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2012 Kia Sorento Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 5 NHTSA recalls and 873 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

F
20/100

Avoid This Year — 2012 Kia Sorento

The 2012 Kia Sorento is among the worst-performing model years for this vehicle. NHTSA data shows high complaint and recall activity. Strongly consider a different model year.

5
NHTSA Recalls
5 recalls on record
873
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
21
Crashes + Injuries
75 fire reports

Own or buying a 2012 Kia Sorento?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2012 Kia Sorento (5)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Kia dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #18V907000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #20V750000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #17V224000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #15V626000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #23V652000
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Most Common Problems — 2012 Kia Sorento

Based on 873 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine
331
Electrical System
110
Service Brakes
77
Air Bags
70
Power Train
49
Unknown Or Other
48
Exterior Lighting
45
Vehicle Speed Control
23
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Kia Sorento — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2012 model year is highlighted.

2010 3 complaints 2011 1,515 complaints 2012 873 complaints 2013 975 complaints 2014 971 complaints 2015 741 complaints 2016 1,227 complaints

✅ Best model years: 2010 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2012 Kia Sorento

Is the 2012 Kia Sorento reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 Kia Sorento has 5 recalls and 873 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2012 Kia Sorento have?
The 2012 Kia Sorento has 5 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Kia Sorento?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2012 Kia Sorento are: Engine, Electrical System, Service Brakes, Air Bags. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2012 Kia Sorento safe to buy?
The 2012 Kia Sorento has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 5 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Kia Sorento should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Kia Sorento are: 2010. These show the lowest complaint rates.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.