2008 Kia Sorento problems and complaints
Owners have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Kia Sorento. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (66), Electronic Stability Control (esc) (44), Engine (35).
Key takeaways
- 217 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 15 involve a crash, 9 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 66 | 30% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 44 | 20% |
| Engine | 35 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 32 | 15% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 | 13% |
| Service Brakes | 27 | 12% |
| Power Train | 23 | 11% |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 6% |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 | 6% |
| Hydraulic | 8 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 8 | 4% |
| Suspension | 6 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Kia Sorento 4-DR. w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes - filed 2026-07-29
Their brake lights are NOT working even when stopped during stopped traffic there is no indication of them braking
Service Brakes - filed 2026-07-28
I took my car to a mechanic. Said ABS Control Module failed. This is a safety issue and should be replaced. Brakes are not stopping as well as they should should and don't vibration while going down a steep incline. Had to push really hard for the brakes to stop. Just put me and my family at risk. No warning lights. D...
Electrical System,structure,engine - filed 2026-02-22
My 2008 Kia Sorento parked inside a garage for 2 days, not running, not idling, without the key in the ignition, all of a sudden cut fire by itself, consuming the entire engine compartment and part of the front seat, and also caused substantial damage to the the garage. Filed a claim with Kia which denied responsibilit...
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More for the 2008 Kia Sorento
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.