2015 Kia Sorento: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 746 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
746
Complaints
3
Recalls
20
Crash reports
14
Fire reports
24
Injuries
47.7
Severity index
Severity index 47.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 143 2015 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2015 Kia Sorento ranks 99 of 143 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 31% of its model-year peers. See the full 2015 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 359 | 48.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 113 | 15.1% |
| STRUCTURE | 99 | 13.3% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 90 | 12.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 57 | 7.6% |
| POWER TRAIN | 42 | 5.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 37 | 5.0% |
| STEERING | 33 | 4.4% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 359 of 746 complaints (48.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 12 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 28 |
| 2018 | 45 |
| 2019 | 91 |
| 2020 | 88 |
| 2021 | 123 |
| 2022 | 100 |
| 2023 | 98 |
| 2024 | 67 |
| 2025 | 46 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 25 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V907000 | 19/12/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The h |
| 20V519000 | 27/08/2020 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short. |
| 21V331000 | 10/05/2021 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.