NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2024 Kia Sorento. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
At 7,100 miles the transmission failed requiring a new transmission replacement after one year. At 16,636 miles (2years into the lease) the new transmission also failed, and the car is in the garage getting another transmission replacement after.
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the radiator was leaking. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the dealer stated that a rock or road debris had caused the puncture in the radiator. The contact was advised by the dealer that it was a known failure and that there was no radiator debris shield to protect the radiator from damage. The contact was informed by the dealer that the repair was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the contact that repair was not covered. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 23,417.
The Panoramic sunroof randomly exploded while driving down the highway. Nothing around us or above us to cause it. Myself, my [XXX] pregnant wife, and [XXX] daughter were in the car and had glass rain down on us after the very loud boom. We almost wrecked. The issue has not yet been inspected by the dealership but I understand this to not be uncommon. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
EBP light comes on dash while driving. Codes have been determined by dealership but refuse to fix unless light is active. To get light off - must stop vehicle and turn on and off EBP switch and light goes off. Switch or sensor not working causing the problem.
1. **Component or System Failure:** - The malfunction occurred in the **automatic braking system** while the vehicle was in **snow mode**. The brakes engaged and locked the wheels, resulting in a loss of traction. - This system is available for inspection upon request to assess the failure, where the car was towed to. 2. **Safety Risk:** - The automatic brakes locking the wheels put the driver at risk by causing the vehicle to slide uncontrollably. - The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the vehicle collided with a tree, indicating a significant safety concern. 3. **Reproduction of the Problem:** - It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but given the nature of the malfunction, it would be advisable to have it inspected by a professional to verify the problem. 4. **Inspection by Authorities:** -the vehicle was inspected by police and the towing coming stating the car was a total loss because of the damages . 5. **Warnings or Symptoms:** - There were no indications of a problem prior to the failure, such as warning lamps or messages. The incident occurred suddenly when the brakes engaged, leading to the vehicle losing traction and ultimately colliding with a tree. - The failure of the airbags to deploy on the passenger side is also a critical point that needs further investigation. ### Key Takeaways - The automatic braking system malfunctioned in snow mode, leading to a loss of traction and a collision. - Safety was jeopardized due to the vehicle's sliding and the failure of the airbags to deploy. - Further inspection by qualified professionals is necessary to confirm and address the issues.
Panoramic sunroof panel spontaneously exploded at highway speed.
The Panoramic roof glass shattered. It was not hit by any external debris. It just exploded scaring the driver almost losing vehicle control. The dealer inspected it and confirmed nothing external caused it, however KIA will not warrant it. Our insurance company has not inspected it yet. It is available for inspection.
Car has sensor issues. It ran into pole and median after defective collision assist said sensor was blocked. Has emission leak. Second vehicle i had with that and they wont cover under warranty. Kia refuses to by back a car do not feel safe driving. They refuse to fix things under warranty. The refuse to do anything about sensors, says its the safety features and they cannot remove them. Only offered me 19k for car. Why would I be upside down for a car that was sold to me with safety features issues..
headlights and taillights went out while driving and a few seconds and then came back on and everything on the dash also went out and came back on. i was driving at night time when this happened it put me and my child at risk. i called the dealership and they refused to fix saying that my kia is not impacted by this recall. But that i could schedule an appointment to have my headlights checked, i explained to them there is nothing wrong with my headlights this is clearly a software issue, Tonya at Kia Louisville east is still saying its not related to the recall, and is scheduling appt to have my headlights checked. no warning lamps messages or any other symptoms before this happened and has only happened the one time.
I was involved in an automobile collision. It was a T- Bone collision on the driver side. My vehicle flipped on it's side, the moon roof completely shattered, my seatbelt released me and I was ejected through the moon roof. The vehicle landed on top of me. All of my air bags did not deploy even though my vehicle rolled over twice.
I've had a couple of issues with the electrical components. One time the drivers side door controls wouldn't roll down any of the windows or lock/unlock the doors. This is a safety issue if you needed to roll the windows down/up or lock the doors for the security of your vehicle. I've also had it where the infotainment system has cut out while driving. As far as I can tell, the vehicle could still drive but I was unsure for a minute because the engine kind of revved at the same time. There were no warning lights when the windows and locks didn't work.
The vehicle is jerky, loss of power, jolts, and very high concern of safety while in use.
On August 6, 2025, I discovered that both the driver and passenger front seat belts in my 2024 Kia Sorento were installed backwards from the factory, with the buckle facing inward instead of outward. This defect has been present since the vehicle was purchased brand new, but it was only discovered and documented on this date. The issue was confirmed by an authorized Kia dealership in an official service report and in a video recorded by the service technician. I also have photos and videos taken before the dealership visit showing the same defect. This is a manufacturing defect and poses a serious safety risk to occupants in the event of a collision, as the seat belts may not function as intended. Supporting documentation is available upon request.
The trim on my vehicle will not stay snapped down.
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that during a routine oil change, the mechanic added an unknown oil additive to the vehicle. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle lost motive power and drove sluggishly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for an oil change, and the mechanic observed metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, but it had not yet been diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.
The vehicle was driven home from work, parked outside in a secluded spot. When I went to leave like an hour later, there was a huge crack in the windshield on the driver side. The crack seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and there is no chip, indicating that it was hit by something that would’ve caused the crack.
Horn has stopped working. Appears it happens often with the 24 sorento. Almost had a car collision due to the inability to warn the driver of the other car that I was in my lane. I do have an appointment to have it looked at, but not for almost 2 weeks.
Vehicle hesitation, transmission slippage at low speeds for up shifting and hard shifting. Pulled out of a parking lot onto a main road from stop and my vehicle would not upshift and sounded like I was in neutral and would not accelerate. I had a vehicle behind me that almost rear ended me, I pulled over and had to put the vehicle in park. Once restarted, it would shift again.
