CarComplaints.com Notes: As long as catastrophic engine failure at under 60,000 miles is the top owner complaint, it'll be pretty hard to recommend the 2012 Sorento.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,994 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Kia Sorento miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2012 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #59

Oct 192022

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

These vehicles were never equipped with an alarm to notify drivers when parked in any other gear other than 'Park'. If the driver parks vehicle in 'Reverse' and do not set the parking brake, he/she can shut off the engine with no alarms notifying the driver to move shifter to park. An incident occurred with this vehicle in which the driver parked it overnight in a parking garage on level 6. The space appeared level, but is on a very slight incline. The vehicle (miraculously) remained in place overnight. However when the same driver proceeded to use the vehicle the following morning, it wouldn't start (obviously because you cannot start these vehicles unless the shifter is in 'Park' or 'Neutral'). He thought the battery was dead, not thinking to check the position of the shifter. After trying to get the vehicle to start with no success, he left the vehicle to use his personal vehicle. After leaving this vehicle, it rolled out of position and proceeded backwards (halfway down the incline between levels 6 and 5), turned slightly and hit the wall inside the parking garage (causing almost $6,000 of damage to the LR corner of the vehicle). The safety issue lies in the fact that this vehicle could have collided with another parked vehicle (with someone inside it) or another vehicle making the turn from level 5 to proceed to level 6. The vehicle could've also struck a pedestrian inside the parking garage. If the speed was greater, the vehicle could've damaged the section of the parking garage it struck and dislodged fragments of concrete (possibly causing it to fall on people and/or vehicles below).

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #58

Jan 012023

Sorento

  • miles
The paint on my snow white 2012 Sorento is peeling exposing metal

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #57

Aug 192022

Sorento

  • miles
The steering wheel ignition lock is easy bypassed by using only a small screwdriver or USB cord. This makes the car easily stolen and therefore violates the requirements of 571.114 which requires a "starting system which, whenever the key is removed from the starting system prevents.. the normal activation of the vehicles engine or motor". This affects all Kia / Hyundai vehicles with a normal keyed ignition and without a vehicle immobilizer produced from approximately 2009-2022. Since the technology required to comply with the regulation (i.e. a vehicle immobilizer) is readily available and available on other cars from this maker, the vehicle manufacturer knowingly violated this regulation. I request a NHTSA inquiry into this clear safety defect. We are constantly living in fear of our cars being stolen any day now, this is sad!

- Blacklick, OH, USA

problem #56

Mar 272022

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Pearl white paint chipping off at unusual rate for no reason

- Bethlehem, GA, USA

problem #55

Feb 192022

Sorento

  • miles
Went to park put on the breaks and vehicle accelerated and could not stop went over the cement parking lot space and hit the post of the commercial building. Luckily no one hurt except the post. No individual. This accident was today 2-19-2022. Police report number. 22-0145. Cape May, NJ Police Department. This happen at least three other times. Once going thru a red light. Do not recall dates.

- Cape May Point, NJ, USA

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problem #54

Feb 172022

Sorento

  • miles
There was the smell of gasoline inside the cabin. Then the check engine light came on. Smoke began coming from the engine compartment. The fire completely engulfed the vehicle.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #53

Nov 292021

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car randomly started to burst j to flames. Our car is now totaled because of an engine compartment fire.

- Douglasville, GA, USA

problem #52

Jul 012021

Sorento

  • miles
Pearl white paint pealing on front, back, top of car

- Athens, GA, USA

problem #51

Feb 082021

Sorento

  • 105,000 miles
Front driver side door handle inoperable from the exterior handle with no prior complications or damage ensued. Known problem in 2011 Kia Sorento models and not resolved in newer models. This can cause major issues in safety especially in emergency situations. This should be resolved immediately.

- Lockport, NY, USA

problem #50

Jan 012021

Sorento

  • 214,000 miles
Car never has had engine issues and gets regular, routine maintenance. I had my oil changed three weeks ago as I do every few thousand miles. I was driving the other day and the engine started to sieze. The oil pressure light came on while driving. There was no oil in the car. Car was towed to mechanic and no cracks/leaks were found. There is a safety recall currently for the engine bearings being prematurely worn causing engine to malfunction and sieze. My VIN was not listed under this recall, however, the mechanic suggested it is an internal/engine problem, thus quite likely due to these worn bearings in the engine.

