2012 Kia Sorento: recalls and complaints

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All updates to the register

• 23V65200025 Sep 2023Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModuleAdvisory
• 20V7500002 Dec 2020Engine
• 18V90700019 Dec 2018Engine
• 17V22400031 Mar 2017Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine
• 15V6260006 Oct 2015Power Train / Automatic Transmission

1. 23V652000Received 25 Sep 2023. 1,730,192 units.

   Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModulePark-outside advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

   Report filed by Kia America, Inc.. Manufacturer campaign number SC284. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Mar 2024.

2. 20V750000Received 2 Dec 2020. 294,756 units.

   Engine

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC200. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 25 Jan 2021.

3. 18V907000Received 19 Dec 2018. 71,653 units.

   Engine

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC172. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 17 Jan 2019.

4. 17V224000Received 31 Mar 2017. 618,160 units.

   Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC147. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Jun 2017.

5. 15V626000Received 6 Oct 2015. 377,062 units.

   Power Train / Automatic Transmission

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC124. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 9 Nov 2015.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

• 2012 Kia Sorento
• All 2012 vehicles

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 24.

Complaints that report a crash

15

Complaints that report a fire

33

Injuries in the complaints

25

Deaths in the complaints

0

Date of the newest complaint

11 May 2019

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

1. 20031
2. 20040
3. 20050
4. 20061
5. 20074
6. 20083
7. 20092
8. 20101
9. 20117
10. 20125
11. 20135
12. 20146
13. 20153
14. 20168
15. 20174
16. 20183
17. 20192
18. 20201
19. 20214
20. 20226
21. 20233
22. 20242
23. 20253
24. 20262

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

• Kia Sorento: all model years
• Kia: 34 model lines

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• NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
• NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
• NHTSA page of the 2012 Kia SorentoThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2012 Kia Sorento?

3,091,823 units in 5 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.

How many recall campaigns does the Kia Sorento have for all model years?

NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns for the Kia Sorento, model years 2003 to 2026. 5 of them name the 2012 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 2012 Kia Sorento name most often?

Engine: 227 of 600 component mentions, or 378.3 per 1,000. For all 2012 vehicles the figure is 127.7 per 1,000.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2012 Kia Sorento open?

1 investigation has no closing date in the NHTSA file, of 10 that name this model year.