Owners have filed 53 complaints
about the 2024 KIA Sorento with NHTSA between 2024 and 2026.
The largest single group is the electrical system.
Across this model's run it ranks 16 of 22 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 4
Against the median year of the KIA Sorento. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
43.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
1,000 – 9,999 miles
133.3%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
133.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
133.3%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 2024peak 8Jun 2026
Recalls on the 2024 KIA Sorento
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
25V006000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: A loss of headlights and taillights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
24V287000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 Sorento vehicles. The motor driven power steering (MDPS) wiring harness may be incorrectly assembled, which can result in a loss of power steering assist.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20250117,404 units in Canada
Lights And Instruments
Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the headlamps and tail lamps to turn off. As a result, the vehicles don't meet certain requirements of Canadian regulations. Note: For the 2025 model year Sorento, this recall also affects hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. Safety Risk: Headlamps and tail lamps that don't work properly cause reduced visibility and make the vehicle less visible to others. Both issues could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the body domain control unit software.
Recall 2024549647,384 units in Canada
Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: These small errors do not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Kia has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Recall 202424025 units in Canada
Steering
Issue: On certain vehicles, the motor driven power steering (MDPS) wiring harness may have been routed incorrectly. As a result, the wiring could become damaged by contact with the steering shaft. If this happens, there could be a reduction or loss of power steering assist. Safety Risk: A loss of power steering assist can cause an increase in steering effort, especially at low speeds, and create the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, re-route the MDPS wiring harness. If damage is found, the wiring harness will be repaired or replaced as necessary.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Salisbury, NC1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Panoramic sunroof randomly exploded while driving down the highway. Nothing around us or above us to cause it. Myself, my [XXX] pregnant wife, and [XXX] daughter were in the car and had glass rain down on us after the very loud boom. We almost wrecked. The issue has not yet been inspected by the dealership but I understand this to not be uncommon. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11727717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, SCCrash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
NHTSA complaint #11712048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, SCCrash
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
NHTSA complaint #11712048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, SCCrash
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
NHTSA complaint #11712048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kinnelon, NJCrash
AIR BAGS
1. **Component or System Failure:** - The malfunction occurred in the **automatic braking system** while the vehicle was in **snow mode**. The brakes engaged and locked the wheels, resulting in a loss of traction. - This system is available for inspection upon request to assess the failure, where the car was towed to. 2. **Safety Risk:** - The automatic brakes locking the wheels put the driver at risk by causing the vehicle to slide uncontrollably. - The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the vehicle collided with a tree, indicating a significant safety concern. 3. **Reproduction of the Problem:** - It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but given the nature of the malfunction, it would be advisable to have it inspected by a professional to verify the problem. 4. **Inspection by Authorities:** -the vehicle was inspected by police and the towing coming stating the car was a total loss because of the damages . 5. **Warnings or Symptoms:** - There were no indications of a problem prior to the failure, such as warning lamps or messages. The incident occurred suddenly when the brakes engaged, leading to the vehicle losing traction and ultimately colliding with a tree. - The failure of the airbags to deploy on the passenger side is also a critical point that needs further investigation. ### Key Takeaways - The automatic braking system malfunctioned in snow mode, leading to a loss of traction and a collision. - Safety was jeopardized due to the vehicle's sliding and the failure of the airbags to deploy. - Further inspection by qualified professionals is necessary to confirm and address the issues.
NHTSA complaint #11711697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kinnelon, NJCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
1. **Component or System Failure:** - The malfunction occurred in the **automatic braking system** while the vehicle was in **snow mode**. The brakes engaged and locked the wheels, resulting in a loss of traction. - This system is available for inspection upon request to assess the failure, where the car was towed to. 2. **Safety Risk:** - The automatic brakes locking the wheels put the driver at risk by causing the vehicle to slide uncontrollably. - The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the vehicle collided with a tree, indicating a significant safety concern. 3. **Reproduction of the Problem:** - It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but given the nature of the malfunction, it would be advisable to have it inspected by a professional to verify the problem. 4. **Inspection by Authorities:** -the vehicle was inspected by police and the towing coming stating the car was a total loss because of the damages . 5. **Warnings or Symptoms:** - There were no indications of a problem prior to the failure, such as warning lamps or messages. The incident occurred suddenly when the brakes engaged, leading to the vehicle losing traction and ultimately colliding with a tree. - The failure of the airbags to deploy on the passenger side is also a critical point that needs further investigation. ### Key Takeaways - The automatic braking system malfunctioned in snow mode, leading to a loss of traction and a collision. - Safety was jeopardized due to the vehicle's sliding and the failure of the airbags to deploy. - Further inspection by qualified professionals is necessary to confirm and address the issues.
NHTSA complaint #11711697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 7,000 milesLittleton, CO
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal shaking in the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with improperly sized brake rotors. The rotors were resurfaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was subsequently returned to the dealer, and the rotors were replaced, but the failure continued. The contact stated that the wheels were affected by the rotor failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.
