KnownCarProblems2008 Kia Sorento Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Kia Sorento, most often about the air bags (30% of complaints, typically around 42,000 miles). It is 15th of 24 Sorento model years by number of complaints and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2008 Kia Sorento problems
Air bags
66 complaints · 30%Half of these problems showed up before 42,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
1. A whining noise developed around 40k and progressively got worse. Was told the differential needed to be replaced. Come to find out it was a faulty bearing. 2. Passenger side seat airbag lights come on for no reason stating that airbags are off even when there is an adult passenger in the seat 3. Sudden loss of…
The contact owns a 2008 Kia sorrento. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH in snowy weather, he attempted to avoid crashing into another vehicle and swerved off the roadway. The contact traveled over a grassy area before crashing into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. The…
Stability control
44 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 50,500 miles.
Started car to warm up for trip to work. Esc light stayed/came on. Engine wouldn't allow speed over 55 with the gas pedal floored. Took to Kia dealer made appointment.
Jan.19,2013 my 2008 Kia Sorento started to loss power and the engine light turned on the car started to shake, the dealer found the vehicle shown code po300 ,vehicle misfire and it burned plug assy-spark and coil assy-ignition. Repairs were done at city Kia of greater orlando. Services was great. March 7,2013 the same…
Engine
43 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine.
The manufacturer has issued a recall regarding a remedy on hecu repair or replacement. They are asking US to park our car away from other vehicle because the recalled car may get in fire. How the other people may know to park away from my defective car. This is a safety issue for me and for other people in the…
Whenever weather is moist or rainy the engine has bogged down while driving and has no power even with gas peddle pressed to floor. This has left US stranded twice now but when taken to be checked they can't diagnose the problem. Also TPMS is always on even though tire pressures have been checked and it will not go…
Electrical
32 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 63,000 miles. Parts named most often: ignition.
I drove my 08 Kia Sorento home at about 730 am. I work night shift and went to sleep and was woken up at 945 by ems to my car up in flames. It was showing no signs of any problems, not running hot, nothing. It was parked for about an hour when it went up in flames. The fire chief was on the truck that day as he had…
The fuel gauge needle drops down from full to empty and the low/out of gas indicator light comes on, but goes off after needle moves from the low fuel gauge marking. This malfunction of the fuel gas needle happens at no specific time interval or speed rate.
Speed control
28 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 57,000 miles.
I have no rear brake light. The ESC off light comes on in the dash. I can turn on the cruise control but I can't set a speed for cruise control. I have a remote starter that has a safety switch when the brake is pressed turns the remote starter off that isn't working correctly cause there is no signal that the brake…
Approximately 2 years ago, the ESC light would come on and the vehicle had no acceleration and pulling out into oncoming traffic would be very scary to say the least. It would be very sluggish and no acceleration and oncoming traffic would come up on you before you could get it going. I carried it to the Kia…
Brakes
27 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 60,500 miles.
2008 Kia Sorento start-up stalling temperamentally for three weeks. On 9/11/2012 the check engine light and ESC off light appeared, followed with a "putting" engine and limp mode. The car would not accelerate when foot applied to gas pedal. Kia dealership confirmed tps and brake sensor failure and electronic stability…
When driving the vehicle on local and highways, the brake does not get activated unless you press the brake pedal all the way down which engages the vehicle in reducing speed but this takes too long. There is no reduction of speed if you press a little or in increments on the brake pedal, the only way the vehicle…
Transmission
23 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 40,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
My 2008 Kia Sorento is experiencing intermittent transmission lunging. There is only 40,000 miles on this vehicle. The vehicle does this every day, except when I take it into the dealer. Once I do take it in to the dealer, they say that nothing is wrong and that they cannot get the car to do the same thing I do. I…
On 3 occasions my car has slipped out of park after stopping & removing my key... It is possible that my Kia has allowed me to remove the key when it is not in park, but I think it is the former..
Lights
13 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 72,000 miles.
Current and ongoing problems began just a few days after receiving a notice of recall from Kia regarding the faulty/defective brake light switch. The switch was faulty and there was a problem with no brake lights coming on upon braking as well as "ESC off" and "check engine" malfunction indicator lights appearing and…
I have had to replace low beam headlight bulbs at least 3 times in the 3 years I have owned my car. Just had my right passenger side replaced again, was working immediately after being replaced, and now the next morning when I get in my car neither headlight works. I am a single mom on a fixed income and I cannot…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2008 Kia Sorento recalls
Electrical: electrical system
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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Lights: switch
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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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 depressi
Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk: The passenger side air bag is turned off when the ocs misclassifies an adult passenger. With the front passenger airbag off, the front passenger will not have the protection of the passenger air bags in some frontal collisions, thus increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: Kia will update the programming in the sorento ocs control module at no charge. The recall remedy is currently available under service campaign sc076. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
Full defect summary
Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 sorento passenger cars manufactured from june 15, 2006 through november 27, 2007. The front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat or the seat is not occupied. The vehicle's occupant classification system (ocs), which classifies the occupant in the front passenger seat, may misclassify an adult passenger as a child or child seat and improperly turn off the passenger side air bag. When the air bag is deactivated the "passenger air bag off" light will illuminate on the center instrument panel.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) of the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated october 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (etc) system on certain kia vehicles resulting in the opening of dp21-003. Accordingly, model year (my) 2005-2016 kia optima/k5, my 2006-2015 kia sorento, my 2007-2016 hyundai elantra, my 2007-2016 hyundai santa fe, my 2006-2015 hyundai sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a vehicle owner questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (odi) number 11439675.on november 12, 2021, odi opened defec
Air bag occupant classification system
Summary
The sorento's front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is seated in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat, or the seat is not occupied.but the sorento has misclassified adults sitting in the passenger seat.this causes the passenger side frontal air bag to deactivate and the passenger air bag off light to illuminate. On may 12, 2009, kia launched a technical service bulletin campaign (sc076) to address this problem, installing upgraded occupant classification system (ocs) software in vehicles bui
Air bag ocs
Summary
Kia reports that for vehicles built prior to the software update of 11/27/2007, the vehicles can improperly classify an adult as a child restraint seat and thus illuminate the airbag off warning light and suppress the frontal passenger airbag.on may 12, 2009, kia launched a technical service bulletin (sb076) campaign to re-flash all vehicles built prior to the 11/27/2007 production date.kia also believes that intermittent occupant movement and out of position seating contributed to the high number of complaints.905 of the 947 complaints and 1,014 of the 1,107 warranty claims were associated with the 57,228 vehicles built prior to the 11/27/2007 production date.there was one frontal passenger
Questions about the 2008 Kia Sorento
- What are the most common problems with the 2008 Kia Sorento?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (66 complaints, typically around 42,000 miles); stability control (44 complaints, typically around 50,500 miles); engine (43 complaints, typically around 65,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2008 Kia Sorento have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from February 14, 2020 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2008 a bad year for the Kia Sorento?
- It is 15th of 24 Sorento model years by number of complaints, with 217 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.