44,000 mi, complaint #1660750
  21. #21

    trunk or liftgate

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "AUTOMATIC REAR LIFTGATE CLOSED ON MY HAND AND DID NOT RELEASE. SENSORS DID NOT ACTIVATE. CAR WAS PARKED ON A DESERTED RESIDENTIAL STREET, ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING.I COULD NOT REACH HATCH TO OPEN THE DOOR. FORTUNATELY, I HAD SOMEONE WITH ME. I HAD TO SEEK MEDIC…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1734311
    • "VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. REAR LIFT GATE WAS ACTIVATED BY OWNER WITH KEY FOB. GRANDCHILD RAN UNDER THE LIFT GATE. OWNER PULLED CHILD FROM REAR LIFT. GATE BRUSHED CHILD'S BACK AND CONTINUED TO CLOSE . OWNER THEN PLACED SEVERAL INAMINATE OBJE…"~43,843 mi, complaint #1716664
  22. #22

    abs module

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The speed sensor that works with traction control /stability and abs has malfunctioned twice and has had to be replaced and 2 seperate occasions. The first time was when it only had 22,000 miles on it so that leads me to believe it is a malfunctioning part. O…"complaint #2009268
    • "while traveling about 30 miles per hour a car in front stopped. When I applied the brakes the abs locked up and caused my car to skid in to car in front. I had plenty of room to stop but as the policy report shows there was kid marks and car did not stop ."complaint #2100511
    • "ABS Module. could catch on fire at any time It has been confirmed with the dealership And Another auto Independent service shop. It has been inspected by Kia sunset dealership In an automotive independent service shop. that Found brake fluid in the harness…"complaint #2146720
    • "I own a 2017 Kia Sorento SX 3.3L V6 FWD with 68,000 miles and full documented service history. The HECU (Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit) failed, disabling the ABS and electronic stability control system. This is a known defect covered under Kia's settlement…"complaint #2187615
  23. #23

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING IN CONGESTED STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC AND/OR WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT'S AS IF THE CAR DOES NOT GET ANY GAS, AND THEN IT LUNGES FORWARD. WE WERE ON A FOUR-WEEK CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP AND FELT VERY UNSAFE. FOUR DEALE…"~4,000 mi, complaint #1419344
    • "THE VEHICLE DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT 60 MPH. THE ENGINE RPM'S DROPPPED FROM 4,000 TO 1,000 AND THE ACCELERATOR AND TRANSMISSION WAS NOT RESPONDING. THE VEHICLE TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO BE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE DEALER COULD…"~4,750 mi, complaint #1455477
    • "VEHICLES RANDOMLY DOES NOT WANT ACCELERATE. SEEM MOST OFTEN ON TURNS IN TO ON COMING TRAFFIC BUT NOT ALWAYS. SOME TIME'S IT IT WILL DO IT JUST GOING FORWARD. I HAVE ALMOST BE CREAMED TWICE BECAUSE OF THIS. TOOK IT TO DEALER. THE SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHI…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1459623
    • "CAR HAS HAD HESITATION SINCE BOUGHT NEW IN 2017. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS TO DEALER. PDF'S WILL BE ATTACHED OF RO'S. STILL DOES IT. CAR DOES IT WHEN ROLLING SLOW OR PULLING AWAY FROM STOP LIGHT. WILL NOT DO IT IN SPORT MODE."~22,000 mi, complaint #1677492
  24. #24

    cruise control conventional

    3 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "CRUSE CONTROL SET AT 70 AND WHILE DESCENDING WILL DROP TO 3500RPM AND THEN SUDDENTLY DROP 5000RPM. TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE OR PROBLEM"~1,500 mi, complaint #1387881
    • "AFTER USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR APPROX. 4 HOURS, THE COMPUTER IN OUR CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL ON ITS OWN AND THE PARKING BREAK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON OUR DASH PANEL. BRAKE HOWEVER WAS NOT ENGAGED. ANOTHER AMBER COLORED WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINA…"~42,600 mi, complaint #1487387
  25. #25

