IllustrationI WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON WHITE BRIDGE ROAD IN WEST NASHVILLE WHEN A CAR RAN A STOP SIGN HITTING ME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, WHICH TOTALED MY CAR THE IMPACT WAS SO HARD THAT IT KNOCKED THE CAR SEVERAL FEET FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH NEITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
2005 Kia Sorento
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sorento years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
440–25K
2525–50K
3950–75K
4675–100K
93100–150K
10150K+
257 reports with mileage · 50 unknown
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 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
43 reportsI WAS DRIVING FROM DAUGHTER BUS STOP AFTER LEAVING THE HOSPITAL AND IT JUST WAS SHAKING OR FELT FUNNY THEN BRAKE LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK TO PARKING LOT CALLED MECHANIC TOLD ME CRANK SHAFT WAS BROKE REPORTED TO KIA AS WELL. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON AN ICY ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON AN ICY ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE SENSOR DOES NOT DETECT PASSENGER. THE LIGHT STAYS IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD WILL NOT CUT OFF. *TR
WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT USED TO TURN OFF, NOW WHEN THEY SIT IN THE SEAT THE LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE AIR BAG IS OFF AND I HAVE AN AIR BAG LIGHT ON IN MY DASH. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC AND HIS SOFTWARE SHOWS A RECALL BUT KIA SAYS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. HIS SOFTWARE SAYS RESTRAINTS AND SA…
Read full complaint
WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT USED TO TURN OFF, NOW WHEN THEY SIT IN THE SEAT THE LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE AIR BAG IS OFF AND I HAVE AN AIR BAG LIGHT ON IN MY DASH. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC AND HIS SOFTWARE SHOWS A RECALL BUT KIA SAYS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. HIS SOFTWARE SAYS RESTRAINTS AND SAFETY SYSTEM: RECALLS CAMPAIGN - SEAT OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM REFLASH. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF I WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIR BAG DOES NOT DEPLOY. *TR
MY 2005 KIA SORENTO HYDROPLANED . THE SUV FLIPPED OVER 3 TIMES AND HIT AN CONCRETE WALL. MY AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELT FAILED TO SECURE ME . KIA SAYS THAT MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE ROLL OVER AIRBAGS THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY INJURIES. I FEEL THAT KIA SHOULD OWN UP TO THE POORLY MADE SUV THAT THEY DESIGN . *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECURRING DEFECT ON THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN 2005 FOR A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG SENSOR WHICH WAS REPLACED; YET, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TH…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECURRING DEFECT ON THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN 2005 FOR A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG SENSOR WHICH WAS REPLACED; YET, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT THE REGIONAL MANAGER AND FOLLOW UP WITH HER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DE-ACTIVATED WHEN THE FRONT SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT. IT SHOULD ONLY DE-ACTIVATE IF IT SENSES NO PASSENGER SEATED. *TR
WHILE HEADING EAST DURING A SNOW STORM, COLLIDED WITH A SNOW PLOW. THE KIA SORENTO WAS TOTALED BEYOND REPAIR. IMPACT WAS AT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. DESTROYED FRONT OF VEHICLE, REAR DOOR AND RIPPER PART OF ROOF OPEN, DRIVER HIT FACE ON SIDE WINDOW CAUSING BLEEDING ON BRAIN. WAS HOSPATIZED FOR 3 DAYS. NOT ONE AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED…
Read full complaint
WHILE HEADING EAST DURING A SNOW STORM, COLLIDED WITH A SNOW PLOW. THE KIA SORENTO WAS TOTALED BEYOND REPAIR. IMPACT WAS AT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. DESTROYED FRONT OF VEHICLE, REAR DOOR AND RIPPER PART OF ROOF OPEN, DRIVER HIT FACE ON SIDE WINDOW CAUSING BLEEDING ON BRAIN. WAS HOSPATIZED FOR 3 DAYS. NOT ONE AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. NOT FRONT NOR SIDE AIR BAGS. NOTIFIED KIA CORP. SENT PICTURES AND REPORT. SAID THEY DIDNT THINK IT WAS THE FAULT OF KIA. *TR
ON 4/30/08 MY KIA SORENTO WAS HIT FROM BEHIND ON THE INTERSTATE. WE WERE PUSHED INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF US WHO ALSO HIT THE CAR AHEAD OF THEM. WE WERE ON AN EXTENDED ON RAMP SO I ESTIMATE OUR SPEED WAS 35 MPH. AS THE TRAFFIC AHEAD OF US BEGAN TO STOP QUICKLY I APPLIED MY BRAKES, THEREFORE THE EXACT RATE OF SPEED AT THE TIME OF IM…
Read full complaint
ON 4/30/08 MY KIA SORENTO WAS HIT FROM BEHIND ON THE INTERSTATE. WE WERE PUSHED INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF US WHO ALSO HIT THE CAR AHEAD OF THEM. WE WERE ON AN EXTENDED ON RAMP SO I ESTIMATE OUR SPEED WAS 35 MPH. AS THE TRAFFIC AHEAD OF US BEGAN TO STOP QUICKLY I APPLIED MY BRAKES, THEREFORE THE EXACT RATE OF SPEED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT IS UNKNOWN. HOWEVER WE HIT CAR ENOUGH THAT MY DAUGHTERS LID COVERED SOFT DRINK HIT THE DASH. NEITHER OF MY CARS FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. MY CAR SUSTAINED MAJOR REAR AND FRONT AND DRIVER SIDE DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. OUR SEAT BELTS DID HOLD US IN. HOWEVER I RECEIVED BRUISING FROM THE SEAT BELT IN THE CHECK AND WAIST AREA AS WEAK AS AN INJURY TO MY RIGHT KNEE WHERE IT HIT THE LOWER DASH AREA. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.