Vehicle recall record

2012 KIA Sorento

5 recall campaigns · 2015–2023 · 1 with a do-not-park-indoors warning

Campaigns
5
First notice
2015-10-06
Latest notice
2023-09-25
Same-make model-year average
3.9

Risk markers carried in the record

Safety-related source flags
    1 park-outside warning

These labels reflect flags carried in the collected record. Read each official notice for its full scope and current remedy information.

The markers above summarize fields available in this dataset. A missing marker is not a safety finding. Recall status and remedy eligibility can depend on vehicle identification number, equipment, production date, and whether a repair has already been completed.

Recall distribution by component

5 component categories

Counts and shares use the vehicle-level recall records shown below. The horizontal bar is scaled to the largest category on this page.
ComponentCampaignsShareRelative volume
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE120.0%
ENGINE120.0%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING120.0%
POWER TRAIN120.0%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC120.0%

Component labels follow the source record's component field. Where the source includes a more detailed subcomponent after a colon, this distribution groups the record under the first component segment. Shares are calculated against 5 campaigns and rounded to one decimal place, so displayed percentages may not sum to exactly 100 percent.

Recall dates by calendar year

5 calendar years

These are recall notice dates, not vehicle model years.
Calendar yearCampaignsRelative volume
20151
20171
20181
20201
20231

The timeline groups campaign records by their reported recall date. This explains why the date range (2015–2023) can begin before or end after model year 2012. The underlying vehicle may be covered by notices issued in several different calendar years.

Recall campaign details

5 vehicle-level records

Campaign summaries, consequences, and remedies are preserved from the collected NHTSA source text.
CampaignDateComponentSummary and source detailsFlags
23V6520002023-09-25SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

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, 2011-201…

Read the complete source text

Summary
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.

Consequence
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.

Park outside
20V7500002020-12-02ENGINE

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…

Read the complete source text

Summary
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.

Consequence
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.

No listed flag
18V9070002018-12-19FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

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 Kno…

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Summary
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.

Consequence
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.

No listed flag
17V2240002017-03-31ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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 withi…

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Summary
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.

Consequence
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.

No listed flag
15V6260002015-10-06POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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 s…

Read the complete source text

Summary
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."

Consequence
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.

No listed flag

Each row represents a campaign listed for this make, model, and model year. A campaign can also cover other vehicles. The excerpt above is a direct beginning of the source summary; expand a row to read the complete summary and any consequence or remedy text included in the local record.

How 2012 KIA Sorento compares within KIA

9 listed 2012 model-year records

Other collected KIA records for model year 2012.
VehicleCampaignsDate range
KIA Optima52017-03-31–2023-09-25
KIA Sedona52013-11-05–2020-02-21
KIA Sportage52017-03-31–2023-09-25
KIA Forte42017-12-01–2023-09-25
KIA Forte Koup42017-12-01–2023-09-25
KIA Optima Hybrid32018-06-01–2023-09-25
KIA Soul32014-12-29–2023-09-25
KIA Rio12023-09-25–2023-09-25

This comparison is calculated from vehicle records for the same make and model year in this snapshot. It is a simple arithmetic average, not an industry benchmark. A model may appear under more than one configuration in the source data, and campaign counts do not indicate the probability that a specific vehicle has an unresolved defect.

Data source and interpretation

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, retrieved 2026-11-01. Recall records reflect manufacturer reports submitted to NHTSA. Absence of a recall here does not mean a vehicle is defect-free.

This page reports 5 campaign records, groups them into 5 component categories, and places the notice dates into these calendar years: 2015: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2020: 1; 2023: 1. These are derived views of the supplied records, not additional findings from NHTSA.

The collection includes model-year records with one or more recalls. It is not a complete vehicle history, VIN eligibility result, repair-status check, safety rating, or guarantee that the source has no later updates. Confirm current campaign details and vehicle applicability with official NHTSA information and the manufacturer.