    door latch and hinge

    3 unsafe, 1 broken

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND RUNNING, ON SLOPED DRIVEWAY. MY WIFE, WHO HAD EXITED THE CAR, RETURNED TO TURN THE CAR OFF. SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. THE CAR THEN BEGAN ROLLING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE CAR DOOR WAS STILL OPEN AND MY WIFE ENDED UP RU…"~19,100 mi, complaint #1435203
    • "THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE LOCK WAS TRIGGERED SOMEHOW ONLY THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR. I COULD NOT UNLOCK OR CLOSE THE DOOR. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE AFTER HE GOT IN."~20,000 mi, complaint #1577472
    • "THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK DOOR HANDLE JUST FELL OFF."~67,000 mi, complaint #1705330
  26. #26

    parking brake

    2 stranded, 2 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "PROBLEM: WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN VERY SLOW STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED. I WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE BY PRESSING THE BUTTON. TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. C…"~5,500 mi, complaint #1327398
    • "THERE WERE A HANDFUL OCCASIONS WHERE THE EPB LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD LOCK UP, WHICH RESULTED IN ME NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE. THE FIRST TIME, I GAVE UP TRYING TO GET IT TO MOVE. LATER, MY HUSBAND TRIED, AND IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. WE RES…"~63,000 mi, complaint #1666032
  27. #27

    battery and charging

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACE THE BATTERY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PE…"~39,744 mi, complaint #1722523
  28. #28

    engine cooling

    1 stranded, 2 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES, ENGINE BEGINS TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE IS FINE WHILE DRIVING BUT WHEN WAITING AT STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT ENGINE BEGINS TO OVERHEAT RAPIDLY. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING UPHILL SAME ENGINE HEATING PROBLEM OCCURS. AFTER ENGINE STA…"~45,000 mi, complaint #1561813
  29. #29

    hv system fault reduced power

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "THE FLASHING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON MY 2017 KIA SORENTO, THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE, AND WOULD NOT DRIVE OVER 20 MPH. I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO CROSS TWO HIGHWAY LANES AT 20 MPH TRYING TO PULL OVER TO TH…"~35,600 mi, complaint #1738461
    • "I WAS DRIVING MY CAR GOING 50MPH OR 60MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN WHILE I HAD MY FEET ON THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY WHEN IN TRAFFIC. I CUT THE CAR O…"~64,000 mi, complaint #1522088
  30. #30

    power windows and locks

    1 unsafe, 2 broken

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Rear left passenger window drum defective. Window has been used maybe 20 times in 5 years. Window will not raise or lower and fails to stay closed. Appears to be window Drum Pulley. From internet chatter, this is happening often. This vehicle has low mileage w…"complaint #1805570
    • "Window regulator cables are failing. Talked to Auto glass repair shop he has had numerous KIA Sorento's in for failed regulator, he had one just in with only 1 window that worked. There is no stock available & as of right now they cannot even give an estimat…"complaint #1831722
    • "On October 26, 2025, Sunday, I was cleaning my windows. I discovered both rear windows would not roll up or down. I took it to Valley KIA on October 27, and it was diagnosed that I needed to replace both rear windows with new window regulator. It will be in…"complaint #2143951
  31. #31

    unintended acceleration

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while his wife was approaching at slow speeding into a carport when she depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into the back wall of the carport. The contact state…"~15,322 mi, complaint #1762949
    • "VEHICLE WAS SLOWED TO A STOP FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THE VEHICLE THEN LUNGED FORWARD IN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION REQUIRING MAXIMUM BREAK PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WAS ACCELERATING SO THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF. WAITED 30 SE…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1504759
    • "OUR 2017 KIA SORENTO V6 WITH MILEAGE OF 54,882, UNDERWENT A MULTI-POINT INSPECTION ON MON., 10/08/2018 AT LUTHER KIA OF BLOOMINGTON AND WAS TECH DRIVEN FOR 2 WKS IN AN EFFORT TO DUPLICATE THE UNINTENDED, UNEXPECTED AND UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION OF MY VEHICL…"~56,574 mi, complaint #1515423
  32. #32

    adas lane keeping

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "THIS PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO NHTSA ID NUMBER 10917569. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE SMART CRUISE CONTROL/ABS/STABILITY CONTROL WARNING: BASICALLY ALL WARNING LIGHTS LIT ON THE DASHBOARD. CAR HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES, DOING 65MPH ON A CLEAR DAY. STOPPED AND…"~500 mi, complaint #1352105
    • "SIDE LANE WARNING SYSTEM DETECTS A VEHICLE WHEN THERE IS NO VEHICLE THERE. APPLE CARPLAY SYSTEM CAUSES AN EXTREME ECHO ON REMOTE PHONE, THEREFORE HANDS FREE CAR PHONE IS NOT POSSIBLE. IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE PHONE FROM THE USB CORD AND CA…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1394792
  33. #33

