Complaint volume
245 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Kia Sorento Complaints
245 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Kia Sorento, grouped by component category.
245 Total complaints
11 Crash reports
10 Fire reports
9 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, exterior lighting, steering. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 11 crash reports, 10 fire reports, 9 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 58 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 50,150 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, exterior lighting, steering?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Kia Sorento?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Kia Sorento
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Kia Sorento complaints?
11 Crash
10 Fire
9 Injury
0 Fatality
15 Towed
5 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Kia Sorento complaint categories?
ENGINE 70
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 24
STEERING 22
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 10
AIR BAGS 8
TRAILER HITCHES 7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 5
STRUCTURE 5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 4
245 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2023 | AIR BAGS | My passenger occupancy sensor needs to be replaced. I Can not afford the $1170 Kia is charging. My car’s warranty expired in March. The passenger air bag light came on in the ending of July 2023. I tried reaching out to Kia but with no help. They said I have to pay out of pocket. I am really concerned for the safety of my family. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2023 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that oil needing to be added the engine every two weeks. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that an oil consumption test needed to be performed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,136. | Crash: No Fire: No | 81,136 |
| Jul 2023 | STRUCTURE | The Pearl white paint is peeling off and has been for awhile. It’s getting worse. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2023 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlight automatic sensor is failing. When lights are switched to auto mode, the headlights will randomly turn on and off while driving, regardless of outside lighting conditions. Alternatively, the lights will come on without prompting when the car is turned off & parked in a driveway at night. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2023 | ENGINE | Ive been experiencing engine failure with my vehicle since December of 2022. The car was assessed and repaired and less than a month later my engine has failed yet again while driving. My vehicle year is not listed in the kia settlement class action even though I have a Theta II engine 2.4 L GDI. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | My car went into Sudden Unintended Acceleration when I shifted from neutral to drive. I was in a gas station that was perpendicular to highway traffic. When I attempted to come out of the car wash tunnel to get my car dried off, the car accelerated out of control, the gas pedal was stuck and the brakes would not engage. The car flew out of the tunnel and into traffic. The car hit a curb before entering into traffic and went airborne. I in the third lane of southbound traffic. The vehicle then continued on through a grass median and across three lanes of northbound traffic, hitting another curb. At sone point during this accident, three of the tires popped and drivers side airbags did deploy. The popped tires appears to be the reason why the car finally came to a stop. It is only by the grace of God that I made it out alive. The airbag burned my torso. This accident occurred on 5/19/2023 at approximately 4:15 pm. X-rays and cat scans revealed no additional injuries. Currently, I am waiting to be seen by an orthopedic doctor for pain in ankles, lower back and stiffness at base of neck. My insurance company concluded the car as a total loss. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| May 2023 | ENGINE | While driving my 2018 Kia Sorento on Interstate 95 at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly started to knock. The noise got louder and before I could safely pull onto the shoulder, the engine totally failed without any warning lights whatsoever. Large amount of blue smoke came from the exhaust and I lost all power to the vehicle. Engine parts and motor oil were scattered all over the highway from the violent nature of the failure. This also caused vehicles behind me to swerve and brake in order to avoid hitting the metal engine debris. My right rear tire ran over such metal and it immediately went flat. I was able to coast the vehicle onto an exit ramp where I raised the hood to check for fire. The engine continued to leak oil while parked on the off ramp shoulder. I called my insurance company to let them know what had happened and a tow truck responded approximately 1 hour later and the vehicle was placed in an auto storage lot. | Crash: No Fire: No | 58,500 |
| May 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | 2018 KIA SORENTO. CONSTITUENT WRITES IN REGARD TO A DEFECTIVE HITCH HARNESS. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | KIA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TRAILER HITCH SAFETY RECALL. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | STEERING | Loud clunkiness when steering the wheel at 0 mph started occurring at about ~ 75,000 miles. The steering wheel then vibrates when driving atop the slightest uneven pavement, with more clunckiness coming from the front side of the car and a metal on metal rattle. The vehicle was taken to the authorized Kia service where they determined that there was a faulty steering wheel column, but that the vehicle "WAS STILL SAFE TO DRIVE." Repairs are $3,000 on something they acknowledge is potentially a small faulty part in the wheel column - plastic coupler in the EPAS (extended warranty had been issued for other Hyundai/Kia models with the same issue.) Kia refused to repair at no cost on either bases of safety or quality issues, even though there is no scheduled maintenance repair on this part of the car; i.e., the steering system should last for as long as the car remains in ownership and all scheduled maintenance is completed. The car cannot be taken to a non-Kia shop as I was told a transponder in the steering wheel that connects to the ignition key is a repair that cannot be completed unless in a Kia facility. Net, I'm driving a car with steering problems yet being told "IT IS SAFE" (?) which makes me really concerned, and I have no resolution other than spending $3,000 for a potential plastic part replacement worth $20 + labor. There is a history of issues with this vehicle, including major repairs and replacements under warranty, all documented in Kia authorized shops. