Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2013 Kia Sorento
NHTSA data on file today
The 2013 Kia Sorento has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 983 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 2 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #23V652000 HECU May Cause Engine Compartment Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V750000 Engine Damage May Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V907000 High Pressure Fuel Pipe May Leak NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V224000 Bearing Wear may result in Engine Seizure NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V626000 Brake-Shift Interlock Mechanism Can Chip or Crack NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 498 complaints
- Electrical System 116 complaints
- Structure 91 complaints
- Unknown or Other 89 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 70 complaints
- Power Train 69 complaints
Of the 983 complaints on file, 23 report a crash and 44 a fire; across all 983 complaints, owners report 33 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $8,500–$18,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2013 Kia Sorento has an above-average number of complaints and several recalls, particularly concerning engine issues and potential fire hazards. The prevalence of engine complaints suggests reliability concerns, though fewer data points limit certainty about other failures.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 80,000–120,000 miles | $2,500–$8,000 | very common |
| Electrical system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $300–$1,500 | common |
| Power train | 90,000–130,000 miles | $1,500–$4,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections
- Transmission fluid changes
- Engine air filter replacement
- Coolant flush
- Tire rotations
- Spark plug replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine knocking or noise
- Transmission shifting issues
- Electrical shorts or failures
- Brake pedal issues
- Excessive oil consumption
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2013 Kia Sorento at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.