    brake booster

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "1.) DRIVING VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NOTICED PARKING BRAKE LIGHT ON (HAD NOT EXPLICITLY ENGAGED BRAKE). TRIED TO DISENGAGE PARKING BRAKE, AND THE LIGHT STAYED ON. PULLED OVER, PUT CAR IN PARK. TRIED TO DISENGAGE AGAIN, STILL WOULD NOT. TURNED CAR OFF, ON AGAI…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1346955
  34. #34

    catalytic converter

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine and the check oil warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over and stopped the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1921254
  35. #35

    differential

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The [REDACTED ADDRESS] coupling assembly is leaking oil covering the rear differential actuator motor. Kia TSB #086 November 2019 spells out the situation. "complaint #1836214
    • "Rear Differential Coupling Assembly leak, to where it needs to be replaced. Loud noises coming from the back of the vehicle, especially during braking. Brakes still have 5 and 7 mm remaining."complaint #1847397
  36. #36

    engine mounts

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "In July 2019 as I was driving, the engine splash shield became loose on the drivers side of my vehicle and started dragging along the road. When I took my car to the dealer I was told that it wasn't covered under the warranty and that I must have driven over s…"complaint #1749991
    • "On 10/03/2021 I was driving on the freeway, when I heard a pop then a thumping sound. After pulling over, we discovered that the engine splash guard had come undone (again!!!) There were no indicators in the vehicle that this was about to happen. There was…"complaint #1771845
  37. #37

    engine turbo supercharger

    1 unsafe, 1 broken

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "AFTER COMPLAINT # 1399932, KIA SERVICE CALLED ME MARCH 5TH TO SAY THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED."~59,000 mi, complaint #1734558
  38. #38

    fuel injector

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Lost power on the freeway, flashing check engine light. Dealership said my fuel injectors failed causing my engine to fail. At 133k miles the car needs its second new motor. It is currently at Phil Long Kia in Colorado Springs waiting a voluntary repossession…"complaint #1960024
    • "Fuel injectors become unseated randomly causing gas to be sprayed inside engine compartment. Issue can be seen upon request. This issue could cause a fire/explosion as fuel sprays out. The issue was repaired once by an Independent shop, then the issue reocc…"complaint #2231298
  39. #39

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "As you are aware this of the "Kia" Challenge running rampant in the US. I am one of these owners of these vehicles. I recently was made aware that my neighbor had a car identical to mine and his was stolen out of his driveway last Sunday morning. I contacted K…"complaint #1870150
    • "UNKNOWN 2017 KIA Sorento v6 XL July 29, 2023 @3am - Parking lights were found to be on. Upon checking, the vehicle was locked. The FOB was used to unlock the doors and I turned the light control switch from Auto to OFF. This turned off all lights and I locke…"complaint #1914155
  40. #40

    starter

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car lights come on when the car is not in use. Car sporadically does not start. New battery installed in February and car wont start in May. "complaint #1811297
    • "I live in VA, bought my Sorento in 2018. Every winter when the temps drop below freezing my car will intermittently not start. This issue only happens below freezing and it is not every time the temps drop below freezing. Once the sun comes up and the day w…"complaint #1963464
  41. #41

    steering rack mechanical

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was picking up my daughter from school. I drove there a considerable distance. I parked because I got there early. Once it was time to get my daughter I put my car in reverse and it made a loud clanking sound and the wheel became hard to maneuver. As soon…"complaint #1836742
    • "My 2017 Sorento has sticky/notchy steering. When trying to move the steering wheel, it initially sticks and requires extra force to get it to provide a steering input. Once it gets past the initial resistance, it jerks the car in the direction you are trying…"complaint #2230675
  42. #42

    throttle and pedal

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN ON TO A BUSY HIGHWAY, MY GAS PEDDLE STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC. MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO KIA AND HAD A WIRE REPLACED THAT CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER. A FEW DAYS LATER AS I WAS ON…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1435270
  43. #43

    transmission manual clutch

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "When pressing on the brake pedal, the transmission will not shift out of park. The only way to shift out of park is to depress the transmission shift override. A new brake light switch did not correct the issue. To date, the vehicle has not been repaired, insp…"complaint #1750009
    • "The inhibitor switch won’t let me take my car out of park"complaint #2053139
  44. #44

