2018 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability
334 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2018 Kia Sorento, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 78,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2018 Kia Sorento has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2018 sits among all Sorento years
What owners report
“The engine suddenly failed while I was driving on the highway. The vehicle lost power without warning, which created a dangerous situation. I had to pull over and have the vehicle towed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Sorento
“When using my blinkers my headlights go out while the lights are in Auto mode. This is very dangerous as my headlights have gone out several times while driving in the dark.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Sorento
“The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Sorento
“Steering has a "notchy" or "sticky" feel at highway speeds especially when steering from right to left.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Sorento
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 90 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 46,225 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,500 and 72,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness…
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.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for…
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.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. 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 2018 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2018 Kia Sorento drew 334 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2018 Kia Sorento problems?
The top reported problems for the 2018 Kia Sorento are engine (109 complaints), electrical (70), and other (45).
At what mileage do 2018 Kia Sorento problems show up?
Owners most often report 2018 Kia Sorento problems around 46,225 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,500 and 72,000 miles.
Does the 2018 Kia Sorento have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2018 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.