Problems · NHTSA complaints

2007 Kia Sorento problems

Owners filed 154 complaints about the 2007 Kia Sorento with NHTSA between Apr 2007 and Oct 2024. The most-cited component is air bags (58).

Complaints
154
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags58
  2. Electrical system21
  3. Power train20
  4. Service brakes18
  5. Electronic stability control (esc)18
  6. Exterior lighting12
  7. Vehicle speed control10
  8. Structure9
  9. Engine7
  10. Engine and engine cooling6
  11. Equipment6
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  13. Tires4
  14. Seat belts4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200724
200821
20095
20107
201110
20129
20139
201414
20158
201610
20178
20186
20195
202011
20212
20222
20232
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

58 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE CONTACT SAT IN THE SEAT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,200.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2020Air bagsODI 11364482

Electrical system

21 reports1 crash5 fires1 related recall
“I RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER RECALL NOTICE ABOUT POSSIBLE FIRES DUE TO BRAKING CIRCUITS IN THE EARLY SPRING, BUT THE DEALERSHIP KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AS SUGGESTED. I RECEIVED A SECOND NOTICE AT THE END OF JUNE. THE SUV WAS SERVICED 7/14/20 FOR A RECALL ON THE BRAKING CIRCUIT. ON 8/22/20 A BEAUTIFULLY CLEAR SATURDAY, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY ON A PAVED COUNTRY ROAD. I NOTICED THAT THE ESC OFF INDICATOR LIGHT DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. I STOPPED TO LOOK IN THE MANUAL TO SEE IF THE CAR WAS DRIVEABLE. I PARKED MY CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER ARRIVING HOME AND NOTICED THAT TAIL LIGHTS/BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ON EVEN WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. BECAUSE OF TWO PRIOR MANUFACTURER WARNINGS ABOUT FIRE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, I PARKED THE CAR OUTSIDE AWAY FROM THE HOUSE AS RECOMMENDED. I CALLED THE KIA DEALERSHIP AT 4:30 THAT DAY AND ARRANGED WITH CAMERON TO DROP THE SUV OFF ON SUNDAY. ON SUNDAY, MY NEIGHBOR HELPED JUMP START MY CAR AND HE FOOLED AROUND UNDER THE DASH TO TURN THE BRAKE LIGHTS OFF. HE SAID TO TELL THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE WIRES WERE WARM WHICH I DID. I INCLUDED A LIST OF CONCERNS/FACTS WITH MY KEY IN THE DROP…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 17, 2020Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11355554

Power train

20 reports2 crashes
“WE HAD AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND IT WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES FROM HOME. THERE THE DEALER NOTICED THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE REAR END ON HAD RUSTED AWAY AND IT WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE CAR HAS AROUND 45,000 MILES ON IT AND I FEEL THAT AN ISSUE LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL AS I HAVE SINCE FOUND IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WAS RECALLED IN EUROPE FOR THE SAME THING. MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN A KIA DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES SO FAR THIS YEAR FOR AN OIL LEAK ISSUE AND THEY SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS ISSUE. THE WARRANTY RAN OUT IN MAY AFTER THE LAST VISIT UP TO THIS ONE. THE DEALER EVEN SAID THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2017Suspension, Power trainODI 11032964

Service brakes

18 reports3 crashes
“I went in to the burlington, wa kia dealership for this recall fix. And after waiting an hour they tell me they don't have the right part. It's now been about a month later and I'm still waiting to hear when the part will be available. I don't think this is ok for a safety issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2024Exterior lighting, Service brakesODI 11622757

Electronic stability control (esc)

18 reports
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME REALLY STIFF LIKE I LOST POWER STEERING. I LOOKED AT MY DASH AND HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND ESC OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I PRESSED THE GAS TO TRY TO SWITCH LANES AS I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AND NEEDED TO REACH THE SHOULDER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TURNED MY FLASHERS ON AND WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I WAS ON THE SHOULDER I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND THEN BACK ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT WENT AWAY, BUT THE ABS LIGHT AND THE ESC LIGHT REMAINED ON. I STARTED TO DRIVE BACK TOWARDS MY HOUSE AND FELT THE CAR IDLING ROUGHLY WHEN AT A STOP. AT HOME MY HUSBAND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY FOR A FEW MINUTES WHICH SOLVED THE ROUGH IDLING ISSUE BUT THE ABS AND ESC LIGHTS ARE STILL ON. I AM NOW SCARED TO DRIVE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL AND HAVE THE CAR SHIFT OFF AGAIN. I HAVE READ SIMILAR REVIEWS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY KIA TO SOLVE THIS. THEY RECALLED SOME VEHICLES FOR THIS ISSUE BUT MINE IS NOT LISTED AND CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 25, 2020Steering, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11366308

Exterior lighting

12 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“SERVICE BRAKE HYDRAULIC SWITCHES BRAKE LIGHT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AIR BAG FRONTAL SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE. NO BRAKE LIGHT WHEN BRAKE IS PRESS, CRUISE ONTROL, ESC LIGHT, AIR BAG AND GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE FROM PARK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakesODI 11152949
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.