Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 30 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Engine. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
30 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2024
Fuel/propulsion System
While slowing from cruising speed to around 5 MPH, give or take, and pressing on the accelerator, the vehicle will not respond/accelerate for up to 1 second. This is dangerous because you don't know when the vehicle will respond and if you'll have the acceleration. My assumption is this is a symptom of the hybrid system trying…
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While slowing from cruising speed to around 5 MPH, give or take, and pressing on the accelerator, the vehicle will not respond/accelerate for up to 1 second. This is dangerous because you don't know when the vehicle will respond and if you'll have the acceleration. My assumption is this is a symptom of the hybrid system trying to determine the best mode of propulsion - gas, electric only or a combination of both. We've taken it to the dealer and we were told "this is how hybrid systems work." We've owned Toyota hybrid systems and we know this is not normal. Kia/Hyundai should reprogram the hybrid system to that it responds with no delay, even if it means the fuel milage suffers as a result.
NHTSA ODI #11625375
Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2024
StructureUnknown Or Other
Sunroof Randomly exploded driving down the road.
NHTSA ODI #11619729
Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2024
Fuel/propulsion System
This is the third time my car has had code p0171 and p0191 pop into the system of the car. I just picked up my car on [XXX] and after I left the parking lot it didn't feel right. I had to press the gas pedal a lot harder to get it to move. This is after they replaced the high pressure fuel pump twice within a week and I belie…
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This is the third time my car has had code p0171 and p0191 pop into the system of the car. I just picked up my car on [XXX] and after I left the parking lot it didn't feel right. I had to press the gas pedal a lot harder to get it to move. This is after they replaced the high pressure fuel pump twice within a week and I believe under 200 miles of driving the car. Luckily Florida is a pretty flat state so the hill I have between my work and home isn't very steep but I go from 40 mphs down to 30 once I reach the top of it. I'm supposed to be going from Florida to North Carolina and I don't know how it's supposed to climb the mountains. The first time my car had this problem was [XXX] the second time [XXX] and the third time was [XXX] and the last issue was [XXX]. The first 3 times it went into limp mode where it won't run the components completely. The last time I had to press the gas pedal all the way so I wouldn't be hit by other vehicles. I only had warning lights the one time but error codes on 3 of the 4 times with last time barely leaving the dealership so I wasn't able to check. It's a safety issue when you have to pray that it gets enough to merge into traffic or to stay ahead of cars where it cause cars to slow down or possibly hit me if they think I would be going faster. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11597574
19,700 miles · Jun 20, 2024
Engine
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact stated while attempting to drive the veh…
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The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact stated while attempting to drive the vehicle the following day the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where a diagnostic result was undetermined. The dealer stated that while attempting to drive the vehicle, there were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,700.
NHTSA ODI #11595544
Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion System
I was driving home from work when I felt my car was in a limp like a previous problem I had except this time I had a check engine light come on. I was almost home and I had a check hybrid system pop up on my dash and the car basically stopped driving. Luckily I was on a side street. I had a p0171 code on both of my issues . I…
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I was driving home from work when I felt my car was in a limp like a previous problem I had except this time I had a check engine light come on. I was almost home and I had a check hybrid system pop up on my dash and the car basically stopped driving. Luckily I was on a side street. I had a p0171 code on both of my issues . I had it fixed about a month and half ago the first time but couldn't say what caused the issue.
NHTSA ODI #11594602
Mileage unknown · May 7, 2024
Forward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure
The forward collision warning system and emergency braking were engaged when no forward object was present. Amount of times 2 Driver side rear quarter panel falsely detected a car swerving into my lane and engaged an emergency maneuver to avoid collision even though there was no car there. Amount of times 1
NHTSA ODI #11587476
Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2024
Electrical SystemService Brakes
I was driving down the highway when my vehicle shut off with no warning and the parking break engaged. I was stuck in the travel lane with cars flying by me going 50 plus MPH. My vehicle has 7000 miles on it. According to KIA the hybrid battery failed and they don’t know why. KIA has been no help and as far as I know they are …
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I was driving down the highway when my vehicle shut off with no warning and the parking break engaged. I was stuck in the travel lane with cars flying by me going 50 plus MPH. My vehicle has 7000 miles on it. According to KIA the hybrid battery failed and they don’t know why. KIA has been no help and as far as I know they are not looking into this issue. Upon further research there has been multiple instances where this hybrid model has just shut down while the vehicle is moving and KIA has been unable to resolve the issue. Myself and my children could have been severely injured or killed. They need to get to the bottom of what is causing these hybrid batteries to fail on brand new vehicles.
NHTSA ODI #11576334
Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2024
Engine
2023 Kia Sorrento - The engine turned off while driving, leaving me stranded in the middle of a busy road in the first six months of ownership. The vehicle was towed, and the dealer was unable to reproduce it. On 01/12/24, the car leaked all the contents of the coolant system onto my driveway. The vehicle was towed, and the d…
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2023 Kia Sorrento - The engine turned off while driving, leaving me stranded in the middle of a busy road in the first six months of ownership. The vehicle was towed, and the dealer was unable to reproduce it. On 01/12/24, the car leaked all the contents of the coolant system onto my driveway. The vehicle was towed, and the dealer later stated the radiator adapter had a small pebble that appeared to have bent some of the fins. The dealer said it was "external forces," and they are not assuming liability. I firmly believe it was a failure of the radiator adapter and not a tiny pebble that caused the entire system to fail. I write this hoping that if other issues are reported with this vehicle's radiator, it will become a known issue to assist other customers and potentially keep people safe on the roadways. I complained to Kia America, who assumed no liability and stated it was not their problem, although they never requested photographs or the affected part. I am very saddened by the response from the dealer and Kia America during this incident.
NHTSA ODI #11567428
Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
At times vehicle hesitates or doesn't responses when accelerator is pushed. Has occurred several times when moving into traffic from a yield lane or stop. Fortunately it hasn't lead to an accident but was very scary. Researching this problem on-line, this has been reported by many Sorento owners. This is an intermittent problem …
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At times vehicle hesitates or doesn't responses when accelerator is pushed. Has occurred several times when moving into traffic from a yield lane or stop. Fortunately it hasn't lead to an accident but was very scary. Researching this problem on-line, this has been reported by many Sorento owners. This is an intermittent problem and when vehicle is taken to the dealer they report they can not duplicate problem so nothing is done. By the shear numbers of owners reporting the same issue, something needs to be corrected.
NHTSA ODI #11566663
Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2024
Electrical SystemEngine
My vehicle died inThe middle of an extremely busy four lane road. A light came on That said to turn the car off immediately. The engine light and battery light flashed on. It sounds like the engine recall for the 22 and 21 hybrid sorento’s. I had to have the vehicle towed to the dealership, it is only 7 mos old.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year