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:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
48,261 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 windows / windshield problems

windows / windshield problem

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2012 Kia Sorento Owner Comments

problem #16

May 162024

Sorento

  • miles

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

This morning the panoramic sunroof on our 2012 Kia Sorrento spontaneously exploded. Shattered and chunks of safety glass came down on us. My son and I sustained superficial injuries (I sustained laceration over left eye and on left hand) - he has a lump on the right side of his skull. When we pulled over the glass was also on the rear portion of the roof. Nothing struck the vehicle. There was no vehicle/truck in front of us for potential debris. Open sky above. It sounded like a gunshot before the glass exploded over us.

- Ayer, MA, USA

problem #15

Nov 092018

Sorento

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving approximately 45 mph, the sun roof exploded and glass fell onto the contact's head and inside the vehicle. There were no injuries. The contact pulled over onto the side of the road. The vehicle was driven to pete's car smart Kia (4701 S soncy road, amarillo, tx 79119) for repairs. The cause of the failure was unknown. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

- Amarillo, TX, USA

problem #14

Apr 262018

Sorento

  • 97,414 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving the vehicle, the sun roof shattered. The contact stated that glass particles fell onto the passengers. There were minor scrapes, but medical attention was not required. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 97,414.

- Crestview, FL, USA

problem #13

Jan 142018

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 67,000 miles

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

While driving on the freeway at 60 mph, the panoramic sunroof/moonroof exploded for no reason and dropped glass down on me and also a meal bar swung down and hit me on the side of my head. Fortunately it was early morning and not a lot of traffic around me, or the situation could have been a lot worse. Nothin hit the roof prior to the explosion, a very scary situation. I have cuts on my hands and a welt where my head was hit.

- Kirkland, WA, USA

problem #12

Sep 062017

Sorento

  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While the contact's wife was driving 55 mph, the sun roof inadvertently exploded. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The dealer was contacted (evansville Kia at (812) 473-0215, 4000 E division St, evansville, in 47715). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and had the vehicle towed to the same dealer, but the failure could not be replicated. The failure mileage was 95,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Princeton, IN, USA

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problem #11

Jan 072017

Sorento

  • miles
Sunroof exploded while driving.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #10

Feb 212015

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 44,000 miles

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

I was traveling home at approximately 55 mph at the time of the incident. The sunroof was fully closed and had imploded with no known cause. Glass had fallen on both the driver and passenger resulting in minor lacerations. No other vehicles were visible on the road at the time of the incident and no foreign objects such as rocks were found in the vehicle.... updated 03/19/15 updated 6/19/2015

- Port Charlotte, FL, USA

problem #9

Jan 042015

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 52,000 miles
Driving West on interstate 70 in Colorado an hour West of denver. The rear sunroof shattered into hundreds of pieces for no apparent reason. No injuries. Car traveling about 55mph.

- Cape Girardeau, MO, USA

problem #8

Oct 182014

Sorento

  • 78,000 miles
On Friday, Oct 17, 2014 I drove over 600 miles with my son to an event and returned home. The next morning I discovered the sunroof was shattered. The car was parked next to our house in our driveway at the time. It was very strange as nothing had fallen on the car and there appeared to be no cause. When I called the Kia dealership they initially denied knowing of any similar problems with sunroofs shattering. After I google - researched it and talked to them on Monday, Oct 20, they then said they would not pay for it and I should just submit it as a claim to my insurance company. I have 100 % glass coverage but this seems like a defect and could have been a big problem if it had happened when my son & I were driving.

- Stillwater, MN, USA

problem #7

Aug 282014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 58,000 miles
My wife and I were driving on I-85 North outside of durham, nc. There were no cars around or in front of us for at least 1/4 mile. There was a loud bang and then wind noise. The sunroof had exploded for no reason.

- York, SC, USA

problem #6

Aug 182014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 23,400 miles

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

While driving our sunroof exploded. There was no object that hit it. It just spontaneously shattered. The sunroof was closed at the time but the sunroof sliding shade was open...updated 08-26-14 updated 8/29/2014

- Appleton, WI, USA

problem #5

Aug 052014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 48,800 miles
Driving on highway at a speed of 60 mph. Sunroof exploded, or shattered, I should say. No vehicles in front of me. Nothing above me. In other words, I don't believe that the sunroof was hit by any debris or object. Simply, out of the blue, shattered.. updated 08-20-14

- Perrysburg, OH, USA

problem #4

May 252014

Sorento

  • 20,127 miles
TL * the contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving 35 mph, the sun roof shattered. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the cause of failure was undetermined. The vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 20,127.

- Tracy , CA, USA

problem #3

Apr 182014

Sorento

  • 44,000 miles
While driving down the road, there was a sound like a gunshot. When I looked back, I noticed that the rear sunroof had shattered completely. There was a bulge in the glass going upward like the glass exploded, not imploded as it would if something struck it.

- Spring Hill , FL, USA

problem #2

Jan 252014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 35,000 miles
The moonroof (stationary sunroof that does not open) over the 2nd row seat exploded spontaneously. There was no impact from a rock or any other debris. There was a loud explosion sound like a gunshot sound and glass shot out the top and fell down into the car. It fractured into thousands of pieces...updated 04-29-14

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #1

Dec 132013

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 24,430 miles
This past Friday at about 2 pm I was driving my 2012 Kia Sorento down highway 50 when suddenly and for no apparent reason my sunroof violently exploded. I pulled over immediately because I wasn't sure at that moment what had actually happened. When I climbed up to look I found that the front portion of my panoramic sunroof was completely shattered. I looked through the glass but found no rock or any other kind of object that may have caused this to happen. Fortunately the sunroof shade was closed otherwise I would have been covered in glass. I called the Kia service dept. Where I had bought the vehicle and spoke with the service mgr. I explained to him what had happened and he told me a rock must have flown up and hit it. Now I find that highly unlikely. It was a beautiful day, 57 degrees and visibility was great. I was on an open stretch of road doing about 50 miles per hour. There wasn't any buildings on either side of road and only a few cars scattered in front and behind me. I"M pretty focused when I drive so I think if something would have flown up in front of me that could have come down and smashed my sunroof in I?M almost certain I would have seen it. I personally believe this has to be some kind of manufacturer defect. I then asked him if this was covered under my basic 5 year/ 60,000 mile warranty and he said it was not. So now I"M stuck paying a $500 deductible for my insurance to cover the damage. Your Agency really needs to look into this because this isn't fair to consumers like myself who have to pay out of pocket for something that to me at least seems to be a manufacturer defect. The consumer decided to withdraw his complaint. Updated 01/14/13

- Pueblo West, CO, USA

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