NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 254 owner complaints for the 2018 Kia Sorento.
One recall for this model year tells owners not to drive or to park outside until repaired:Trailer hitch, park outside (22V-703). Check your VIN below to see whether yours is affected.
3Safety recalls
254Owner complaints
12Complaints citing a crash
11Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: trailer hitch, steering, and air bags. Most-reported area: engine (106 complaints, 42%; median mileage when it happened: 72,000). Includes the Sorento Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.
3 safety recalls for the 2018 Kia Sorento
Do-not-drive and park-outside recalls first, then newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
Risk: If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SORENTO. Components: Steering: column; Steering: electric power assist system. Kia campaign SC167.
The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Risk: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SORENTO. Kia campaign SC159.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 254 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Sorento. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine106 · 42%
Median 72,000 miles at failure (25 reports)
Exterior lighting41 · 16%
Electrical system30 · 12%
Steering26 · 10%
Fuel and propulsion system13 · 5%
Air bags10 · 4%
Body structure9 · 4%
Most named: body (9)
Unknown or other37 · 15%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Kia Sorento recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2021 Sorento drew the most (132) and the 2018 drew 49.
Owner complaints
2018: 254 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Kia Sorento
Model year
Complaints
2016
1,250
2017
804
2018
254
2019
426
2020
135
2021
268
2022
223
2023
157
2024
49
2025
127
2026
6
Safety recalls
2018: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Kia Sorento
Model year
Recalls
2016
8
2017
4
2018
3
2019
2
2020
1
2021
5
2022
9
2023
4
2024
2
2025
4
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Kia Sorento SUV AWD
Rollover risk 15.0%
Kia Sorento SUV FWD
Rollover risk 15.8%
Questions
What are the most common 2018 Sorento problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (106), exterior lighting (41), electrical system (30). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2018 Kia Sorento safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Kia Sorento earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Sorento has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Kia dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SORENTO.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.