2009 Kia Sorento problems
The 2009 Kia Sorento has 79 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (27%) concerns air bags. After that come electrical system (18%) and brakes (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 79 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 27% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 46,000 miles 57 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 | 17 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 8 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 7 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 7 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 5 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 4 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Among the 57 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 46,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 25,000 miles (18 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 3 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 22nd most-complained-about out of 22 model years of the Kia Sorento with enough data (38 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 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.
I was driving on black top rd. It had been sleeting the kia I was driving veered off the opposite side of rd. I went off in ditch hitting a tree head on my air bag didn't deploy I would like to know why is this normal I don't think so I thought that is what they were for my injuries were sprained wrist & neck & back & my breast bone hurts I was driving a 2009 kia sorento looking forward to your reply does this happen very often to this make of vehicle?
My son was traveling on a main road in town when the car hydroplaned at about 30 MPH and he lost control. It sent him slamming into a culvert, then it bounced out of the culvert and ran up on a residential porch and hit a tree. The drivers side took the majority of the impact. None of the airbags deployed (front or side). He was slammed into the drivers door panel and the center console. He has continuing pain in his back.
The drivers side airbag deployed while backing up in a parking lot. I traveled approximately 6-10 feet turning left in reverse at maybe 1-2 MPH if that much. The vehicle was not hit nor did it hit anything to cause this airbag to deploy and the horn to stay on. When airbag deployed, the steering wheel cover when forced open gashed left thumb. Auto insurance will not cover defects. Trying to work with kia motors to replace defective parts and make vehicle safe. Unknown at this time if they will fix.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kia sorento. While driving approximately 67 MPH, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle lost power. The contact stated that the mileage dropped from 67 MPH to approximately 30 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle pedal assembly shorted out. The throttle pedal was replaced, but the failure recurred multiple times.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kia sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v088000 (electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic). The contact stated that after the recall repair was performed, while driving 60 MPH, the contac heard a loud abnormal sound. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer and was diagnosed with needing the air conditioner compressor to be replaced. The failure was not associated with the recall repairs.