CarComplaints.com Notes: As long as catastrophic engine failure at under 60,000 miles is the top owner complaint, it'll be pretty hard to recommend the 2012 Sorento.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,825 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Kia Sorento brakes problems

brakes problem

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2012 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #58

Jul 072024

Sorento

  • 25 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 25 MPH, he noticed that the front end of the vehicle caught on fire. No further information was provided. The contact stated that her son immediately pulled to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle became engulfed in fire and exploded, causing damage to another parked unoccupied vehicle. The fire was extinguished with the assistance of the fire department. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle burned to the ground. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number:?23V652000?(Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which she related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Oshkosh, WI, USA

problem #57

Jun 202024

Sorento

  • 0 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated, and there was a burning-like plastic odor coming through the vents. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #56

Jun 142024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Rutherford, NJ, USA

problem #55

Jun 042024

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Scappoose, OR, USA

problem #54

Apr 072024

Sorento

  • 66,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the contact detected a burning rubber odor. The TPMS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. There was smoke coming from underneath the hood and through the air vents, causing the front windshield to fog. The contact was unable to see and crashed into the side of a residential porch, scraping the driver's side mirror and front driver's side quarter panel. The contact did not sustain any injuries, and no medical attention was received. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to Firestone, where a leak test was performed, and it was determined that an unknown fluid had leaked onto the starter. The starter was replaced; however, the vehicle hesitated to start. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #53

Feb 152023

Sorento

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), the ABS, Brake, and TPMS warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost of the diagnostic test. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #52

May 232024

Sorento

  • 193,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, he became aware that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the failure persisted. The contact was informed by the technician that the HECU fuse had been replaced. The contact attempted to disable the check engine light with a scanner; however, the light failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with an ABS HECU Hydraulic Control Unit malfunction. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 193,000.

- Sheboygan, WI, USA

problem #51

May 162024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact's ex-husband owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.

- Destrehan, LA, USA

problem #50

May 102020

Sorento

  • 160,000 miles
The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed he smelled a burning fuel odor, and smoke began coming into the vehicle from the vents. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and unlatched the hood of the vehicle only to find a sizeable amount of fire coming from the engine, which left him with burned hairs on his left arm, no medical treatment was needed. The contact stated there was a cop parked nearby who came to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. The fire department was called to make sure the fire was extinguished. The contact did not recall filling out a fire department report. A police report was filed, however the contact did not have the information available. The insurance company towed the vehicle and deemed it totaled. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23v652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not included in that recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and also confirmed there was nothing they could do because the vehicle was not included in that recall. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The VIN was not available.

- Greenwood, IN, USA

problem #49

May 102024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Aurora, CO, USA

problem #48

May 082024

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Services Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Roseburg, OR, USA

problem #47

May 082024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brake, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- West Palm Beach, FL, USA

problem #46

May 032024

Sorento

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off and the key fob was inserted, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that he observed a clanking noise coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #45

May 062024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Chattanooga, TN, USA

problem #44

Apr 132024

Sorento

  • 139,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the cruise control failed to operate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that later that day, the fuel door failed to open automatically. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000. The VIN was not available.

- Joplin, MO, USA

problem #43

Feb 012024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact also stated that an abnormal burning odor was coming from the vehicle while idling. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Cartersville, GA, USA

problem #42

Sep 252023

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #41

Nov 012023

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Kernersville, NC, USA

problem #40

Apr 172024

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V65200 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Hesperia, CA, USA

problem #39

Apr 132024

Sorento

  • 110,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the alarm continued to engage independently. The contact was able to turn the alarm off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Elmer, NJ, USA

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