2022 Kia Sorento Phev

Routine

Owners filed 22 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train. It has been recalled 5 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System6
000
Power Train5
000
Trailer Hitches2
000
Service Brakes2
000
Visibility/Wiper1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Seat Belts › Pretensioner1
000
Seat Belts1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings1
000

5 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera23V610000
Filed Aug 31, 2023144,979 vehiclesKia America, Inc.

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk. A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly23V027000
Filed Jan 25, 202334 vehiclesKia America, Inc.

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The fuel tank may have been improperly molded, which can result in a fuel leak.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Deales will inspect and replace the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC261.

Trailer Hitches22V703000Park outside
Filed Sep 19, 202270,887 vehiclesKia America, Inc.

Defect. 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 accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Risk. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. 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 module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.

Seat Belts › Pretensioner22V447000
Filed Jun 23, 202217,199 vehiclesKia Motors America

Defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.

Risk. An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.

Remedy. Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC241. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 22V-127. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

Seat Belts › Front22V127000
Filed Mar 4, 2022213 vehiclesKia Motors America

Defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento Hybrid and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.

Risk. An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the seatbelt pretensioner(s), free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 3, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC231. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-447. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Sep 4, 2026OH

On XXX, during a 13 hour return trip from [XXX], while traveling at speeds of approximately 80 mph on the interstate in mountainous terrain with my family in the vehicle, the instrument cluster displayed a message instructing me to stop driving and take the vehicle to service due to a battery problem. After the message cleared, a warning light remained illuminated until the vehicle was shut off and restarted. This occurred three separate times during that trip, beginning approximately five hours from home. I attempted to reach a Kia dealership in [XXX], and was unable to get anyone on the phone. Having no alternative, I continued driving home. On XXX, during a two and a half hour highway drive on flat terrain, the vehicle displayed "Battery system hot: switching to HEV mode." Separately, and for several months, charging at home on a Level 1 charger repeatedly stops approximately ten minutes into the session. A check engine light appears and clears after two restarts. The vehicle was at an authorized Kia dealership from XXX, for fifteen days. Their scan at 90,776 miles found diagnostic trouble code P1B9700, High Voltage Battery Temperature Deviation, stored in the Battery Management System with freeze frame data captured. The dealership drove the vehicle 387 miles, primarily in EV mode in 40 mile increments, and returned it with the notation "no repairs attempted at this time, unable to duplicate concern at this time." No Kia Techline case was opened and no field technical spe

Electrical System
Filed Jun 4, 2026CO

Engine wiring is covered in soy based products which attract rodents as a source of food. Rodents then chew various wires and damage the electrical system. The check engine light has popped on twice in one year with both times requiring service repair for the chewed wires. There is a potential for electrical fires or other various failures due to rodents chewing through the wires. Kia has known about this problem for over a decade and continues to use soy based coverings in their engine without any mitigation for rodents.

Power Train
Filed Mar 11, 2026TX

The drive train and motor slow to a near stop in traffic when trying to clear a lane and makes it very dangerouos for other traffic to have to wait for me to clear a lane. There is something wrong and we complained about this before the warranty ran out, but they could not find anything. The car stops in traffic unexpectedly. I am not sure if sensors are causing this or what, but it has put me in danger of collision many times. We have to plan an exceedingly long time to pull into traffic so we don't get run over. Anti slip also doesn't turn off even though it says it is off. The car will slip a little bit and then shut the motor down to a crawl making it very dangerous in traffic. The 4x4 doesn't seem to work as we turn it on to try to eleminate slipping. The slipping mostly occurs because of the motor becoming doggedly slow and then decides to speed up. The 4x4 on and the turning of the anti-slip do not work because it still slips and shuts down. The other tires don't seem to slip or do anything. Please help!!!

Electrical System
Filed Aug 3, 2025ID

My Sorento PHEV popped a P0c4e code and now the car is gutless on electric power. Kia cleared the code in an attempt to fix it but now the code is gone and it’s still weak. When I let off the brake it rolls when it used to have the power to hold it. I used to be able to get on the freeway and now I can’t get up to speed in town (35mph). It’s running in some sort of limp mode and Kia can’t see any codes. It’s loud, too. Each gear whines. It whines when I hit the brake and it regenerates electricity. It regens so little now that it doesn’t hardly slow me down anymore until I stand on them and use the brake pads. Kia said that it might be a sensor in the electric motor but it’s not replaceable and you have to replace the whole motor. Even though it’s under warranty, it’s 15 hours labor to replace it. I have family with the same car and theirs has done the same thing in the past and had to be replaced. My dealer said that they have seen a bunch of these throw that same code and have to have the motor replaced. She said she is expecting Kia to start replacing them for free or possibly recall them because of how many she has seen all doing the same thing.

Power Train
Filed May 20, 2025CA

I have gotten the notice Refill Inverter Coolant and Hybrid System Failure and lost acceleration and the all power. The first time this happened was in Dec 2024 with about 60,000 miles on the car. Dealer flushed system and it worked fine until April 2025 at about 71000 miles Hybrid system failure alert again, barely able to accelerate from stop light, made to a parking space just as I lost power steering. After about 2 hours to cool off car started and could be driven home. Got Refill inverter coolant alert.

Back Over PreventionCrash
Filed Feb 6, 202522,500 milesWA

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle, the rearview camera failed to display a clear image, and the grid lines were not properly aligned. The contact crashed the vehicle into his mailbox. There were no injuries sustained and no police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V610000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,500.

