2012 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
877 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
90,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 600 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 461 of 877 complaints (52.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 164 | 18.7% |
| Engine operation | 126 | 14.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 91 | 10.4% |
| Steering behavior | 59 | 6.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 28 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 1.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 461 |
| Electrical System | 127 |
| Unknown Or Other | 81 |
| Air Bags | 80 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 66 |
| Exterior Lighting | 55 |
| Power Train | 53 |
| Service Brakes | 33 |
Engine: 461; Electrical System: 127; Unknown Or Other: 81; Air Bags: 80; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 66; Exterior Lighting: 55; Power Train: 53; Service Brakes: 33
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 83 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 57 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 76 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 132 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 189 |
| 150,000 and above | 63 |
Under 25,000: 83; 25,000 to 49,999: 57; 50,000 to 74,999: 76; 75,000 to 99,999: 132; 100,000 to 149,999: 189; 150,000 and above: 63
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (189). 277 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 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 27 |
| 2013 | 29 |
| 2014 | 53 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2016 | 44 |
| 2017 | 86 |
| 2018 | 109 |
| 2019 | 138 |
| 2020 | 60 |
| 2021 | 65 |
| 2022 | 39 |
| 2023 | 60 |
| 2024 | 91 |
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 | 17 |
2011: 7; 2012: 27; 2013: 29; 2014: 53; 2015: 32; 2016: 44; 2017: 86; 2018: 109; 2019: 138; 2020: 60; 2021: 65; 2022: 39; 2023: 60; 2024: 91; 2025: 20; 2026: 17
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 164 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 126 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 91 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 10433016 · 2011-10-27 (October 27, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO SX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE SUDDENLY AT ANY GIVEN TIME WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN RPMS AND THE CONTACT WOULD THEN HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 450 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600.
Owner-reported narrative. 450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433016 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10443650 · 2012-01-13 (January 13, 2012)
WHILE COMING TO STOP AT INTERSECTION OR PULLING INTO PARKING LOT SPACE AT LOW SPEED, I COULD HEAR AND FEEL BRAKES GRINDING TO A COMPLETE STOP, UPON RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL I COULD HEAR AND FEEL WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE CALIPERS GRINDING AS THEY RELEASE. IT HAPPENS WHENEVER I COME TO A STOP OR WHEN I AM ABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKES. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. THIS NOISE OCCURRED JUST AFTER 10000 MILES. BEFORE THIS QUIET AND SMOOTH BRAKING. ON JANUARY 11, 2012 I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND SERVICE DESK PERSON SAID THE S…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443650 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10447988 · 2012-02-14 (February 14, 2012)
AFTER PARKING THE CAR FOR 72 HOURS AT AN AIRPORT, UPON RETURN THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY, BUT THE WARNING LIGHT SHOWING A BATTERY APPEARED. WHILE DRIVING HOME, APPROX 8 MILES, THE CAR'S DASH FLASHED MORE WARNING SYMBOLS... ANTIBRAKES, AIRBAG, ETC AND THE WIPERS BEGAN TO SLOW. I PULLED OVER AS THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. I USED KIA'S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET A TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP. ON 2/13/2012 THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AT NO CHARGE. THIS REPAIR, NECESSARY ON THIS 2012 KIA SORENTO, OCCURRED AT 6,607 MILES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10447988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10452424 · 2012-03-20 (March 20, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE KEY MIGHT HAVE DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE KEY SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FA…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452424 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10418873 · 2011-08-04 (August 4, 2011)
THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS INTERMITTENT. WHEN I PUSH THE START BUTTON SOMETIMES THE CAR THE LUNGES BACKWARDS WHILE THE CAR IS STILL IN PARK IT ONLY DOES THIS WHEN I AM STARTING THE CAR. IT ALSO MAKES AN AUDIBLE NOISE AT THE SAME TIME IT IS " BUCK JUMPING". I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AN ON THE FIRST VISIT THEY HEARD THE NOISE AND FIGURED IT WAS THE STARTER. THEY PUT IN A NEW STARTER AND I AM STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO SEEMS TO SLIP DURING CITY DRIVING BUT IT IS VERY SUBTLE. NOW AFTER ABOUT THE FIFTH TI…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10418873 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10446155 · 2012-02-01 (February 1, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAINOUS ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO A CEMENT WALL. THE AIRBAG LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND THE E…
Owner-reported narrative. 385 miles reported. Look up ODI 10446155 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10453822 · 2012-04-02 (April 2, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS WINDY AND THE VEHICLE WAS JERKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AS THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED STRAIGHT. THE WIND WAS PUSHING THE VEHICLE EIGHT FEET INTO ANOTHER LANE AND EIGHT FEET BACK INTO THE CONTACT'S LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10453822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10440119 · 2011-12-16 (December 16, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE OFF WHEN IT ROLLED BACKWARD AND CRASHED INTO A NEIGHBORING HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BEFORE SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED AND AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440119 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10561237 · 2014-01-23 (January 23, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, GASOLINE BEGAN LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE ODOR WAS PRESENT. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE SEAL FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561237 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10702294 · 2015-03-27 (March 27, 2015)
ON MONDAY, MARCH 23 AT 8 PM, I ARRIVED HOME AND PARKED MY CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY CLOSE TO OUR HOUSE. I LOVED UP AND WENT INSIDE. AT 4:30 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING, MY SON CAME INTO OUR BEDROOM SAYING BE THOUGHT SUNSHINE WAS TRYING TO BREAK INTO MY CAR BECAUSE THE CAR ALARM WAS GOING OFF. I WENT TO THE WINDOW TO LOOK OUT, AND IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FLAMES APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT. WE CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE WHOLE BACK HALF OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS ROA…
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10702294 at NHTSA ↗