Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.

Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.

ProblemsByVin Index / 2018-KIA-SORENTO / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2018 Kia Sorento owner complaints

247 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 2 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

other 5 complaints shown

12/29/2025 ODI #11707524.0

1. at night when i toggle hi beams the light black out and i have to jiggle the toggle 2. My HECU assembly is out, I have about 7 lights on my dash.

12/29/2022 Fire ODI #11499324.0

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 notifi

12/28/2021 ODI #11445224.0

2 Recent incidents: SUV was parked on a driveway with slight incline overnight in park and ended up at the bottom end of driveway in the morning. With car running on a friends driveway with an incline, I had car in the park mode and was going to depart car to quickly knock on door and car very slowly proceed backwards while in park mode. I called KIA dealership on 12/22/2021 where I purchased car they stated they never heard of this & could be icy driveways..I stated they were not iced over at the time and I’m very concerned for everyone’s safety with this situation. They dealership service department stated it will be a diagnostic charge due not any service or engine lights “on” at this time.

12/23/2022 ODI #11498708.0

My 2018 Snow White Pearl Kia Sorento is experiencing paint failure on the hood and rear hatch. The manufacturer notified me that they identified this as a problem with 2011-2014 models and, at this time, are not offering a remedy for a 2018 model.

12/18/2017 ODI #11055415.0

2018 Kia sorento sxl the aeb ( autonomous emergency braking ) does not work as advertised or expected..this feature is advertised as aeb and also on the electronic dash as aeb but according to the very definition of autonomous meaning without human intervention to stop the vehicle to avoid a crash does not work and can not be relied on to avoid any type of crash at any speed and I hope the safety board will make Kia take action to correct this problem post hast. This vehicle has been to the dealer shop and they assure me all is working and it will stop the auto from having a crash or at the least minimize the severity of the crash and also give you a warning 1 to 2 seconds before the crash which is totally absurd and also false advertising.please look on the internet and you will find

engine 5 complaints shown

81 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $3,100 · see engine cluster analysis →
12/22/2025 ODI #11706587.0

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 informed that there was an oil leak coming from the engine. The contact had her son inspect the vehicle, and he discovered that oil was leaking onto the spark plugs in cylinder #1. The contact’s son diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure and recommended that the engine be replaced. The contact then stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started shaking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited for approximately an hour before being able to restart the vehicle and drive t

12/18/2025 ODI #11705969.0

The engine suddenly failed while I was driving on the highway. The vehicle lost power without warning, which created a dangerous situation. I had to pull over and have the vehicle towed.

12/11/2025 ODI #11704410.0

Engine is burning oil at a rate of almost one quart per week. The engine can be felt shaking when driving. The engine light came on and states there is a P0303 Cylinder 3 misfired detected.

12/09/2024 ODI #11629756.0

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and jerked and decelerated to 25 MPH. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a nearby parking lot and parked because the contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. The following day the contact’s husband took the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine might be faulty however, a diagnostic test was needed, and the engine needed to be taken apart to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

12/07/2024 ODI #11629393.0

Around 90,000 miles, the engine started leaking oil regularly, took it in for warranty. After repairs for gasket, then started burning oil and running of oil every week or two weeks, and I have to constantly refill oil. Took it again and Dealer told me I am out of warranty, then I called KIA USA and reported problems. They told me that they will get back to me and I am still waiting.

steering 3 complaints shown

26 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $700 · see steering cluster analysis →
12/21/2018 ODI #11162897.0

Steering is sticking both right and left, can feel it when driving low speed and higher speed on any road city or highway, took to dealer they did a 4 wheel alignment, still doing the same thing

12/13/2018 4,000 mi ODI #11161228.0

Sticking steering then gives when constant pressure applied making a significant sudden steering movement. Happens when driving. Seems more on right than left. Started noticing it a couple of months ago. Have not changed anything. Happens when ever driving.

12/07/2018 18,000 mi ODI #11156920.0

While driving down the highway, the steering seems to stick to the right. This has not been noticed while driving in town. This does not always happen. It is random. I have had the car four months and it has been noticed 4 times.

electrical 3 complaints shown

28 total in this category · severe · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/11/2023 ODI #11559547.0

When signaling a left turn, my right signal flashes before flashing the left signal.

12/08/2022 15,631 mi ODI #11496584.0

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the battery was draining faster than usual. The contact stated upon parking the vehicle overnight with the battery fully charged, the contact became aware that the battery had lost 15-20 % charge by the next morning. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's friend, an electrical engineer, diagnosed that the battery was losing 1 or 2 AMPS of power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and no issues were found. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) which he associated with the failure; however, parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the dealer informed him that the battery needed to be replaced. The

12/08/2020 36,000 mi Fire ODI #11378575.0

I was traveling to florida and saw sparks in the mirrors in the back. I quickly pulled over and went to the back and saw fire, the car was on fire everybody got out, we tried to put it out but it seemed like there was an accelerrent or something cause it was engulfed with fire very fast once we stopped the whole car was burning.+we were on 65 south in kentucky just driving ,no rain roads were dry.

lighting 2 complaints shown

27 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $250 · see lighting cluster analysis →
12/30/2019 ODI #11292183.0

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 when driving.

12/21/2021 ODI #11444581.0

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. I asked if I would be charged for this & was told that if the technician could find anything that I would be charged for the technician's time. I found online that Kia had this same issue with 2015-2015 K900 vehicles & issued a recall to replace the multi-functional light switch. Losing headlight rumination can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash. Kia dealerships should replace this multi-function switch free of charge to the owners of Kia vehicles. There should be a recall issued for this issue

powertrain 1 complaint shown

8 total in this category · severe · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain cluster analysis →
12/26/2024 ODI #11632372.0

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 to function properly, which is a major concern. I took the vehicle to the dealership, where they diagnosed the problem as a malfunctioning AWD coupling. However, they informed me that this issue is not covered under warranty or any recall program. This response is both frustrating and concerning, especially since AWD functionality is a critical part of the Sorento’s design and intended use. After researching, I found that many Kia Sorento owners have reported similar problems with the AWD coupling, indicating that

Showing 300 of 247 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Kia/Sorento#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
Get a free warranty quote →
Sponsored — we earn a commission if you complete a quote. Disclosure.