2012 KIA SORENTO Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 KIA SORENTO. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 850 complaints submitted for the 2012 KIA SORENTO. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - SEATTLE, WA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT'S NEPHEW WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - SPARTANBURG, SC

    MY SUV HAS NOT ENCOUNTERED ANY INCIDENTS THAT INVOLVE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. YESTERDAY WHILE LEAVING WORK THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTER I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE LIGHT STILL HAS NOT TURNED OFF. LOOKING AT RECENT COMPLAINTS IT APPEARS THAT KIA HAS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED NATIONWIDE.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - GILLETTE, NJ

    PANORAMIC SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED / SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING. *DT CUTS TO HAND ON STEERING WHEEL FROM FALLING GLASS. *JB

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - FIELDALE, VA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HART KIA (1361 E MAIN ST, SALEM, VA 24153, 540-444-4444) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - MILLVILLE, NJ

    LAST JULY MY HUSBAND HAD CHANGED MY BRAKES AND THEN WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS WORKING PROPERLY. WELL, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. CALLED KIA AND HAD IT TOWED THERE(UNREIMBURSED) REPLACED ENGINE TOLD THEM THAT SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. KIA SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW, A YEAR LATER STILL TRANS PROBLEM. TOOK TO MASTER MECHANIC THAT HAS A TRANS SHOP AND THAT HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 40 YEARS. HE SAID IT NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE FROM KIA FOR A HARD TRANSMISSIKN SHIFT. CALLED KIA THEY SAID THEY HAD TO "RESEARCH PROBLEM", BUT HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. ALSO, MY CAR SHUTS OFF IF I HAVE TO DO A HARD BRAKE EVEN AFTER MY ENGINE BEING REPLACED. ALSO, MY GAS LID WONT OPEN, MY MIRRORS HAD STOPPED MOVING AND MY WINDOWS ALL STOPPED WORKING. HAVING MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH FUSE BOX. APPARENTLY SOMETHING IS NOT GROUNDED CORRECTLY KIA AND IS SHORTING OUT ALL MY FUSES. BUT I HAVE TO PAY ALL THIS MONEY TO HAVE A CAR THAT IS BARELY THAT OLD HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS. IF I COULD SUE THEM FOR DAMAGES UNDER LEMON LAW I WOULD. VERY UPSET AND SCARED TO DRIVE CAR AND I HAVE A TEN YEAR THAT IS ALWAYS IN THE CAR WITH ME. PLEASE INVESTIGATE

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - NEW FRANKEN, WI

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED. *TR

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - ROCKY FACE, GA

    DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE OR IN TOWN, I LOSE ALL POWER WITH NO WARNING OTHER THAN A JERK THAT FEELS LIKE I HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE REAR. THEN IT GOES DEAD. I CRANK IT BACK UP AND IT RUNS FOR A WHILE THEN REPEATS. I TOOK TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT TODAY, BUT THEY ARE SAYING IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL, AFTER KIA CORP. TOLD MY FATHER LAST WEEK THAT IT WAS A RECALL ON THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE. IT IS THERE NOW TO BE CHECKED 1ST THING IN THE MORNING.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - SAVAGE, MN

    JULY 2016, WHILE HWY DRIVING MY 2012 KIA SORENTO (V6) (@69,000 MILEAGE) THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOPPED & SMOLDERED (POLICE CALLED FIRE DEPT). CAR WAS INOPERABLE, TOWED TO SHOP & THEN TO KIA DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THAT RADIATOR CAP MELTED & THEY FOUND "METAL IN COOLANT & THE ENGINE" (AS NOTED ON THE KIA DEALERHSHIP DOCUMENTATION). HE SAID HE NEVER SAW SUCH A THING. DEALER SAID ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF THE METAL FOUND IN ENGINE & METAL LIKELY CAUSED OVERHEATING WHICH MELTED RAD CAP. KIA DEALER INSTALLED NEW RADIATOR & A USED ENGINE (W/43K MILEAGE), COSTING ME $14,000. THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE A KNOCKING NOISE AND RECENTLY 7/2019, @122K MILES AGAIN SMOLDERED & LOST POWER. RADIATOR CAP AGAIN "MELTED" REQUIRING A 3RD RADIATOR REPLACEMENT. GAUGES/DASH SHOWED NO INDICATION OF CAR OVERHEATING. I FEAR PROBLEM IS RECURRING WITH 2ND ENGINE (SAME DEFECT). LEARNED OF 2012 SORENTO RECALLS FOR EXACT ISSUES (METAL IN ENGINE, OVERHEATING/FIRE, KNOCKING & POWER LOSS). KIA DEALER (8/2019) INFORMED ME ONLY 4 CYL UNITS WERE RECALLED FOR METAL IN ENGINE & MY 6 CYL UNIT WITH THE SAME ENGINE-METAL ISSUES WAS NOT COVERED BY KIA RECALL. I ASKED IF ANYTHING RELATED TO CAR USE OR MAINTENANCE WOULD HAVE CAUSED METAL TO CONTAMINATE AN ENGINE; DEALER SAID NO, PROBLEM IS UNRELATED TO CAR USE OR MAINTENANCE AND A MFG PROBLEM WAS THE ONLY WAY THE METAL WOULD SHOW UP IT. BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE 6 CYL MODELS REPAIR COSTS WERE MINE. THEY REFUSED TO CONTACT KIA. MY VEHICLE HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE 4 CYL MODELS & IT'S A UNIQUE DEFECT KNOWN ON NUMEROUS KIA MODELS. KIA DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED MY IMPECCABLE PM & SERVICE REORD. THEY ADMIT THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE DUE TO VEHICLE CARE OR USE, & KNOW THE PROBLEMS W/ MY 6 CYL ARE IDENTICAL TO 4CYLS. I BELIEVE KIA MAY BE UNDERREPORTING THE PROBLEM & FAILED DUE DILIGENCE TO IDENTIFY SAME DEFECTS IN 6 CYL MODELS.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - GROVELAND, IL

    DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, CAR SUDDENLY GOES DEAD, NO WARNING NO ENGINE LIGHT. NO POWER, NO BRAKES NO POWER STEERING. DID GLIDE TO SIDE OF ROAD WITH A NEAR MISS, CAR BEHIND ME WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME. HAD IT TOWED TO KIA DEALER.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA SORENTO
    - WETUMPKA, AL

    FOLLOWING AN OIL CHANGE AND MULTI-POINT INSPECTION, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CUSTOMER ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THE KIA TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE ON MY KIA 2012 SORENTO IS LEAKING AND LOOSING GREASE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FURTHERMORE, SHE TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM TENDED TO OCCUR AFTER A NUMBER OF MILES HAD BEEN INCURRED ON KIA SORENTOS.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE