15 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
A software error can make the display screen behind the steering wheel — the one with your speedometer, warning lights and tire pressure readings — go blank. If it fails, you have no way to see how fast you are going or whether the vehicle is warning you about something. This affects a number of Kia models, including the K4 and Sorento. The dealer can update the software, or the update can be sent to the vehicle over the air, free.
The wiring that feeds the fan for your heater and air conditioning may not be up to the job. That wiring can overheat and start a fire in the vehicle. Kia dealers will replace the wiring harness and the small part that controls the fan speed at no cost. Kia mailed owner letters in January 2026, and affected vehicle numbers could be looked up on the NHTSA website starting October 9, 2025.
Inside the engine of some 2025 Kia K4 and Sorento vehicles, bolts on the connecting rods — parts that move up and down as the engine runs — may not have been tightened enough when the engine was built. If a bolt works loose, the engine can fail and the vehicle can suddenly lose power while you are driving. Because the damage is inside the engine, Kia dealers will replace the lower engine assembly at no charge.
A software glitch in a control computer can make your low-beam headlights and your taillights quit working. If it happens at night or in bad weather, you can't see the road well, and drivers behind you can't see your vehicle. That breaks the federal rule for lights. The fix is a free software update at a Kia dealer; Kia mailed owner letters in February 2025, so many owners have already been told about it.
Certain 2024 Kia Sorentos may have the wiring bundle for the electric power steering put together incorrectly at the factory. If that wiring does not work as intended, the motor that helps you turn the steering wheel can stop assisting. The wheel then becomes much harder to turn, which can make the vehicle difficult to control and could lead to a crash. Dealers will inspect the steering wiring harness and repair or replace it as needed, at no charge.
Because of a manufacturing mistake, water can get into the backup camera on some 2019 Kia Sorentos. When that happens, the camera picture may not show up on the dashboard screen, so you cannot see what is behind you when backing up. That also means the vehicle does not meet the federal rear-visibility rule. A dealer will inspect the camera, add extra waterproofing to its wiring, or replace the camera if needed, all at no cost.
The clips that hold the backup camera in place on these Sorentos can break. When that happens, the camera picture may not appear properly on your dashboard screen when you shift into reverse. Without a clear view behind the vehicle, it is easier to back into something, or someone, you cannot see. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal rear-visibility requirement. A dealer will inspect the camera housing and replace it if it needs it.
The airbag warning labels on the driver's and front passenger's sun visors can peel off on some 2023 Kia Sorentos. Those labels warn people about the dangers of an airbag going off, such as sitting too close to it. Without the labels, that warning is missing, and the vehicle does not meet a federal safety rule. Nothing on the car is broken. A dealer will check the visors and replace them if needed, at no cost.
These Kia vehicles have a backup mode that is supposed to let you keep driving slowly if the transmission's oil pump acts up. On the recalled vehicles that backup mode may not work, so instead of limping along you could lose drive power completely and the vehicle would coast to a stop. A Kia dealer will check the transmission and replace it if needed, and will also update the transmission's software. Everything is done free of charge.
These vehicles have a trailer tow wiring kit, fitted at the factory or added later by a Kia dealer. Dirt and moisture can build up on the small circuit board in that kit and cause an electrical short, which can start a fire — whether you are driving or parked. Kia says park outside and away from buildings until it is repaired. Dealers inspect the vehicle and replace the fuse or the tow wiring module if needed, free.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
Some 2022 Kia Sorento and Telluride vehicles left the factory with the wrong spare tire. If you put that spare on the vehicle, it can interfere with the anti-lock brakes and the traction control — the systems that keep your wheels from locking up when you brake hard or spinning when you accelerate. With those systems not working properly, the vehicle is harder to control. Dealers will check the spare tire and replace it if it is the wrong one.
The pipe that carries oil to the turbocharger can crack and let engine oil leak into the engine bay. If that oil reaches hot engine or exhaust parts, it can catch fire. A leak may show up as an oil smell, smoke, or oil spots under the car. A Kia dealer will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe free of charge, and Kia mailed owner letters on April 22, 2022. Have it done as soon as a service appointment is available.
These cars and SUVs have a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. Gasoline can leak from the spot where the high-pressure fuel pump connects to the fuel rail, the pipe that carries fuel to the engine. Fuel escaping into a hot engine bay can start a fire. A dealer will look at that connection and either tighten it or put in a new fuel pipe, at no cost to you. Kia mailed notices to owners in July 2021.
A metal support bar behind the dashboard connects to your steering column. On some 2018 Sorentos, that bar was not welded correctly at the factory. If the weld gives way, the steering column can come apart from the car. When that happens, you lose the ability to steer, so turning the wheel would no longer point the front tires. Kia dealers will replace the support bar at no cost to you.
These vehicles have side curtain airbags, the long airbags that drop down along the windows to protect your head in a side crash. A part inside them can come loose while the airbag is inflating. If that happens, the loose piece can fly into the cabin at high speed and strike someone. Kia is replacing both the driver and passenger side curtain airbags to fix it.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Kia Sorento. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 252 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| 2019 | 426 | 10 | 19 | 16 |
| 2020 | 134 | 9 | 11 | 21 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 187 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2023 | 119 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2024 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2025 | 73 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: