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:
8 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
10 / 0
Average Mileage:
69,943 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 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2012 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #76

Oct 122023

Sorento

  • 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 that while driving at 42 MPH, another vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign, and she collided with the other vehicle head-on. As a result, her vehicle careened off the roadway and into a ditch, colliding with an unoccupied parked vehicle before coming to a complete stop. The air bags did not deploy. A police report and injuries were reported. The driver and her passengers were transported to an area hospital by EMS and treated for various injuries. The driver was treated for injuries to her neck, right shoulder, both wrists, lower back, and left knee; her husband was treated for a two-inch laceration to his neck; and her son was treated for an injury to his right knee. The driver of the other vehicle was treated at an area hospital for unknown injuries. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where it remained as the contact had yet to hear from her insurance provider. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Warrenton, GA, USA

problem #75

May 132023

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle had not yet been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was unavailable.

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #74

Jul 052022

Sorento

  • miles
Airbag light is on, indicating a malfunction with the SRS. This is a common issue with this make and model from this year, with several thousand complaints online. Repairs are often over a couple of thousand dollars Since this is such a common issue and complaint, I believe a recall should be issued due to faulty equipment, and the financial burden should not fall on the consumer. The issue began a few months ago, and has been checked by a mechanic. The mechanic has confirmed that there is an issue with the SRS, and the airbag could potentially not deploy when expected, or could deploy without cause, which could cause an accident resulting in injury or death.

- Parsippany , NJ, USA

problem #73

Dec 012021

Sorento

  • miles

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

Airbag light is on, indicating a malfunction with the SRS. This is a common issue with this make and model from this year, with several thousand complaints online. Repairs are often over $3,000. Since this is such a common issue and complaint, I believe a recall should be issued due to faulty equipment, and the financial burden should not fall on the consumer. The issue began a few months ago, and has been checked by a mechanic. The mechanic has confirmed that there is an issue with the SRS, and the airbag could potentially not deploy when expected, or could deploy without cause, which could cause an accident resulting in injury or death.

- Chelan, WA, USA

problem #72

Dec 202021

Sorento

  • miles
For a year now the Air Bag Warning light has been on in my dashboard. I have taken it to two service centers and they both said I had to take it to a dealer for repair. It is a safety issue because it WILL NOT PASS inspection. The first available appointment was 2 weeks after my last inspection. The dealer had to order the part and will not be able to install and inspect until Feb 2022. I have had to pay for 3 diagnostic tests. And I do not know if the airbags will even deploy. This should be recalled.

- Virginia Beach , VA, USA

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problem #71

May 122021

Sorento

  • miles
Airbag light is on and will not cut off

- Wytheville, VA, USA

problem #70

Oct 212021

Sorento

  • miles

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

SRS light is on.

- Mesquite, TX, USA

problem #69

Aug 162021

Sorento

  • miles
The air bag light on the driver side dashboard will not turn off and the concern is that the airbags will not deploy if in an accident, or may randomly deploy. The vehicle has been in no type of collision affecting the front of the vehicle. At this time, the vehicle has not been taken to the dealership or a mechanic, but it seems that the dealer should repair at no cost given the issue is related to a safety concern.

- Mansfield, TX, USA

problem #68

Jul 122021

Sorento

  • miles
The airbag light came on for no reason. It will not go off. The concern is the airbags won-??t deploy if there is a collision.

- Minnespolis, MN, USA

problem #67

Jun 012020

Sorento

  • miles
In 2012 my sister bought new 2012 Kia Sorento from Caribbean Auto Mart in St Thomas VI. About a year ago, the horn stopped working and the air bag light has been on for some time now clearly indicating a possible problem with the clock spring assembly in the steering column mentioned in the recall notice attached. On contacting the dealer, Caribbean Auto Mart, she was told that they were no longer a Kia dealer and that it was not their responsibility to fix the problem. The local Jiffy Lube apparently is doing warranty work for Kia here now but they refuse to fix it without authorization from Kia. On contacting Kia, they refuse to even acknowledge the existence of this vehicle. They say they have no matching VIN. We asked if they would just send the part and I would install it. They refused this as well. I-??m concerned that my sister is still driving this vehicle with defective safety equipment with no apparent way to resolve the situation. Any help you could provide in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

- St. Thomas, VI, USA

problem #66

Mar 232021

Sorento

  • miles

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

My airbag light is just on, I have not been in any accidents or my vehicle has not been hit for the airbag light to be on. My check engine light is on as well. And back wind shield washer fluid is not coming out. When I noticed these issues my car was stationary.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #65

Dec 042020

Sorento

  • 105,000 miles
The air bag light is on and steady. Mechanic has informed me that steering wheel air bag has a problem and none of the air bags will deploy if there is an accident. I see there are other complaints about same problem. Why have these complaints not resulted in a recall?

