NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 139 owner complaints for the 2025 Kia Sorento (including the hybrid).
Recalled components: electrical system, engine and cooling, and fuel system. Most-described problem: loss of power or limp mode (43 complaints, 31%). Most-reported area: engine (47 complaints, 34%).
Too new to rank against other Sorento years
The 2025 Sorento has not had three full years of owner complaints yet.
Years to avoid: 2011; best years: 2018 and 2019. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles.
NHTSA listings: SORENTO, SORENTO HYBRID, SORENTO PHEV. Kia campaign SC361.
The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the sub engine assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 12, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC349.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K4 and Sorento vehicles.
A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: A loss of headlights and taillights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will update the BDC software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC331.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.
NHTSA listings: SORENTO, SORENTO HYBRID, SORENTO PHEV. Components: Electrical system: body control module, software; Exterior lighting: headlights; Exterior lighting: tail lights. Kia campaign SC331.
During a crash, the steering rack may damage the fuel line, which can result in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will install a cover around the fuel line, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC328.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SORENTO PHEV. Kia campaign SC328.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2025 Kia Sorento.
What owners report
Owners have filed 139 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Sorento. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Most named: automatic emergency braking (7); warnings (6)
Brakes7 · 5%
Unknown or other35 · 25%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Kia Sorento recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2025 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2011 Sorento drew the most (281).
Owner complaints
2025: 139 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Kia Sorento
Model year
Complaints
2011
1,520
2012
880
2013
985
2014
989
2015
755
2016
1,263
2017
811
2018
255
2019
437
2020
140
2021
278
2022
229
2023
170
2024
52
2025
139
2026
9
Safety recalls
2025: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Kia Sorento
Model year
Recalls
2011
7
2012
5
2013
5
2014
6
2015
3
2016
8
2017
4
2018
3
2019
2
2020
1
2021
5
2022
9
2023
4
2024
2
2025
4
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 139 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2025 Kia Sorento, the problems described most are loss of power or limp mode (43), hesitation or slow acceleration (22), and the check engine light coming on (14). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2025 Kia Sorento safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2025 Kia Sorento earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2025 Kia Sorento?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2025 Kia Sorento.
How do I check if my Sorento has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Kia dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SORENTO, SORENTO HYBRID, SORENTO PHEV.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.