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2007 Kia SorentoProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 154 owner complaints about the 2007 Kia Sorento, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-088 the manufacturer reports only 23% of affected cars repaired.

2007 Kia Sorento
65
CarFlaw IndexSolid year46% below the Sorento median · #20 of 21 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 23%Owner complaints15423 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage10kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 30, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2007 Kia Sorento has problems

154 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags585
Electrical system216
Power train202
Service brakes183
Electronic stability control (ESC)180
Exterior lighting121
Vehicle speed control101
Structure92
Engine70
15 other systems449

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2007 Kia Sorento recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

23%repaired · 2022 Q1

Electrical system

Recall 20V-088 · Feb 14, 2020 · 228,829 vehicles · 53,565 repaired

Risk. An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 13V-114 · Apr 1, 2013 · 980,377 vehicles

Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive

Recall 11V-473 · Sep 7, 2011 · 10,631 vehicles

Risk. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF WHEN THE OCS MISCLASSIFIES AN ADULT PASSENGER.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

10kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 41 air bags complaints. 88% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
25under 30k miles36under 100k miles5100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2007 vs. every other Sorento year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sorento median. How we score

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2007 Kia Sorento safety ratings

2007 Kia Sorento 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2007 Kia Sorento frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2007 Kia Sorento side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 4 stars (19.1% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2007 Kia Sorento, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesDP21003 · closed Jun 20, 2023
    No recall
  2. Air Bag Occupant Classification SystemEA09017 · closed Sep 26, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-473
  3. AIR BAG OCSPE09034 · closed Nov 30, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sorento owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE CONTACT SAT IN THE SEAT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,200.
Complaint 11364482 · Oct 15, 2020 · 81,200 miles
( PASSENGER SIDE ) AIRBAG IS NOT ACTIVATED WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. KIA REPLACED THE THE SENSOR AND AFTER RETURNING HOME IT STILL WAS NOT WORKING.KLA TOLD ME THAT SENSE IT HAS BEEN ALREADY REPLACED THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY WOULD DO.
Complaint 11209242 · May 22, 2019
TAKATA RECALL. AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH STAYS ON AT ALL TIMES AND "PASSENGER AIR BAG ON/OFF" INDICATOR INDICATES OFF, EVEN WHEN AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. ADDITIONALLY, HORN WON'T BLOW AT TIMES.
Complaint 11190193 · Mar 20, 2019 · 180,000 miles

Own a 2007 Sorento?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.