2015 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 750 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 20 involved a crash and 14 involved a fire. 24 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideMay 10, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Campaign 21V331000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideAug 27, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Campaign 20V519000 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
Representative owner complaints: exterior lighting
91 reports, newest first. Show all
Exterior lighting, Jul 10, 2019
THE DIM HEADLIGHTS IN THE 2015 KIA SORENTO HAVE BURNT OUT MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLAMPS 4 TIMES IN A 15 MONTH WINDOW. I AM UNCERTAIN WHEN THE ACTUAL LAMPS BURN OUT, BUT I DO NOTICE AS I AM DRIVING. I DO NOT HAVE AN AUTO FEATURE ON MY CAR FOR THE HEADLIGHTS SO I MANUALLY TURN THEM ON BEFORE I DRIVE. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE OF THIS HAPPENED IN MARCH OF 2018 AND HAS BURNT OUT MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE.
Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Jul 2, 2019
THE ABS, ESC, AND LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FIXED AND THE LIGHTS STILL COME ON. CITY KIA TOLD US TO IGNORE THE LIGHTS CAUSE THE SENSOR WAS BAD. BUT THAT'S NOT A GOOD ENOUGH ANSWER. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DULL AND ARE HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT, WHICH I DO A LOT OF NIGHT TIME DRIVING. THE IMAGE I AM ATTACHING IS ONE I TOOK AFTER HAVING REPAIRS MADE ON MY CAR.
Exterior lighting, Apr 15, 2019
NIGHT TIME DRIVING IS DIFFICULT WITH THE HEAD LIGHTS. BRIGHTS ARE VERY BRIGHT AND WILL LIGHT UP 300+ FEET. NORMAL LIGHTS WILL LIGHT UP MAYBE 20FT. IT IS MAINLY CHALLENGING TO SEE WHEN THERE ARE NO STREET LIGHTS OR OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD.
Exterior lighting, Mar 27, 2019
THE PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT WENT DIM (WHILE BRAKING) AND THEN STOPPED WORKING (ONLY WHEN BRAKING). REPLACING THE BULB DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. KIA DEALER SAYS THEY WILL HAVE TO PUT ON A MACHINE AND THEY THINK ITS AN INTERNAL COMPUTER ISSUE. I HAVE NOTICED MANY OTHER SORENTO'S WITH THE EXACT SAME TAIL LIGHT OUT WHEN BRAKING.
Exterior lighting, Mar 4, 2019
HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. ONE WILL FLICKER ON EACH TIME THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED ON BUT WILL THEN SLOWLY GO OUT. NO HEADLIGHTS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! THE KEY FOB ALSO HAS INTERMENTENT DISFUNCTION LIKE THE BATTERY IS GOING OUT BUT IT IS NEW BATTERY. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH SAME ISSUES. HEADLIGHT ISSUE WITH BAD CONNECTORS FOR THIS MAKE MODEL AND YEAR HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT FOR SOME REASON DOESN'T INCLUDE MY CARS VIN. NEEDS TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED TO INCLUDE MORE VIN.
Exterior lighting, Feb 23, 2019
MY COMPLAINT IS THE LOW BEAM ON MY 2015 KIA SORENTO HAS VERY POOR VISIBILITY AND BURNS OUT TOO FREQUENTLY. MY LOCAL KIA DEALER DOESN'T EVEN CARRY THE REPLACEMENT BULB FOR THIS VEHICLE. TOLD ME TO GO BUY IT AT WALMART, WHICH I DID. HOWEVER, ONE BURNED OUT WITHIN 4 MONTHS (I CHANGED BOTH AT THE SAME TIME PER RECOMMENDATION). BOUGHT REPLACEMENT AGAIN (COST $37.00) AND BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO REPLACE THE OTHER ONE BURNED OUT. I THINK THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE POOR VISIBILITY (LOW LUMENS) AND FREQUENT BURN OUT. CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE? THANK YOU.
