Your vehicle report
2012 Kia Sorento
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 880
- Received Aug 2011 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving110 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle catches fire from wiring70 complaints · 8.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbag warning light stays on39 complaints · 4.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V652000Park outsideKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Recall #20V750000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Aug 2012
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 21 crashes, 77 fires, 36 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 27 |
| 2013 | 29 |
| 2014 | 53 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2016 | 44 |
| 2017 | 86 |
| 2018 | 109 |
| 2019 | 138 |
| 2020 | 60 |
| 2021 | 65 |
| 2022 | 39 |
| 2023 | 60 |
| 2024 | 91 |
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 20 |
| Total | 880 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 110 | 13% | 13.8× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Aug 2012 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 70 | 8.0% | 15.4× | NHTSA recall #20V750000, #23V652000 |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 39 | 4.4% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 38 | 4.3% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 37 | 4.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 37 | 4.2% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 35 | 4.0% | – | NHTSA recall #17V224000 |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 34 | 3.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 18 | 2.1% | – | |
| Tail light sockets melt and burn | 14 | 1.6% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 12 | 1.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 11 | 1.3% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 9 | 1.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 9 | 1.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 8 | 0.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 8 | 0.9% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 0.8% | – | NHTSA recall #18V907000 |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 6 | 0.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 6 | 0.7% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 6 | 0.7% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V652000September 25, 20231,730,192 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
NHTSA recall #20V750000December 2, 2020294,756 vehicles affected
engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
NHTSA recall #18V907000December 19, 201871,653 vehicles affected
engine; fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
NHTSA recall #17V224000March 31, 2017618,160 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
NHTSA recall #15V626000October 6, 2015377,062 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2012 Kia Sorento.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN