2019 Kia SORENTO
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2019 Kia SORENTO has 613 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 7.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: car has problem when driving in econo mode. will hesitate when given gas in morning and at times when pulling out in traffic. note never informed about the problem before leasing of car. told by service department that is the way it was designed. may cause problems for other drivers or accidents. n. ⚠️ 28 fire reports filed.
613
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
7.7x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
161 complaints- • CAR HAS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING IN ECONO MODE. WILL HESITATE WHEN GIVEN GAS IN MORNING AND AT TIMES WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. NOTE NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE LEASING OF CAR. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR OTHER DRIVERS OR ACCIDENTS. N
- • LEASED THE CAR IN MARCH AND BY END OF MAY IT WAS IDELING ROUGH AND CLICKING. GOT A MESSAGE ON MY SCREEN ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT ONTO THE DEALER AND WITH LESS THAN 2900 MILES IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. NOW IT WILL BE ABOUT 3 MONTHS (THEY ARE BACKLOGGED) UNT
- • WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH ALTITUDES, THE CAR SEEMS TO WANT TO STALL. WE WILL BE DRIVING ALONG JUST FINE AND THEN THERE IS HESITATION FOR A MOMENT AND THEN THE CAR WILL BE GOING ALONG JUST FINE AGAIN AND THE HESITATION HAPPENS AGAIN. THIS IS CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE HIGH ALTITUDE DRIVES. USUALL
“CAR HAS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING IN ECONO MODE. WILL HESITATE WHEN GIVEN GAS IN MORNING AND AT TIMES WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. NOTE NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE LEASING OF CAR. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR OTHER DRIVERS OR ACCIDENTS. N”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
112 complaints- • IN ANY DARK AREA WHEN USING LOW BEAMS ARE USED A SHADE COMES DOWN ACROSS FRONT WINDSHIELD AND YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT IN MOTION AND STATIONARY DARK CITY STREETS , BACK RDS.ANY WHERE IT IS PITCH DARK.
- • BLIND SPOT WARNING QUITS AFTER EXTENDED DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN. WHICH I UNDERSTAND BUT IT WILL NOT WORK FOR A WEEK OR SO AFTER. DEALER WORKED ON IT TWICE ALREADY. KIA TEC SAYS THIS IS NORMAL. FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THIS IS NORMAL IF, IT JUST STOPPED WORKING DURING THE RAIN IS ONE THING, BUT NOT TO W
- • I WAS DRIVING IN A NORMAL FREEWAY, BEAUTIFUL DAY, SUDDENLY FOR NOT REASON MY FRON WINDSHIELD GOT A CRACK, OUT OF THE BLUE, VERY SCARY. I DID CALL KIA RIGHT THE WAY, I TOLD THEM I WAS DRIVING FROM LA TO SAN FRANCISCO ON THE FREEWAY 5, ON VACATION FOR 4 DAYS, WHAT HAPPEN, I WAS AFRAID THE CRACK CONTIN
“IN ANY DARK AREA WHEN USING LOW BEAMS ARE USED A SHADE COMES DOWN ACROSS FRONT WINDSHIELD AND YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT IN MOTION AND STATIONARY DARK CITY STREETS , BACK RDS.ANY WHERE IT IS PITCH DARK.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
67 complaints- • I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS. I CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR SHOULD TAKE 2-4 HOURS. HOWEVER, AFTER TRYING A FIX THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT A WIRING HARNESS IN THE FRONT CONSOLE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. T
- • I SENT THIS TO [XXX]<[XXX]> I HAVE SOME RECORDS FROM (LEV KIA) I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU AS SOON AS I GET THEM TOGETHER, IN THE MEANTIME I AM GOING TO DRIVE THIS 2019 KIA SORENTO AND HOPE ON THE HIGHWAY IT DOES NOT DECIDE TO DOWN SHIFT AT 60 OR 70 MPH LIKE IT WAS DOING, ESPECIALLY IF A LARGE T
- • [XXX] I HAVE SOME RECORDS FROM (LEV KIA) I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU AS SOON AS I GET THEM TOGETHER, IN THE MEANTIME I AM GOING TO DRIVE THIS 2019 KIA SORENTO AND HOPE ON THE HIGHWAY IT DOES NOT DECIDE TO DOWN SHIFT AT 60 OR 70 MPH LIKE IT WAS DOING, ESPECIALLY IF A LARGE TRACTOR TRAILER IS BEHI
“I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS. I CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR SHOULD TAKE 2-4 HOURS. HOWEVER, AFTER TRYING A FIX THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT A WIRING HARNESS IN THE FRONT CONSOLE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. T”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BODY/STRUCTURE
