What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

Hey I’ve Recently Wrecked My Vehicle Due To Malfunctions This Year Just A Few Months Ago & I Reported It To The Dealer Before I Crashed It. That Something Was Wrong With The Engine And Also Sent The Dealership I Purchased It From Videos Before Hand But Nobody Would Listen To Me. Now My Car Is Sitting In A lot Engine Blowed And I Can’t Afford Another One. I Have Proof , Names And Also Couldn’t Get My Car Fixed Because I Only Had Liability Insurance Only. No Report Was Filed Because Me And The Other Vehicle Was Transported To Uab Hospital.

NHTSA ODI 11688229

The suspension mounting block rusted off the frame and the frame rusted into on the passenger rear side of the car It was good that we were running slow close to the house when it happened if that would’ve come loose at Highway speeds, the car would probably flipped The vehicle is now undrivable

NHTSA ODI 11587481

The paint on the body between the windscreen and sunroof is rapidly delaminating, literally overnight. The vehicle color is Pearl White. I wish to add my case to what I understand is an ongoing effort by other Kia owners with similar delaminating paint issues for the NHTSA to get Kia to act on this and issue a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11541039

I own a white 2012 Kia Sorento that the paint is rapidly peeling off of across the piece of roof just above the windshield (body shops have called this Delamination). I have the pearl white paint, which began peeling in a tiny spot at approximately 45,000 miles and I thought this was a chip from a rock or something that fell on it, but since then it rapidly began peeling all over and now is in a few spots in the same area, and down to the metal, causing rust. I filed a claim with my insurance company January 2023, but the claim was denied. They were told by the autobody shop that there has been a paint chipping problem with other vehicles with the same pearl white paint, and that those had been recalled due to a defect.

NHTSA ODI 11505572

With one simple google search you can find hundreds, if not thousands of results from people talking about their same experience with their pearl white Kia’s. The paint is cheap, and it’s starting to peel off on its own, which has lead to severe cases of rust. Either Kia was purposely being cheap, or it was a mistake. Either way it’s their responsibility to fix this.

NHTSA ODI 11497016

THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. THE HITCH THAT HOLD THE DOOR SHUT IS BROKEN AND DOES NOT ALWAYS KEEP DOOR CLOSED. IT WILL OPEN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11487798

*White Pearl paint is pealing / chipping away on the front hood and around the top of the windshield roof. *I have been told that the area of missing paint around my windshield can rust/corrode through and affect the windshield seal. *My Kia dealer has seen it and said it was a widespread problem with the white pearl paint on the Sorento model.....but no further action was done. *It has not been inspected by the police, insurance....just the Kia Dealer. *No warning lamps or messages.....

NHTSA ODI 11425095

MY DRIVER HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS KEEPS OVERHEATING AND MELTS THE HARNESS CASING. I HAVE FIXED THIS ISSUE NUMEROUS TIME. MY DRIVER PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF IN MY HAND.

NHTSA ODI 11406559

PAINT ON ROOF OF CAR AT TOP WINDSHIELD IS PEELING OFF AT AN ALARMING RATE, HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE. STARTED NOT TOO LONG AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLA

NHTSA ODI 11402998

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. THE CLIP ON THE HOUSING THAT HOLDS THE HEADLIGHT WAS BROKEN. REPLACED IT. LIGHT STARTED WORKING THEN WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE WIRES IN THE HOUSING CAME LOOSE. LIGHT OUT AGAIN. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE CAR IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, IT'LL WORK WHEN IT WANTS TO. AS FOR THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE....PULLED INTO A CAR WASH TO SPRAY IT OFF. TURNED AROUND TO START AND NOTICED ON THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR A SPOT OF PAINT MISSING ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. DOWN TO THE PRIMER. THE PAINT IS DARK CHERRY PEARL. THERE IS NO SCRATCH, DENT, OR ANYTHING THAT CAUSED IT.

NHTSA ODI 11378165

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SHOPPING PARKING LOT. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, I - THE CAR OWNER - UNLOCKED THE CAR WITH THE FOB FOR PASSENGERS TO LOAD THE VEHICLE. AS THE REAR PASSENGER GRABBED THE DOOR HANDLE, IT CAME OFF IN HER HAND. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST TIME WAS YEARS PRIOR UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS, SAME PASSENGER REAR RIGHT DOOR. I PAID FOR REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET THAT TIME BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WASN'T A RECALL. I AM SURE THIS HANDLE SHOULD BE RECALLED CLEARLY AFTER HAPPENING TWICE FOR NO UNDERSTANDING REASON OR AGGRESSION.

NHTSA ODI 11339455

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65-70 MPH AND THE REAR FIXED PANORAMIC SUNROOF JUST SHUTTERED IN HER VEHICLE. I READ ABOUT OTHERS HAD SAME ISSUE. I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD SITTING ON THE BACK SEAT. SHE GOT SCARED BUT LUCKILY DIDN'T GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. WE HAVE DASH CAM VIDEO AND WE HAVE RECORDED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY ROAD DEBRIS HITTING THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11228852

THE RETRACTABLE SUNROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILD. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING SIGNS OR DAMAGE. THE GLASS FELL IN ON US, MOSTLY MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE KIA DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLES, BUT SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE KIA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET.