- Santa Fe, NM, USA

problem #49

Apr 122020

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Hi I am writing you on behalf of my Kia sorrento 2012 I've been having problems the last past nine months after my car wouldn't start I supposedly assumed it was the battery so I had the battery changed in the lock at the battery is about 78 years old so I changed it after change that still drain after every month my car would just turn off in the middle of me driving or stopping at a stop sign when I put my ac or my heater on it drops idle and it makes the car really heavy to the point where it feels like it's holding back my car has been doing this occasionally often on where I'll be driving a long distance or a short distance with the ac on and as I'm parking turn off the ac in the car while I go up and down and will drop idol and just turn off the vehicle without any spiders I do not know what's going on with the vehicle I've had it checked out every month for the last past nine months and paid for the diagnosis which they always keep on telling me there's nothing wrong with the vehicle I have looked up my vehicle VIN number and have put in the nhtse number and I have a form you recalls and they look like engine cesar an engine fire

- Princeville, HI, USA

problem #48

Dec 102020

Sorento

  • 138,693 miles
I was driving and suddenly heard a knocking noise under the hood and then all of the lights came on and it broke down and I had to pull over on the side of the road then it started smoking and then it caught fire. This all happened within 20 minutes on 12/10/2020. It was in cobb county ga off of ew connector and in between fontaine rd and floyd rd.

- Dallas, GA, USA

problem #47

Dec 052020

Sorento

  • 118,000 miles
Have had the to replace the right cv axle twice in the past 40K miles (once at about 118K and again at 150K) mechanic told me this has been an issue in Kia

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #46

Apr 022020

Sorento

  • 120,000 miles
When driving on a highway, the tachometer drops to zero and the power decreases, but the engine doesn't stop running. Then it smells like something is burning, and I pull off the road, turn it off, and start it again, then it goes back to normal. It has been doing this for a few months already. Also, I have had this car for almost 4 years and have replaced the headlights, tail lights, and blinkers numerous times. I'm at the point that I'm afraid it's going to burn up. Btw, the engine temp light remains normal. Also, sometimes, the engine will stop when I stop at a light or sign, but then is normal when I start it again.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #45

Jul 212020

Sorento

  • 163,000 miles
I have faulty airbags in my vehicle why is there no recall vehicle hasn't been wrecked. Airbag were never deployed. My vehicle is not safe without airbag repair, as long as the airbag light is on on the dash the airbag system fails inspection. It needs to be a recall this is a safety hazard and cause death if I was to be involved in an accident.

- Tuskegee Inst, AL, USA

problem #44

Jul 212020

Sorento

  • miles
Airbag issues with this vehicle vehicle is not safe to drive Kia needs to recall airbags may just save a life and mines is at state here... passenger seat airbags disabled and will not allow other airbags to work if I become in an accident. Please help me with this issue I'm fear of my safety

- Tuskegee Inst, AL, USA

problem #43

Jul 212020

Sorento

  • miles
I purchased a Kia Sorento on July 21 2020 after test driving the vehicle the air bag light popped on the sales man took it to one of their on site employees and they hooked up the code device no codes appeared so he suggested its just a sensor problem and told me it shouldn't be much take it to a Kia dealership. I did in which couldn't get in to see the service department until today in which I had to pay out of pocket for a diagnostic test and they found that the ods mat was faulty. I told the service guy that the car lot took the seats out to clean the SUV for sale and he told me they damaged or broke the ods mat. I contacted the seller and stronger expressed my feeling about my vehicle is no longer safe to drive and the only thing he said to me is my payment due August 31 today is the 10th and this replacement will be over 2300 that I can't afford and the vehicle is no longer safe for me and my daughter. I really feel they knew it was a problem with the air bag and just tried to make a sale saying it was a sensor issue that Kia will have to reset.

- Tuskegee Inst, AL, USA

problem #42

Jun 262020

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 120,863 miles
While driving on a four lane highway, the car's engine just cuts off on its own while I was in traffic. All of the lights on the dashboard come on. I put my flashers on and it allowed me to restart and drive and it did it again. The third time I started it, I turned off on a less crowed road to get to another stretch of road and drove very slowing for about 10 miles to get it home. I could smell something coming from under the hood and I didn't park it in the garage. The smell was strong and the hood very hot to the touch. I didn't want to chance it catching on fire. What should I do? I keep the oil changed and had it done on 6/22/2020.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

problem #41

Mar 252020

Sorento

  • 109,000 miles
My moo roof shattered for the second time in 5 years. Nothing hit it, it was parked the first time and we just happened to be standing next to it and heard it start to shatter, yesterday I got in it after it was parked in my garage started to drive and heard this pop/ crackling sound and it happened again! this can't be bad luck twice in a row like this. I did nothing to it, was not hit by anything and now again, shattered!

- Glendale, AZ, USA

problem #40

Feb 272020

Sorento

  • 68,500 miles
On the afternoon of 2-27-20 I was driving on I-25 headed South, near mead (between loveland and denver) I was traveling around 80mph in the middle (3) lane when my sunroof shattered for what seemed to be no reason at all. Glass rained down everywhere and I feel very lucky that it wasn't the cause of a major accident. This is a busy section of I-25 and there were a number of cars nearby, all going 70+mph. I heard no impact to the sunroof whatsoever. It just sort of exploded. It seems to me as though the leading metal edge was flexing and air got under it in such a way, that it just peeled back. I have the metal piece shown in the pic attached. The end of that piece of metal landed on my right forearm; glad I had both hands on the wheel.

- Denver, CO, USA

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