2025 Kia Sorento

October 27, 2026 while accelerating onto a major highway my hybrid SUV would not accelerate beyond 25-30 mph. Several trucks came up on me very quickly!! I pulled over and shut down the vehicle. I started it again and proceeded back on the highway, but still could not accelerate beyond 25-30. Once again, I felt I was at risk. I managed to get home (approx 3 miles) by driving at 30 mph with my 4 way flashers on. No check engine light came on, but I thought I heard a thumping or knocking under the hood. I had the vehicle towed to Fred Beans Kia Mechanicsburg, PA. They could not find anything wrong and are returning the vehicle as is. I have a complaint in with the service manager and am quite concerned.

NHTSA ID

11774902

Incident

Oct 27, 2026

I was rear ended and my car slammed into the car in front of me and the air bags did not deploy. Instead my head slammed into the steering wheel.

NHTSA ID

11773283

Incident

Oct 22, 2026

Bought my 2025 Kia Sorento brand new in November of 2025. Summer of 2026 with 30,000 miles on it, all of the dash lights kept flashing at me, including the red brake light, and messages saying CHECK ESC, CHECK ABS, CHECK DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM/ Happened several times but the car would still drive. The morning of August 20, I was going to leave for work and it happened again, but this time it wouldn't let me go in forward or reverse. When i pressed the gas, the engine just revved but it stayed in one spot and kind of jumped. I had it towed to Kia. They came up with 5 codes all having to do with the ABS system, drove it 500 miles, couldn't get it to happen so gave it back to me. Fast forward to Oct 4, the dash lights came on again after 30 min of driving but this time while the car was running and in park-this time let me drive- felt unsafe being everything online says it's a cricical safety issue with your brakes. Contacted Kia- bringing it back in tomorrow (Oct 8) but it then happened again this morning while driving 30 mph. Turned car off and back on and they were gone.

NHTSA ID

11769560

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

While driving on the freeway, I was getting over into the next lane. I was half way over and there was no one in front of, next to or behind me from any direction, I was traveling an open road. The closest vehicle to me was 2 lanes over and 5 to 6 car lengths behind me, my car began to beep rapidly and immediately activated the automatic emergency breaking system. It slammed on the brakes, jolting my 2 daughets and me forward. All 3 active seat belts locked and caused pain in my chest. There was not a car near me at all. It was a hard slam and then immediate release. I have not yet reported this to Kia, I have never had this happen to me, therefore, there has never been an inspection initiated by myseld of the ABS. There are no systems failure lamps or warning lights activated. If someone was behind me, we would have surely been rear ended. I am terrified to drive this vehicle now.

NHTSA ID

11768394

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

Knee airbags deployed in my car accident and have severe injuries on bilateral legs bruises that damage my nerves and veins.

NHTSA ID

11766271

Incident

Sep 10, 2026

VEHICLE: 2025 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX]) KIA CORPORATE CASE #: XXX SAFETY DEFECT DESCRIPTION: The central ccNC infotainment display screen suffers from recurring, thermal-induced flickering and complete blackouts while driving and parking. When the screen blackouts, the FMVSS 111 federally mandated Backup Camera, navigation, and critical vehicle safety displays are completely lost, posing an immediate collision and safety hazard. EXTENSIVE SERVICE & REPAIR HISTORY (2 FAILED DEALER VISITS): 1. VISIT #1 (XXX - Healey Kia, Newburgh NY): Reported intermittent display flickering and blackout. Dealer claimed unable to duplicate on quick drive and requested video proof. 2. EVIDENCE DOCUMENTATION: Clear video was captured demonstrating screen flickering and total blackout after ~20 minutes of driving, while audio continued playing. 3. VISIT #2 (XXX - Kia of Middletown, NY, Invoice #XXX at 4,951 miles): Dealer performed a 2-hour manual CCNC software update via KGIS and released the vehicle as "operating as designed." 4. FAILURE RECURRENCE (XXX): Less than 24 hours after the software update, the display experienced another complete failure and blackout while driving (captured on secondary video). CURRENT STATUS / REFUSAL TO REPAIR: Despite TWO separate dealership visits and conclusive video evidence proving the software update failed, Kia Customer Care (Case #XXX) refused to authorize a warranty Head Unit / Display Assembly replacement and instead instructed me to repeatedly surrender the vehicle for indefinite dealer visits. This is an unresolved, chronic safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11760338

Incident

Feb 5, 2026

About a minute into my drive, I heard an explosion. I looked back thinking something happened to my twin toddlers and saw nothing. I heard the sound of glass cracking and looked up to see the front glass of my moonroof shattered. I pulled over to safety and closed the sun cover for the moonroof before any more glass could fall into the car in fear of my toddlers getting injured. The car itself had been on for maybe 5 minutes prior to driving away from my house.

NHTSA ID

11760144

Incident

Aug 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the rear windshield wiper was moving with the switch turned off. The contact turned the rear windshield wiper to high, then low, and the wiper finally turned off. The contact continued driving and the vehicle suddenly stalled, and the message Press Button to Start Engine message was displayed. The vehicle continued to coast in neutral, and then decelerated to approximately 65 MPH. The contact pressed the start button and the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle failed to move immediately. The contact stated that after several attempts, the engine revved as needed. The contact stated that while continuing to drive, the steering wheel was hot, the radio screen was blacked out, and the horn failed to sound. When the radio screen was illuminated and displayed the information on the screen, the contact became aware that the GPS had reset to an erroneous location. The rear windshield wiper independently activated again. The contact noticed a burning odor while continuing to drive the vehicle. After the contact arrived to the destination, the contact had to press the button four times before the vehicle turned off. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issues. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

NHTSA ID

11758432

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

Mileage

56,000 mi

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: THETA III 2.5L T-GDI ECM MISFIRE DETECTION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA654) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the ‘ECM’ system software on certain 2024-2026MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles equipped with a 2.5L T-GDI SULEV engine produced from December 5, 2023 through May 29, 2026, which may may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) related to cold-start misfire detection. To address this condition, the Engine Control Module (ECM) software has been updated with revised cold-start misfire diagnostic threshold logic. There is no drivability issue associated with this condition.

RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR DATA CONNECTIVITY (ELE413 Revision 2) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) logic of certain 2025 - 2026MY Carnival, EV9, K5 and Sorento vehicles. This update is designed to improve the vehicle’s network communication performance.

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).

RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR DATA CONNECTIVITY (ELE413 Revision 1) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) logic of certain 2025 - 2026MY Carnival, 2025 - 2026MY K5 and 2025 - 2026MY Sorento vehicles. This update is designed to improve the vehicle’s network communication performance.

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.