54 complaints- • DRIVING EASTBOUND ON I-66 EAST OF CARTHARPIN ROAD, MY SORENTO'S SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AT MID-MORNING, NO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA, SMOOTH PAVEMENT, I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. EXPLODING SOUND, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOWOUT. DISCOVERED LARGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUNROOF. PREVIOUS EV
- • My Vehicle was stolen from my residential home. My window was buss out and they stole my vehicle. After over two weeks my vehicle was finally retrieved by the police and city of Milwaukee tow lot. I was told by financing company as well as police department to go get pictures of vehicle as reported
- • Pearl white paint peeling and chipping on hood of vehicle and bumper. KIA has known knowledge and history of this defect of the 2019 Kia Sorento with the Pearl white paint and hasn't stop using this color paint. Paint flakes has to go somewhere, air, water, etc. Hazardous material.This not just a t
“DRIVING EASTBOUND ON I-66 EAST OF CARTHARPIN ROAD, MY SORENTO'S SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AT MID-MORNING, NO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA, SMOOTH PAVEMENT, I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. EXPLODING SOUND, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOWOUT. DISCOVERED LARGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUNROOF. PREVIOUS EV”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
50 complaints- • CAR HAS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING IN ECONO MODE. WILL HESITATE WHEN GIVEN GAS IN MORNING AND AT TIMES WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. NOTE NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE LEASING OF CAR. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR OTHER DRIVERS OR ACCIDENTS. N
- • TRANSMISSION STUMBLES / HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING UP HILL OR ON LEVEL SURFACE AT LOW SPEEDS. VEHICLE BRIEFLY AND REPEATEDLY LURCHES UNDER ACCELERATION AS IF DRIVING ON PATCHY ICE-COVERED ROAD SURFACE. NOTICEABLE TO DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. WORST IN COMFORT, SMART AND ECO MODES. NOT AS PRONOUNCED, BU
- • MY 2019 KIA SORENTO HAS HESITATIONS WHILE RAMPING UP IN SPEED. TOLD DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AFTER THE 1ST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP. TOLD IT WAS NOTHING SINCE IT DIDN'T SHOW UP IN SPORT MODE. I'M SEEING IN FORUMS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 8 SPEED TRANS. DROPPING OFF TO DEALERSHIP TODAY FOR THEM TO LOOK
“CAR HAS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING IN ECONO MODE. WILL HESITATE WHEN GIVEN GAS IN MORNING AND AT TIMES WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. NOTE NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE LEASING OF CAR. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR OTHER DRIVERS OR ACCIDENTS. N”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 613 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: CAR HAS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING IN ECONO MODE. WILL HESITATE WHEN GIVEN GAS IN MORNING AND AT TIMES WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. NOTE NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE LEASING OF CAR. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR OTHER DRIVERS OR ACCIDENTS. N
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: IN ANY DARK AREA WHEN USING LOW BEAMS ARE USED A SHADE COMES DOWN ACROSS FRONT WINDSHIELD AND YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT IN MOTION AND STATIONARY DARK CITY STREETS , BACK RDS.ANY WHERE IT IS PITCH DARK.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS. I CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR SHOULD TAKE 2-4 HOURS. HOWEVER, AFTER TRYING A FIX THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT A WIRING HARNESS IN THE FRONT CONSOLE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: DRIVING EASTBOUND ON I-66 EAST OF CARTHARPIN ROAD, MY SORENTO'S SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AT MID-MORNING, NO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA, SMOOTH PAVEMENT, I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. EXPLODING SOUND, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOWOUT. DISCOVERED LARGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUNROOF. PREVIOUS EV
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Kia SORENTO — Year Comparison
How does 2019 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 613
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 28
- Crash reports
- 11
- Injury reports
- 15
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2019 Kia SORENTO