2019 KIA Sorento Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sorento years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 431 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 KIA Sorento. That ranks 8th out of 24 Sorento model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (158 complaints, 37%), typically at around 40,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 19 fires, 16 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 431owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2019 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 | 158 | 37% | 40,000 | “oil consumption” (18%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 111 | 26% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 68 | 16% | 18,000 | “infotainment center” (35%) | — |
| Structure problems | 55 | 13% | 43,500 | “concern feel needs” (27%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 51 | 12% | 12,600 | “oil consumption” (12%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 24 | 6% | 75,002 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 22 | 5% | 8,500 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 4% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 16 | 4% | 200 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 3% | 10,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 3% | 100,506 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 3% | 13,040 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 12 | 3% | 10,710 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 3% | 7,450 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 7 | 2% | 80,610 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 6 | 1% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 5,325 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 1% | 35,450 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 30,845 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 31,289 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2019 KIA Sorento recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add additional water proofing to the camera harness, or replace the camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC282.
Trailer hitchesPark outside
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A 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 inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
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
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 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.
Summer 2024: The paint began peeling significantly off the hood. When I contacted Kia Support, I was told the vehicle was out of warranty. âSubsequent Repairs: Expecting a minor issue, I paid $412 out-of-pocket to repaint the hood. Shortly after, the new paint failed to adhere due to the defect…
The engin cought on fire while driving. The entire car burnt. The engin burns 1 quart of oil per tank of gass consuming approximately 20 quarts beetween oil changes.
On October 3, 2026, at approximately 12:30 p.m., my 2019 Kia Sorento, with fewer than 100,000 miles, experienced an unexpected engine failure while I was driving on the highway in the Chicago, Illinois, area. Component or System Failure: The vehicle's engine failed unexpectedly while the vehicle…
Case number 25530365 discussed with vanguard kia. Paint not adhering. Flakes off when washing by hand.
I was driving to work on the interstate and my car went into limp mode almost causing me to get hit at those speeds. I sent it to my mechanic but was told about the theta2 lawsuit so I had it towed to Kia. Was charged $300 and it wasnât even diagnosed or looked at due to missing oil change…
Other KIA Sorento years
← 2018 Sorento · 2020 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 | 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 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 2019 KIA Sorento?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 158 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2019 KIA Sorento?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2019 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 2019 has 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.