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The 2018 Kia Sorento has 248 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2018 Kia Sorento has 248 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 81 complaints, typically surfacing around 80,408 miles (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Sorento | 746 | 3 |
| 2016 Sorento | 1,241 | 8 |
| 2017 Sorento | 790 | 4 |
| 2018 Sorento (this page) | 248 | 3 |
| 2019 Sorento | 418 | 2 |
| 2020 Sorento | 131 | 1 |
| 2021 Sorento | 0 | 4 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2018 Kia Sorento SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 37,649 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
Car headlamps shut off when car is in motion, first noticed when driving at night as lights were in auto setting and the dashboard shows the light setting change and the lights outside changing as well with nothing being touched. Lights have completely shut off about 5 times…
I am experiencing a serious issue with my 2018 Kia Sorento AWD related to the AWD coupling. During normal driving, the vehicle does not perform as expected, and the AWD system feels compromised, making the car unsafe and unreliable. While the vehicle doesn’t stall, it struggles…
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for an oil change, the contact was…
Having intermittent issues with the headlights turning of while driving at night. The headlights were set on "Auto". I have had this happen multiple times! Went to local dealer to report the problem & was told that they would have to drive it at night to replicate the issue.…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 248 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Kia Sorento has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2018 Kia Sorento is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 28 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 26,000–61,000 mi; Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 81 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 80,408 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 248 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Typical failure occurs around 80,408 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 81 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 80,408 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 51,617 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 248 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.