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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags58
- Electrical system21
- Power train20
- Service brakes18
- Electronic stability control (esc)18
- Exterior lighting12
- Vehicle speed control10
- Structure9
- Engine7
- Engine and engine cooling6
- Equipment6
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Tires4
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
24
21
5
7
10
9
9
14
8
10
8
6
5
11
2
2
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 24 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
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.
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.”
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…”
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.”
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.”
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”
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.”
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.