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)

4 of 977 complaints match · Body & structure · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Aug 13, 2018Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

SPONTANEOUS VEHICLE FIRE. TRAVELING ON US-27 IN FLORIDA, STOPPED AT RED LIGHT AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, PROCEEDED THROUGH THE LIGHT ONCE IT TURNED GREEN TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY WHEN SMOKE STARTED THROUGH THE VENTS AND FLAMES CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL. CAR BECAME DISABLED AND 3 OF US JUMPED OUT AND RAN DOWN THE ROAD, AWAY FROM THE CAR. THE ENTIRE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES IN A MATTER OF SECONDS FROM EXITING.

NHTSA ODI 11119545

May 10, 2017LightsBody & structureFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR, THE DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENT MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE HEADLAMP WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER DECLINED TO REPAIR THE DOOR HANDLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

NHTSA ODI 10984715

Sep 19, 2014SteeringBody & structureEngineCrash1 injury

MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN I HIT A PERSON IN THE REAR AFTER SEVERELY DAMAGED FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE AND PARTS BEING SHOVED INTO THE MOTOR AND THE MOTOR RECEIVED A CRACK IN THE BLOCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10637536

Jul 5, 2013Body & structure1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD STRIKE HIM IN THE FOREHEAD WHENEVER ENTERING THE VEHICLE .THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE EDGES AROUND THE DOOR WERE SHARP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10523287

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 →