2015 KIA Sorento Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sorento years
- Far more complaints than other years 7th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 752 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 KIA Sorento. That ranks 7th out of 24 Sorento model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (362 complaints, 48%), typically at around 87,560 miles. Complaints mention 20 crashes, 14 fires, 24 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 752owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 20complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 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 | 362 | 48% | 87,560 | “oil change” (9%) | $8,100 |
| Unknown or Other | 113 | 15% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Structure problems | 100 | 13% | 60,000 | “paint peeling” (27%) | — |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 91 | 12% | 76,000 | “low beam” (38%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 58 | 8% | 69,027 | “low beam” (9%) | — |
| Power Train | 42 | 6% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 33 | 4% | 67,615 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 30 | 4% | 63,250 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 28 | 4% | 58,894 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 21 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 3% | 32,042 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 15 | 2% | 96,351 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 8 | 1% | 71,940 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 1% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 6 | 1% | 36,900 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 1% | 101,407 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | 62,800 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 0% | 80,365 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 0% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 58,900 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 60,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 KIA Sorento recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Engine; fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
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
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (AQ23002) — opened Nov 17, 2023, still open.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak (DP21002) — opened Nov 12, 2021, closed Jun 26, 2023.
- 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.
My car's check engine just started flashing and the ECU has reduced my drivability to limp mode stating that my knock sensors are showing up on scan test and camshaft position exhaust sensor. When I removed the camshaft exhaust vvt sensor it indeed had metal shavings on it. A have a P1326 and a…
1) The engine control system / KSDS knock sensor system triggered safety recall code P1326, accompanied by a flashing check engine light. The vehicle and components are currently at the dealership available for inspection under RO #148484 (Issued on October 2) 2) A flashing check engine light and…
I was driving my 2015 Kia Sorento on [XXX] south of the [XXX] junction when the engine suddenly started making severe mechanical noise and the vehicle seemed to have significantly reduced power. This is a remote stretch of highway with no usable shoulder. I had my son with me and had to immediately…
The headlights are so dim that I could not see at night. I am forced to drive with the fog lights on for any amount of visibility. I recently replaced the headlights with factory replacements and now the connectors going into the back have failed and power only makes it to the lights when Mercury…
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone auto parts store. The contact was notified of an open recall. The dealer was made aware of the failure by phone. The…
Other KIA Sorento years
← 2014 Sorento · 2016 Sorento →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 Sorento | 76 | 3 |
| 2024 Sorento | 42 | 2 |
| 2023 Sorento | 123 | 3 |
| 2022 Sorento | 192 | 6 |
| 2021 Sorento | 253 | 4 |
| 2020 Sorento | 137 | 1 |
| 2019 Sorento | 430 | 2 |
| 2018 Sorento | 255 | 3 |
| 2017 Sorento | 806 | 4 |
| 2016 Sorento | 1,254 | 8 |
| 2015 | 752 | 3 |
| 2014 Sorento | 988 | 6 |
| 2013 Sorento | 981 | 5 |
| 2012 Sorento | 880 | 5 |
| 2011 Sorento | 1,519 | 7 |
| 2010 Sorento | 3 | 1 |
| 2009 Sorento | 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 2015 KIA Sorento?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, structure problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 362 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 KIA Sorento?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 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 2015 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.