2012 Kia Sorento Body & structure Problems

Hey I’ve Recently Wrecked My Vehicle Due To Malfunctions This Year Just A Few Months Ago & I Reported It To The Dealer Before I Crashed It. That Something Was Wrong With The Engine And Also Sent The Dealership I Purchased It From Videos Before Hand But Nobody Would Listen To Me. Now My Car Is Sitting In A lot Engine Blowed And I Can’t Afford Another One. I Have Proof , Names And Also Couldn’t Get My Car Fixed Because I Only Had Liability Insurance Only. No Report Was Filed Because Me And The Other Vehicle Was Transported To Uab Hospital.

NHTSA ID

11688229

Incident

Apr 4, 2025

The suspension mounting block rusted off the frame and the frame rusted into on the passenger rear side of the car It was good that we were running slow close to the house when it happened if that would’ve come loose at Highway speeds, the car would probably flipped The vehicle is now undrivable

NHTSA ID

11587481

Incident

May 7, 2024

The paint on the body between the windscreen and sunroof is rapidly delaminating, literally overnight. The vehicle color is Pearl White. I wish to add my case to what I understand is an ongoing effort by other Kia owners with similar delaminating paint issues for the NHTSA to get Kia to act on this and issue a recall.

NHTSA ID

11541039

Incident

Aug 26, 2023

I own a white 2012 Kia Sorento that the paint is rapidly peeling off of across the piece of roof just above the windshield (body shops have called this Delamination). I have the pearl white paint, which began peeling in a tiny spot at approximately 45,000 miles and I thought this was a chip from a rock or something that fell on it, but since then it rapidly began peeling all over and now is in a few spots in the same area, and down to the metal, causing rust. I filed a claim with my insurance company January 2023, but the claim was denied. They were told by the autobody shop that there has been a paint chipping problem with other vehicles with the same pearl white paint, and that those had been recalled due to a defect.

NHTSA ID

11505572

Incident

Jan 25, 2023

With one simple google search you can find hundreds, if not thousands of results from people talking about their same experience with their pearl white Kia’s. The paint is cheap, and it’s starting to peel off on its own, which has lead to severe cases of rust. Either Kia was purposely being cheap, or it was a mistake. Either way it’s their responsibility to fix this.

NHTSA ID

11497016

Incident

Dec 12, 2022

THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. THE HITCH THAT HOLD THE DOOR SHUT IS BROKEN AND DOES NOT ALWAYS KEEP DOOR CLOSED. IT WILL OPEN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11487798

Incident

Oct 4, 2022

*White Pearl paint is pealing / chipping away on the front hood and around the top of the windshield roof. *I have been told that the area of missing paint around my windshield can rust/corrode through and affect the windshield seal. *My Kia dealer has seen it and said it was a widespread problem with the white pearl paint on the Sorento model.....but no further action was done. *It has not been inspected by the police, insurance....just the Kia Dealer. *No warning lamps or messages.....

NHTSA ID

11425095

Incident

Jul 10, 2019

MY DRIVER HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS KEEPS OVERHEATING AND MELTS THE HARNESS CASING. I HAVE FIXED THIS ISSUE NUMEROUS TIME. MY DRIVER PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF IN MY HAND.

NHTSA ID

11406559

Incident

Jan 17, 2019

PAINT ON ROOF OF CAR AT TOP WINDSHIELD IS PEELING OFF AT AN ALARMING RATE, HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE. STARTED NOT TOO LONG AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLA

NHTSA ID

11402998

Incident

Mar 15, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. THE CLIP ON THE HOUSING THAT HOLDS THE HEADLIGHT WAS BROKEN. REPLACED IT. LIGHT STARTED WORKING THEN WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE WIRES IN THE HOUSING CAME LOOSE. LIGHT OUT AGAIN. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE CAR IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, IT'LL WORK WHEN IT WANTS TO. AS FOR THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE....PULLED INTO A CAR WASH TO SPRAY IT OFF. TURNED AROUND TO START AND NOTICED ON THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR A SPOT OF PAINT MISSING ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. DOWN TO THE PRIMER. THE PAINT IS DARK CHERRY PEARL. THERE IS NO SCRATCH, DENT, OR ANYTHING THAT CAUSED IT.

NHTSA ID

11378165

Incident

Nov 25, 2020

Mileage

101,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SHOPPING PARKING LOT. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, I - THE CAR OWNER - UNLOCKED THE CAR WITH THE FOB FOR PASSENGERS TO LOAD THE VEHICLE. AS THE REAR PASSENGER GRABBED THE DOOR HANDLE, IT CAME OFF IN HER HAND. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST TIME WAS YEARS PRIOR UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS, SAME PASSENGER REAR RIGHT DOOR. I PAID FOR REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET THAT TIME BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WASN'T A RECALL. I AM SURE THIS HANDLE SHOULD BE RECALLED CLEARLY AFTER HAPPENING TWICE FOR NO UNDERSTANDING REASON OR AGGRESSION.

NHTSA ID

11339455

Incident

May 27, 2020

Mileage

162,000 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65-70 MPH AND THE REAR FIXED PANORAMIC SUNROOF JUST SHUTTERED IN HER VEHICLE. I READ ABOUT OTHERS HAD SAME ISSUE. I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD SITTING ON THE BACK SEAT. SHE GOT SCARED BUT LUCKILY DIDN'T GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. WE HAVE DASH CAM VIDEO AND WE HAVE RECORDED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY ROAD DEBRIS HITTING THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11228852

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

Mileage

88,611 mi

THE RETRACTABLE SUNROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILD. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING SIGNS OR DAMAGE. THE GLASS FELL IN ON US, MOSTLY MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE KIA DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLES, BUT SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE KIA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET.

