Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride and 2026 Sorento vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K4 and Sorento vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
About a minute into my drive, I heard an explosion. I looked back thinking something happened to my twin toddlers and saw nothing. I heard the sound of glass cracking and looked up to see the front glass of my moonroof shattered. I pulled over to safety and closed the sun cover for the moonroof before any more glass could fall into the car in fear of my toddlers getting injured. The car itself had been on for maybe 5 minutes prior to driving away from my house.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
The transmission failed for the fourth time. The transmission (Power Train) is the component that failed and is available for inspection at the dealership. The vehicle became unsafe and unreliable to drive due to the repeated transmission failures, creating a risk of sudden loss of power or control. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer on multiple occasions, most recently on August 24, 2026. The vehicle has also been inspected by Kia America as part of an open case (Case #25964896). History: The 1st transmission failure was covered under the original factory warranty. The 2nd failure occurred after the 12,000-mile transmission replacement warranty had expired, requiring an out-of-pocket repair of $5,500. The 3rd failure occurred within 12,000 miles of that replacement and was covered by Kia. On August 24, 2026, the dealer confirmed the transmission had failed again — a 4th failure of the same component. Warning symptoms typically appeared as loss of power, hesitation, or rough shifting prior to each failure.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
Vehicle: 2021 Kia SorentoCurrent Mileage: Over 100,000 miles (Original Owner) Description of Safety Defect & Failed Recall Remedy: Background: This vehicle is equipped with the 8-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) and has suffered from severe slipping, jerking, and hesitation since delivery (at 5 miles). In 2023, the vehicle received the software update remedy under Kia Safety Recall SC250 (NHTSA Campaign 22V760) for the defective electric oil pump circuit board. The Failure: The 2023 software patch failed to resolve the underlying physical safety defect. An independent technician recently diagnosed the vehicle and confirmed a permanent, un-clearable fault code for a completely failed electric transmission oil pump—the exact physical component failure targeted by safety recall SC250. This defect causes an immediate risk of a sudden loss of motive power. The Dealership Violation: The vehicle was dropped off at Greenway Kia West Orlando on Monday, August 17, 2026. The dealership held the car for over a week, logging it under a separate fuel pump recall to stall. On August 25, 2026, the dealership formally denied safety recall coverage and issued a $7,000 out-of-pocket quote to replace the transmission, claiming the vehicle is no longer covered because it is past the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Federal Mandate Violation: Under federal law, safety recalls do not have mileage caps. The manufacturer's remedy failed to permanently correct a documented safety hazard, and the dealership is actively attempting to shift a multi-thousand-dollar safety recall replacement cost onto the consumer.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
The front bumper grill to this Sorento model, among others, has a major design flaw that causes the radiator to be highly vulnerable to debris. A rock struck and punctured my radiator causing it to aggressively spray engine coolant, eventually leading to my engine overheating. I found this incident to be an extremely odd and rare situation considering I was only driving on paved suburban roads. After some further investigation online, it appears there are several other customers across the country that have encountered this same issue. Many even displaying tutorials on how they have rigged their Kias with reinforced plastic grates to protect their radiators from further damage. Really? This is what consumers are being forced to do in 2026 to protect their front radiators on a modern vehicle? These damages occur way too easily on normal city roads and not on rough terrain (despite my xline model specifically being marketed as a rugged outdoor vehicle). This easily avoidable design flaw is due to the large openings in the front grill. I have driven thousands of miles across the country in far less rugged vehicles, including many years in "rocky" Colorado, and have NEVER experienced a radiator being so easily pierced by debris. Kia customers are being footed the bill for these costly repairs as this is not considered a "factory defect" when in fact it is. Not to mention this can cause catastrophic damages to the engine in some cases. This is malpractice and Kia should be held accountable. My vehicle is currently being held at a kia service center near where the incident took place and awaiting an assessment from my insurance claim specialist. Luckily no one was hurt during this incident, I just had to get my wife and newborn child an uber to the nearest hotel while I waited 2hrs on a tow truck.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
On multiple occasions, my 2023 Kia Sorento has experienced an intermittent failure where numerous dashboard warning lights and alerts illuminate and the engine will not start. During the failure, the brake pedal becomes very stiff and the vehicle cannot be shifted out of Park. The problem is unpredictable and has left the vehicle disabled. The vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership for diagnosis. The dealer initially stated that the battery was not properly secured and was moving around, possibly contacting nearby electrical components. They told me the issue had been repaired. However, when I returned to pick up the vehicle, the exact same failure occurred again in the dealership parking lot before I was able to leave. The warning lights came on and, after the vehicle was turned off, it would not restart. The dealer has therefore been able to directly observe the repeated failure. The exact component causing the malfunction is still unknown. I am concerned that this may be an electrical or grounding issue and that the vehicle could become disabled unexpectedly while in use.
No injuries · No fire · No crash