Exterior lighting, Jan 17, 2019
ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY DEFECTIVE. WE HAVE HAD NON-WORKING HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. WHEN REPLACING WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE FAILED, BURNED OUT LAMPS, THE LAMPS WOULD WORK AGAIN JUST BECAUSE I HAD BEGUN REMOVING THE LAMP. THE JOSTLING OF THE CONNECTOR WAS SUFFICIENT TO "FIX" THE CONDITION. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR A FIX ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. ON ONE OF THOSE OCCASIONS, THE DEALER HAD TO ORDER PARTS, WHICH TOOK SEVERAL DAYS TO ARRIVE. ON ONE OF THOSE OCCASIONS, WE WERE CHARGED $20 FOR REPLACING A BAD LAMP, WHICH I AM SURE WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DRIVING WITH A DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT OR TAILLIGHT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. WE KEEP LAMPS ON HAND IN THE CAR, SO THAT WE CAN SHOW A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT WE HAVE A REPLACEMENT IN CASE WE SHOULD BE STOPPED FOR A DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT OR STOP LAMP.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 31, 2018
HEADLIGHTS (MAINLY LOW BEAMS) KEEP BURNING OUT AND NEED BE REPLACED ABOUT EVERY 6 MONTHS TO YEAR AND HALF. THIS TIME WHEN I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE LEFT LOW BEAM BULB, I NOTICED THE BULB WAS OUT WHEN I WAS JUMPING THE CAR DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. A DAY LATER THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN SO I TOOK IT OUT AND HAD IT TESTED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE BATTERY WAS FINE. CAME HOME AND TESTED THE POWER TO THE HEADLIGHTS BOTH WHEN THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND COMPLETELY OFF (ALL LIGHTS AS WELL AS ENGINE). POWER IS RUNNING TO THE HEADLIGHT EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS OFF AND NOT ENOUGH THAT THE HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATES BUT ENOUGH TO CONSTANTLY DRAIN MY BATTERY IF THE CAR SITS FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS!!!! LOOKING AT OTHERS WITH THE SAME HEADLIGHT ISSUES AS WELL AS MANY SAYING WIRES HAD MELTED AND SOME FIRES HAPPENING. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER. I WILL UPDATE IF ABLE TO WHEN I FIND THE CAUSE
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 19, 2018
WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR, EVERYTHING FLICKERS LIKE THE BATTERY IS DYING, THEN IT WILL CRANK, BUT NOW ALL OF THE LIGHTS ARE ON AND WON'T GO OFF AND IT IS DINGING LIKE THE KEYS ARE STILL IN THE IGNITION, BUT THEY AREN'T.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 27, 2018
MY KIA SORENTO HAVE PROBLEMS. I TOOK IT IN FOR A RECALL TWO WEEKS AGO. THEN THE NEXT DAY AFTER THAT I HAVE 2 MORE LIGHT COME ON. THE ABS LIGHT AND SOME OTHER LIGHT UNDER THAT. DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THAT. THEN MY SENSOR FOR MY TIRE IS ONE . I HAVE BRAND NEW TIRE. ALSO MY HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT EVERY TWO WEEKS THIS HAVE BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR WELL OVER A YEAR. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR.
Exterior lighting, Jun 7, 2018
HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM BULBS CONTINUE TO BURN OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THREE BULBS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR ANSWERS AND HAVE ONLY FOUND COUNTLESS OF OTHER KIA OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS WILL BURN OUT AND INHIBIT YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHT.
Exterior lighting, May 27, 2018
HEAD LIGHTS TOO DIMMED/I HAVE TO USE HIGH LIGHTS OFTEN DURING MY DRIVING./HAPPENS DURING THE NIGHT. IT HAS HAPPENS ANY TIME I USE THE CAR AT NIGHT. I HOPE HIS CAN CHANGE. NOT SAFE FOR DRIVING AT NIGHT.
Exterior lighting, Nov 9, 2017
HEADLIGHTS KEEP PREMATURELY BURNING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS 4 TIMES IN 2.5 YEARS. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH BOTH KIA REPLACEMENTS, AND AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENTS. MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, THEY LAST 6-8 MONTHS. FORTUNATELY BOTH SIDES HAVEN'T BURNED OUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S USUALLY 1 SIDE THEN THE OTHER.
Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Visibility/wiper, Jul 12, 2017
THE WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD RANDOMLY COME IN AND OUT OF WORKING CONDITIONS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN WIPERS ARE WORKING UNTIL IT STARTS RAINING SO IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. WE HAD TO PULL OVER AND EITHER WAIT FOR THE RAIN TO STOP OR WAIT UNTIL THE WIPERS STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THE BACKUP CAMERA ALSO COMES IN AND OUT. YOU CAN SEE THE SCREEN WARNING YOU TO BE CAREFUL BUT THE CAMERA ITSELF IS ABSENT. THE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF ONTO THE FLOOR WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. NO ONE HIT IT OR ANYTHING. WE OPENED THE BACKSEAT IN FRONT OF OUR HOME THEN DROVE TO THE AIRPORT AND TRIED TO OPEN IT AGAIN AND IT FELL OFF ONTO THE GROUND. THE TOP OF THE DOOR HANDLE AND PARTS INSIDE THAT MAKE THE HANDLE WORK. AND NOW MOST RECENTLY OUR AC IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY COMING IN AND OUT OF PROPER FUNCTION, NOR ARE OUR HEADLIGHTS WORKING AGAIN. YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE WORKING UNTIL YOU NEED THEM SO WE USED FOG LIGHTS INSTEAD AS EVENING JUST SET AND WE COULDN'T WAIT FOR THE SUN TO COME OUT TO CONTINUE DRIVING. FOR A BRAND NEW CAR THERE ARE MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, OTHERWISE WE LOVE IT AND THE WAY IT DRIVES AND BRAKES SO WELL.
Exterior lighting, May 4, 2017
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM THAT THE ROAD IS NOT VISIBLE. MY CARS' LIGHT METER VALUE IS 77LU COMPAIRED TO A NIEGHBORS' HEADLIGHT VALUE OF 489LU WITH THE SAME LIGHTS. THIS LOW HEADLIGHT OUTPUT VALUE MAKES THIS CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN LOW LIGHT SITUATIONS AND AT NIGHT. THE LOCAL PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA DEALERS' SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH MY HEADLIGHTS. P.S. THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT USE A LIGHT METER. HE "EYEBALLED" IT IN THE PARKING LOT IN DAYLIGHT.
Exterior lighting, Jan 12, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON/OFF SENSOR FAILED TO ILLUMINATE DURING NIGHT HOURS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SENSOR FAILED TO POWER OFF THE HEADLIGHTS OFF DURING THE DAY. THE CONTACT HAD TO POWER OFF THE HEADLIGHTS MANUALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.