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | ENGINE | My car is using more oil then it should and I’m getting bad gas mileage. I have no leak you can’t smell anything and it doesn’t run hot! But we have to add a least 2 quarts a week. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | ENGINE | Vehicle is consuming oil at an extraordinary rate. About 1qt per 750 miles. There are no oil leaks present. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | ENGINE | On 3/23/2023, the Oil Pressure Warning Light flashed on and off. I was lucky to be near a gas station that could check my oil and determined there was less than 2 quarts left. They added almost 4 quarts of oil and told me to immediately contact my Kia dealership because I could have an oil consumption issue. I researched the issue online and found that there is a class action lawsuit over Hyundai-Kia oil consumption defect. On 3/28/2023, I brought my vehicle to Mastria Kia to have an oil change and have it checked for an oil leak. There was no oil leak. Thus, they told me to return in 1,000 miles (oil consumption test). If it passes the oil consumption test, they told me that they could do a combustion chamber cleaning for over $500, which I was also told does not fix the defect. They also informed me to check my oil level regularly and add oil as needed. The vehicle is not reliable or safe to drive. I was lucky that I was near a gas station, and I saw the warning light that flashed only once. This is a safety issue and this vehicle's reliability is questionable. I hope that NHTSA can help not only myself, but other Kia owners that are experiencing the same engine defect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches), however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | ENGINE | My car is using 5 quarts per oil every 250-500 miles. Which means my car can blow up with me in it. I took it to the dealer and even though there is a tsb on this and it is a known issue they are telling me kia will not cover it I have to replace it out of my own pocket. When this occurs no oil lights or engine lights come on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | SEAT BELTS | Driver's side seat belt locked up and was unable to be pulled out and secured. No warning lights to indicate issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2023 | ENGINE | Catastrophic engine failure with no signal or warning from the car after being well maintained for 5 years. This occurred while driving 60 mph on a desolate stretch of VT highway while on a trip from our home in NJ. Engine died with no warning and we coasted to a dangerous narrow shoulder of RT 9 and were almost killed by a truck. We also had no cell reception to even call for help. The engine then started to smoke and burn and I was forced to put my two children out on a snowy embankment for 30 minutes risking hypothermia. We bought this 2018 Sorento new and only discovered the vast extent of Kia’s engine defect after this experience on 2/22/23. I am in complete awe and shock that your agency has allowed them to continue putting people in grave danger. I want to understand how Kia is not applying a more exhaustive effort to notify customers and rectify a deadly product defect that they are well aware of. I would like to direct your agency to a very active Facebook page called “Engine Failure - Kia” that contains a plethora of stories just like ours. This company does not care about the safety of families, nor do they have any interest in making this right. In an effort to reduce the expense of their deadly mistake, they choose to victimize their customers again by declining valid claims for an engine replacement if all service documentation is not available. They are fully aware of their responsibility and choose to act like corporate criminals. It is up to agencies like the NHTSA to address this behavior and prevent further injury and death. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2023 | ENGINE | 2018 Kia Sorrento died suddenly on the highway. We heard a loud rattling noise, then a pop followed by the engine stopping with some smoke coming out under the hood. | Crash: No Fire: No | 101,300 |
| Feb 2023 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The headlights turn off randomly when in Auto mode. There are a lot of other people reporting the same issue. https://sorentoforums.com/threads/lights-shutting-off-in-auto-mode.16/ | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | ENGINE | My vehicle had 4 recalls on it and caused engine to blow. The dealer I purchased car from would not fix recalls, so had it towed to a Kia dealer, my car has been there since dec long story short recalls fixed but they won't replace engine, nor will dealer I purchased it from. So they're saying over $8000 that I would be responsible for | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The cruise control has been fixed once. It was not fixed. Same problem still happening. Sometimes it works, more than not it does not. Sometimes you can’t shut it off. They also have not come up with a fix for the new hitch recall problem that results in fires. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | TRAILER HITCHES | The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The contact stated that the vehicle has yet to be repaired. They are also seeking reimbursement for the vehicle because it is unsafe to drive. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2022 | FIRERELATED | The contact owned a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number regarding the Trailer Hitches however, the contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied in a parked position, he noticed that the rear end of the vehicle inadvertently caught fire. The contact then stated that the fire started to spread igniting the whole vehicle. As a result, the side of the contact house caught fire. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. The fire department was notified, and the fire was extinguished. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The origin of the fire had yet to be determined. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |