RoadVitals

2024 Kia Sorento

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
41
+4 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jan 13, 2025
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5
4 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 41 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2024 Kia Sorento, most frequently naming the electrical, body & structure and engine categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 49 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical1120.8%
  • Body & structure713.2%
  • Engine611.3%
  • Brakes611.3%
  • Driver assistance47.5%
  • Powertrain (other)47.5%
  • Visibility47.5%
  • Airbags23.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

Jan 13, 2025
74,469 units potentially affected
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: A loss of headlights and taillights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will update the BDC software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC331.
Kia America, Inc.Manufacturer number SC331View on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Apr 23, 2024
95 units potentially affected
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 Sorento vehicles. The motor driven power steering (MDPS) wiring harness may be incorrectly assembled, which can result in a loss of power steering assist.
The risk: A loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the MDPS wiring harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 7, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC309.
Kia America, Inc.Manufacturer number SC309View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Sep 18, 2026

The cars battery drained precipitously. Was able to sit and recharge. Took it to dealership. There were several code issues P033500 and P040500 among others. In discussion it seems that it might have been the EGR valve among other things. On research this is a known problem so why is there not a recall as the car can stop suddenly. "2024 Kia Sorento Hybrid Prestige (equipped with the Smartstream 1.6L Turbo Hybrid engine), code P0405 highlights a known issue that affects several modern Hyundai and Kia hybrid models."

NHTSA ID
11765210
Incident
Sep 11, 2026
Visibility
Filed Sep 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55-60 MPH, a loud boom suddenly occurred. The contact pulled to the side of the road and exited the vehicle with three passengers, including a nephew in a car seat. The passengers noticed that the panoramic glass fractured into several pieces and completely shattered. After cleaning out the vehicle, the contact put trash bags on the ceiling of the vehicle to avoid glass falling on the passengers. The contact stated concern about driving the vehicle before any repairs or replacements due to pieces of glass being in the fabric above the passenger's ears and the sound of glass fracturing every time a door is closed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed to contact to the manufacturer for further instruction. The failure mileage was 25,199.

NHTSA ID
11764322
Incident
Sep 15, 2026
Mileage
25,199 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 5, 2026

My 2024 Kia Sorento has experienced a dangerous brake failure on three separate occasions in which the brake pedal went to the floor and the vehicle lost normal braking capability. The first failure occurred on 7/1/2026 and was confirmed by the Kia dealer; the master cylinder was found leaking brake fluid into the brake booster, and the brake master cylinder and brake booster assembly were replaced and the brake system was bled. The same brake-pedal-to-the-floor failure occurred again on 7/16/2026. The dealer performed diagnostic testing, including clamping the calipers, and replaced both front brake calipers. The brake failure has occurred again during the vehicle's current repair period on August 15th 2026, requiring another dealer inspection and repair. Each occurrence created a serious safety risk because the vehicle could unexpectedly lose braking capability while being driven, potentially resulting in a collision, injury, or death to the occupants or others. The vehicle and brake system have been repeatedly inspected by Kia/dealer personnel, and the repair history and replaced components are available for inspection and documentation. The vehicle is currently at the Kia dealership for continued investigation and repair. No crash or injury occurred, but the repeated loss of braking has created an ongoing and serious safety concern. I am not aware of any warning lamp or message preceding the initial failures; the primary symptom has been the brake pedal unexpectedly traveling to the floor with loss of normal braking.

NHTSA ID
11762310
Incident
Jul 1, 2026
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 31, 2026

While braking in a left hand turn lane waiting for the vehicles in front to turn left through an intersection, the vehicle stalled, shut off, and forced a manual restart in the turn lane. This same sequence happened again at another red light when the brake was engaged. The dealership the car was purchased from would not evaluate the car as they stated it is under factory warranty and should be evaluated at the manufacturer. The closest Kia manufacturer has been notified, but they have not inspected it, as they stated they have a lift malfunction and do not have the ability to run diagnostics until at least 10/16/26. No warning lamps or messages appeared prior to the hard stop. After the car stalled, there was a message that appeared stating the car would need to be manually restarted by putting it in park or neutral and engaging the start button. It took 2 tries to restart the car. A police officer did pull up behind me for my safety while the car was stalled, but they let me go when the car restarted. My safety was put at risk as this happened while actively trying pull up to and through a busy intersection in a double left-turn lane. The car stalled right before the intersection while waiting on other cars in front of me to turn left on an unprotected left turn. If I had been braking in the intersection and the car stalled, it could have caused a serious accident with oncoming traffic. I have only owned the car for 45 days. There were two separate occasions in the week prior to this incident where an attempt was made to start the car when parked, and the electrical panel came on, but the engine did not engage. In those instances, turning the car back off then turning it on started the car and no other issues were noted until the issue arose with hard stops when idling at intersections. The car is under 54,000 miles. It is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID
11761179
Incident
Aug 29, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Aug 24, 2026

