2018 Kia Sorento: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
59%
118 of 200 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
59% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 Kia Sorento are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 78% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 52 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 47%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE11/20/2025FIRE1 INJURED
I was driving from richlands coming home and my vechial kept trying to die on me like i didnt have any gas and then i had to suddenly pull off the side of the road without any power and i sat their and even try to restart the vechial and it wouldn't start back then a woman come out of nowhere in an ambulance and i was…
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM08/27/2026
The High Pressure Fuel Pump failed while driving on highway. I took it to the Kia dealership and they told me of the issue. There were no prior warnings of issues Kia recalled all 2019-2020 kia sorentos with this same issue. This component should not have failed at 63k miles and Kia should extend their warranty to pre…
ENGINE08/20/2026
I am a working parent filing a formal complaint against Kia America and Classic kia of Carrollton for non-compliance with the Theta II Class Action Settlement mandates. My vehicle experienced a qualifying engine failure and is currently held at the dealership. The dealership is actively refusing to provide a mandatory …
Three of 118 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (3)
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be…
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment o…
TRAILER HITCHES
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 e…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2018 Kia Sorento
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
3 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