NHTSA ODI 11203416

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON FEBRUARY 18, 2019. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED WITHIN 2 YEARS. I HAVE CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND.

NHTSA ODI 11182326

ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11163941

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 50 ABOUT 20 MILES FROM SOUTH LAKE TAHOE MY CAR JUST STALLED OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. STEAM/SMOKE FROM COMING FROM THE FRONT END. AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OTHER MOTORIST TRAVELING WEST BOUND STARTED HONKING AND POINTING TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING IS WHEN WE REALIZED THE ENGINE AREA WAS ON FIRE. AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THE FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THAT CAR CAUSING 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE BACK CALF ON MY LEFT LEG. THE CAR WAS IN TOTALLY IN FLAMES WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINS.

NHTSA ODI 11119735

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WEATHERSTRIPPING AROUND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WAS LOOSE AND PREVENTED THE DOORS FROM OPENING. TEAM KIA OF BEND (611 NE PURCELL BLVD, BEND, OR 97701) DIAGNOSED THAT THE WEATHERSTRIPPING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 11/27/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11103757

EXISTED THE FREEWAY, STOPPED AT 2 STOP LIGHTS WITH OTHER CARS WITH NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE. STARTED FORWARD FROM LIGHT 100+ YARDS AND MAYBE 20 MPH WHEN FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH LARGE FLAMES. I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FIRE BURNED FROM MOTOR COMPARTMENT INTO DASH AND CEILING OF PASSENGER AREA. VEHICLE IS TOTALED! THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED BY KIA ON A RECALL JUST 5 MONTHS AGO. ONLY ABOUT 9000 MILES ON THE NEW ENGINE!

NHTSA ODI 11093994

DRIVERS ROCKER COVER LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED AND SHORTED OUT STARTING A FIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR WE WERE JUST PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT OUR HOME. THEN THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE.

NHTSA ODI 11075310

THIS MORNING JUST 5 MIN AFTER PUTTING MY DAUGHTER IN HER CAR SEAT I WENT TO GO GRAB HER OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. I AM NOT A VERY STRONG PERSON SO THIS SURPRISED ME GREATLY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO GOOGLE I SEE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH IS INSANE AND IF I HAVE TO GO REPLACING ALL MY DOOR HANDLES AS THEY BREAK I WILL NOT BE BUYING A KIA AGAIN. I HOPE THIS IS A ONE TIME THING BUT THINK THAT IS REALLY IS AN ISSUE AS SOME PEOPLE USE THE CHILD LOCK AND WOULD MAKE IT HARD TO GET IN THAT SIDE IF THAT WERE THE CASE.

NHTSA ODI 11040120

WE ARE CHANGING THE 3RD HEAD LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN A MONTH. WE HAD A STORM KNOCKING OUT ALL STREET LIGHTS AND IT WAS HARD TO SEE..ANSMD I KEEP GETTING PULLED OVER. I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO CARRY A BACK UP. PLUS MY PLASTIC POS DOOR PANELS DETACH AND TRAP MY KIDS IN THE CAR..WE HAVE TO BEAT THEM DOWN SO SO WE CAN OPEN DOORS. OH AND WE HAD TO CUT THE GAS COVER OFF CAUSE IT WOULDNT OPEN...AND THE SEATS WONT GO DOWN ANYMORE, HATCH WONT STAY UP..AND MY BLUTOOTH SYSTEM ONLY WORKS ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF TIME! NEVER AGAIN KIA!

NHTSA ODI 11014162

I OWN A 2012 KIA SORENTO SX. 9PM TEMPERATURE ABOUT 70 ALL DAY. TURNED OFF MAIN BUSINESS STREET IN DES PLAINS IL DROVE ABOUT 100 FEET WHEN REAR PANEL OF PANORAMIC SUN ROOF SHATTERED. FIRST THOUGHT WAS GUN SHOT. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES BEHIND OR IN FRONT OF ME, SIDEWALK WAS EMPTY.

NHTSA ODI 11011960

THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF. I WAS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR, AND THE HANDLE JUST FELL OFF.

NHTSA ODI 10990503

ON 12/27 THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND IT WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER WITH A COST OF ALMOST $300. THE HANDLE WAS IN HER HAND. YESTERDAY THE REAR DRIVER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT WITHOUT THE HANDLE YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND AS SUCH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE REAR PASSENGER IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WE HAVE CANALS NEXT TO THE ROAD IN SOUTH FLORIDA. THUS I AM REPORTING THIS. TWO DIFFERENT DOOR HANDLES IN TWO WEEKS. VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI 10945414

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10943707