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What 745 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 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 (745)Crash / fire / injury (35)Engine (359)Body & structure (99)Lights (90)Electrical system (56)Transmission & drivetrain (42)Brakes (35)Steering (33)Fuel system (31)Airbags (29)Speed control (20)

7 of 745 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 17, 2020AirbagsCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE A VERY WIDE TURN AND CRASHED AT 60 MPH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH THE COLLISION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT AND HIS SON WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL LATTER ON. THE CONTACT HAD WHIPLASH AND HAD A HEADACHE AND HIS INFANT SON HAD A SWOLLEN FACE FROM HITTING THE SIDE OF HIS CAR SEAT WITH BRUISES. THE CONTACT'S WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE NOT INJURED. THE CONTACT WENT TO A MILITARY HOSPITAL SINCE HE WAS ON ACTIVE DUTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED WITH DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOOR BEING SMASHED IN , THE TIERODE WAS SNAPPED. THE REAR TIRE ON THE PASSENGER'S WAS SMASHED FROM THE TOP INWARD AND THE TIRE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS PUSHED OUTWARD. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT YET NOTIFIED. THE WRECK WAS TOWED FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ODI 11383959

Sep 5, 2020Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsEngineCrash

I PURCHASED THE 2015 KIA SORENTO NEW IN THE YEAR OF 2014 FROM THE KIA DEALERSHIP LOCATED IN MERIDIAN, MS. SINCE THE PURCHASED... MY GOODNESS, I'VE HAD AIRBAG SYSTEM ISSUES, ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH MY LIGHTS, THE ELECTRONIC OUTLETS FOR DEVICE INPUT, CONTROL PANEL ON STEERING TO MAKE ACCESSING THE RADIO AND PHONE; THE BUTTONS ALWAYS JAM WITH THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH!! LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST THE MOTOR HAS A RECALL AS OF TODAY'S DATE 09/2020. PLUS THE TRANSMISSION JERKS IN GEAR AND I'M TOLD THAT THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE OLD MOTOR DEFECTS.., BUT NOW THAT THE MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION IS WORSE!! THE FACT I'VE BEEN GOING TO DEALERSHIP EXPRESSING MY ISSUES AND NOTHING IS BEEN DONE OTHER THAN NOW BEING TOLD, MA'AM YOU'RE OUT OF WARRANTY! THAT I NEED TO COME OUT OF POCKET $2,200 FOR THEY'RE NEGLIGENCE. SOUNDS LIKE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO RETAIN AN ATTORNEY!!!

NHTSA ODI 11353332

Jun 23, 2017AirbagsSeat beltsEngineCrash1 injury

(AMENDMENTS TO ODI#S: 10668775 & 10663356 - UPDATE) ON 12/01/2014, I WAS IN A 2015 KIA SORENTO LX (ENTERPRISE INSURANCE RENTAL) TRAVELING ON CRABB RIVER ROAD, (A CITY STREET) SUGARLAND, TEXAS. I FULLY STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS BECAUSE IT WAS RED. ONCE LIGHTS TURNED GREEN, I PUT THE VEHICLE IN MOTION BY STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE BUT THE CAR FELT REALLY SLUGGISH SO I GAVE IT MORE GAS IN ORDER TO GAIN ENOUGH SPEED AS I WAS ABOUT TO GO OVER SOME RAILROAD TRACKS (APPROX. 55+ MPH) WHICH WERE ON A ROAD THAT WAS ON AN INCLINE. RIGHT AS THE CAR REACHED THE TRACKS, THE ENGINE STALLED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT DOVE INTO A DITCH; PLOWED DIRECTLY INTO A STEEL BILLBOARD POLE WHICH WAS CEMENTED INTO THE GROUND BECAUSE THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH PRIOR TO THE CRASH. EVEN THOUGH I WAS FULLY BUCKLED, THE SEATBELT DID NOT PREVENT MY HEAD FROM VIOLENTLY HITTING THE WINDSHIELD AND BOUNCING OFF THE STEERING WHEEL SINCE NONE OF THE 8 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I SUFFERED NEAR FATAL INJURIES INCLUDING A BROKEN BACK (L2 FRACTURE), SPINAL CORD, HEAD, EYE, CHIN, JAWS, NECK AND HIP; BROKEN TEETH, PERMANENT DISFIGURATION (18 STITCHES), SOME VISION & HEARING LOSS FROM NERVE DAMAGE AND PTSD, MENTAL ANGUISH, CHRONIC MIGRAINES, EXTREME STRESS, TERRIBLE RECURRING NIGHTMARES, ETC. I'M A 5'2" WOMAN AND MY CHEST WAS PINNED TO THE STEERING WHEEL UPON THE IMPACT WITH THE POLE AND THE FIRE DEPT. HAD TO FREE ME AND LIFT ME UP TO THE EMTS. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE ER OF A HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND LATER TRANSFERRED TO THE TRAUMA UNIT OF MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF MY INJURIES.

