2020 Kia SORENTO

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2020 Kia SORENTO has 183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: i have a 2020 sorento that has ~9,000 miles on it. i was driving on the highway when the engine overheat chime started going off and the temperature gauge went hot. i pulled over and called for help, then tried to go a smidge further up the road. within 200 yards it chimed again and the temp went. ⚠️ 18 fire reports filed.

18 fire reports 12 crash reports 20 injuries

183

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

66 complaints

36%

• I HAVE A 2020 SORENTO THAT HAS ~9,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEAT CHIME STARTED GOING OFF AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT HOT. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED FOR HELP, THEN TRIED TO GO A SMIDGE FURTHER UP THE ROAD. WITHIN 200 YARDS IT CHIMED AGAIN AND THE TEMP WENT
• MY CAR STALLED AS I STARTED TO DRIVE. AS I STARTED TO PARK AGAIN IT SHUT DOWN. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND IT STARTED AGAIN. MY INTENTION IS TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP.
• While adding the anti theft software to our 2020 sorento they short circuited the BLM which is the brain box for the vehicle. They have had the car for 4 weeks now and they say the have the part on order but they do not know when the part will be sent. In the mean while they are making us pay for a

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I HAVE A 2020 SORENTO THAT HAS ~9,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEAT CHIME STARTED GOING OFF AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT HOT. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED FOR HELP, THEN TRIED TO GO A SMIDGE FURTHER UP THE ROAD. WITHIN 200 YARDS IT CHIMED AGAIN AND THE TEMP WENT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

34 complaints

19%

• I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA SORENTO. AFTER ABOUT 7000 MILES I NOTICED CHUNKS OF RUBBER MISSING FROM MY TIRES. I CALLED KHUMO THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO KIA. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY DID NOTHING. NOW I HAVE 20000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND THE SAME TIRES ARE CUPPING. THIS IS GOING TO END UP WITH SOM
• I was driving on my way to work and suddenly I heard a Boom and the car turn off, all the warning signs came on, no power steering while I’m driving at 45 mph. Few seconds later the car turns on by itself. All this while I was driving. I was so scared. There was other vehicles around me, I was afrai
• The moon roof is not closing. When trying to close it, it makes clicking noises and goes slow to close but then just goes half way of less and opens all the way up. The inside cover is the only thing that closes. I’ve checked to see if any debris is stuck but nothing is there and I cannot close the

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA SORENTO. AFTER ABOUT 7000 MILES I NOTICED CHUNKS OF RUBBER MISSING FROM MY TIRES. I CALLED KHUMO THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO KIA. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY DID NOTHING. NOW I HAVE 20000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND THE SAME TIRES ARE CUPPING. THIS IS GOING TO END UP WITH SOM”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

18 complaints

10%

• The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her daughter saw smoke coming out of the vehicle. The contact stated that as she opened the vehicle, she saw flames on the front side of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assis
• There already is a recall for my problem, NHTSA Recall #22V703, but Kia has refused to honor the recall after my vehicle electrical wires started burning, exactly as warned in the Recall. Kia asserts that the trailer hitch and wiring was not installed by Kia, but in fact it was installed by a Kia De
• The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The c

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports

“The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her daughter saw smoke coming out of the vehicle. The contact stated that as she opened the vehicle, she saw flames on the front side of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assis”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

17 complaints

• I HAVE A 2020 KIA SORENTO V6. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD OR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR SO, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MPH. WHEN COMING TO A STOP, AT THE SAME SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. THEY REPROGRAMED THE
• THE TRANSMISSION WILL ACT IN A VERY ERRATIC MANNER WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST DRIVEN AFTER SITTING COLD FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS WHEN ACCELERATING, AND PERSISTS UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN A FEW MILES. *TR
• THE DAY AFTER I PURCHASE MY NEW KIA I HAD STARTED TO WORK THE MOTOR WAS COLD AND WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS IT SLIPPING WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT UNTIL MOTOR HAS WARMED UP I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STAYED TO JUST DRIVE IT UNTIL THE FIRST OIL CHANGE AND THEY WOULD CHECK ON IT THEN I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I HAVE A 2020 KIA SORENTO V6. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD OR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR SO, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MPH. WHEN COMING TO A STOP, AT THE SAME SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. THEY REPROGRAMED THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

9 complaints

• MY CAR STALLED AS I STARTED TO DRIVE. AS I STARTED TO PARK AGAIN IT SHUT DOWN. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND IT STARTED AGAIN. MY INTENTION IS TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP.
• While driving on freeway, approximately 70mph, on my way to work, I all of a sudden without warning was unable to control my vehicle with the steering wheel. Somehow I seemed to have lost control of the steering wheel and the vehicle spun around. I could have collided with another vehicle or could h
• Brought the car in April 1st for oil consumption, was told to bring it back at 1000miles for oil consumption test. Drive the car for 700 miles and it started to sputter while driving on expressway. Car died and was smoking. Checked oil level and it was at L on dipstick. Kia is saying it is the fuel

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“MY CAR STALLED AS I STARTED TO DRIVE. AS I STARTED TO PARK AGAIN IT SHUT DOWN. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND IT STARTED AGAIN. MY INTENTION IS TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 183 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I HAVE A 2020 SORENTO THAT HAS ~9,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEAT CHIME STARTED GOING OFF AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT HOT. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED FOR HELP, THEN TRIED TO GO A SMIDGE FURTHER UP THE ROAD. WITHIN 200 YARDS IT CHIMED AGAIN AND THE TEMP WENT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA SORENTO. AFTER ABOUT 7000 MILES I NOTICED CHUNKS OF RUBBER MISSING FROM MY TIRES. I CALLED KHUMO THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO KIA. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY DID NOTHING. NOW I HAVE 20000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND THE SAME TIRES ARE CUPPING. THIS IS GOING TO END UP WITH SOM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her daughter saw smoke coming out of the vehicle. The contact stated that as she opened the vehicle, she saw flames on the front side of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assis
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I HAVE A 2020 KIA SORENTO V6. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD OR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR SO, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MPH. WHEN COMING TO A STOP, AT THE SAME SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. THEY REPROGRAMED THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)