2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid

Subject: Safety Complaint – Intermittent Infotainment Screen and Backup Camera Failure – 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid I am experiencing an ongoing issue with my 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid X-Line SX Prestige AWD. Almost every time I start my vehicle, the entire right-hand infotainment display remains completely black for approximately five minutes before suddenly turning on and functioning normally. During this time, the audio system continues playing music, and the instrument cluster, including the speedometer and gauges, functions normally. However, the infotainment screen remains completely black, even when the vehicle is shifted into Reverse. As a result, I have no access to the rearview camera display. This has created a serious safety concern. On one occasion, I nearly backed into another vehicle because I could not see it behind me. Fortunately, my vehicle's automatic emergency braking system activated and prevented a collision. This issue now occurs almost daily and is not an isolated incident. I am concerned that the malfunction could eventually result in a collision, particularly if the automatic braking system fails to intervene. I am requesting that Kia investigate this recurring defect, determine whether other vehicles are affected, and provide a permanent repair under warranty. Given that the malfunction disables an important safety feature, I believe this issue deserves immediate attention.

NHTSA ID

11771271

Incident

Jul 4, 2026

The digital instrument cluster intermittently goes completely blank and displays "NO SIGNAL". This issue prevents me from seeing critical safety information and puts not only myself, but other drivers at risk. The vehicle was purchased on 6/6/26 and the first incident happened on 8/8/26. This happened multiple times, including during active drives. I was able to safety capture a video on 8/18/26. The vehicle was dropped at an authorized dealer on 8/24/26, along with my video proof. After one week, the dealer informed me they could not replicate the issue and refused to attempt repairs. I have opened a corporate case with Kia America who have also been very unresponsive. There are open recalls for this exact issue, but my VIN is not included.

NHTSA ID

11769894

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

We bought this car new on XXX. On XXX as my family and I were returning from a vacation, re-entering the interstate, the gas engine on the Sorento hybrid would not start. There was no warning or error message. I put the pedal to the floor and it would not pick up speed as we entered XXX. I tried switching the drive mode to sport, then to smart. Nothing worked. The fastest I could get the car going was about 50mph for a few seconds, then it slowed to 40 mph as traffic was bearing down on us, starting with an 18 wheeler truck that I could see in my rearview mirror. I had to put my emergency blinkers on and drive on the little bit of shoulder that there was on a bridge, and pull off onto the shoulder as fast as I could. The interstate was loaded with traffic today, going 75 mph. It was only fortunate that there was a break when the car rolled onto the interstate at about 40 mph. This car almost caused a wreck which could have killed me and my whole family, including my [XXX] daughter. If there hadn't been enough of a shoulder for me to get mostly off the road, the thick traffic going 75mph would have all had to slow to 40mph, without anyone plowing into the car in front of them. As it was, trucks were flying past me one foot from the side of my car going 75 mph. If one of them was off a little, my whole family could be dead or in the hospital now. After I turned the car off, and then on again, the gas engine started operating as normal. We got home, albeit with a flat from driving through the trash on the shoulder. I have now taken the car to two dealers and they could not repeat the problem. I told Kia I didn't trust the car any more and that if they couldn't fix it, I wanted my money back. They told me yesterday that they will not do a buyback. And they've been claiming for weeks that they plan to have an engineer look at it. All the while, we don't have a car. It has been sitting at the dealer because it is unsafe. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U

NHTSA ID

11764985

Incident

Aug 2, 2026

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: ULTRA-WIDE BAND SENSOR SOFTWARE UPDATE (SA664) - This bulletin provides information to improve the Digital Key 2 system logic on certain Digital Key 2-equipped 2024-2027MY Sorento vehicles listed in the table below. Under certain conditions, repeated Digital Key recognition may contribute to 12V auxiliary battery discharge when parked. The improved software limits Digital Key recognition after repeated Welcome/Approach Unlock activations, when the user (or digital key) moves away from the welcome zone, or when the battery state of charge falls below a specified threshold. This condition may only affect customers using an Ultra-Wideband-capable smartphone.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: AIR CONDITIONING REFRIGERANT COLLECTION AND RECHARGE (SA660) - This bulletin provides information to evacuate, vacuum, and recharge the air conditioning system on certain 2026MY Sorento Hybrid (MQ4 HEV) vehicles produced from May 30, 2026 through June 04, 2026. During assembly, the affected vehicles may not have had the correct amount of R-1234yf refrigerant charged in the air conditioning system resulting in poor or inoperative air conditioning.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: FRONT VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT (SA656) - This bulletin provides information to replace the front view camera on certain 2026MY Sorento Hybrid (MQ4 HEV) and Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (MQ4 PHEV) vehicles produced from January 09, 2026 through January 15, 2026. The affected vehicles may exhibit various warning lights illuminated on the instrument cluster accompanied by DTC(s) C160449 and/or C160649 due to unstable voltage input from the front view camera. If the DTC(s) listed are stored, certain camera-related ADAS functions may become inoperative, accompanied by associated warning lights/messages.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PARTIAL REPAIR – ELECTRICAL A/C COMPRESSOR - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information regarding the partial repair of the Air Conditioning (A/C) compressor assembly on some 2011MY~ Optima Hybrid (TF HEV, JF HEV/PHEV), 2015MY~ Soul EV (PS EV), 2017MY~ Niro (DE HEV/PHEV/EV), 2022MY~ EV6 (CV), 2021MY~ Sorento (MQ4 HEV/PHEV), 2023MY~ Sportage (NQ5 HEV/PHEV), and 2023MY~ Niro (SG2 EV/HEV/PHEV) vehicles.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: REAR RH DOOR CURTAIN INSPECTION / REPLACEMENT (WTY043) - This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Warranty Extension Program’ (WTY043) inspect and, if necessary replace the rear RH door curtain on certain 2023 - 2026MY Sorento Hybrid (MQ4 HEV) SX Prestige vehicles produced from June 27, 2022 through December 05, 2025 and certain 2023 – 2026MY Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (MQ4 PHEV) SX-Prestige vehicles produced from June 27, 2022 through November 22, 2025. The affected vehicle’s rear RH door curtain may not return to the fully retracted position. Under this program, the New Vehicle Warranty coverage for this condition is extended from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, starting from the date the vehicle was first put into service.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for supported vehicles (2021-2026MY All Models).