2015 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability
960 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2015 Kia Sorento, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 43/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 87,890 miles.
Below average
Where 2015 sits among all Sorento years
What owners report
“Dealer driving car 35mph. Check engine light started flashing. Burning plastic smell from under hood. Car cut off. Did not restart. Towed to mechanic, was told engine locked up.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Sorento
“Low beam headlights are so dim, Si don't allow my wife to drive at night. Had dealer look at them and change bulbs with a small improvement, but after a while they have gotten so dim that even I don't like driving at night.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Sorento
“Paint is chipping off from the hood and around the windshield Pearl white Kia Sorento Noticed this occurring 2/2021”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Sorento
“Delamination of SWP paint. Paint all over the front of the vehicle is peeling off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Sorento
“We went to get oil changed and they said if they change oil the engine will exploed . They said our vehicle had recall on it”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Sorento
“The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Sorento
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 418 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 74,745 miles. Half of those reports fall between 53,500 and 102,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing…
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.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles…
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…
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2015 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2015 Kia Sorento drew 960 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 43/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2015 Kia Sorento problems?
The top reported problems for the 2015 Kia Sorento are engine (364 complaints), electrical (148), and other (122).
At what mileage do 2015 Kia Sorento problems show up?
Owners most often report 2015 Kia Sorento problems around 74,745 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 53,500 and 102,000 miles.
Does the 2015 Kia Sorento have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2015 Kia Sorento. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.