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2013 Kia Sorento brakes problems
severe
Owners of the 2013 Kia Sorento have filed 66 NHTSA complaints about the brakes, typically surfacing around 92,000 miles at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Q1 63kmed 92kQ3 125kn=21
Complaints
66
Recalls
1
Avg fix
$450
brakes complaints on the Kia Sorento, by model year
Of the 66 brakes complaints filed for the 2013 Kia Sorento,
here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
0 (0%)
25-50k
0 (0%)
50-75k
0 (0%)
75-100k
0 (0%)
100-125k
0 (0%)
125-150k
0 (0%)
150k+
1 (100%)
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted.
Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits
and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 17 model years of Kia Sorento in our records for brakes problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented
repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall
(it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service BulletinPS675Aug 2020
PITSTOP - BRAKE CALIPER LEAK INSPECTION - This PITSTOP provides information related to a brake caliper fluid/oil substance found on some Kia vehicles, due to possible excess assembly oil applied during assembly.
TSB: REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR HOUSING COVER INSPECTION AND/OR REPLACEMENT (SC148) - VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN - This bulletin provides the procedure on how to inspect, clean and seal or, if necessary, replace the rear wheel speed sensor (WSS) housing covers on certain 2011-2015MY 2WD Sorento (XMa) vehicles, produced from October 24, 2009 through April 30, 2014, originally retailed and/or currently registered in the coastal states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. If the rear wheel hub comes into contact with a significant amount of seawater, the water can enter the rear wheel speed sensor housing covers and may interrupt t
SC148OWNER - OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER -Notifying owners that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect, clean, and seal, or if necessary, replace the rear wheel speed sensor housing covers on certain 2011-2015 MY Sorento 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) vehicles originally purchased and/or currently registered in the coastal states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
SC148DP - DEALER PRINCIPAL NOTIFICATION LETTER - Notifies dealer principals of a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect, clean, and seal, or if necessary, replace the rear wheel speed sensor housing covers on certain 2011 - 2015 MY Sorento 2-Wheel Drive vehicles originally purchased and/or currently registered in the coastal states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
SC148DPSM - DEALER PARTS & SERVICE MANAGER NOTIFICATION LETTER - Notifies dealer principals of a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect, clean, and seal, or if necessary, replace the rear wheel speed sensor housing covers on certain 2011 - 2015 MY Sorento 2-Wheel Drive vehicles originally purchased and/or currently registered in the coastal states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 Sorento's brake and engine systems show serious, recurring problems that Kia has been slow to address. Wheel speed sensors in the rear hubs fail routinely—some owners report ABS and traction control warnings lighting up before 40,000 miles on low-mileage vehicles. Water getting into the wheel bearings appears to be the culprit; Kia issued a service bulletin but denies any design flaw. Wheel speed sensor replacement costs around $550 per hub.
Brake failures hit owners hard. One driver couldn't stop while backing out of her driveway—the brake pedal wouldn't compress fully, and the car rolled into her neighbor's fence. Another report describes the pedal requiring repeated pumping just to slow the vehicle. A 25,000-mile example had a complete brake failure while the owner's spouse was driving at 7 mph; the car crashed into a parked vehicle.
Engine and fire risks are severe. Multiple owners report flames and smoke erupting from the engine compartment while parked or shortly after shutdown—one vehicle burned to the ground. Many others smell burning rubber or see smoke from under the hood; one independent mechanic found a leaking gasket. Engine seizures and stalls occur at highway speeds with little warning, typically above 90,000 miles.
The bigger problem: Kia issued recall 23V652000 for brake hydraulics, but parts remain unavailable. Dozens of owners received recall notices and then waited indefinitely while their vehicles sat idle or ran with warning lights on—all while fires burned and engines quit.
Same Kia Sorento brakes reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015
Defective wheel speed sensors in the hub bearing assembly trigger ABS warning lights and loss of traction/stability control. Water intrusion into wheel bearings is cited as a root cause. The problem occurs frequently enough to warrant service bulletins from the manufacturer.
