Your vehicle report
2019 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
- 435
- Received Jul 2018 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Paint peels off roof and hood51 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes51 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine stalls and loses power while driving34 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V703000Park outsideKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
- Recall #23V639000Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Paint peels off roof and hoodFirst signal: May 2022
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: May 2023
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Dec 2019
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 10 crashes, 19 fires, 16 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 21 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Paint peels off roof and hood
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Water leaks into cabin during rain
1 more problem
Driver assistance
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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 36 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 31 |
| 2023 | 58 |
| 2024 | 107 |
| 2025 | 87 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 69 |
| Total | 435 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 51 | 12% | 32.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.8% |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 51 | 12% | 16.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 3.5% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 34 | 7.8% | 9.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Dec 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.7% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 20 | 4.6% | 2.6× | NHTSA recall #22V703000 |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 18 | 4.1% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 17 | 3.9% | 1.6× | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 17 | 3.9% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 14 | 3.2% | 0.6× | NHTSA recall #23V639000 |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 13 | 3.0% | 3.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Apr 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 2.7% |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 11 | 2.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 10 | 2.3% | 0.8× | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 7 | 1.6% | 1.7× | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 6 | 1.4% | 1.1× | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag | 3 | 0.7% | 17.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
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 #22V703000September 19, 202270,887 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
trailer hitches
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
A 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 inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
NHTSA recall #23V639000September 15, 202383,667 vehicles affected
back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add additional water proofing to the camera harness, or replace the camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC282.
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 2019 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