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE AC LEAKS ONTO THE FLOOR AFTER AN HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. I WOULD NOT NOTICE IF I DID NOT HAVE RUBBER FLOORMATS."~5,000 mi, complaint #1415642
  45. #45

    emissions aftertreatment

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I am writing to escalate an unresolved issue regarding a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign performed on my vehicle at Bulldog Kia on July 14, 2026. Shortly after leaving the dealership, my Check Engine Light illuminated. An independent mechanic scanned the…"complaint #2232928
  46. #46

    exhaust system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WHITE SMOKE IN EXHAUST AND LOUD GRIND WHEN COLD START. PAINT IS PEELING IN THE BACK"~40,000 mi, complaint #1729441
  47. #47

    horn

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The horn on my Kia became very faint causing a safety risk as it was so quiet, that it was no longer a viable safety tool. At 57,711 miles. On 5/13/21 I paid a local certified mechanic to replace the horn. (I was informed there were actually 2 horns). My vehic…"complaint #1780843
  48. #48

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning issue regarding the instrument panel of the 2016-2020 Kia Sorento. My car - 2017 Kia Sorento. In approx. 2021, I noticed a small 2 cm crack resembling a razor blade cut on my instrument panel (Part Number:…"complaint #2081682
  49. #49

    lighting interior

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "IN AUTO MODE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS TURN OFF WITHOUT WARNING."~47,000 mi, complaint #1686233
  50. #50

    noise or vibration unspecified

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I have complained since 2020 about the noise in the rear area, this started when the right rear light was rewired. I can't pinpoint what triggers the noise to start, sometimes it happens when the SUV is off ,and idling and driving but not consistently. I left…"complaint #1752160
  51. #51

    power steering hydraulic

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "I LOST POWER STEERING THREE TIMES. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WENT ON EACH TIME. ON TWO OF THE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER. IT WAS TOWED TO MODESTO KIA AND PASO ROBLES KIA, BOTH IN CALIFORNIA. IN MODESTO , 1/18, I WAS TOLD IT WAS A DI…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1643709
  52. #52

    seat mechanism

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTS PUSH THE HEAD WAY TOO FAR FORWARD AND ACTUALLY HURT MY NECK/SHOULDERS WHEN DRIVING. MANUAL SAYS SOME MODELS HAVE FORE-AFT ADJUSTABLE HEADREST. UNFORTUNATELY MINE DO NOT, AS I FOUND OUT WELL AFTER I PURCHASED THE SUV. DID SEE SAME ITEM…"~2,500 mi, complaint #1582203
  53. #53

    stability and traction control

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "ON 3/24/2019, OUR 2017 KIA SORRENTO WITH 30K MILES ON COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON THE FREEWAY. ALL LIGHTS WENT ON AND OFF, THE CAR SHOOK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN WE LOST STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHILE WE WERE GOING 70MPH ON THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY WE…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1552006
  54. #54

    timing belt or chain

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "1 WEEK AFTER PURCHASING MY 2017 KIA SORENTO FE AWD FROM ROCHESTER TOM KADLEC KIA IN AUGUST 2019, I WENT TO USE MY CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WOULDN'T SET. "CRUISE" CAME ON, BUT COULD NOT BE SET TO MY SPEED. ISSUE HAPPENED AROUND 1-2 TIMES A WEEK ON [REDACTED ADDRES…"~62,334 mi, complaint #1632013
  55. #55

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "MICHELIN PREMIER TIRES HAVE BEEN SHREDDING ON EACH TIRE, AT EVERY TREAD. TIRES ALSO MAKE HUMMING NOISE AND YOU CAN FEEL A ROUGHNESS IN THE RIDE. TIRES HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE CAR PURCHASE. DEALER CONTACTED MICHELIN BUT THEY SAID NO RECALL AND ONLY OFFERE…"complaint #1581675
  56. #56

    unknown

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "I WAS DRIVING MY 2017 KIA SORENTO ABOUT 30MPH EARLY TODAY GOING ABOUT 30MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK FROM THE REAR END AND THE ENGINE, ALL LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES JUST SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP PUT THE CA…"~33,000 mi, complaint #1511595

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for KIA SORENTO directly.