KnownCarProblems2020 Kia Sorento Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 138 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Sorento, most often about the engine (49% of complaints, typically around 73,500 miles). It is 18th of 24 Sorento model years by number of complaints and has 1 recall.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a park-outside warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2020 Kia Sorento problems
Engine
68 complaints · 49%Half of these problems showed up before 73,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 53- 55 MPH, the contact suddenly noticed that their surrounding drivers were honking for her attention. Eventually, another nearby driver notified the contact by pointing down and yelling out "fire". The vehicle then stalled and…
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud knocking sound before the engine seized. The vehicle was started; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure.…
Other or unspecified
25 complaints · 18%I bought a brand new Kia Sorento. After about 7000 miles I noticed chunks of rubber missing from my tires. I called khumo they told me to take it to Kia. I took it to my dealer and they did nothing. Now I have 20000 miles on my vehicle and the same tires are cupping. This is going to end up with someone dying and I do…
Electrical
20 complaints · 14%Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery, wiring, horn.
The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her daughter saw smoke coming out of the vehicle. The contact stated that as she opened the vehicle, she saw flames on the front side of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire…
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that…
Transmission
18 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 5,000 miles.
I bought this can brand new 4/30/20. I noticed small erratic stuttering in the engine while cruising at 30-40 MPH. I wasn't sure what it was or that I did something to create it. A friend was riding with me and ssk what what causing the issues. I said you can feel that? I took the car in in oct @ the first oild change…
The transmission will act in a very erratic manner when the car is first driven after sitting cold for several hours. This problem appears when accelerating, and persists until the car has been driven a few miles.
Fuel system
10 complaints · 7%My car stalled as I started to drive. As I started to park again it shut down. I waited a few minutes and it started again. My intention is to get it to the dealership asap.
Equipment
9 complaints · 7%The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that…
The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated the fuse box located on the driver's side had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the fire department. A fire report was filed, and a…
Driver assistance
6 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: blind spot detection, warnings, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control.
Vehicle was purchased aug 2020. As of jan 10, 2021 "check blind spot collision warning (bcw) system" light came on about 6 times. If the light comes on while driving, the vehicle feels like it downshifts. Light has also come on while waiting for a red light. The bcw system was turned off the last two times the warning…
Visibility and wipers
6 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: sun/moon roof assembly, glass, side/rear.
Right rear passenger window catastrophically exploded. Residential street approx 10mph. Breaking for stop sign. Temperature 63f. Overcast. Winds relatively high(approx 20+ MPH). No sign of impact. Ive had the vehicle 7 months. Could have cause optical injury if a small passenger or child seat was in that location.…
The contact had rented a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, both the front passenger and rear passenger's side windows exploded. The contact stated that there was no external cause to the failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2020 Kia Sorento recalls
Equipment: trailer hitches
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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.
Full defect summary
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. 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.
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
Loss of motive power
Summary
The national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated july 13, 2022, petitioning the agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain hyundai motor america, inc. And kia america, inc. Vehicles spanning model years (my) 2005-2021. The petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Questions about the 2020 Kia Sorento
- What are the most common problems with the 2020 Kia Sorento?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (68 complaints, typically around 73,500 miles); other or unspecified (25 complaints); electrical (20 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2020 Kia Sorento have?
- 1 recall listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 19, 2022 (equipment). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2020 a bad year for the Kia Sorento?
- It is 18th of 24 Sorento model years by number of complaints, with 138 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.