When: 40,000–201,000 miles; commonly under 40,000 miles on low-mileage vehicles
Symptoms owners cite: ABS warning light illumination; Traction control warning light illumination; Downhill assist warning light illumination; Loss of ABS and stability control functions
Codes mentioned:C-code for wheel speed sensor (code reader confirmation cited in #3)
Repairs/costs cited: Right rear ABS/hub bearing replacement cited at approximately $550. Owners report high repair costs and complexity due to part failure rates.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service bulletin exists for water intrusion into wheel bearings (cited in #1). NHTSA Campaign 23V652000 involves service brakes; some complaints link this campaign to wheel speed sensor issues. Dealership responses dismissive; service bulletins framed as diagnostic tools only, not admissions of design defects.
Brake failure — loss of braking response
Brake pedal becomes unresponsive or requires repeated pumping to achieve deceleration. In one incident, brake pedal would not go all the way down during hard application. Safety-critical failures occurred at low speeds during parking maneuvers and driveway entry.
When: 25,000 miles; low-mileage examples
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal unresponsive when pressed; Brake pedal requires pumping to produce stopping force; Brake pedal does not fully compress during hard application; Vehicle coasts without deceleration despite repeated brake application
Repairs/costs cited: One incident diagnosed as ABS control module and brake overhaul required but vehicle not repaired. No repair costs disclosed.
Engine fire / compartment fire
Vehicle catches fire in engine compartment while parked or shortly after shutdown, with flames and heavy smoke. One vehicle was destroyed. Incidents occurred on vehicles notified of NHTSA Campaign 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) that had not yet received the recall repair due to parts unavailability.
When: 70,000 miles; unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Flames and smoke visible from engine compartment; Vehicle destroyed by fire; Contact sustained laceration attempting to save vehicle contents
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle destroyed; cause not determined at time of report. Fire department extinguished flames.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle included in NHTSA Campaign 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); recall repair had not been completed prior to fire. Recall parts were unavailable.
Engine failure — loss of power and stalling
Engine seizes, loses motive power, or stalls while driving at highway speeds. Abnormal knocking sounds reported before failure. Some incidents involved repeated visits to dealer with no root cause found. Failures sometimes occur before pending recall repairs can be completed.
When: 90,000–125,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal knocking sound from engine (persists for several minutes after startup before disappearing); Loss of motive power while driving; Engine stall at highway speed; Failure to accelerate normally when depressing accelerator
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required in cases where failure reached dealer. In one case (Narrative #5), multiple dealer visits found no cause; unknown repair performed but failure persisted.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and Campaign 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) cited in complaints. In Narrative #2, manufacturer denied recall repairs because first recall had not been completed. Dealers unable to diagnose or repair despite multiple visits.
Engine compartment burning odor / leaking gasket
Strong burning or rubber-burning odors detected from under the hood during driving. In one case, smoke observed coming from under the hood; in another, a certified mechanic confirmed leaking gasket. Vehicle deceleration occurred in at least one incident before odor was noticed.
When: Unknown; reported at various mileages under recall 23V652000 notification
Symptoms owners cite: Burning odor from engine compartment; Rubber-burning odor during driving; Smoke visible from under hood; Vehicle deceleration; Traction control warning lights illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: One certified mechanic confirmed leaking gasket but no repair costs disclosed. Vehicles remained unrepaired in most cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 23V652000 recall parts were unavailable in these complaints, preventing diagnosis and repair.
Parking brake rust and disintegration
Internal parking brake parts rusted and disintegrated in rear wheels within 8 years under minimal average use. No dashboard warning light indicated parking brake failure. Discovered during annual safety inspection; would likely not have held on an incline.
When: Within 8 years; discovery during routine inspection
Symptoms owners cite: Rust and disintegration of parking brake internal parts; No warning light on dashboard; Potential loss of holding power on inclines
Synthesized from 66 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
5 most recent
brakes
· filed 12/29/2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.…
brakes
· filed 12/28/2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet 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 a failure. VIN…
brakes
· filed 12/28/2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and…
brakes
· filed 12/27/2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet 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 a failure. VIN…
brakes · 155,000 mi
· filed 12/27/2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, traction control, and incline warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) and 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was…
Had brakes trouble with your 2013 Kia Sorento?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2013 Kia Sorento?
It's a meaningful issue. 66 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 21 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 63,000 and 125,000 miles, with the median around 92,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 63,000; a quarter make it past 125,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover brakes issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Kia/Sorento.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.