2012 Kia Sorento problems and complaints
Owners have filed 879 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento. The most-reported areas: Engine (461), Electrical System (127), Service Brakes (103).
Key takeaways
- 879 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 21 involve a crash, 77 a fire, 36 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 461 | 52% |
| Electrical System | 127 | 14% |
| Service Brakes | 103 | 12% |
| Air Bags | 81 | 9% |
| Unknown Or Other | 81 | 9% |
| Hydraulic | 69 | 8% |
| Exterior Lighting | 60 | 7% |
| Power Train | 55 | 6% |
| Structure | 35 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 31 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 3% |
| Suspension | 21 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Kia Sorento SUV AWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2012 Kia Sorento SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags - filed 2026-09-14
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a service center, where it was diagnosed and DTC: V1481 was retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.
Fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-09-13
While driving I smelled gas, a few minutes later I saw smoke coming from the hood of the car. I stopped, turned the car off, got my dog, exited the car, which then exploded into flames. I saw that I was not safe the minute I saw the smoke. I was unsure that the gas smell was coming from my car until I saw that my gas ...
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,air Bags - filed 2026-08-19
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the air ...
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 2012 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.