The front bumper grill to this Sorento model, among others, has a major design flaw that causes the radiator to be highly vulnerable to debris. A rock struck and punctured my radiator causing it to aggressively spray engine coolant, eventually leading to my engine overheating. I found this incident to be an extremely odd and rare situation considering I was only driving on paved suburban roads. After some further investigation online, it appears there are several other customers across the country that have encountered this same issue. Many even displaying tutorials on how they have rigged their Kias with reinforced plastic grates to protect their radiators from further damage. Really? This is what consumers are being forced to do in 2026 to protect their front radiators on a modern vehicle? These damages occur way too easily on normal city roads and not on rough terrain (despite my xline model specifically being marketed as a rugged outdoor vehicle). This easily avoidable design flaw is due to the large openings in the front grill. I have driven thousands of miles across the country in far less rugged vehicles, including many years in "rocky" Colorado, and have NEVER experienced a radiator being so easily pierced by debris. Kia customers are being footed the bill for these costly repairs as this is not considered a "factory defect" when in fact it is. Not to mention this can cause catastrophic damages to the engine in some cases. This is malpractice and Kia should be held accountable. My vehicle is currently being held at a kia service center near where the incident took place and awaiting an assessment from my insurance claim specialist. Luckily no one was hurt during this incident, I just had to get my wife and newborn child an uber to the nearest hotel while I waited 2hrs on a tow truck.

NHTSA ID
11759285
Incident
Aug 22, 2026
Brakes
Filed Jun 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal shaking in the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with improperly sized brake rotors. The rotors were resurfaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was subsequently returned to the dealer, and the rotors were replaced, but the failure continued. The contact stated that the wheels were affected by the rotor failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.

NHTSA ID
11746301
Incident
Feb 11, 2026
Mileage
7,000 mi
Filed Jun 11, 2026

The horn isn’t making any noise at all. There were no warning lamps or messages, I didn’t know until I needed to use my horn.

NHTSA ID
11743450
Incident
Jun 11, 2026
Visibility
Filed May 30, 2026

The vehicles windshield may not be sealed properly or have moisture that builds up between the pressed glass causing reduced visibility and higher risk for crash obstructing the view of both passenger and most importantly the driver.

NHTSA ID
11740994
Incident
May 27, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_ELE422

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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).

TSB_CHA126_R2

SERVICE BRAKES

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT BRAKE DISC REPLACEMENT & BURNISHING - 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 the procedure to replace the front brake discs on certain 2021-2024MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles produced from July 26, 2021 through March 28, 2024 and 2023-2024MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles produced from January 7, 2022 through May 20, 2024 to address a customer’s complaint of brake judder. The affected vehicles may exhibit a vibrating and/or pulsing sensation (front brake disc judder) in the steering wheel, brake pedal, and/or seat when the brakes are applied during driving.

TSB_ELE417

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software downloads and USB preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.

TSB_ENG264

ENGINE

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER ACTION: ECU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P2B59F0 (CA2516) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Engine Control Unit (ECU) software on certain 2024–2025MY vehicles equipped with 2.5 GDI or 2.5 T-GDI Theta III engines listed in the table below. Affected vehicles may experience an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) accompanied with DTC P2B59F0 which can set while driving. There are no drivability issues related to this DTC.

WTY042_OWNR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY042) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly in certain 2021-2025 MY Sorento, 2021-2025 MY Sorento Hybrid (HEV), and 2022-2025 MY Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles 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. This warranty extension is to address a horn sound malfunction condition free of charge at no cost to the customer.

WTY042_DP

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (WTY042) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly for eligible vehicles, from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the date the vehicle was first put into service. This warranty extension is to address a horn sound malfunction condition on 2021-2025 MY Sorento vehicles manufactured from September 10, 2020, through June 3, 2025, 2021-2025 MY Sorento Hybrid (HEV) vehicles manufactured from September 2, 2020, through January 24, 2025, and 2022-2025 MY Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles manufactured from June 29, 2021, through January 20, 2025.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Kia Sorento by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026620—
2025743060.1
2024Viewing412060.4
20231203057.3
20221896056.7
20212474160.1
20201361163.0
20194282160.6
20182543163.9
20178044366.0
20161,2508365.3
20157503459.7
20149876865.4
201398151064.1
201288051068.1
20111,51781061.9
2010321—
2009553154.2
20082173362.7
20071544358.9
20062421144.6
20053070035.8
20042200039.3
20033051143.3

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.