Both Horn units need to be replaced . It's been confirmed by Safford Brown Kia in Manassas ,Virginia. The dealership did not have the parts and I have to wait 3 to 4 days for the parts to come in. In the meantime I have been driving the vehicle without an active horn because I was not given a loaner vehicle . I did call Kia Customer service whom stated that they are not aware of an open recall for my issue .
On two separate occasions, my 2024 Kia Sorento has activated its automatic emergency braking system, as if anticipating a potential forward collision on an empty Florida highway. The dashboard lights illuminate precisely before the forward collision warning and emergency braking lights activate and commence engaging. Since then, I have noticed a loose sensation in the steering wheel and a diminished braking response. Also screen on dash will randomly shut down and will not allow me to check my vehicle systems or to Kia connect.
Driving on interstate during a partly cloudy day at 53 degrees going 65 mph. There were vehicles approximately half a mile away in the front of us and approximately 2 car lengths behind us with no noticeable debris on the road. Moon roof was fully extended and the moon roof exploded without warning (not due to rocks). It sounded like a gun shot went off and we were covered in glass.
The passengers window will not roll down the sound of clicking you can hear though when switch pushed this is a VERY common ongoing issue via KIA SORENTO COMMUNITY THREAD THAT GOES BACK OVER 7 years it’s never addressed or serious it seems for the services dept of several member’s experience to find the cause leading to ongoing hassle and inconvenience for those with one dealer hours away and the vehicle as NEW BRAND NEW ONLY 3k miles as mine! It’s a safety issue to say the least children on board
On March 19 I completed my 8,000 mile oil change and then drove to Florida. I had a warning light to change my oil since the company did not reset it. Unsure of the other warning lights. As I was driving in Florida on the interstate the car started having issues. It was making a noise, then started smoking and by the time I got off the exit and got out the front right of the car was in flames. I was transported to the ER with smoke inhalation. The car in still in Clermont, FL with no resolution. The car has been inspected by the insurance and a third party inspector. The last I was told the inspection report is with the Kia engineers. I am unaware at this point what the failure was that led to the fire. No response from Kia for over a month.
The rear glass panel on the panoramic sunroof shattered without being bumped or hit, the gar is garage kept and in a treeless parking lot in day. The loud noise as well as damger of glass falling into back seat of car is dangerous. Am taking it to dealership this weekend for them to diagnose a cause but were unable to see us for three days.
Front headlights are fogging up and blocking headlights. Dealership has looked at the issue and waiting for KIA to approve the replacement. No action yet, but if this is happening to my SUV, I'm sure others are having the same issue.
My vehicle has issues with the power steering. At random times, day or night, the wheel steers to the right and I have to force my grip on the wheel to avoid crashing. It last between 3-5 seconds. No lights or alerts light up on the dashboard. Dealerships have been unable to assist me, I have gone to three different ones. They cannot identify the issue. Loss of power steering assist increases crash risk, since it’s harder to control the vehicle in tight maneuvers or emergencies. Car is available for inspection.
No less than 6 times in approximately 8000 miles the vehicle has lost all electrical power while driving and then regained power. All interior electric components are lost, power steering, headlights, everything. Twice it has completely stalled out when this has happened. I cannot recreate the issue on-demand. On occasion, the vehicle will not hold a hill. It will drift backwards when taking your foot off the brake. Again, this is not reproducible and is completely random.
The day after I purchased the brand new vehicle the infotainment screen began displaying “No Camera Signal Received. Please try again later “. This would occur about 50% of the time I put it in reverse. I returned to the dealership I purchased from and showed a photo of the message. The technician was unable to duplicate the issue and I was told I could leave the vehicle for a few days for a diagnostic but I was not able to leave it that day so I left. I contacted the dealership closest to my home and scheduled an appointment. Before the appointment date the instrument panel began malfunctioning going from a red screen to green then black then normal. During those times it could not display the speed or any warnings. Also by this time I received a diagnostic warning from my Kia Connect app regarding the front camera system issue FRCMR C2A2397. At the closer dealer I showed a photo and video of the malfunctions and the No Camera signal was displaying when the worker took in the vehicle. As of now the vehicle is still in the shop on day 12. The technician was able to duplicate the problem and a part has been ordered and received and may be installed next week. I have attached below a photo of the camera signal screen and only screenshots of the instrument panel video since the video was too large to send.
The rear passenger seat has a major safety issue. The back will pop forward and then the entire seat moves forward pushing the passenger into the back of the passenger seat. I have brought this to the dealership two times now and it is still an issue that they now refuse to repair. I have video but can't load it here.
Reason is unknown, was driving down road and car yanked to the right cause family to wreck in to a guard rail, no lights appeared before wreck, it was not raining and was not speeding. Clear sunny day. Police report has been made and has made several attempts to contact KIA, car has been in body shop since July. Wreck has happened in July. Car is still at body shop KIA told body shop there was no time line on getting any parts to repair, they do not know if it will be this year.
Kia has failed to provide proper protection for their radiator on their Sorento and Telluride models. There are many many many reports online of these radiators sustaining damage which should not have occurred, and Kia refuses to cover any of these repairs under any type of warranty. In my example, my brand new 2024 Sorento with 1,300 miles overheated and dumped all of its coolant due to what the Kia dealership claimed was a puncture in the radiator. The vehicle was never driven off road, and had never been hit by anything. If Kia has a guard in place to prevent this from happening, the guard is insufficient and should be a concern. Kia refused to cover this issue under their warranty.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The car suddenly shutoff How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was doing a U-TURN when the vehicle turned off. It took about a minute for the car to turn on and I was left in the middle of the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not Yet Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? None