2005 Kia Sorento: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 457 complaints
457
Total Complaints
89,500mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE
Top Issue
31
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

50,000 25th Percentile
89,500 Median Mileage
111,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE
63
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
46
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
44
STEERING
37
POWER TRAIN
27
AIR BAGS
27
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
24
SUSPENSION
22
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
18
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
17

Severity Assessment

31
Crashes
7
Fires
37
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HE CAN NOT LEAN BACK IN THE SEAT OR LEAN AGAINST THE WINDOW. THE CONSUMER STA..."
"WHILE DRIVING A LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. *NM THE VEHICLE HAD A SENSOR ISSUE WHICH CAUSED THE PANEL LIGHT TO FLASH AND THE POWER TO BE LOST. THE PANEL LIGHT FLASHED TWICE AND STAYED ON THE SECOND TIME. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS AN EMISSION LIGHT AND THER..."
"WHILE DRIVING A LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. *NM THE VEHICLE HAD A SENSOR ISSUE WHICH CAUSED THE PANEL LIGHT TO FLASH AND THE POWER TO BE LOST. THE PANEL LIGHT FLASHED TWICE AND STAYED ON THE SECOND TIME. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS AN EMISSION LIGHT AND THER..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28