- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- —
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2018 Kia Sorento
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 248
- Complaints citing a crash
- 12
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 18V656000high
Steering issue
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
- 17V784000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
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.
- 22V703000high
Trailer hitches
TRAILER HITCHES
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.
Consumer complaints
248 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 248
- Total
- 12
- Crashes
- 11
- Fires
- 11
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE108
- OTHER33
- LIGHTING25
- STEERING23
- ELECTRICAL21
Serious Concerns
248 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 11 reports involve injuries. 12 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Unknown
- Drive type
- Unknown
- Engine
- 0L 0-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Unknown
- Seats
- 0
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
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.