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: structure
100 reports, newest first. Show all
Structure, Apr 15, 2022
I have the white paint and abt 2 months ago it started chopping off in large chunks.
Exterior lighting, Structure, Feb 20, 2022
Snow Pearl White paint is chipping at various areas of the front portion of the vehicle. I was driving in heavy rain and then noticed a huge chunk just chipped off. Several owners with this paint color have complained of an issue this similar. Headlights are too dim at night. We have family who lives in the country with limited street light and we are forced to use our high beam lights to even see down the road. I turn on my fog lights to add extra light but it’s still hard to see further down the road.
Structure, Jan 27, 2022
HELLO, THIS PROBLEM STARTED SICE 2020 WITH THE PEELING ON TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL. THEN THE OTHER BIG ONES JUST STARTED LAST WEEK AND I WAS VERY SURPRISED BECAUSE THEYRE LIKE A FEET LONG. I WOULD LIKE TO GET IT FIX BECAUSE MY TRUCK LOOKS LIKE NEW FROM THE INSIDE BECAUSE I TAKE REALLY GOOD CARE OF IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOWIFYOU CAN HELP. ATTEN: [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Structure, Dec 9, 2021
I woke up this morning to discover that a foot long chunk of my Kia Sorento SX-L's pearl white paint had de-laminated and peeled off the driver's side front door pillar. I've come to find out this is a common due to a paint defect. I'm reporting this per instructions from other Kia owners with the issue.
Structure, Dec 6, 2021
Always noticed little chips on my hood then at about 65000 miles my paint just started peeling right off. So bad that I can’t wash my car or the paint will keep peeling. My auto insurance called it delamanation and said it wasn’t painted properly therefore they won’t cover it. Kia will not acknowledge to me that there is a problem, said my warranty on paint has expired. My color is pearl white and I see other white Kias all over doing the same thing. Also Hyundai’s. If you look online you will see LOTS of stories and complaints regarding this problem. Kia should be held accountable and recall this!
Structure, Oct 9, 2021
Paint peeling off of the hood
Structure, Sep 20, 2021
The body of the car is undergoing paint delamination. This begun at 70k miles on the roof and now rust is beginning. Then the hood. Then one side around windshield. Then the other side around the windshield. There was not any incident that triggered the paint delamination.
Structure, Sep 18, 2021
The paint is peeling away on the hood, around windshield. Also the luggage racks paint is peeling off. The hood started as a simple little paint chip then exploded will paint bubbling up then peeling off. Around the windshield started with a crack in the paint them just explored in full paint peeling. I can no longer use a drivethru car wash . I must hand wash or the Jetta just peel more off. It’s so frustrating cause I strive to take exceptional care of my vehicle.
Structure, Aug 21, 2021
2015 KIA Sorento Paint peeling & chipping away from door pillars, roof where windshield meets, both let & right front fenders, hood. The color is "Snow While Pearl". Started to norice small chipping around 2017 & in April 2019 a large piece peeled off the passenger side front pillar which I had repaired. Many of the chips were touched up but it continues to occur to this day.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Aug 11, 2021
The paint is blowing off.
Structure, Aug 6, 2021
I own a 2015 Kia Sorento LX AWD and it's painted in the pearl white finish, over the last year the paint has been peeling off on the hood and the top edge closest to the windshield, and it's even started rusting in those spots now, which range in from the size of a match tip, to the size of my palm.
Structure, Jul 30, 2021
My white paint is chipping horribly!!!
Structure, Jun 20, 2021
There is no incident or cause. The paint from the hood and top is coming off in big flakes.
Structure, Jun 14, 2021
My 2015 Kia Sorento's pearl white paint is now coming off in large chunks. My insurance company did review the claim I filed, however, they noted that this situation has been reported numerous times with the same pearl white paint. They did not cover my claim because they have determined this is a defect in the paint since there are so many other similar complaints. The integrity of my vehicle is compromised once large chunks of paint are coming off on a daily basis under normal sunny skies. If I have to drive through any type of rain or heavy winds even more paint starts to come off. The paint is coming off down to the bare metal and now exposed areas are starting to rust.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Jun 11, 2021
I have a pearl white Kia Sorento and the paint is peeling and flaking badly in several areas. It is progressively getting worse and it makes the vehicle look terrible.
Structure, Jun 7, 2021
The White Pearl paint on our 2015 KIA Sorento has been chipping and delaminating. It's occurring all over the car's body but mainly on the hood, roof, and passenger side of the windshield. The damage started occurring in 2019.
