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What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (875)Crash / fire / injury (104)Engine (460)Electrical system (127)Brakes (101)Airbags (79)Lights (60)Transmission & drivetrain (55)Fuel system (38)Body & structure (35)Speed control (29)Visibility & wipers (28)

6 of 875 complaints match · Visibility & wipers · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 16, 2024Visibility & wipers2 injuries

This morning the panoramic sunroof on our 2012 Kia Sorrento spontaneously exploded. Shattered and chunks of safety glass came down on us. My son and I sustained superficial injuries (I sustained laceration over left eye and on left hand) - he has a lump on the right side of his skull. When we pulled over the glass was also on the rear portion of the roof. Nothing struck the vehicle. There was no vehicle/truck in front of us for potential debris. Open sky above. It sounded like a gunshot before the glass exploded over us.

NHTSA ODI 11589072

Aug 12, 2019Visibility & wipers1 injury

PANORAMIC SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED / SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING. *DT CUTS TO HAND ON STEERING WHEEL FROM FALLING GLASS. *JB

NHTSA ODI 11243288

Apr 27, 2018Visibility & wipers2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GLASS PARTICLES FELL ONTO THE PASSENGERS. THERE WERE MINOR SCRAPES, BUT MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,414.

NHTSA ODI 11090390

Jan 15, 2018Visibility & wipers1 injury

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF/MOONROOF EXPLODED FOR NO REASON AND DROPPED GLASS DOWN ON ME AND ALSO A MEAL BAR SWUNG DOWN AND HIT ME ON THE SIDE OF MY HEAD. FORTUNATELY IT WAS EARLY MORNING AND NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC AROUND ME, OR THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. NOTHIN HIT THE ROOF PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION, A VERY SCARY SITUATION. I HAVE CUTS ON MY HANDS AND A WELT WHERE MY HEAD WAS HIT. *BF *TR

NHTSA ODI 11062786

Feb 23, 2015Visibility & wipers2 injuries

I WAS TRAVELING HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE SUNROOF WAS FULLY CLOSED AND HAD IMPLODED WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE. GLASS HAD FALLEN ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER RESULTING IN MINOR LACERATIONS. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE VISIBLE ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND NO FOREIGN OBJECTS SUCH AS ROCKS WERE FOUND IN THE VEHICLE. ... UPDATED 03/19/15*BF UPDATED 6/19/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI 10689999

Jul 26, 2013Visibility & wipers1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NOTHING HIT THE GLASS TO CAUSE IT TO FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000. THE VINE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/08/14*LJ THE CONSUMER SUFFERED A CUT FROM THE GLASS. UPDATED 01/09/14

NHTSA ODI 10531972

Working with the data? Download all 875 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Kia Sorento verdict →