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 24, 2025CA

Several times over the past 12 months, the car has applied emergency braking when a car approaches me from behind in the lane to my left. The dealer was not able to replicate the problem but I have captured it twice on my dash cam. I was only able to intentionally replicate the problem once on my own but it has happened 15-20 times. If I do not press the accelerator, the car will come to a stop without me pushing the brake. When the emergency brake is applied, the warning sound is heard in the car and the dash lights up with the emergency braking icon and emphasizes the left rear of the vehicle. I have been to the dealer twice for this issue. The first time they told me it was due to a faulty camera mount under recall. It was replaced but the issue continued. The second time they told me they decreased the sensitivity of some sensor. The issue continued.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 26, 2024OK

While driving down the highway the EV side of my PHEV wouldn't switch to gas. The car wouldn't accelerate past 40-50 mph and drained the remaining battery till my car shut off and forced me to the side of the road. Been to the dealer multiple times (over 4) for the same issue. They claim they recreate it and no resolution has been done.

Power Train
Filed Jun 11, 202420,000 milesMI

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact stated the upon starting the vehicle, an abnormally loud revving sound was coming from the engine while the vehicle was idling. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated upon the depression of the accelerator pedal while traveling at various speeds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to Seelye Kia of Battle Creek (791 W Dickman Rd, Battle Creek, MI 49037) where the contact was informed that the acceleration issue was normal vehicle operation due to the Hybrid feature. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer where the contact was provided the same issue as the dealer. The contact stated that the hesitation had worsened and had become more frequent. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings
Filed Apr 9, 2024CA

When accelerating to pull out of driveway and enter traffic, while struggles to find correct gear causing tires to spin and loud clunking noise. Forward collision detects objects that are not there causing vehicle emergency breaking to engage

Electrical System
Filed Dec 17, 2023NY

My 2022 KIA Sorrento PHEV periodically gives a "Check Hybrid System, Stop Safely" emergency warning. When this happens the vehicle will not accelerate and can only be limped to a stop. This has occurred 4 times in 18 months. In three instances the vehicle was limped to a safe stop but on the other occasion it left us stranded in an intersection. This problem creates imminent danger and potential peril. KIA maintenance looked at the vehicle after the last two events and reported that they can't do anything because there aren't any recorded fault codes. From a technical perspective, it appears that an electronic problem occurs where the hybrid control either fails to recognize the low battery status or fails to command the engine to run when needed. Once stopped I can see that the hybrid electric battery charge has depleted and the engine failed to start. Cycling power off and on a couple of times appears to reset the circuitry allowing the engine to restart and the hybrid battery to begin recharging. Unfortunately, the KIA OBD is not detecting this particular failure.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 31, 202317,000 milesMI

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH up an incline in inclement weather, the vehicle rolled backward. The contact stated that the AWD failed to lock the wheels. The contact then stated that all four tires started to spin while in AWD. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to turn on the heat, she smelled a burning odor through the vents. The contact also stated that there was an alert indicating to activate the heat in hybrid mode; however, the vent was blowing cold air. Additionally, the contact stated that previously the sensor malfunction warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.

Trailer Hitches
Filed Jan 23, 2023PA

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the contact was informed that the remedy was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Dec 26, 2022SC

Multiple times I have experienced weirdness with the Transmission in my 2022 Sorento PHEV. One specific situation has happened to me multiple times and is a safety risk. Occasionally while stopped at a red light or stop sign with a reasonable incline it seems the electric motor fails to engage and it never switches to the ICE engine either. Step by step 1 - Stopped at Stop Sign or Red light 2- Release Brake an Hit Gas 3- Vehicle does not move forward no matter how hard you hit the gas (Doesnt seem to engage electric or traditional engine) 4 - Instead the vehicle seems like its in neutral and starts rolling backwards 5 - I slam on the brakes, and then try the gas again and everything is fine. I took it to the Anderson, SC kia dealer and they just told me they couldn't replicate it. It has happened to me or my wife probably 4 times over the last year. Just wanted to report it because it feels like a good chance this is eventually going to cause a wreck.

Trailer Hitches
Filed Nov 28, 2022KY

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. 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 time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Power Train
Filed Sep 28, 2022500 milesWA

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact stated that upon depression of the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would hesitate without warning. The contact also stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter remained stuck in neutral(N) and the vehicle could not be moved or turned off. The contact called the dealer and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. A diagnostic test was performed; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer had also been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 500.

Seat Belts
Filed Aug 26, 2022GA

I received a recall notice for a problem with the front seat seat-belt pretensioners, which apparently deploy abnormally and may project metal fragments into the passengers. Despite being told the repair should only take 1 hour, I cannot get an appointment for 2 months to get it fixed. I have also called Kia corporate but they were unhelpful as well. I do not think 2 months to get a safety recall repaired is reasonable or safe and want to lodge a complaint.

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Aug 17, 2022CA

While driving our brand new car from dealership, a small stone must have hit. It made a 2-3 inch crack and by the time we were home it was already 12 inch crack. It had happened to me in my Audi and the only thing I could see is a small point in the windshield which I was able to fix. Googling around it seems like I am not the only one who is facing this issue and there was in fact some recall too in the past with Kia cars.

Seat Belts › Pretensioner
Filed Jun 30, 2022CO

This has been recalled after the car arrived to the dealership but before I purchased (it was a special order). I have not been able to purchase for over a week while I wait for the part. My complain is the timely action on this recall.

Service Brakes
Filed May 31, 2022NY

Breaks failed to engage while driving on the highway, which almost caused us to have an accident. The car was leased a few months ago so very concerned and will be taking it to the dealership. The autonomous emergency breaking system engaged and prevented the accident.

20 of 22 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2022
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20260100Routine
202511300Routine
20242000Routine
20238200Routine
2022 — this page22500Routine

Compare every Sorento Phev year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 31, 2023. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.