- Goodyear, AZ, USA

problem #64

Aug 312020

Sorento

  • miles
My airbag is on, when I was parked in the parking lot when I noticed it. I thought it would turn off, but it still on and that was 3 weeks ago.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #63

Sep 042020

Sorento

  • 132,752 miles
I was just driving down the road and made right turn and airbag light came on and turn of and came back on and stay on want go off

- Culpeper, VA, USA

problem #62

Dec 012016

Sorento

  • miles
When me and my husband purchased the SUV used in 2016 from a huyndai dealer that is local, there has always been a sensor lit that we had no clue what it was. We were never told anything about it, they told us the vehicle was in good condition that it was inspected and everything. We took the SUV to Kia in 2019 to have the oil changed, and had them check the motor to see if they could explain why we were going thru oil weekly. While we were there the service person told us that the OCS mat does not function that it needs replaced and that is what that sensor is for which we would have not known and the dealer that sold it to us never told us anything. I figured it was a weight sensor for a child as I am not an expert on the safety of vehicles.... also, we were told that when the dealer sold us the vehicle as is that they never had a safety inspection done prior to put it on the lot. The last documented safety inspection on the vehicle was done when it was sold brand new when the first original owner bought it from the Kia lot I believe in another state. Kia told me that they have to do the safety inspection before selling it on the lot because a non Kia dealer sold us the vehicle. I did contact California state about my complaints and was told there was nothing that I can do to prove I didn't cause it but I have never been in any accident in the SUV that would cause the airbags to go off..... I am driving daily with my children in the car without working airbags. I cannot afford to replace the OCS mat and I believe I shouldn't have to. Also, we have had issues with our gasket that we had to get fixed, we are constantly going thru oil and we only drive it around town. We are having to add oil in it every week so the engine does not blow. We now have a vacuum leak in the gasket.

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #61

Jul 212020

Sorento

  • 163,000 miles
I have faulty airbags in my vehicle why is there no recall vehicle hasn't been wrecked. Airbag were never deployed. My vehicle is not safe without airbag repair, as long as the airbag light is on on the dash the airbag system fails inspection. It needs to be a recall this is a safety hazard and cause death if I was to be involved in an accident.

- Tuskegee Inst, AL, USA

problem #60

Jul 212020

Sorento

  • miles
Airbag issues with this vehicle vehicle is not safe to drive Kia needs to recall airbags may just save a life and mines is at state here... passenger seat airbags disabled and will not allow other airbags to work if I become in an accident. Please help me with this issue I'm fear of my safety

- Tuskegee Inst, AL, USA

problem #59

Jul 212020

Sorento

  • miles
I purchased a Kia Sorento on July 21 2020 after test driving the vehicle the air bag light popped on the sales man took it to one of their on site employees and they hooked up the code device no codes appeared so he suggested its just a sensor problem and told me it shouldn't be much take it to a Kia dealership. I did in which couldn't get in to see the service department until today in which I had to pay out of pocket for a diagnostic test and they found that the ods mat was faulty. I told the service guy that the car lot took the seats out to clean the SUV for sale and he told me they damaged or broke the ods mat. I contacted the seller and stronger expressed my feeling about my vehicle is no longer safe to drive and the only thing he said to me is my payment due August 31 today is the 10th and this replacement will be over 2300 that I can't afford and the vehicle is no longer safe for me and my daughter. I really feel they knew it was a problem with the air bag and just tried to make a sale saying it was a sensor issue that Kia will have to reset.

- Tuskegee Inst, AL, USA

problem #58

Jul 162020

Sorento

  • 85,000 miles
The air bag warning light comes on and off. I took the vehicle to dutch miller Kia in charlotte. The service manager said I would need an OCS mat replacement on the passenger side seat. The light was discovered while vehicle was in motion.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #57

Mar 272020

Sorento

  • 0 miles
My air bag light are on all the time when I start up my engine and my vehicle hasn't been in an accident and I was wondering is that normal? I've have gotten my inspection and everything passed.

- Hyattsville, MD, USA

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