Structure, Apr 29, 2021
THE PAINT ON THE VEHICLE IS PEELING RAPIDLY. IT ORIGINALLY APPEARED TO POSSIBLY BE A CHIP BUT IT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUES TO SPREAD. THE VEHICLE IS WASHED REGULARLY AND THERE IS NO REASON THE PAINT SHOULD BE PEELING LIKE THIS.
Structure, Apr 29, 2021
WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN, I NOTICED SMALL OBJECTS HITTING MY WINDSHIELD. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED I NOTICED THERE WERE SEVERAL POINTS ON THE BODY OF MY CAR THAT THE PAINT START PEELING. NO ROCKS OR OTHER OBJECTS WERE HIT DURING THE DRIVE JUST FAULTY PAINT (KIA SORENTO 2015 PEARL WHITE) ON THE BODY OF THE CAR. IT HAS SINCE BECOME WORSE IN THESE AREAS WITH RUST STARTING TO FORM IN CERTAIN SPOTS AND CONTINUES TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD DURING DRIVING.
Structure, Mar 30, 2021
I HAVE A 2015 KIA SORENTO WHITE PEARL FINISH. PAINT STARTED CHIPPING ON IT LAST YEAR AND JUST NOTICED A FEW WEEKS AGO AFTER WASHING IT THAT CHUNKS OF PAINT STARTED COMING OFF ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD AND ON THE HOOD. I HAD JUST FIXED CHIPPING ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD A WEEK PRIOR.
Structure, Mar 20, 2021
I NOTICED MY 2015 KIA SORENTO WITH WHITE PEARL PAINT IS CHIPPING AND COMING OFF IN SEVERAL PLACES. I HAVE FIXED A FEW WITH YHE KIA WHITE PEARL TOUCH UP PAINT. I NOTICED TODAY THREE MORE AREAS THAT ARE CHIPPING. TWO ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD AND ONE LARGE CHIPPING AREA ON THE HOOD. THE CHIP ON THE HOOD LOOKS LIKE IT IS BUBBLING UP. THIS IS NOT ROCK DAMAGE.
Structure, Mar 16, 2021
ORIGINAL WHITE PEARL PAINT ON BODY OF CAR IS PEELING OFF IN BIG CHUNKS, THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT OR PAINTING PROCESS KIA USED
Structure, Mar 9, 2021
PAINT DELAMINATING, NOT DUE TO ROCK CHIP OR WEATHER. IS VERY COMMON IN THIS SPECIFIC PAINT COLOR ON THIS SPECIFIC MODEL (PEARL WHITE, KIA SORENTO)
Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 9, 2021
MY PAINT BEGAN TO PEAL AROUND THE FRAME OF THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN I INQUIRED AT KIA, THEY CLAIMED THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A PRE-OWNED CAR AND I HAD PAST MY WARRANTY OF MILEAGE (BECAUSE IT WAS A PRE-OWNED CAR) THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. I INQUIRED AT A LOCAL PAINT SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAL FAILED OVER THE PAINT, CAUSING A DE-LAMINATION ISSUE. CLEAR EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN RE-PAINTED AND THIS IS IN FACT A MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION. HOWEVER, KIA STILL REFUSES TO ASSIST OR TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS DEFECT. MEANWHILE, MY CAR CONTINUES TO PEEL AT A RAPID PACE. EVEN WHEN I TAKE TO GET MY CAR SERVICED, MECHANICS ARE UNABLE TO PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE DUE TO THE PAINT CHIPPING OFF IN THEIR TAPE AND OTHER SUPPLIES.
Structure, Mar 3, 2021
THE PAINT ON MY 2015 KIA SORENTO COMING OFF IN NUMEROUS SPOTS THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE WORST SPOT IS JUST ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I'M AFRAID THIS WILL LEAD TO THE BARE METAL RUSTING, CAUSING LEAKAGE AROUND THE WINDSHIELD OR EVEN WORSE, WEAKENING THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF AND THE AREA SURROUNDING THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE IS PAINTED WHITE METALLIC. I HAVE NOTICED MANY OTHER WHITE KIA PRODUCTS HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. I CONTACTED ME DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT IT'S NOT A RECALL. WE PURCHASED THE EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTEE BUT WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT PAINT ISN'T INCLUDED. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF OWNERSHIP BUT THE ISSUES HAVE CONTINUED TO GET BIGGER AND HAVE OCCURRED IN OTHER PLACES ON THE VEHICLE.
Structure, Engine, Feb 21, 2021
I HAVE HAD COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO PAINT CHIPPING IN SEVERAL AREAS.