Kia Sorento problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 1,446 owner complaints and 18 safety recalls for the Kia Sorento. That averages 33.7 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 0.83 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #4 of 14 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 52.5.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 17% of the 2018 and 2019 models (55 early complaints per model year versus 48).
The 2025 model year has the highest rate (75.0 complaints per year) and the 2021 model year the lowest (7.6). Model years 2019 and 2025 run at least 50% above this model's average of 33.7 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2021 and 2024 run at least 40% below this model's average of 33.7 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (36.8% of complaints), followed by Electrical (12.7%) and Unspecified or other (10.9%). Engine complaints are 1.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 101 complaints (7.0%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 72 injuries and 2 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 435 complaints versus 303 in the previous 12 months — up 44%. The 2025 model year generated the most recent reports (94). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 38 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 18 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2022 (6), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 3 NHTSA investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Dodge Durango, Nissan Pathfinder and Honda Passport, but fewer than Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander and Hyundai Santa Fe.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 255 | 29.0 | 0.72 | 38 | 3 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2019 ▲50%+ | 430 | 55.2 | 1.37 | 87 | 2 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2020 | 137 | 20.2 | 0.5 | 42 | 1 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2021 Fewest complaints | 44 | 7.6 | 0.19 | 23 | 5 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2022 | 226 | 47.2 | 1.17 | 57 | 8 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2023 | 162 | 42.8 | 1.06 | 61 | 4 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2024 | 50 | 17.9 | 0.44 | 25 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 ▲50%+ | 134 | 75.0 | 1.86 | 94 | 3 | Engine | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 8 | 8.0 | 0.2 | 8 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 435 · Previous 12 months: 303 Rising
Problem areas
Engine ›
532 · 36.8% · 1.65 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Electrical ›
183 · 12.7% · 0.8 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Unspecified or other ›
157 · 10.9% · 1.21 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Transmission / powertrain ›
150 · 10.4% · 0.89 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Body & structure ›
107 · 7.4% · 0.81 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Other
54 · 3.7% · 2.02 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering ›
47 · 3.3% · 0.51 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes ›
47 · 3.3% · 0.54 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Lighting ›
46 · 3.2% · 2.05 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system
39 · 2.7% · 0.62 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Driver-assist systems
37 · 2.6% · 0.45 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
35 · 2.4% · 0.64 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
12 · 0.8% · 0.33 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 38 months
What owners report
While driving on the freeway, I was getting over into the next lane. I was half way over and there was no one in front of, next to or behind me from any direction, I was traveling an open road.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH and exiting the freeway, the vehicle failed to accelerate and decelerated.
2022 Kia Sorento, VIN [XXX], subject to Recall 22V760 (Kia SC250, 8-speed DCT electric oil pump). The recall was performed with a software update only; the transmission and original pump were not replaced.
I am submitting this complaint to report two separate incidents involving a sudden and significant loss of acceleration in my vehicle while merging onto the freeway.
XXX - 9:35am EST: Lost acceleration power while driving on interstate, hybrid battery rapidly depleted forcing gas engine to engage at high RPMs in effort to maintain speed and charge hybrid battery.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodge Durango | 786 | 15.2 | 0.38 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 18 | Lighting |
| 2 | Nissan Pathfinder | 596 | 19.2 | 0.48 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 3 | Honda Passport | 759 | 24.8 | 0.61 | Improving | Rising | 17 | Electrical |
| 4 | Kia Sorento | 1,446 | 33.7 | 0.83 | Stable | Rising | 18 | Engine |
| 5 | Chevrolet Traverse | 1,738 | 42.0 | 1.04 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 14 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 6 | Ford Edge | 2,244 | 44.4 | 1.1 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 20 | Engine |
| 7 | Toyota Highlander | 2,162 | 45.8 | 1.13 | Improving | Rising | 21 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 8 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 2,092 | 58.4 | 1.45 | Worsening | Rising | 27 | Engine |
| 9 | Honda Pilot | 2,945 | 63.4 | 1.57 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 27 | Engine |
| 10 | Ford Explorer | 3,270 | 64.0 | 1.59 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 77 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 11 | Subaru Outback | 3,816 | 71.8 | 1.78 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Body & structure |
| 12 | Kia Telluride | 2,014 | 74.3 | 1.84 | Improving | Rising | 17 | Body & structure |
| 13 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 3,477 | 82.4 | 2.04 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 53 | Electrical |
| 14 | Hyundai Palisade | 2,471 | 105.3 | 2.61 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 16 | Airbags & seat belts |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 18
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (3) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (1) · 2021 (5) · 2022 (8) · 2023 (4) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (3) · 2026 (2)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
- Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture Closed
On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Recall Query (RQ) based on 3 incidents alleging front seat belt pretensioners that may rupture during deployment, on model year (MY) 2020-2022 of various Hyundai and Kia Models, resulting in 3 injuries (note: one incident occurred outside the U.S. and its territories).Between October 2021 and March 2023, Hyundai and Kia have …