Powertrain complaints and recalls from NHTSA
Summary
The 2012 Kia Sorento has 49 NHTSA powertrain complaints and 1 powertrain-related recall.
49
Complaints
1
Recalls
4
Injuries Reported
Data source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) · Last updated April 10, 2026
15V626000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the af...
| Date ↓ | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, th... |
| Mar 30, 2023 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse(R) and park... |
| Aug 14, 2021 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, there was... |
| Jun 9, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD W... |
| Jan 22, 2020 | POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | CAR STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING THEN I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART IT AND IT HAS A JERKING TO IT WHEN... |
| Nov 1, 2019 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | HAD TWO MOTORS REPLACED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CRUMBLED WHEN MECHANICS REPLACED MOTOR NOW WANT TO ... |
| Aug 8, 2019 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | LAST JULY MY HUSBAND HAD CHANGED MY BRAKES AND THEN WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHI... |
| Jul 30, 2019 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE OR IN TOWN, I LOSE ALL POWER WITH NO WARNING OTHER THAN A JERK THAT FEELS ... |
| Jul 26, 2019 | POWER TRAIN | FOLLOWING AN OIL CHANGE AND MULTI-POINT INSPECTION, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CUSTOMER ADVISOR INFORMED... |
| Feb 12, 2019 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW. ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THIS BANGING... |
| Feb 6, 2019 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED WITH 98K+ MILES ON IT FROM STEVENS CREEK SUBARU. THEY DID NOT DISCLOSE... |
| Jun 3, 2018 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | CAR REPAIRED BY RECALL DUE TO NOISES IN THE MOTOR. MOTOR CHANGED. NOISES CONTINUED. CAR ... |
| May 20, 2018 | POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | MY VEHICLE IS CONSUMING OIL. EVERY 1000 MILES I AM HAVING TO TOP IT OFF TO KEEP IT FROM RUNNING DAN... |
| Apr 12, 2018 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY LOUD AND ABN... |
| Mar 31, 2018 | POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,SEATS | HELLO, I AM 2ND OWNER @51,000 K WITH NO KNOWN ACCIDENTS TO THIS SUV. FROM 51,073K I DISCOVERED THE 2... |
| Jan 19, 2018 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | WHEN YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN FROM ANY SPEED GREATER THAN 20 MPH TO MAKE A STOP, WHILE PRESSING THE BREA... |
| Dec 11, 2017 | POWER TRAIN | I HAPPENED UPON THIS WEBSITE AND DISCOVERED THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FROM OCTOBER, 2015 AND I WAS NE... |
| Nov 17, 2017 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS THE TACHOMETER WILL DROP TO ZERO AND THE... |
| Jun 26, 2017 | POWER TRAIN | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE IS LOCKED IN 4TH GEAR WHILE IN DRIVE. CAN NOT MANUALLY SHIFT UP OR... |
| Dec 30, 2016 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | I NOTICED THAT UPON STARTING , MY KIA LET OUT BLUE SMOKE. I SAW NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO OIL ON THE GR... |