Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2012 Kia Sorento is a gasoline sport utility vehicle rated 20 to 24 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $13,530 to $16,240 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. The page lists 880 owner complaints with NHTSA, most about the engine (461). Recall campaigns, 5 in all, may apply to this car, covering brakes, engine and fuel system, plus others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
20–24 mpgcombined; city 18–21, highway 24–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$13,530–$16,240U.S. average; Ohio $12,090–$14,510 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Sorento. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 880 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Sorento. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
461
2
53
9
Electrical system
127
1
20
6
Air bags
81
9
1
12
Unknown or other
81
3
8
4
Service brakes, hydraulic
69
2
6
2
Exterior lighting
60
1
5
0
Power train
55
6
0
4
Structure
35
2
4
3
Service brakes
33
1
3
5
Fuel/propulsion system
31
0
10
0
Vehicle speed control
29
2
1
1
Suspension
22
1
0
1
18 more parts
Steering
20
1
2
1
Visibility
17
0
0
7
Engine and engine cooling
15
0
2
0
Seats
15
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
13
0
0
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
11
0
1
0
Fuel system, gasoline
8
0
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
5
0
0
0
Wheels
5
0
0
0
Seat belts
4
1
0
2
Equipment adaptive/mobility
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Firerelated
1
0
1
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, air
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Traction control system
1
0
0
0
Trailer hitches
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Sorento over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Risk: Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 233 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Sorento, the latest on Jun 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (73), electrical system (68), engine and engine cooling (44), engine (36), air bags (16).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Audit query AQ23002 Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires · covers 3 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Sorento.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 30 / 24
Sorento 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 26 / 23
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 26 / 22
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 25 / 22
Sorento 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 26 / 22
Sorento 4-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 24 / 20
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data