2008 Kia Sorento problems
The 2008 Kia Sorento has 319 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (21%) concerns air bags. After that come stability control (14%) and engine (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 319 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 21% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 19 and 17
- Injuries and deaths
- 20 and 3
- Typical mileage
- 60,000 miles 256 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 49 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 35 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 44 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 36 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 31 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 15 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 16 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 10 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 12 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 4 |
| 200k+ miles | 4 |
What the data shows
Among the 256 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 60,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 38,000 miles (54 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 19 complaints mention a crash; 17 complaints mention a fire; 20 injuries reported; 3 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 16th most-complained-about out of 22 model years of the Kia Sorento with enough data (158 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My 18 year old son was driving my kia sorento along with his 16 year old brother in the passenger seat when the vehicle hydroplaned on a wet road. The vehicle crashed into a tree on the passengers side of the vehicle in between the front passenger wheel and the door hinge. My 18 year old managed to get out of the vehicle and get help for his brother that unfortunately had passed away on the scene. After reviewing my vehicle, I personally noticed that none of the driver's or passengers air bags were deployed.
I was in a collision that was my fault, I rear ended a mini van hit a concrete/stone/ dirt barrier and my air bags did not deploy.
Tl* the contact called on behalf of her step-son whom was a passenger in a 2008 kia sorento. The contact stated that her step- son passed away and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated that per the police report the driver was driving at approximately 55 MPH when he loss control of the vehicle, crossing into on-coming traffic, colliding head on into the driver side of the other vehicle. The contact stated that the frontal driver side ar bag deployed however, the front passenger side air bag did not.
I purchased a 2008 kia sorento last year as a pre-owned vehicle. I have started having serious issues with this vehicle. A deer ran into my vehicle april 2012 really messed up my entire front end and side. My insurance company had my vehicle botched up and my now my avs system and clutch are not working properly they refused to fix my vehicle. Now I am having problem with a ESC light coming on I couldn't find out what this light meant but I can imagine that it is not good.
Bought the vehicle brand new and noticed you have to depress the brake pedal all the way down in order for the vehicle to slow down and stop. Spoke to the dealership and they said all kia sorento models are like this, you have to press hard down on the brake pedal for vehicle to slow down and finally stop and it takes a while for it to respond.