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2018 Kia Sorento
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2018 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
250–25K
1125–50K
1550–75K
875–100K
8100–150K
2150K+
69 reports with mileage · 184 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 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports11 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
253 reportsWhile driving on the highway, the engine suddenly stopped working without warning. I was unable to accelerate using the gas pedal. Fortunately, the highway was empty at the time, and I managed to safely pull over to the right side of the road. After waiting for approximately 30 minutes for the engine to cool down, I attempted to…
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While driving on the highway, the engine suddenly stopped working without warning. I was unable to accelerate using the gas pedal. Fortunately, the highway was empty at the time, and I managed to safely pull over to the right side of the road. After waiting for approximately 30 minutes for the engine to cool down, I attempted to drive again. However, the car began shaking severely whenever I pressed the gas pedal or attempted to increase the speed beyond 2 RPM. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by a certified Kia service center, where the issue was diagnosed as a failure of the piston ring and cylinder 1, resulting in insufficient compression. The service center confirmed that the vehicle was well-maintained, with no external damage or user-related issues contributing to the failure. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms appeared prior to the failure. The engine issue was sudden and unexpected, posing a significant safety risk, especially as it occurred while driving at highway speeds. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Steering cupler failure
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact's husband discovered that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact's husband was consistently adding oil for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated. The vehic…
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The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact's husband discovered that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact's husband was consistently adding oil for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,940.
I have a pearl white 2018 Kia Sorento, and the paint is peeling off the hood. This is a factory defect, and I need to get it fixed before the rest of the paint comes off the car.
Previous Complaint# 11618337. Additional Information: Engine is full of oil yet Oil Light comes on due excessive crankshaft & connecting rod bearing wear and knocking loud. Yet the recalibrated knock sensor will not pick up the issue and put the vehicle into derate with a code P1326 as it did before the Kia Dealership performe…
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Previous Complaint# 11618337. Additional Information: Engine is full of oil yet Oil Light comes on due excessive crankshaft & connecting rod bearing wear and knocking loud. Yet the recalibrated knock sensor will not pick up the issue and put the vehicle into derate with a code P1326 as it did before the Kia Dealership performed this recalibration. This is consumer fraud by purposely hiding a known defect and preventing the warranty from replacing the engine with a redesigned new engine that corrects the issue with larger oil ports. It is also a safety issue!! Now that the oil light is coming on and the engine has a bad knock, it can fail at anytime while driving causing lose of power steering, brakes and the ability to safely pull the car over to a safe location. The original P1326 code automatically determined the engine developed wear from lack of oil volume based on the known defect of too small oil ports. This recalibration doesn't address the wear the engine already has and based on what the dealer stated, they will not replace the engine until that code comes back. Which now can't happen due to this parameter change and elimination of the knock sensors ability to perform it's job correctly. Please investigate and resolve, Thank you!!
My kia Sorento is involved in an engine recall. When driving on the highway three times now my engine has stalled and car has gone from 65 to 30 mph, almost causing multiple accidents while driving with my [XXX] and [XXX] . The Kia customer service agency said this must occur three times before they will replace my engine. They…
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My kia Sorento is involved in an engine recall. When driving on the highway three times now my engine has stalled and car has gone from 65 to 30 mph, almost causing multiple accidents while driving with my [XXX] and [XXX] . The Kia customer service agency said this must occur three times before they will replace my engine. They are not replacing the engine. I fear for my life, my husband life and my children’s lives . I also fear for fellow drivers on the road . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while coming to a stop, there was a loud grinding sound coming from the brakes while the brake pedal was depressed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake pads had failed and needed to b…
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The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while coming to a stop, there was a loud grinding sound coming from the brakes while the brake pedal was depressed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake pads had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,750.
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/00/00/8030235A-F1B0-40D7-BDF6-CAB347299F91/MC-10235412-0001.pdf Recall on lights should be added. Mine did this. Had it fixed
All exterior lights and interior lights are turned off while driving. Exterior “running” lights turn on by themself.
Official recalls
322V703000 · Trailer Hitches
Sep 19, 2022
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.
18V656000 · Steering:column; Steering:electric Power Assist System
Sep 21, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering:electric Power Assist System
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
Consequence: If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
Steering:column
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
Consequence: If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
17V784000 · Air Bags:side/window
Dec 8, 2017
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.
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
1DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.