2009 KIA Sorento Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sorento years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 21st of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 KIA Sorento. That ranks 21st out of 24 Sorento model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (21 complaints, 38%), typically at around 25,482 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 55owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 21 | 38% | 25,482 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 25% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 16% | 5,200 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 8 | 15% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 11% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 11% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 7% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 5% | 37,413 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 5% | 162,823 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 4% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 600 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 KIA Sorento recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system; service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
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 2009 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine, ESC, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. Upon speaking with other independent mechanics, the contact was informed that the failure was likely linked to moisture that might have entered the…
My check engine light is on. It has been on for over 2 or more years. Nobody knows what the codes mean. My timing chain needs to be replaced. My tires are constantly leaking. My battery has been replaced 2 times, and I still cannot start my vehicle even when I get a jump. The interior light when…
Driving on the interstate @ 65mph the car cut off then caught on fire. Smoke came in the car we pulled over to emergency lane exited the car and then flames came up through the console. The car became completely engulfed in flames and totally destroyed. There were no injuries. I have a video of the…
The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 15 MPH, she activated the windshield wipers and the radio, and the vehicle started to stall. The contact stated that her daughter saw the TPMS, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The…
Currently my ESC OFF warning light is lit on my dash, and while lit my vehicle has trouble accelerating from 0 to 40 mph. The warning light goes on and off at random. I have had the accelerator pedal assembly replacement in 2015 and 2019 due to the same issue. It is NOW happening again in 2022!!!…
Other KIA Sorento years
← 2008 Sorento · 2010 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 | 55 | 2 |
| 2008 Sorento | 217 | 3 |
| 2007 Sorento | 154 | 4 |
| 2006 Sorento | 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 2009 KIA Sorento?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 21 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 KIA Sorento?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 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 2009 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.