2015 Kia Sorento Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was an auction sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 20,19,4 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 20,735.
almost all of my tire/brake lights are on my dash, dealership said its the speed sensors in my back tires. A week later (with those lights still on) my parking brake light came on while driving and started a dinging noise, parked turned it off and back on the noise had stopped but all lights were still on. dealership said speed sensors arent a serious issue to fix, however, my UVO diagnostics says its my ABS/EBS system. Ive already had a blown engine and now have a lifetime warranty but, they are picking and choosing whats covered and what isnt.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, A REVVING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ALSO AFTER USING THE REMOTE STARTER TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN-OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE STARTER HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE LOCAL DEALER BAYSIDE KIA LOCATED AT 3188 CRAIN HWY, WALDORF, MD 20603 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
I HAD JUST PURCHASED MY SORENTO ON JULY 18, 2020. ON AUGUST 25,2020, I PUT IT IN THE KIA SHOP FOR THE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER(AC/HEATER BLOWER). I HADN'T MADE THE 1ST PAYMENT YET. THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED. THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS DO TO IT WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM. THAT TELLS ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. NOW, ETHER THE PARTS ARE DEFECTED OR THE SHOP DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. ONE THING IS FOR SURE, SOMETHING IS MAKING THE WIRING OVER HEAT.
REGULAR DRIVING LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS DIM MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN DARK ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. REGULAR LAMPS ARE CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT, HAVE REPLACE LAMPS COUNTLESS OF TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. IN DECEMBER I REPLACED BOTH LOW BEAM LIGHT AND I JUST NOTICE BOTH ARE BURNT OUT ONCE AGAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK UP CAMERA FAILED TO FUNCTION AND THE RADIO SHORTED OUT. FUCCILLO KIA OF PORT CHARLOTTE (202 TAMIAMI TRAIL, PORT CHARLOTTE, FL 33953, (941) 249-6171) INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE RADIO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT HAD NOT YET DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE BACK UP CAMERA FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,503.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A RANDOM UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED PERSISTENTLY. IN ADDITION, BOTH REAR DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DUTCH MILLER KIA OF CHARLOTTE (7725 SOUTH BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28273, (704) 247-7124) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AND WAS LINKED TO THE FAILURE WITH THE WIRING IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,951.
OCCASIONALLY THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWS ON THE FLOOR, EVEN THOUGH THE CONTROLS ARE SET FOR UPPER VENTS. SEEMS TO HAPPEN ON TRIPS MORE THAN 2 HOURS. ONCE YOU TURN OFF VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR AND THEN RESTART IT, IT SEEMS TO CORRECT ITSELF.
MY 2015 SORENTO (ORIGINAL OWNER) JUST FLAT OUT DIED WHILE DRIVING IN THE LEFT PASSING LANE ON INTERSTATE 85N FROM THE AIRPORT IN ATLANTA (IN THE POURING RAIN 6/8/2019) AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING. NOT ONLY DID IT JUST STOP RUNNING "EVERYTHING DIED" NO LIGHTS, NO HAZARDS; NO POWER WINDOWS ETC. IT WOULD NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE KEY FOB. THE SUV WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I WAS SO LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. ONCE THE HERO TRUCK PUSHED ME ACROSS 8 LANES TO SAFETY; I HAD TO HAVE MY SUV TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSIS: 'THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE BOTH BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR 1500.00'. WHAT?? OF COURSE, THE WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED THE MONTH BEFORE; MILEAGE JUST HAD TURNED 50K. I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED AS NO INDICATORS OF ANYTHING GOING BAD OCCURRED. NO WARNING LIGHTS; NO HESITATION STARTING; NO DIMMING LIGHTS, NO NOISE; ETC.' IT HAD FULL POWER; EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL! MY SUV HAD 'EVERY MAINTENANCE' PERFORMED ON TIME AND WAS STILL 2K AWAY FROM ITS NEXT SERVICE. THIS INCIDENT NOT ONLY PLACED ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IT TROUBLES ME GREATLY THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL. AGAIN, NO INDICATOR OR SYMPTOM OF ANYTHING WRONG. THIS SUV IS MY 2ND SORENTO AND WILL BE MY LAST KIA. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS BRAND OF VEHICLE. I WANT TO ADD MY FIRST SORRENTO; (2008 EX MODEL, I CAN SUPPLY A VIN TOO) ALSO HAD A MAJOR REPAIR EVENT OCCUR RIGHT AFTER ITS WARRANTY EXPIRED (WITHIN 2 MONTHS); THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WENT BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I REALLY WONDER IF THIS IS A TREND WITH KIA; MAJOR ISSUES OCCURING RSOON AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES; MAJOR REPAIRS/COSTS ARE THE RESULT; NOT TO MENTION THE ISSUE PLACING YOU IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED RIGHT NEITHER RIGHT AFTER A WARRANTY EXPIRES OR EVEN CLOSE AFTER AND WHEN I DO? BOTH WERE SORRENTO'S
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE KEY FAILED TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND ALL THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF STAMFORD (263 SELLECK ST IN STAMFORD, CT), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
I HAVE PURCHASED MULTIPLE LIGHTS FOR MY FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS INCLUDING BLINKERS AND BRAKE LIGHTS. I RECENTLY PURCHASED A SET OF LIGHTS FOR $80, TOP TO THE LINE, AND THE FRONT RIGHT LIGHT IS OUT AGAIN. I HAVE REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND IT IS OUT AGAIN. REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME AROUND JULY 4TH.
RETURNING FROM A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, THE KIA HAD JUST TURNED OVER 30000 MILES ON THE KS TURNPIKE WHEN THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WE STOPPED AND CHECKED THE OIL, IT WAS FINE. WE HAD HAD THE OIL CHANGED BEFORE THE TRIP SO IT HAD LESS THAN 3000 MILES. AFTER CHECKING THE OIL, WE RESUMED THE TRIP. WITHIN A MILE WE HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND, THE CAR DIED, WE PULLED OVER AND THE CAR ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. CALLED 911, WITHIN 15 MINUTES THE FIREMEN ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. ONE OF THE FIREMEN SAID IT LOOKED ELECTRICAL AND SEEMED TO BE CENTERED IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE, THE FAN BLADES WERE MELTED AND ALL WIRES AND ALL RUBBER HOSING MELTED. KIA REFUSED TO COVER THE WARRANTY AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I'VE ENCLOSED PICTURE OF THE FIRE AND THE DAMAGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALTERNATOR AND IT WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,980.
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Quick Summary
The 2015 Kia Sorento has 14 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.