What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated the vehicle was serviced at the local dealer for the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) regarding a safety fire hazard. Days later, while the vehicle was idling, smoke was suddenly present coming from under the hood. The contact opened the hood of the vehicle and discovered flames and smoke coming from the fuse box located in the front of the engine bay. The contact, who was a local fire investigator, retrieved a fire extinguisher and extinguished the flames. The fire department was called to the scene, and a fire report was filed. The vehicle was later towed to the home, and the manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident. The manufacturer sent an investigator to the home to examine the vehicle. The investigator determined that the fire had originated at the front of the engine compartment, but did not determine the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported. The contact was concerned that the fire was related to the recall service previously performed. The failure mileage was 212,000.

NHTSA ODI 11703240

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

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

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the contact detected a burning rubber odor. The TPMS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. There was smoke coming from underneath the hood and through the air vents, causing the front windshield to fog. The contact was unable to see and crashed into the side of a residential porch, scraping the driver's side mirror and front driver's side quarter panel. The contact did not sustain any injuries, and no medical attention was received. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to Firestone, where a leak test was performed, and it was determined that an unknown fluid had leaked onto the starter. The starter was replaced; however, the vehicle hesitated to start. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 11592222

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed he smelled a burning fuel odor, and smoke began coming into the vehicle from the vents. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and unlatched the hood of the vehicle only to find a sizeable amount of fire coming from the engine, which left him with burned hairs on his left arm, no medical treatment was needed. The contact stated there was a cop parked nearby who came to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. The fire department was called to make sure the fire was extinguished. The contact did not recall filling out a fire department report. A police report was filed, however the contact did not have the information available. The insurance company towed the vehicle and deemed it totaled. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23v652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not included in that recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and also confirmed there was nothing they could do because the vehicle was not included in that recall. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11588753

This 2012 Kia sorento caught fire and burned. Believed to be part of the recall 23v652

NHTSA ODI 11585161

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH he observed that the check engine light had illuminated and he was losing forward momentum. The contact pulled off of the road and noticed that smoke was being emitted from under the hood. The contact exited the vehicle and saw that flames were issuing from under the engine compartment. The contact stated that the fire department and police arrived. The fire was extinguished with water, and no reports were filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The contact's insurance provider declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact had recently received a recall letter from the manufacturer, NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and related the engine compartment fire to the recall. The vehicle manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11557655

I WAS DRIVING A 2012 KIA SORENTO WITH THREE OTHER PASSENGERS AND OUR FAMILY DOG. I SEE SMOKE COMING FROM BACK OF MY CAR THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR PASSING ME SINCE MY CAR WAS IN MINT CONDITION WITH A NEW ENGINE AND NEW TRANSMISSION. I LOOK AGAIN THERE IS NO CAR GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY AND NOW I SEE A LOT MORE SMOKE. CARS COMING THE OPPOSITE WAY ARE FLASHING ME AND WAVING SO I FIGURED I'M PROBABLY OVER HEATING. I STEER TO THE RIGHT ON A STEEP HILL THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE DOESN'T WORK I QUICKLY THROW IT INTO PARK THE GEARS ARE GONE SO NO PARK. AT THAT POINT WE SEE FLAMES SHOOTING AT US. MY DAUGHTER AND I OPEN OUR DOORS THE CAR IS SLOWLY ROLLING DOWN THE HILL, THE DOOR HITS HER SHE GOES FLYING THE CAR ALMOST RUNS HER OVER. I TAKE THE CAR AND I'M HOLDING THE 4,000 POUND CAR BACK FROM ROLLING DOWN THE HILL SO THE KIDS AND DOG IN THE BACK SEAT CAN GET OUT. THEY FINALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS, GRABBED THE DOG BY THE COLLAR. I LET GO OF THE CAR IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND STARTED TO EXPLODE. WHAT A HORRIFYINGLY EXPERIENCE.

NHTSA ODI 11112496

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL ON I-15 JUST 3 MILES SOUTH OF SCIPIO, UT, I BEGAN TO NOTICE ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR. I GOT INTO THE FAR RIGHT LINE OF THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. AS I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THICK BLACK SMOKE CAME THROUGH THE AIR VENT. AS WE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, I BREATHED IN A LITTLE BIT OF THE THICK SMOKE THAT CAME THROUGH THE AIR VENT, BUT MY WIFE DID NOT BREATHE ANY OF THE SMOKE. THE HOOD AREA WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AFTER WE ESCAPED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THIS INCIDENT STARTED. EVERYTHING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO ABOUT HALF OF THE TRUNK AREA WAS DESTROYED.

NHTSA ODI 11012531

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE COMING THE A STOP, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE TO CRASHED INTO A RESTAURANT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT THE LOCATION OF THE CRASH AT THE TIME OF THE CALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,741.

NHTSA ODI 10788146

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

NHTSA ODI 10446155