KIA Sorento Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 717 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the KIA Sorento across 22 model years. The 2011 model year has the most (183). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (42% of reports).
- 717air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 127mention a crash
- 98mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $2,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 32%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.
- Air bag: mentioned in 304 of 717 complaints (42%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 111 of 717 complaints (15%)
- Clock spring: mentioned in 51 of 717 complaints (7%)
- Bags deploy: mentioned in 37 of 717 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the KIA Sorento at $2,600, and half of them between $1,800 and $2,850.
Based on 71 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 485 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 717 complaints, 127 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 98 an injury.
KIA Sorento air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Sorento | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2024 Sorento | 2 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Sorento | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Sorento | 4 | 2% | 49,000 |
| 2020 Sorento | 4 | 3% | 23,000 |
| 2019 Sorento | 5 | 1% | 50,000 |
| 2018 Sorento | 10 | 4% | 52,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 14 | 2% | 114,320 |
| 2016 Sorento | 17 | 1% | 59,151 |
| 2015 Sorento | 30 | 4% | 63,250 |
| 2014 Sorento | 51 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 60 | 6% | 85,000 |
| 2012 Sorento | 81 | 9% | 97,000 |
| 2011 Sorento | 183 | 12% | 95,300 |
| 2010 Sorento | 1 | 33% | 40 |
| 2009 Sorento | 21 | 38% | 25,482 |
| 2008 Sorento | 66 | 30% | 42,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 58 | 38% | 10,000 |
| 2006 Sorento | 19 | 8% | 89,000 |
| 2005 Sorento | 43 | 14% | 65,000 |
| 2004 Sorento | 14 | 6% | 89,450 |
| 2003 Sorento | 30 | 10% | 60,100 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Air bags:side/window
Model years: 2018
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Risk: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Model years: 2007, 2008
Problem: Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 sorento passenger cars manufactured from june 15, 2006 through november 27, 2007. The front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat or the seat is not occupied. The vehicle's occupant classification system (ocs), which classifies the occupant in the front passenger seat, may misclassify an adult passenger as a child or child seat and improperly turn off the passenger side air bag. When the air bag is deactivated the "passenger air bag off" light will illuminate on the center instrument panel.
Risk: The passenger side air bag is turned off when the ocs misclassifies an adult passenger. With the front passenger airbag off, the front passenger will not have the protection of the passenger air bags in some frontal collisions, thus increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: Kia will update the programming in the sorento ocs control module at no charge. The recall remedy is currently available under service campaign sc076. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Dear Kia America Customer Care Team, Thank you for your response regarding Case Number While I understand that my vehicle is technically outside the standard factory warranty period, I am formally requesting a managerial review of this decision. This is not a request for a cosmetic repair, but a…
Knee airbags deployed in my car accident and have severe injuries on bilateral legs bruises that damage my nerves and veins.
Issue 1: The front passenger airbag sensor is faulty. The ODS light is staying on. I took my car to a Kia dealership and they informed me that the passenger airbag would most likely not deploy in the event of an accident due to the faulty sensor. Kia has had this exact issue with other models and…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a service center, where it was diagnosed and DTC: V1481 was retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer. The failure mileage was…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all KIA Sorentos have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 717 owner complaints about air bags for the KIA Sorento. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the KIA Sorento air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the KIA Sorento?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,600 (half paid between $1,800 and $2,850), from 71 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 304 of 717 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (111).
Other KIA Sorento problems
- Engine problems (3,847)
- Electrical System problems (1,396)
- Power Train problems (1,187)
- Structure problems (936)
- Exterior Lighting problems (845)
- Steering problems (542)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (409)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (398)
See all KIA Sorento problems.