Owners have filed 423 safety complaints about the 2019 Kia Sorento with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 10 crashes, 19 fires, 16 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2019 Kia Sorento, here is how reports break down by system.
"Engine burning oil Failed oil consumption test done by dealership - had to get engine replaced Still noticing stuttering and fluctuating power at times. Failure of Snow White Pearl paint delamination issue causing the top-coat to lift off of underlying primer. Rust has started in some of the spots"
"Spontaneous fire under hood. Nothing was malfunctuoing, no warning lights. All fluids were good, no temp issues. Parked to to run inside to use rr, was paged and came out car is on fire"
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2019 Kia Sorento inverts that curve — filings peaked in 2024, 5 years after the model year.
Across the Kia Sorento model years we track, the 2011 has the most complaints on file (1,517); the 2019 ranks 8 of 8.
2 recalls apply to some or all 2019 Kia Sorento vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
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 equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris an…
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Saf…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 423 complaints about the 2019 Kia Sorento with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.
The 2019 Kia Sorento has 2 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2019 Kia Sorento an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.