Problems · by component

2008 Kia Sorento electronic stability control (esc) problems

44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Kia Sorento cite electronic stability control (esc), 20% of all 217 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
44
20% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS READIND DOWN BEARESS AVE IN TAMPA FLA IAS I WAS RIDING MY TRUCK WENT INTO FLAMES AS SOON AS I LEFT MY HOME AT THE TIME NOT EVEN A HALF MILES THE HILSS COUNTY SHERIFF DID LET THE HOOD UP ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MY INSURANCE DID COVER CAUSE I IHAD PIP THE TOW TRUCK CAME AND PUT. THEFIRE OUT THE CAUSE WAS ELACTRIC BATTERY BURNED UP CABLES ETC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2020Electrical system, Unknown or other, Electronic stability control (esc)Fire reportedODI 11360542
“I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT 8/18/17 TOSSED BACK AND FORTH LIKE A RAG DOLL MY AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY ON IMPACT UNTIL THE 4TH TIME AND I WAS KNOCK OUT UNCONSCIOUS. DON'T RECALL MY SEAT BELT WORKED I RECALL BEING TOSSED BACK AND FORTH BACK AND FORTH AND TOOK MY LAST BREATH. THIS IS MY 3 TIME DOING THIS. IT WAS MOVING I WAS HIT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2020Electrical system, Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)Crash reportedODI 11330925
“ALL DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF IT'S GOING TO BE $250.00 TO HAVE ONE FIXED. I AM NOT ABLE AT THIS TIME TO HAVE A MALFUNCTION FIXED! IT IS NOT VANDALISM OF ANY KIND! IT'S A DEFECTIVE PART! THE AUTO REPAIR PLACE SAID TO LOOK INTO RECALLS! I NEED THIS PROBLEM FIXED! NO CAR I HAVE OWNED HAS EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT THIS ONE!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2018Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11164070
“THE ELECTRONICAL PARTS OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME THE BATTERY AND THE STARTER DID . THEN ON TOP OF MY ESC RANDOMLY COMING ON AND EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IT MADE IT TO WHERE I COULDN'T GO ABOVE 5 MILES HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTART IT MULTIPLE TIMES JUST SO I CAN DIVE HOME THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I HAVE HAD HE VEHICLE NOVEMBER 2016”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2018Electrical system, Unknown or other, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11114760
“I STARTED MY 2008 KIA SORENTO EX WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE ALL OF A SUDDEN IT MAKES A LOUD BUMP NOISE AND WITH PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES IT JUMPS HARD IN REVERSE I LOOK AND SEE MY ESC LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE, MY VEHICLE IN FACT SLOWED DOWN TERRIBLY. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IF I SHUT MY CAR OFF THEN TURN IT BACK ON SOMETIMES THIS WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT TIME. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES DURING HOT DAYS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING WITH MY KIDS IN THE BACKSEAT. IF MY CAR SLOWS WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD END UP CAUSING QUITE AN ACCIDENT NOT TO MENTION HURTING MYSELF OR MY FAMILY THAT IS IN THE VEHICLE. MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE AT THE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 88000 MILES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 7, 2018Power train, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11100355
“ESC OFF LIGHT COMES ON AND SENDS THE TRANSMISSION INTO A "LIMP" MODE. THIS CAUSES EXTREME LOSS OF ACCELERATION. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE, BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE VEHICLE IS DOING THIS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2017Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11032832

Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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