NHTSA complaint #11746301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chippewa Lake, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The horn isn’t making any noise at all. There were no warning lamps or messages, I didn’t know until I needed to use my horn.
NHTSA complaint #11743450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Camby, IN
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The vehicles windshield may not be sealed properly or have moisture that builds up between the pressed glass causing reduced visibility and higher risk for crash obstructing the view of both passenger and most importantly the driver.
NHTSA complaint #11740994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
STRUCTURE:BODY
A few weeks ago my sunroof began with out warning began to malfunction. It stopped closing all the way . When finally close I noticed the right rear side of the roof not closing all the way. I've noticed the bracket that holds up the glass roof to the track was broken. I took the car back to my car dealership, Gerald kia of Matteson. They told me that it was my fault because the tracks wasn't greased. Something that I wasn't at first purchased a car brand new. So they told me that consider an outside influence ira it would not be covered under a factory warranty. The reason I am filling this is because of hearing about some roofs , exploding , and this could be a situation similar to that.
NHTSA complaint #11734947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belle Vernon, PA
POWER TRAIN
At 7,100 miles the transmission failed requiring a new transmission replacement after one year. At 16,636 miles (2years into the lease) the new transmission also failed, and the car is in the garage getting another transmission replacement after.
NHTSA complaint #11733308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 23,417 milesAubrey, TX
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the radiator was leaking. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the dealer stated that a rock or road debris had caused the puncture in the radiator. The contact was advised by the dealer that it was a known failure and that there was no radiator debris shield to protect the radiator from damage. The contact was informed by the dealer that the repair was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the contact that repair was not covered. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 23,417.
NHTSA complaint #11729386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Salisbury, NC1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Panoramic sunroof randomly exploded while driving down the highway. Nothing around us or above us to cause it. Myself, my [XXX] pregnant wife, and [XXX] daughter were in the car and had glass rain down on us after the very loud boom. We almost wrecked. The issue has not yet been inspected by the dealership but I understand this to not be uncommon. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11727717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VAN, TX
SERVICE BRAKES
EBP light comes on dash while driving. Codes have been determined by dealership but refuse to fix unless light is active. To get light off - must stop vehicle and turn on and off EBP switch and light goes off. Switch or sensor not working causing the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11720380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VAN, TX
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
EBP light comes on dash while driving. Codes have been determined by dealership but refuse to fix unless light is active. To get light off - must stop vehicle and turn on and off EBP switch and light goes off. Switch or sensor not working causing the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11720380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, SCCrash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
NHTSA complaint #11712048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, SCCrash
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
NHTSA complaint #11712048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, SCCrash
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
NHTSA complaint #11712048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kinnelon, NJCrash
AIR BAGS
1. **Component or System Failure:** - The malfunction occurred in the **automatic braking system** while the vehicle was in **snow mode**. The brakes engaged and locked the wheels, resulting in a loss of traction. - This system is available for inspection upon request to assess the failure, where the car was towed to. 2. **Safety Risk:** - The automatic brakes locking the wheels put the driver at risk by causing the vehicle to slide uncontrollably. - The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the vehicle collided with a tree, indicating a significant safety concern. 3. **Reproduction of the Problem:** - It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but given the nature of the malfunction, it would be advisable to have it inspected by a professional to verify the problem. 4. **Inspection by Authorities:** -the vehicle was inspected by police and the towing coming stating the car was a total loss because of the damages . 5. **Warnings or Symptoms:** - There were no indications of a problem prior to the failure, such as warning lamps or messages. The incident occurred suddenly when the brakes engaged, leading to the vehicle losing traction and ultimately colliding with a tree. - The failure of the airbags to deploy on the passenger side is also a critical point that needs further investigation. ### Key Takeaways - The automatic braking system malfunctioned in snow mode, leading to a loss of traction and a collision. - Safety was jeopardized due to the vehicle's sliding and the failure of the airbags to deploy. - Further inspection by qualified professionals is necessary to confirm and address the issues.
NHTSA complaint #11711697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kinnelon, NJCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
1. **Component or System Failure:** - The malfunction occurred in the **automatic braking system** while the vehicle was in **snow mode**. The brakes engaged and locked the wheels, resulting in a loss of traction. - This system is available for inspection upon request to assess the failure, where the car was towed to. 2. **Safety Risk:** - The automatic brakes locking the wheels put the driver at risk by causing the vehicle to slide uncontrollably. - The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the vehicle collided with a tree, indicating a significant safety concern. 3. **Reproduction of the Problem:** - It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but given the nature of the malfunction, it would be advisable to have it inspected by a professional to verify the problem. 4. **Inspection by Authorities:** -the vehicle was inspected by police and the towing coming stating the car was a total loss because of the damages . 5. **Warnings or Symptoms:** - There were no indications of a problem prior to the failure, such as warning lamps or messages. The incident occurred suddenly when the brakes engaged, leading to the vehicle losing traction and ultimately colliding with a tree. - The failure of the airbags to deploy on the passenger side is also a critical point that needs further investigation. ### Key Takeaways - The automatic braking system malfunctioned in snow mode, leading to a loss of traction and a collision. - Safety was jeopardized due to the vehicle's sliding and the failure of the airbags to deploy. - Further inspection by qualified professionals is necessary to confirm and address the issues.
