Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (2)
Electrical system
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Risk and remedy
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.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.
Exterior lighting: brake lights, switch
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk and remedy
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
Canadian recalls (2)
Show 2 Canadian recalls
Brakes
2020-02-19 · campaign 2020-064
Issue:
On certain vehicles, moisture can enter the brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) and cause a short circuit.
Safety Risk:
A short circuit could create a fire risk. This can happen even if the vehicle is parked.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to install a relay to power off the HECU when the vehicle is turned off. Kia recommends that you should park your vehicle outdoors, and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repairs have been completed.
Brakes
2013-04-03 · campaign 2013-098
On certain vehicles, the stop lamp switch may fail and cause intermittent operation of the brake lights. Failure of the brake lights to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed could result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the switch.
Owner complaints (55)
Owners filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Kia Sorento (2 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries reported). Among 24 model years of this model, it ranks #21 for the most complaints (median 255).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Air bags | 21 | |
| Electrical system | 14 | |
| Power train | 9 | |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 8 | |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 6 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | |
| Engine | 4 | |
| Seats | 3 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Kia Sorento.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2009 Kia Sorento 4-DR. w/SAB | – | – | – | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2009 Kia Sorento version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Sorento 2WD 3.3 L Automatic 5-spd | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Sorento 2WD 3.8 L Automatic 5-spd | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Sorento 4WD 3.3 L Automatic 5-spd | 15 | 22 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Sorento 4WD 3.8 L Automatic 5-spd | 15 | 20 | 17 | $3,950 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.