What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) and 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE). The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal before the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle was pushed to a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was then towed to a Collison enter. However, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE) could not be performed if the engine was not replaced first. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had received a recall letter regarding a defect in the engine and the vehicle had been repaired in 2017. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 274,479.

NHTSA ODI 11663956

[XXX] brought car in to dealer with engine problem, I was told it needed a new engine and would be replaced under warranty. April 27th 2025 I picked up my car, two weeks later on [XXX], driving home from work the engine caught on fire, I was able to pull over, got out and called 911. In 5 minutes the whole front end was engulfed in flames. Coconut Creek Police arrived first, then the fire department. The fire department extinguished the fire. I didn't notice any warning lamps, car was driving fine, I filed a claim with my insurance, AAA, I also spoke with the KIA service manager about it, He said it could have been an old brittle fuel line, they only replaced the engine. My AAA insurance company has the vehicle and is inspecting it. The Coconut Creek Police in FL has a report # [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11661590

The engine was replace May 1, 2025 and on May 11, 2025 the car caught on fire. It was a total loss.

NHTSA ODI 11660651

Left rear sub frame cracked in half while driving car . 2017 they did work to the under belly in reference to corrosion of the car . Has therr been any other complaints about this vehicle type ?

NHTSA ODI 11658437

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a bearing failure and the failure was linked to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11657564

The downhill break control (DBC) and the traction control system is is engaged and eliminated in the dash. It causes smoke or steam to come from under the hood after it is driven. This is the second time this issue has happened. I spent over $3,000 and six months getting this fixed last time. If there is not a recall on these things it should be recalled and fixed without me having to pay for it again. I believe it should have been covered the first time it happened.

NHTSA ODI 11646638

I had my mechanic come to my house to diagnose what has been going on and it is a recall on the motor. Along with my car throwing codes as well. I purchased the car from car max told them almost a year ago something was wrong with my car and they told me it was nothing it was a transmission issue. My father raised me to learn how to fix vehicles so o knew something was wrong. Now due to their negligence I am stranded with two small children.

NHTSA ODI 11644955

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle at his home, an abnormal burning odor began to emit from the vehicle's vents. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered that the engine had caught fire and did not engulf beyond the vehicle's firewall. The contact used his home's water hose and sprayed the engine for approximately 25-30 minutes until the fire was fully extinguished. The police and fire departments were not notified of the failure and no injuries were reported. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) which was linked to the failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11641661

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, she was informed by an individual if she was the owner of the vehicle since it was smoking and caught on fire. Prior to the fire, unknown warning lights would illuminate and un-illuminated intermittently. The Fire Department was on the scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and then towed by the insurance company. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the VIN not being included in a recall at the time the failure occurred. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) after the vehicle caught fire and was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 142,739.

NHTSA ODI 11635755

Not sure if you can help me, we bought a 2012 Kia Sorrento in 2011. The motor blew up at 92,000 miles. There was a recall on it and the motor was replaced. They gave us lifetime warranty on the motor. The second motor blew up as we were driving it at on 100,000 miles on the that motor. Luckily we were not on the freeway at the time. We took it to Findlay motors in Las Vegas for a new motor under the warranty. They contacted the KIA corporate office in Irvine Ca and denied our warranty. We have put in over $8,000.00 in the last two years on new struts, serpentine belt, motor mounts, brakes and 60-90,000 mile check ups. All done by Jim Marsh KIA in Las Vegas. We have all the reciepts. They will not even talk to us. They have a service rep. Tony Thomas in Ca who did not even look at the Sorrento or check our service records deny the warranty. This vehicle has had several recalls, not just the motor. I took it in for all the other recalls. It was unsafe for us to drive it when it blew up and unsafe to drive now. I am a [XXX] Veteran and think they are just hoping I will go away. I am hoping since their was a recall on this that maybe your agency can help me. Or maybe put me in touch with an agency that can help me by making them fulfill their obligation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11634693

Driving on the highway, engine began to tick and make strange noise, engine light flashed, oil light cam on and engine ceased.

NHTSA ODI 11633041

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ODI 11621288

There is a recall on my vehicle. I received my first letter in May2024. I took it to dealership and they ran test but said they couldnt fix the recall bc Kia hasn't sent them the remedy so they sent us home. I called Kia customer service and they said when remedy is ready I'll get another letter. I just got that letter a few days ago and called dealership (Superior kia Orangeburg SC). They will fix recall but trying to charge me for testing again claiming it's because recall wasn't fixed last time I brought it in..this was not my fault and they sent me home saying they were unable to fix at the time. This is a recall and I'm not supposed to be charged. They refuse to fix recall unless I pay them.

