2012 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 880 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 21 involved a crash and 77 involved a fire. 36 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 25, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Campaign 23V652000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineDec 2, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Campaign 20V750000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsDec 19, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Campaign 18V907000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineMar 31, 2017
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Campaign 17V224000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 6, 2015
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Campaign 15V626000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: air bags
81 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Structure, Jul 25, 2015
WENT OUT FROM WORK TO START MY CAR AND NOTICED THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED TO SEE IF IT WOULD GO OUT. IT WOULD NOT. THE VERY NEXT DAY, I WENT TO OPEN THE FRONT DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TO PUT SOMETHING IN THE CAR. THE HANDLE FELL OFF IN MY HAND. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS HARDLY USED AS I AM THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE CAR. IT HAD NOT BEEN HIT OR DAMAGED, THE COVER JUST BROKE OFF. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE KIA DEALER. THE ADVISED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE, PAY $85 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST SO THEY COULD SEE WHY THE LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THAT THE WARRANTY FOR IT RAN OUT AT 60K MILES. SAME WITH THE HANDLE. I HAVE TO PAY OVER $40 JUST FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE HANDLE'S COVER. THEY SAID ONCE THEY FOUND OUT WHY THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON, IF I PAID TO HAVE IT REPAIRED THAT THEY WILL WAIVE THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE. SO I HAVE TO RENT A VEHICLE OUT OF POCKET FOR NO TELLING HOW LONG, AND PAY FOR WHAT EVER IS WRONG WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT. THEY CLAIM THAT IT WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I GO INTO AN ACCIDENT. I'VE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2012 KIA SORRENTO AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. ANOTHER LAW SUIT IN THE MAKING JUST LIKE THE GAS MILEAGE ONE THEY JUST WERE SUED FOR.
Air bags, Oct 27, 2014
AIR BAG LIGHT IS PERMANENTLY ON. HAVE BEEN TOLD ITS THE CLOCK SPRING, AND WANT $400 TO REPLACE. IT IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE NOTED RECALLS WITH KIA OTHER MODELS. OBVIOUSLY A WEAK POINT IN THIS MANUFACTURER. *TR
Air bags, Aug 30, 2012, crash
I JUST TURNED RIGHT ON THE MAIN STREET IN MY SUBDIVISION WHEN A MOTORCYCLE GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED HIT THE SPEED BUMP AN RAN RIGHT INTO MY DOOR ON DRIVERS SIDE. NO AIR BAGS WENT OFF AN THERE IS AIR BAGS ON THE DOOR. BOTH OF US TRANSPORTED BY EMS TO HOSPITAL. *TR
Air bags, May 15, 2012, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOORS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT HIP AND NECK. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, HIP, RIGHT ARM AND RIGHT LEG. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE BOTH TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,426.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Air bags, Apr 20, 2012
I PURCHASED A NEW KIA SORENTO ON DECEMBER 14, 2011. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR COUPLE DAYS, I NOTICED MY AIRBAG LIGHT. IT HAD CONTINUED TO STAY ON SO I HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALER I HAD PURCHASED IT FROM. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE A PASSENGER WAS NOT SITTING THERE AND ONCE SOMEONE SITS THERE AND BUCKLES THEIR SEAT BELT, THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF. IT WAS NOT TRUE AT ALL BECAUSE I HAVE HAD PASSENGERS SITTING THERE AND THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. SO AFTER FINDING SOME TIME, I TOOK MY CAR IN TO A DEALERSHIP NEAR MY HOUSE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE AIRBAG CUSHION WAS MISSING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE WORKER WAS VERY WORRIED AND DID NOT WANT ME DRIVING THE CAR AROUND UNTIL THEY HAD INSTALLED THE AIRBAG CUSHION. I ALSO STARTED TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY FUEL SYSTEM. THE FIRST TIME IT EVER HAPPENED, THE TANK OVERFILLED AND STARTED LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR. I DID NOT KNOW THAT MY TANK WAS FULL BECAUSE THE GAS PUMP NEVER CLICKED OFF AND KEPT ON GOING. THEN THE NEXT FEW TIMES I WENT TO PUT GAS IN, THE PUMP KEPT STOPPING AS IF THE TANK WAS FULL. SEVERAL TIMES I HAD TO MANUALLY STOP THE PUMP, OR HOLD IT SO THE PUMP WOULD KEEP GOING. AFTER FINDING SOME TIME (AGAIN), I TOOK MY CAR IN. THE SERVICE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM SO I HAD TO TAKE THEM TO A GAS STATION AND SHOW THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AFTER SEEING THE PROBLEM, HE WAS ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS EXACTLY WRONG WITH IT AND WAS ABLE TO FIX IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM IS BACK AND I HAVE TO HOLD THE PUMP WHEN I AM PUTTING IN GAS. I NEED TO TAKE MY CAR IN FOR THE THIRD TIME; NOT TO MENTION THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES I TOOK MY CAR IN, IT WAS NOT FIXED IN ONE DAY, AND I EVEN HAD TO RENT A CAR. I HAD NOTIFIED THE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT MY PROBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE NOT INFORMATIVE AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE SERVICE AT MY DEALERSHIP, AND NOT CONTACT THEM. *JS
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Feb 1, 2012, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAINOUS ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO A CEMENT WALL. THE AIRBAG LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND THE ENTIRE BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE INSURANCE DECLARED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS AND BRAKES WERE FAULTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 385. UPDATED 11/20/15*LJ *TR