2008 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
217 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
57,027 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 178 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 48 of 217 complaints (22.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 42 | 19.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 21 | 9.7% |
| Engine operation | 15 | 6.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 3.2% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 48 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 44 |
| Engine | 35 |
| Electrical System | 30 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 |
| Power Train | 19 |
| Service Brakes | 19 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 13 |
Air Bags: 48; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 44; Engine: 35; Electrical System: 30; Vehicle Speed Control: 28; Power Train: 19; Service Brakes: 19; Air Bags:Frontal: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 42 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 36 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 35 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 24 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 24 |
| 150,000 and above | 17 |
Under 25,000: 42; 25,000 to 49,999: 36; 50,000 to 74,999: 35; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 24; 150,000 and above: 17
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (42). 39 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2011 | 23 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2013 | 33 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2007: 1; 2008: 8; 2009: 14; 2010: 9; 2011: 23; 2012: 14; 2013: 33; 2014: 17; 2015: 19; 2016: 13; 2017: 10; 2018: 11; 2019: 6; 2020: 20; 2021: 8; 2022: 4; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 42 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10243170 · 2008-09-23 (September 23, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKES SQUEAK WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE SQUEAKING SOUND IS GRADUALLY BECOMING LOUDER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, BUT THEY CANNOT FIND ANY FAILURES. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE TIRES JUST SPIN AND THEN THE VEHICLE FINALLY MOVES. THE CONTACT IS AFRAID THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE REAR ENDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,620. UPDATED 10/20/08. …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,620 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243170 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10430403 · 2011-10-16 (October 16, 2011)
THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYS ON. ALSO, THE "ESC OFF" LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK, HOWEVER WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE REPORTS OF POWER AND CONTROL FAILURE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ALSO NOT WORKING, WHICH COMPOUNDS THE PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 36,693 miles reported. Look up ODI 10430403 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10218297 · 2008-02-08 (February 8, 2008)
2008 KIA SORENTO FAULTY PASSENGER AIRBAG. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIRBAG WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER STATES THAT IT DOES NOT WORK WHEN HIS FATHER IS IN THE VEHICLE. *KB THE WIRING CONNECTION WAS LOOSE AND THE SENSOR WAS RESET ON THE FIRST VISIT. THE SECOND TIME, THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER A CUSHION TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BECAUSE THE SENSOR WAS IN THE CUSHION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10218297 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10401252 · 2011-05-17 (May 17, 2011)
01/25/10 WITH 22,395 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD NO ACCELERATION. HAD PART #35107-3C100FF TH SENSOR ASSY REPLACED. 11/12/10 WITH 30,002 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD NO ACCELERATION AGAIN. HAD PART #91214-3E324 WIRING ASSY-ENG REPLACED. 12/30/10 WITH 32,064 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD NO ACCELERATION AGAIN. HAD PART #32700-3E400 PEDAL ASSY-ACCE REPLACED. MY CONCERN IS LOSING POWER ON A FREEWAY AND GETTING INTO A ACCIDENT. ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING ON AT RANDOM TIMES. MY CONCERN IS HAVING A ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENG…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,064 miles reported. Look up ODI 10401252 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10400554 · 2011-05-11 (May 11, 2011)
MY 2008 KIA SORENTO'S THROTTLE ACCELERATOR SENSOR HAS GONE OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR. I LOOKED THIS ISSUE UP ONLINE, SINCE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME, AND FOUND EXTENSIVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN IT GOES OUT THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM QUITS FUNCTIONING ALSO. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS A LOSS OF POWER AND STABILITY CONTROL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE DEALERSHIP KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND ASK ME TO BRING IT IN. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN REPEATEDLY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10400554 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10412010 · 2011-07-12 (July 12, 2011)
I HAVE A 2008 KIA SORENTO WITH JUST OVER 34,000 MILES ON IT AND AM ON MY SECOND EXPERIENCE WITH THE ESC OFF PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME WAS JULY 2010, CAR WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR AND CAR WORKED FINE UNTIL THIS PAST MONDAY. I STARTED MY CAR TO WARM IT UP AND AFTER 10 MINUTES I RETURNED TO THE CAR TO LEAVE AND NOTICED THAT THE ESC OFF LIGHT WAS ON AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN ME, THE ESC OFF LIGHT IS DANGEROUS AS THE CAR LOSES POWER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN ON, BUT THE LIGHTS WE…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10412010 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10218892 · 2008-02-22 (February 22, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE, SO THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER ON JANUARY 21, 2008. TWO MECHANICS TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY NEEDED TO ORDER THE CODES TO MAKE THE REPAIR. AS OF FEBRUARY 22, 2008, THE DEALER HAS YET TO CALL THE CONTACT TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR WORK. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO GET USED TO THE WAY…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10218892 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10380998 · 2011-02-07 (February 7, 2011)
TRANSMISSION - VEHICLE TURNS ON, WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE A LOUD/HARD JOLT OCCURS. WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE, VEHICLE WILL HARDLY MOVE WITHOUT PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. ENGINE ROARS AND HARDLY MOVES FORWARD. HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WAS RECENTLY FIXED TWO MONTHS AGO BUT HAPPENED AGAIN. *LN
Owner-reported narrative. 13,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10380998 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10418591 · 2011-08-11 (August 11, 2011)
BOUGHT THE CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2008. PROBLEMS BEGAN WITH THE ESC OFF LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE ABOUT A YEAR LATER. MULTIPLE PARTS WERE SUPPOSEDLY FIXED AND REPLACED BUT THE LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON, EACH TIME LOOSING ALL ACCELERATION SOMETIMES ON THE HIGHWAY! A FEW DAYS AGO, DRIVING UP A HILL, BOTH LIGHTS ARE ON, MY CAR STALLS OUT, STEERING LOCKS AND STARTS ROLLING DOWN THE HILL, LUCKILY IN A QUIET, SLOW TRAFFIC NEIGHBORHOOD. AFTER THAT MY CAR WON'T EVEN START. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE SINCE CALLED CORPORATE... WE WILL SEE WHAT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10418591 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10690649 · 2015-02-25 (February 25, 2015)
WE WERE DRIVING ON A BUSY FREEWAY ON THE WAY TO WORK, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED GETTING STIFF SO WE SLOWED DOWN AND MOVED OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT. THE CAR DIED BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC THOUGH THE BACK OF THE CAR WAS STILL NOT OUT ALL THE WAY DUE TO THE ANGLE. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO STEER AND STRAIGHTEN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO JUMP THE CAR. IT WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED. THE MECHANIC SAID A SCREW BROKE OFF. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE CRANKSHA…
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10690649 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10619370 · 2014-08-06 (August 6, 2014)
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUMP GAS INTO THE TANK, IT FORCEFULLY SPEWED OUT ALL UP MY ARM AND ON MY FEET BEFORE I COULD JUMP BACK OUT IF THE WAY. I TRIED AGAIN, THIS TIME VERY SLOWLY BUT IT SPEWED OUT AGAIN. HAVING ENOUGH GAS TO GET HOME, I LEFT THE CAP LOOSE. BY THE NEXT DAY, IT HELD THE GASOLINE JUST FINE. SO I CONTINUED TO LEAVE THE CAP LOOSE, WHICH WAS WORKING UNTIL YESTERDAY. I WAS OUT OF TOWN SHOPPING. THE LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON, SO I ATTEMPTED TO GET GAS BUT IT SPEWED OUT ALL OVER MY ARM AND FEET AGAIN. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A KIA DEALERSHIP N…
Owner-reported narrative. 119,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10619370 at NHTSA ↗