Home · 2013 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid · Complaints

What 977 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

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 (977)Crash / fire / injury (72)Engine (494)Electrical system (116)Body & structure (89)Brakes (88)Lights (70)Transmission & drivetrain (69)Airbags (60)Fuel system (37)Seats (33)Visibility & wipers (31)

60 of 977 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters · page 2 of 3

Jun 4, 2019Airbags

MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE MECHANIC RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11217699

May 16, 2019Airbags

THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON

NHTSA ODI 11208092

Feb 20, 2019Airbags

AIRBAG LIGHT ON

NHTSA ODI 11181457

Jan 2, 2019AirbagsBody & structure

TAKATA RECALL ON BACK LOCKS. LOCK JAMMED ON BACK DOOR. DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM INSIDE OR OUT.. HAVING PROBLEMS WITH KIA DEALERSHIP HONORING A RECALL THAT I THIN SHOULD INCLUDE MY VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR FRONT LOCKS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT WAS REPAIRED. NOW THE BACK LOCKS ON THE BACK DOOR IS DOING THE SAME THING. THIS IS A DANGER TO MY GRANDCHILDREN WHO SITS IN THE BACK OF MY CAR. THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ALSO MALFUNCTIONING. I HAVE ASKED KIA CHECK THE AIR BAG, BUT TOLD MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT ON THE LIST. AND THAT MY LOCKS ARE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. THESE ARE ALL MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.. THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT "OFF" APPEARS.. THE VEHICLE WAS /IS STATIONARY WHEN THE BACK DOOR LOCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK, ALTHOUGH RESONDS TO KEY PAD SOUND AS THOUGH UNLOCKED, THE DOOR REMAINS LOCK. ALSO, WHEN DOOR IS UNLOCKED ON THE INSIDE, DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. CAR IS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 11164659

Nov 9, 2018Airbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ODI 11150385

Sep 12, 2018Airbags

IN EARLY MAY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD CAME ON FOR NO REASON. MY 2013 KIA SORENTO WAS IN PARK. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE SERVICE CODE SCANNED. THE CODE CAME BACK SAYING THE PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT MAT AIRBAG SENSOR WAS THE ISSUE. THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THAT THE MAT COULD MALFUNCTION IF IT GOT WATER ON IT OR IF ELECTRONICS WERE PLACED ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. I INFORMED THE SERVICE CLERK THAT NEITHER SITUATION WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME OR ANYTIME BEFORE THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SERVICE CLERK SAID THAT KIA RECOMMENDED RESETTING THE CODE, AND HE HOPED IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE LIGHT STAYED OFF FOR ALMOST 4 MONTHS. FAST FORWARD TO LAST WEEK. THE DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOR NO REASON. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. MY PASSENGER SEAT HAS NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH WATER OR HAD ELECTRICAL DEVICES RESTING ON IT. I TOOK MY SORRENTO IN AGAIN AND HAD THEM READ THE CODE. IT CAME BACK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT. MY CAR IS ONLY AT 83,000 MILES, AND WAS AT 79,000 WHEN THE LIGHT FIRST CAME ON. THEY QUOTED THE REPAIR COSTS AT BETWEEN $1500 - $2000. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT KIA, TWO TIMES, THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OPTION ON THEIR WEBSITE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED. THEY HAVE HAD AIRBAG-RELATED RECALLS WITH SEVERAL OTHER KIA MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR, BUT THE SORENTO IS NOT INCLUDED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. SOMETHING IS OBVIOUSLY WRONG WITH THEIR AIRBAGS WHEN THEY GO OUT AT LOWER MILEAGE. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP WITH THIS MATTER? IF I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM, SO ARE OTHERS. SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE SAYING THE SAME THING ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES. PLEASE HELP! THEY SAY MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION WITH THE LIGHT ON.

