2023 Kia SORENTO

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2023 Kia SORENTO has 178 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: my passenger interior dash and glove box trim are melted. i’ve had it checked out by kia, however they do not see where an origin could have come from. the day i noticed it, my vehicle had been hit on the front right passenger fender. the melting looked to be electrical or caused by a combustion of . ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 3 crash reports 5 injuries

178

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

32 complaints

18%

• My passenger interior dash and glove box trim are melted. I’ve had it checked out by Kia, however they do not see where an origin could have come from. The day i noticed it, my vehicle had been hit on the front right passenger fender. The melting looked to be electrical or caused by a combustion of
• I was driving down the highway on cruise control going 67 on a 65. The car started revving up and then proceeded to go faster. I turned off the cruise control but its continued to speed up. I stomped on the brake 4 or 5 times with no effect. I rammed into the back of a bus at 110 mph.
• Dear NHTSA, I am writing to report a serious safety issue with my 2023 Kia Sorento, purchased in February 2023 from Ken Garff Kia Avondale. In July 2023, I began experiencing alarming issues, including flashing lights, dashboard error messages, and malfunctions, despite the vehicle being unused for

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

“My passenger interior dash and glove box trim are melted. I’ve had it checked out by Kia, however they do not see where an origin could have come from. The day i noticed it, my vehicle had been hit on the front right passenger fender. The melting looked to be electrical or caused by a combustion of ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

31 complaints

17%

• was driving down road that was dry with sunshinning. Vehicle Traction control then came on breaks went to the floor and steering wheel started to jerk while the car was still going 55 MPH
• On 6/6/2023, the sunroof shattered while driving. No rock/debris collided at this time with the sunroof and I believe this is a security malfunction due to the glass overheating. This incident isn't the result of mishandling on our (the consumer's) behalf. The car dealership (VANGUARD KIA of Arlingt
• My passenger interior dash and glove box trim are melted. I’ve had it checked out by Kia, however they do not see where an origin could have come from. The day i noticed it, my vehicle had been hit on the front right passenger fender. The melting looked to be electrical or caused by a combustion of

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“was driving down road that was dry with sunshinning. Vehicle Traction control then came on breaks went to the floor and steering wheel started to jerk while the car was still going 55 MPH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

27 complaints

15%

• This vehicle has four drive modes… when in eco mode and pulling onto a road with a steep grade the car lacks power to safely drive. This only happens in eco mode. I have tested 4 times and got the same result. The hesitation lasts for about 3 seconds with that gas pedal fully depressed the vehicle m
• I just purchased my car four days ago as I was driving on expressway. I got an error that there’s an issue with my engine and cooling system. And the engine light has came on. This car was purchased brand new from a Kia dealership in Dearborn Michigan.
• 1. I have been complaining about the vehicle turning off by itself. No one is listening to me or telling me what is causing the problem. I have numerous witnesses when the car turns off by itself. It isn’t safe. It could cause a deadly accident. No it’s not the auto shut off either. I have to put th

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

“This vehicle has four drive modes… when in eco mode and pulling onto a road with a steep grade the car lacks power to safely drive. This only happens in eco mode. I have tested 4 times and got the same result. The hesitation lasts for about 3 seconds with that gas pedal fully depressed the vehicle m”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

20 complaints

11%

• I have only had the Kia Sorento for a few months and bought it brand new. While driving normally, one of the collision warning indicators came on while switching lanes and then nearly every alarm in the car cycled continuously. These audible and visual alarms were highly distracting to drive with
• I have only had the Kia Sorento for a few months and bought it brand new. While driving normally, one of the collision warning indicators came on while switching lanes and then nearly every alarm in the car cycled continuously. These audible and visual alarms were highly distracting to drive with
• The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes spontaneously engaged. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated there was no other vehicles nearby when the failure occurred on several occasions. Additionally, the sunro

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

“I have only had the Kia Sorento for a few months and bought it brand new. While driving normally, one of the collision warning indicators came on while switching lanes and then nearly every alarm in the car cycled continuously. These audible and visual alarms were highly distracting to drive with ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

17 complaints

10%

• The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently decelerated with the transmission error warning light illuminated. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not dia
• Transmission problem arised on/about 9/15/23 and 3,000 miles. There is a distinct shudder when shifting through lower gears, more recently, on/around 4,000 miles l, shudder is growing worse, and there is intermittent problems at highway speeds. This is very dangerous, and could cause an accident/inj
• Transmission Oil light came on and the vehicle lost power. It was determined that the Transmission was faulty with only 3800 miles.

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

“The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently decelerated with the transmission error warning light illuminated. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not dia”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 178 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: My passenger interior dash and glove box trim are melted. I’ve had it checked out by Kia, however they do not see where an origin could have come from. The day i noticed it, my vehicle had been hit on the front right passenger fender. The melting looked to be electrical or caused by a combustion of
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: was driving down road that was dry with sunshinning. Vehicle Traction control then came on breaks went to the floor and steering wheel started to jerk while the car was still going 55 MPH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: This vehicle has four drive modes… when in eco mode and pulling onto a road with a steep grade the car lacks power to safely drive. This only happens in eco mode. I have tested 4 times and got the same result. The hesitation lasts for about 3 seconds with that gas pedal fully depressed the vehicle m
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: I have only had the Kia Sorento for a few months and bought it brand new. While driving normally, one of the collision warning indicators came on while switching lanes and then nearly every alarm in the car cycled continuously. These audible and visual alarms were highly distracting to drive with
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)