NHTSA ID

11203416

Incident

Apr 16, 2019

Mileage

96,000 mi

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON FEBRUARY 18, 2019. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED WITHIN 2 YEARS. I HAVE CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND.

NHTSA ID

11182326

Incident

Feb 18, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11163941

Incident

Dec 28, 2018

Mileage

103,800 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 50 ABOUT 20 MILES FROM SOUTH LAKE TAHOE MY CAR JUST STALLED OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. STEAM/SMOKE FROM COMING FROM THE FRONT END. AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OTHER MOTORIST TRAVELING WEST BOUND STARTED HONKING AND POINTING TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING IS WHEN WE REALIZED THE ENGINE AREA WAS ON FIRE. AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THE FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THAT CAR CAUSING 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE BACK CALF ON MY LEFT LEG. THE CAR WAS IN TOTALLY IN FLAMES WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINS.

NHTSA ID

11119735

Incident

Jul 8, 2018

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WEATHERSTRIPPING AROUND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WAS LOOSE AND PREVENTED THE DOORS FROM OPENING. TEAM KIA OF BEND (611 NE PURCELL BLVD, BEND, OR 97701) DIAGNOSED THAT THE WEATHERSTRIPPING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 11/27/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11103757

Incident

Apr 14, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

EXISTED THE FREEWAY, STOPPED AT 2 STOP LIGHTS WITH OTHER CARS WITH NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE. STARTED FORWARD FROM LIGHT 100+ YARDS AND MAYBE 20 MPH WHEN FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH LARGE FLAMES. I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FIRE BURNED FROM MOTOR COMPARTMENT INTO DASH AND CEILING OF PASSENGER AREA. VEHICLE IS TOTALED! THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED BY KIA ON A RECALL JUST 5 MONTHS AGO. ONLY ABOUT 9000 MILES ON THE NEW ENGINE!

NHTSA ID

11093994

Incident

May 12, 2018

Mileage

108,500 mi

DRIVERS ROCKER COVER LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED AND SHORTED OUT STARTING A FIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR WE WERE JUST PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT OUR HOME. THEN THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE.

NHTSA ID

11075310

Incident

Feb 19, 2018

Mileage

71,329 mi

THIS MORNING JUST 5 MIN AFTER PUTTING MY DAUGHTER IN HER CAR SEAT I WENT TO GO GRAB HER OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. I AM NOT A VERY STRONG PERSON SO THIS SURPRISED ME GREATLY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO GOOGLE I SEE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH IS INSANE AND IF I HAVE TO GO REPLACING ALL MY DOOR HANDLES AS THEY BREAK I WILL NOT BE BUYING A KIA AGAIN. I HOPE THIS IS A ONE TIME THING BUT THINK THAT IS REALLY IS AN ISSUE AS SOME PEOPLE USE THE CHILD LOCK AND WOULD MAKE IT HARD TO GET IN THAT SIDE IF THAT WERE THE CASE.

NHTSA ID

11040120

Incident

Oct 26, 2017

Mileage

66,000 mi

WE ARE CHANGING THE 3RD HEAD LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN A MONTH. WE HAD A STORM KNOCKING OUT ALL STREET LIGHTS AND IT WAS HARD TO SEE..ANSMD I KEEP GETTING PULLED OVER. I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO CARRY A BACK UP. PLUS MY PLASTIC POS DOOR PANELS DETACH AND TRAP MY KIDS IN THE CAR..WE HAVE TO BEAT THEM DOWN SO SO WE CAN OPEN DOORS. OH AND WE HAD TO CUT THE GAS COVER OFF CAUSE IT WOULDNT OPEN...AND THE SEATS WONT GO DOWN ANYMORE, HATCH WONT STAY UP..AND MY BLUTOOTH SYSTEM ONLY WORKS ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF TIME! NEVER AGAIN KIA!

NHTSA ID

11014162

Incident

Aug 10, 2017

I OWN A 2012 KIA SORENTO SX. 9PM TEMPERATURE ABOUT 70 ALL DAY. TURNED OFF MAIN BUSINESS STREET IN DES PLAINS IL DROVE ABOUT 100 FEET WHEN REAR PANEL OF PANORAMIC SUN ROOF SHATTERED. FIRST THOUGHT WAS GUN SHOT. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES BEHIND OR IN FRONT OF ME, SIDEWALK WAS EMPTY.

NHTSA ID

11011960

Incident

Jul 29, 2017

Mileage

71,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF. I WAS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR, AND THE HANDLE JUST FELL OFF.

NHTSA ID

10990503

Incident

May 4, 2017

Mileage

56,000 mi

ON 12/27 THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND IT WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER WITH A COST OF ALMOST $300. THE HANDLE WAS IN HER HAND. YESTERDAY THE REAR DRIVER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT WITHOUT THE HANDLE YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND AS SUCH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE REAR PASSENGER IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WE HAVE CANALS NEXT TO THE ROAD IN SOUTH FLORIDA. THUS I AM REPORTING THIS. TWO DIFFERENT DOOR HANDLES IN TWO WEEKS. VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

10945414

Incident

Jan 14, 2017

Mileage

85,000 mi

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10943707

Incident

Jan 7, 2017