NHTSA vehicle safety data

2010 Kia Sorento Recalls & Complaints

The 2010 Kia Sorento has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 3 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2010 Kia Sorento. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2010 Kia Sorento owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Kia Sorento, describing incidents dated January 5, 2012 to December 7, 2013.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Suspension 1 complaint

Of the 3 complaints on file, 2 report a crash; across all 3 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10855055 · Filed April 12, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RE-BALANCED THE TIRES AND RE-ALIGNED THE WHEELS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TWO KIA DEALERS ABOUT THE…
ODI #10555796 · Filed December 12, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FAILED TO INDICATE THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS EMPTY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A CURB BEFORE THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT…
ODI #10496103 · Filed February 1, 2013
I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHILE GETTING OFF HIGHWAY THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY STOPPED AND I REAR ENDED HER CAR. MY CAR WAS PUSHED IN FROM FRONT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT POP OUT. IT CONCERNS ME. AT WHAT SPEED SHOULD THEY DEPLOYED? *TR

Read all 3 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2010 Kia Sorento in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP21-003: Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Closed June 20, 2023

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently

NHTSA #13V114000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported April 1, 2013 · Kia Motors Corporation

Potentially affected: 980,377 vehicles

Kia campaign SC098 · Owners notified April 19, 2013 · Vehicles built November 21, 2006 – June 24, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Safety consequence

Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

WIRE HARNESS AND CONVERTER MODULE

NHTSA #11E041000 · Equipment · NHTSA notice

Reported October 6, 2011 · CURT MFG. INC.

Potentially affected: 2,398 vehicles

Owners notified October 17, 2011

Defect description

CURT MANUFACTURING IS RECALLING CERTAIN TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESSES, PART NUMBER 56024, THAT CONNECT TOW VEHICLE LIGHTING CIRCUITS TO TRAILER LIGHTING CIRCUITS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ AND KIA SORENTO VEHICLES. THE UNITS ARE NOT WATER-TIGHT AND MOISTURE CAN SEEP INTO THE CONVERTER MODULE AND DEFEAT THE MODULE'S INTERNAL CIRCUIT PROTECTION.

Safety consequence

WITHOUT THE CIRCUIT PROTECTION, THE MODULE CAN OVERHEAT POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

CURT MANUFACTURING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESS. THE REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CURT MANUFACTURING AT 1-715 831-8713.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO OWNERS WHO PURCHASED A CURT MFG TOWING PACKAGE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT.OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CURTMFG AND NOT THEIR VEHICLE DEALER TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT WIRING HARNESS.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2010 Kia Sorento. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Sorento.

Suspension

ODI #10855055

Incident: August 1, 2013 · Filed: April 12, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RE-BALANCED THE TIRES AND RE-ALIGNED THE WHEELS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TWO KIA DEALERS ABOUT THE FAILURE. BOTH DEALERS WERE UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A KNOWN ISSUE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO VISIT A LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

Engine

ODI #10555796

Crash 1 injury

Incident: December 7, 2013 · Filed: December 12, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FAILED TO INDICATE THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS EMPTY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A CURB BEFORE THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO PREMATURE OIL CONSUMPTION AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. MAILED OUT 01/13/15*LJ

Air Bags

ODI #10496103

Crash

Incident: January 5, 2012 · Filed: February 1, 2013

I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHILE GETTING OFF HIGHWAY THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY STOPPED AND I REAR ENDED HER CAR. MY CAR WAS PUSHED IN FROM FRONT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT POP OUT. IT CONCERNS ME. AT WHAT SPEED SHOULD THEY DEPLOYED? *TR

Other Kia Sorento model years

Check your 2010 Kia Sorento VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Sorento at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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