NHTSA ODI 11000887

Jun 16, 2017AirbagsCrash3 injuries

WE WERE TRAVELING 64 MPH ON INTERSTATE 75 SOUTH (IT WAS RAINING HARD), WHEN WE WERE HIT FROM BEHIND AT 75-78 MILES PER HOUR BY AN F150 TRUCK. OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH CAUSED US TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD. AT THE RATE OF SPEED WE WERE HIT, THE BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. OUR SORENTO HAD OVER $9,000 IN DAMAGE TO THE REAR. THE BAGS ARE A MALFUNCTION, AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED.

NHTSA ODI 10995466

Jun 29, 2016SteeringAirbagsEngineFuel systemCrash2 injuries

HOW CAN NHTSA GIVE A 5-STAR SAFETY RATING TO A 2015 KIA SORRENTO BASED ON A 2013 CRASH TEST DONE ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE WHEN THERE IS OBVIOUS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THE 2014/2015 KIA SORRENTO MODELS. SINCE 2014, THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST 2 SERIOUS INJURIES AND OTHER COMPLAINTS DUE TO THIS DEFECT AND ITS NON-DEPLOYENT OF AIRBAGS, ETC. (PLEASE LOOK AT THE PHOTOS, VIDEO & SMALL OVERLAY CRASH REPORT AT HTTP://WWW.IIHS.ORG/IIHS/RATINGS/VEHICLE/V/KIA/SORENTO-4-DOOR-SUV/2015)..THE MANUFACTIURER WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS SINCE THEY REDESIGNED THE 2016 MODEL. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC FOR ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED WITH THESE ISSUES WHICH SHOULD REPAIRED OR RECALLED TO AVOID FURTHER RISK OF SERIOUS INJURIES AND/OR LOSS OF LIFE. IT IS COMPLETELY WRONGFUL, HARMFUL AND NEGLIGENT OF NHTSA TO GIVE AN "5-STAR SAFETY RATING" ON A LATER MODEL VEHICLE BASED ON AN OUTDATED TEST & WITHOUT FULLY AND APPROPRIATEL TESTING; RENDERING FALSE MISREPRESENTATION TO THE VEHICLE SHOPPER.....UPDATED 06/21/17 *BF *JS

NHTSA ODI 10881567

Mar 10, 2016AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH A VERY STRONG SMELL COMING FROM THE AIR BAGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED A MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY YARD THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCAL DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 10846023

Dec 29, 2014SteeringAirbagsSpeed controlCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2015 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH OVER RAILROAD TRACKS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE POST OF A BILLBOARD. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A VERTEBRAE, NECK, AND BACK INJURIES AND HEAD TRAUMAS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.....UPDATED 06/21/17 *BF UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10668775

Working with the data? Download all 745 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 2015 Kia Sorento verdict →