NHTSA complaint #11711697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. **Component or System Failure:** - The malfunction occurred in the **automatic braking system** while the vehicle was in **snow mode**. The brakes engaged and locked the wheels, resulting in a loss of traction. - This system is available for inspection upon request to assess the failure, where the car was towed to. 2. **Safety Risk:** - The automatic brakes locking the wheels put the driver at risk by causing the vehicle to slide uncontrollably. - The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the vehicle collided with a tree, indicating a significant safety concern. 3. **Reproduction of the Problem:** - It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but given the nature of the malfunction, it would be advisable to have it inspected by a professional to verify the problem. 4. **Inspection by Authorities:** -the vehicle was inspected by police and the towing coming stating the car was a total loss because of the damages . 5. **Warnings or Symptoms:** - There were no indications of a problem prior to the failure, such as warning lamps or messages. The incident occurred suddenly when the brakes engaged, leading to the vehicle losing traction and ultimately colliding with a tree. - The failure of the airbags to deploy on the passenger side is also a critical point that needs further investigation. ### Key Takeaways - The automatic braking system malfunctioned in snow mode, leading to a loss of traction and a collision. - Safety was jeopardized due to the vehicle's sliding and the failure of the airbags to deploy. - Further inspection by qualified professionals is necessary to confirm and address the issues.
NHTSA complaint #11711697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
phx, AZ
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle is jerky, loss of power, jolts, and very high concern of safety while in use.
NHTSA complaint #11708235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
phx, AZ
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The vehicle is jerky, loss of power, jolts, and very high concern of safety while in use.
NHTSA complaint #11708235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Washington, WI
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Panoramic sunroof panel spontaneously exploded at highway speed.
NHTSA complaint #11703966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Union Hall, VA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Panoramic roof glass shattered. It was not hit by any external debris. It just exploded scaring the driver almost losing vehicle control. The dealer inspected it and confirmed nothing external caused it, however KIA will not warrant it. Our insurance company has not inspected it yet. It is available for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11700393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverview, FLCrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS
I was involved in an automobile collision. It was a T- Bone collision on the driver side. My vehicle flipped on it's side, the moon roof completely shattered, my seatbelt released me and I was ejected through the moon roof. The vehicle landed on top of me. All of my air bags did not deploy even though my vehicle rolled over twice.
NHTSA complaint #11698884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverview, FLCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
I was involved in an automobile collision. It was a T- Bone collision on the driver side. My vehicle flipped on it's side, the moon roof completely shattered, my seatbelt released me and I was ejected through the moon roof. The vehicle landed on top of me. All of my air bags did not deploy even though my vehicle rolled over twice.
NHTSA complaint #11698884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverview, FLCrash1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was involved in an automobile collision. It was a T- Bone collision on the driver side. My vehicle flipped on it's side, the moon roof completely shattered, my seatbelt released me and I was ejected through the moon roof. The vehicle landed on top of me. All of my air bags did not deploy even though my vehicle rolled over twice.
NHTSA complaint #11698884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shelbyville, KY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
headlights and taillights went out while driving and a few seconds and then came back on and everything on the dash also went out and came back on. i was driving at night time when this happened it put me and my child at risk. i called the dealership and they refused to fix saying that my kia is not impacted by this recall. But that i could schedule an appointment to have my headlights checked, i explained to them there is nothing wrong with my headlights this is clearly a software issue, Tonya at Kia Louisville east is still saying its not related to the recall, and is scheduling appt to have my headlights checked. no warning lamps messages or any other symptoms before this happened and has only happened the one time.
NHTSA complaint #11698885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cincinnati, OH
STEERING
My vehicle has issues with the power steering. At random times, day or night, the wheel steers to the right and I have to force my grip on the wheel to avoid crashing. It last between 3-5 seconds. No lights or alerts light up on the dashboard. Dealerships have been unable to assist me, I have gone to three different ones. They cannot identify the issue. Loss of power steering assist increases crash risk, since it’s harder to control the vehicle in tight maneuvers or emergencies. Car is available for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11698072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mesa, AZ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I've had a couple of issues with the electrical components. One time the drivers side door controls wouldn't roll down any of the windows or lock/unlock the doors. This is a safety issue if you needed to roll the windows down/up or lock the doors for the security of your vehicle. I've also had it where the infotainment system has cut out while driving. As far as I can tell, the vehicle could still drive but I was unsure for a minute because the engine kind of revved at the same time. There were no warning lights when the windows and locks didn't work.
NHTSA complaint #11694944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.