2012 KIA Sorento Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 2012 KIA Sorento, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 116,863 miles. The words owners use most often: “hydraulic contacted” (29% of reports).
- 69service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 116,863median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 17%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Hydraulic contacted: mentioned in 20 of 69 complaints (29%)
- Fire department: mentioned in 5 of 69 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 69 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 2 an injury.
KIA Sorento service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | 600 |
| 2024 Sorento | 1 | 2% | 7,000 |
| 2023 Sorento | 1 | 1% | 12,000 |
| 2019 Sorento | 1 | 0% | 42,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 1 | 0% | 20 |
| 2015 Sorento | 15 | 2% | 96,351 |
| 2014 Sorento | 37 | 4% | 93,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 54 | 6% | 103,000 |
| 2012 Sorento | 69 | 8% | 116,863 |
| 2011 Sorento | 59 | 4% | 70,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 6 | 11% | 140,000 |
| 2008 Sorento | 8 | 4% | 62,600 |
| 2007 Sorento | 5 | 3% | 22,750 |
| 2006 Sorento | 7 | 3% | 9,000 |
| 2005 Sorento | 6 | 2% | 22,648 |
| 2004 Sorento | 4 | 2% | 33,700 |
| 2003 Sorento | 14 | 5% | 22,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. There were several unknown warning lights…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 20V750000 (Engine) and 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the rod bearings were knocking, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V626000 (Power Train), 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and 20V750000 (Engine). The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 KIA Sorentos have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 69 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 2012 KIA Sorento (8% of the 880 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 KIA Sorento service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 116,863 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 2012 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “hydraulic contacted”, in 20 of 69 complaints, followed by “fire department” (5).
Other 2012 KIA Sorento problems
- Engine problems (461)
- Electrical System problems (127)
- Air Bags problems (81)
- Exterior Lighting problems (60)
- Power Train problems (55)
See all 2012 KIA Sorento problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all Sorento years.