NHTSA ODI 11620470

Pearl White 2012 KIA SORENTO paint peeling/chipping on passenger side hood.

NHTSA ODI 11619543

2012 white pearl Kia sorento paint chipping and peeling off to reveal the bare metal below making it susceptible to rusting. It started on my hood and progressively got worse until I got the entire hood repainted. Now it is starting on the roof of my car and peeling off in big flakes. It continues to get worse.

NHTSA ODI 11617361

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle was making an abnormal knocking sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced, and the knock sensor software needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 193,999.

NHTSA ODI 11615351

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the used car dealer where it was purchased. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer Serra Kia of Jackson (175 Stonebridge Blvd, Jackson, TN 38305) was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) because the engine had already seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the recall repair could not be performed because a previous recall had not been performed on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 172,000.

NHTSA ODI 11613987

I was driving down the freeway and suddenly heard a large pop from above my head, then looked in my rear view mirror and saw what turned out to be part of my sunroof falling on the road behind me. A bit of glass fell into the cabin, but most flew off immediately or was caught by the fabric cover. I pulled over and my front sunroof panel had shattered. I did not see any object coming at us from ahead prior to this happening and think it was spontaneous.

NHTSA ODI 11613367

On August 23rd 2024, I drove this vehicle all day. But, upon reaching our final destination (ER department entrance) smoke began rolling out from under the hood. Once getting out to inspection the vehicle someone hollered for a extinguisher. I turned to look at the vehicle and I could see underneath of the 2012 kia sorento had flames. My son was still in the car so my mother and I ran to get him out of his rear facing carseat and ran away from the vehicle. At this time the vehicle still had a fire that went out with extinguisher but quickly light back up. After this the whole are and car filled with smoke. Fire department was called and this took them awhile to fully extinguish the fire. This could have hurt myself, my child, and my mother. I lost alot of valuable things including my son's new carseat, my children's double stroller, a tablet, clothing, etc. I have called Kia as I found out there was a recall that kia has none about and started sending notices out November 14th 2023. My vehicle sat at a kia dealership from January to March 6th and if this recall was so drastic such as a car fire why was this not taken car of when my vehicle sat for 2 months. I have a call into Kia as of Monday August 26th 2024. I am still waiting for a rep to be assigned my claim and to speak to them. As of Today August 28th 2024 Noone has reached out to me.

NHTSA ODI 11611298

While driving, the RPMS go to zero and the car stops and I lose all power. Yes, it's a safety risk to me and other drivers because it shuts off while driving. Someone following behind me can run into me. Yes, I took it to Ourisman Kia of Catonsville twice - They reproduced it happening the 2nd time I dropped it off after showing them a video of what happens. They said they don't know how to fix it. No, the vehicle was only inspected by the dealer. See video attached regarding warning lamps/messages etc.

NHTSA ODI 11605807

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that after leaving the dealer, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that Customer Satisfaction Number: 2304 (Anti-Theft S/W Logic Upgrade & Decal Installation) was also performed, which could have caused the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 81,476.

NHTSA ODI 11604483

My 2012 Kia Sorento has a recall for the motor, and I had taken it to Kia for an inspection and the dealer stated to me that my car does not have a recall on it. Recently my car stalled on the road while I was driving, and it nearly caused an accident because someone behind me had to break suddenly to stop.

NHTSA ODI 11603692

The low-beam headlights frequently burn out, approximately every 6 months. Upon inspection by multiple repair shops, the wiring harnesses have been found to be blowing the bulb yet each shop has replaced with a variety of parts. The suspicion is the wiring and power source are causing issues. Each side of the vehicle has had the wiring harness replaced with the right side being replaced twice and currently in need of a third replacement. The initial replacement was in 2018 and most recent replacement was 2023. The headlight will flicker on and off intermittently before the bulb or wiring harness blow. There is no predicting when this will occur which leaves the driver at risk of losing one or both headlights, needing immediate repair for safety and to avoid a potential ticket from the police.

NHTSA ODI 11602639

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle required several attempts to start; however, the vehicle failed to remain running. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the cam shaft. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 142,000.

NHTSA ODI 11600994

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 25 MPH, he noticed that the front end of the vehicle caught on fire. No further information was provided. The contact stated that her son immediately pulled to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle became engulfed in fire and exploded, causing damage to another parked unoccupied vehicle. The fire was extinguished with the assistance of the fire department. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle burned to the ground. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which she related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11600078