NHTSA ODI 11129132

Sep 11, 2018Electrical systemAirbagsEngineFire

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAR COUGHT FIRE. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE CAR NEXT TO US WHO SIGNALED TO PULL OVER WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOAST.

NHTSA ODI 11128790

Sep 5, 2018Airbags

AIRBAG LIGHT IS STAYING ON WE WERE TOLD THAT IT IS THE OCD MAT SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG

NHTSA ODI 11124638

Aug 20, 2018AirbagsCrash

CLOCK SPRING BROKE AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.

NHTSA ODI 11121079

Jul 7, 2018AirbagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel systemFire

MY CAR 2013 KIA SORENTO BURNT UP !!

NHTSA ODI 11110065

Jul 2, 2018Airbags

AIRBAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF; I'M TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW OCS MAT WHICH REQUIRES A WHOLE NEW PASSENGER SEAT OVER 2,000. WHY ISN'T THIS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUF TO REPLACE? 5 MONTHS PAST THE 5-YEAR WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T GIVE ME ANY DISCOUNT. IN MY OPINION, THE LIABILITY SHOULD FALL ON THE MANUFACTURER FOR ITEMS LIKE THIS AND NOT THE CONSUMER (FEEL MORE LIKE A SUCKER).

NHTSA ODI 11105250

Jun 8, 2018Airbags

THE SEAT BELT LIGHT HAS BECOME ILLUMINATED DUE TO A SENSOR FAILURE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND DISCUSSED AMONG KIA OWNERS. THE FAILURE OF THE SENSOR CAUSES ALL OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO FAIL AND THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. WITH THE RECENT RECALLS TO OTHER KIA AND HYUNDAI MODELS, THIS MODEL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THIS MODEL.

NHTSA ODI 11100526

Mar 5, 2018Airbags

SRS

NHTSA ODI 11076356

Feb 26, 2018Airbags

INTERNAL SHORT IN THE OCS MAT SENSOR LOCATED IN MY PASSENGER SEAT WHERE THERE IS RARELY ANYONE SITTING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT DISABLES MY ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM. IT'S A $2100 REPAIR THAT SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE FOR KIA.

NHTSA ODI 11075074

Feb 21, 2018Airbags

MY AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND WHILE HAVING A RECENT RECALL FOR SOMETHING ELSE TAKEN CARE OF THEY FIXED THE ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG. IT IS NOW ON AGAIN AND I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND PASSENGERS NOT KNOWING WHAT THE ISSUE REALLY IS. I WAS GIVEN AN APPOINTMENT FOR NEXT WEEK TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS NOT GIVEN ANY IDEA OF WHETHER THIS WOULD BE MY EXPENSE OR KIS'A.

NHTSA ODI 11074196

Dec 15, 2017AirbagsCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ITS REAR. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NECK, AND LOWER BACK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NECK, AND ARM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ODI 11054952

Dec 13, 2017Airbags

TAKATA RECALL- THE MERCEDES DEALER WHERE I LIVE (LANCASTER, NY 14086) HAS BEEN WAITING 2 YEARS FOR PARTS. COLD CLIMATES ARE BEING SERVICED LAST IF NOT AT ALL. I ALSO HAVE A HOME IN CAPE CORAL FL. WHERE I PLAN TO EVENTUALLY MAKE A PERMANENT MOVE. THEY ARE SERVICING THE HOT. HUMID CLIMATES FIRST. UNTIL I MAKE MY MOVE PERMANENT MY MERCEDES WILL REMAIN IN NYS. I RUN THE RISK OF NOT HAVING REMEDIED THE RECALL WHEN I DO MAKE THE PERMANENT MOVE. I FEAR BY THEN I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED IN FL. DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF PARTS. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR A YEAR. WAS IT NOT THE DEALER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL ME OF THE RECALL WHEN I WAS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE? ( I DID NOT PURCHASE FROM A AUTHORIZED MERCEDES DEALER, JOE BASIL RESALE WAS THE SELLER.) I MAY HAVE RECONSIDERED MY PUCHASE IF I KNEW ABOUT THE RECALL AND IT'S SPECIFIC ISSUES IN RELATION TO MY PENDING RELOCATING. FORTUNATELY, NOTHING HAS OCCURED AT THIS POINT BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

NHTSA ODI 11054521

Oct 11, 2017Airbags

WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER RESEARCHING IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AND VARIOUS YEARS. THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY UNLESS IT IS FIXED.

