2006 KIA Sorento Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sorento years
- About as many complaints as other years 13th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 242 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 KIA Sorento. That ranks 13th out of 24 Sorento model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (67 complaints, 28%), typically at around 92,700 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 8 fires, 14 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 242owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 KIA Sorento problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 67 | 28% | 92,700 | “crank shaft” (21%) | $3,900 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 56 | 23% | 50,000 | “low beam” (13%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 53 | 22% | 78,050 | — | — |
| Power Train | 35 | 14% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 33 | 14% | 92,348 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 19 | 8% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 8% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 7% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 4% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 9 | 4% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 3% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 3% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 3% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 3% | 111,901 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 2% | 87,640 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 2% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 2% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 118,801 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 74,301 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 6,700 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 38,400 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 KIA Sorento recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Huyndai-kia is recalling 139,844 my 2006-2007- sedona, sportage, sorento and my rondo and amanti vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released. A stop lamp switch malfunction may also affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature so the transmission shifter would not be able to be shifted out of the park position. It may also cause the electronic stability control (esc) malfunction light to illuminate, and it may not deactivate the cruise control when the brake pedal is depressed.
Risk: Any of these malfunctions, alone or in combination, may lead to a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on june 17, 2009. Owners may contact kia's consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Throttle control system vulnerabilities (DP21003) — opened Nov 12, 2021, closed Jun 20, 2023.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was a fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle would move, but shortly afterwards the vehicle would lose motive power and stall. The contact stated that after restarting the…
When fueling I am unable to put the fuel hose in all the way and lock in place. I have to hold the fuel hose and pump very slowly. If I pump too fast the fuel will not go in tank. I was told itâs the ball in the fuel tank that is screwed up. I was also told there was a recall but I never received…
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that he purchased the vehicle with the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the passenger's side seat sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the brake lights failed to illuminate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V130000 (Exterior Lighting) and associated the recall with the failure. The contact contacted an…
The contact owned a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, an unknown person alerted the contact that her vehicle had caught fire. The fire started in the engine compartment. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. Police and fire department reports…
Other KIA Sorento years
← 2005 Sorento · 2007 Sorento →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 Sorento | 76 | 3 |
| 2024 Sorento | 42 | 2 |
| 2023 Sorento | 123 | 3 |
| 2022 Sorento | 193 | 6 |
| 2021 Sorento | 254 | 4 |
| 2020 Sorento | 137 | 1 |
| 2019 Sorento | 431 | 2 |
| 2018 Sorento | 255 | 3 |
| 2017 Sorento | 806 | 4 |
| 2016 Sorento | 1,254 | 8 |
| 2015 Sorento | 753 | 3 |
| 2014 Sorento | 988 | 6 |
| 2013 Sorento | 981 | 5 |
| 2012 Sorento | 880 | 5 |
| 2011 Sorento | 1,520 | 7 |
| 2010 Sorento | 3 | 1 |
| 2009 Sorento | 55 | 2 |
| 2008 Sorento | 217 | 3 |
| 2007 Sorento | 154 | 4 |
| 2006 | 242 | 1 |
| 2005 Sorento | 307 | 0 |
| 2004 Sorento | 220 | 0 |
| 2003 Sorento | 305 | 1 |
See all KIA Sorento problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 KIA Sorento?
Owners most often report engine, exterior lighting, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 67 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 KIA Sorento?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 KIA Sorento a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sorento model years, the 2006 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.