2012 Kia Sorento Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

460Engine complaints

52.6%Of all 875 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE460 · 52.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM127 · 14.5%

Unspecified / other81 · 9.3%

AIR BAGS79 · 9%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC65 · 7.4%

Share of the 875 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Kia Sorento overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE IN REGULAR TRAFFIC WHEN GAS IS APPLIED, CAR WILL START TO MOVE FORWARD THEN ACT AS THOUGH THE MOTOR HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. IF…”NHTSA complaint 10618792 — filed 08/04/2014

“CAR WOULD DROP ITS SPEED TO ABOUT 1 MILE AN HOUR , BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER, TOLD NEEDED SOFTWARE RE-SET, OCCURRED AGAIN IN ABOUT JULY…”NHTSA complaint 10605706 — filed 06/24/2014

“I WAS DRIVING MY CAR IN A PARKING GARAGE AND WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN THE CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY, NO…”NHTSA complaint 10604920 — filed 06/21/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Kia Sorento have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2012 Kia Sorento: 460 of 875 complaints on file (52.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Kia Sorento have in total?

875 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 76 involved a fire, 36 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.