NHTSA ODI 11032984

Sep 23, 2017Airbags

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON A SUMMER ROAD TRIP, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST REACHED 100,000 MILES AND IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. AT THE END OF THE TRIP, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND PULLED A CODE RELATING TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR MAT. THEY INSPECTED ALL THE CONNECTIONS AND DETERMINED THAT A CONNECTION MUST HAVE COME LOOSE AND RESET THE AIRBAG LIGHT. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ONCE AGAIN ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. IT WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THIS TIME A THOROUGH INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AND THE DEFECT WAS SAID TO BE WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR MAT AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL, AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PAST THE 60,000 MILE ELECTRICAL WARRANTY. THE ONLY OPTION FOR REPLACEMENT WAS TO PURCHASE A BRAND NEW SEAT, WITH SENSOR, AT THE COST OF THE OWNER, FOR $2200. THIS DEFECT IS COSTLY TO THE OWNER, ESPECIALLY ON A "LIKE-NEW" VEHICLE, AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THIS DEFECT PREVENTS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11025196

Aug 1, 2017Airbags

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CODE B1361

NHTSA ODI 11012060

Apr 27, 2017Airbags

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. DEAL ADVISES THAT IT IS A SENSOR AND THAT IT IS OVER $400 TO REPAIR. HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2013 KIA SORENTO. VEHICLE IS JUST OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE (3,000 OVER). VEHICLE AS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF COLLISION.

NHTSA ODI 10981164

Mar 6, 2017Electrical systemLightsAirbags

THE ELECTRICAL WIRE TO THE LIGHTS BURNED AS WELL AS THE CONNECTOR THE BATTERY WILL NOT STAY CHARGED NOTHING IS ON AT THE TIME THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONTINUOUSLY THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. THE DOORS RANDOMLY LOCK BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE AND THERE'S A SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS IT A HAZARD TO DRIVE

NHTSA ODI 10958990

Feb 25, 2017Airbags

THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON IN SEPT 2016. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT WAS THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR THAT HAD GONE BAD. THEY STATED THAT IT COULD KEEP THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FROM DEPLOYING OR CAUSE IT TO DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STATED THAT I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE SENSOR TO GO BAD INSIDE THE SEAT! THE PART W/ LABOR COST OVER $1500 TO REPLACE. NOW 5 MONTHS LATE (FEB 2017) I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 10956984

Feb 9, 2017Airbags

CAR AT 72,000 MILES. AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES CONSTANTLY. DEALER INDICATES PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR. ODDLY, THE OTHER LIGHT ABOVE THE CONSOLE THAT INDICATES PASSENGER AIRBAG ON/OFF CORRECTLY SHOWN OFF WHEN NO ONE IS SEATED IN PASSENGER SEAT, AND ON WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED. RESEARCH FROM VARIOUS ONLINE SOURCES IS INCONCLUSIVE IF THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT GIVEN THE CURRENT ERROR CODES OF B1674 AND B1767. EXPENSE TO REPAIR IS EXCESSIVE, IN MY OPINION, AT A COST OF $1,800 FOR THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR (ROUGHLY 1/5 THE VALUE OF THE CAR).

NHTSA ODI 10953653

Nov 15, 2016Airbags

I TOOK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. THEY SAID IT WILL TAKE OVER $2100 TO FIX. AIRBAG MIGHT NOT DEPLOY DUE TO THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI 10926261

← NewerOlder →

Working with the data? Download all 977 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 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 2013 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid verdict →