2022 Kia Sorento Safety Report
2022 KIA SORENTO Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2022 Kia Sorento
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2022 Kia Sorento. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (6) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (166) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 5 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Power Train | Compare power train issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2021 | Compare against the 2021 Kia Sorento with 21 complaints and 4 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2019 | Check the 2019 Kia Sorento before buying across this generation. |
Kia Sorento Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Kia Sorento years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Kia Sorento | 90 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Kia Sorento | 21 | 4 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2024 Kia Sorento | 29 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Kia Sorento | 121 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2025 Kia Sorento | 55 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2019 Kia Sorento | 394 | 2 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
2022 Kia Sorento Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2022 Kia Sorento, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Power Train
24 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Kia onlyUnknown Or Other
19 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Kia onlyEngine
18 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Kia onlyPower Train,Engine
8 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train,Engine issues Kia onlyVisibility/Wiper
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Visibility/Wiper issues Kia onlyVisibility
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Visibility issues Kia onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2022 Kia Sorento
Reliability Score
The 2022 Kia Sorento receives a reliability score of 55 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates average reliability — some notable concerns exist that prospective buyers should be aware of.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2022 Kia Sorento
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2022 Kia Sorento
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2022 Kia Sorento:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System: Wiring, Fuses, And Circuit Breakers Kia is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles due to potential issues with the electrical system wiring, fuses, and circuit breakers. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Power Train: Automatic Transmission Kia is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles due to potential issues with the automatic transmission. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Engine And Engine Cooling: Turbo/Supercharger Kia is recalling certain 2022 Sorento vehicles due to a potential issue with the oil supply pipe to the turbo/supercharger. |
Low | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Reverse Camera Bracket The reverse camera bracket broke off, leading to the camera dangling on the license plate and becoming unusable for rear backup safety. |
Medium | Occasional | N/A miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2022 Kia Sorento:
Issues with the electrical system wiring, fuses, and circuit breakers are the most common, affecting 23% of the vehicles.
Recall Details for the 2022 Kia Sorento
The following 6 recalls have been issued for the 2022 Kia Sorento by NHTSA:
Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.
Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.
Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.
Summary: Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Consequence: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.
Summary: 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 and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence: A 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 inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento and Telluride vehicles. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: Impaired anti-lock braking or traction control systems can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spare tire, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC244.
Summary: Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
Consequence: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC233.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2022 Kia Sorento
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2022 Kia Sorento with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with battery sensor failure. The contact was informed that the battery se...
My AC system has failed due to leak in the evaporator core. It has been inspected by 2 mechanics (one including the Kia dealership) the extreme Texas heat puts myself and small children at risk. I’ve been told the evaporator core has been made with cheap thin metal and has small pinholes in it. I will allow my car to be inspected and there were no warning lights before or after this happened.
1. Panoramic sunroof 2. Sunroof exploded while parked sounding like a gun shot. 3. Dealer/Kia Customer Care has informed me this is a known issue. 4. Dealer said they looked at my car but never looked at it. I confirmed this with the service manager at University Kia in Waco Tx. He admitted to falsifying the paperwork, I had him redo the paperwork showing nothing was inspected. Now Kia won't look ...
When I turned my car on and started to drive, an orange a popped up and started blinking. It looked like the automatic stop and start light. My car would not shift and I could not go above 60 mph. I had to turn my car off and turn it back on for it to stop doing what it was doing.
All sensors and alarms glitching.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof exploded without impact. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,296.
The vehicle has less than 75k miles, and I am the second owner. I was driving, and the vehicle lost power. Creating a traumatic experience that could have been fatal. After Kia had inspected the vehicle, I was informed that I needed a new engine and it would cost 8k or more, and my extended warranty would not cover it. Kia has current recalls for similar issues.
Vehicle purchased August 2022. July 13, 2023: Vehicle experienced sudden loss of acceleration while driving. The vehicle would not properly accelerate with traffic flow and another vehicle nearly struck me due to the unexpected loss of propulsion. Vehicle was towed to Kia dealership in Duluth, GA. I was told the issue was repaired and an electrical recall was completed. December 8, 2025: Acceler...
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the contact experienced the death wobble. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the...
There is a safety recall concerning fire hazard during normal operation. Kia is refusing to buyback the inoperable vehicle
Vehicle: 2022 Kia Sorento EX VIN: [XXX] Date Defects Discovered:[XXX} A Kia dealership confirmed multiple instances of airbag tampering in this vehicle: • Driver knee airbag missing • Driver A‑pillar airbag missing • Wiring harnesses cut • Electrical resistors spliced into the circuits to bypass SRS fault detection • Technician warned there may be additional missing airbags pending ...
My reverse camera bracket broke off leading to the camera dangling on the license plate and unusable for rear backup safety.
Radiator has had a leak twice in the past three months. This has cause me to have to get it fully replaced at my own cost. This is a design flaw and is at no part my fault.
I am reporting a serious safety defect regarding my 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid (Mileage: 91,661). The vehicle was diagnosed with an internal short in the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) Control Unit (Error codes P0404, P049D). Upon inspection, significant engine oil intrusion was found inside the EGR unit. The EGR system is designed to handle exhaust gases only; the presence of liquid engine oil ind...
In August 2025 my 2022 Kia Sorento S began having the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) Malfunction Indicator light flashing. It comes on, flashes for a while, then goes off again. Shortly after the first time this happened (a week or so), my steering began losing all power steering intermittently at random. I took it to the local Kia dealership, but they did nothing even though I am still under war...
All 2020 through 2022 Kia Nightfall Edition vehicles (top-trim packages) are experiencing premature and widespread exterior trim fading, indicating a manufacturing or material defect rather than normal wear and tear. This issue is consistent across multiple model years, strongly suggesting a systemic problem with the product used on these vehicles. Despite repeated complaints, Kia has not issued a...
My vehicle has a recall that says potential fire could occur yet there’s no solution for the recall. I think that is something that should be replaced immediately considering it’s 15 degrees outside and I have to run my heat in my vehicle.
While driving from Phoenix to Tucson in midday traffic, the vehicle displayed a "Check Transmission" error message. Immediately following this warning, the vehicle experienced a significant loss of motive power while navigating a busy intersection. The car would not shift gears appropriately to maintain speed or move out of the path of traffic, which created an immediate risk of a collision. I was...
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact called a mobile mechanic to the residence, and the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a defect in the transmission. Th...
i want to file a complaint about my recall having no remedy and it’s affecting me. i need kia to buy my car back
Showing 20 of 166 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2022 Kia Sorento
Has the 2022 KIA SORENTO been recalled?
Yes, the 2022 KIA SORENTO has 6 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2022 KIA SORENTO have?
The 2022 KIA SORENTO has 166 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 4 involved crashes. 4 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
The 2022 KIA SORENTO received an overall NHTSA safety rating of good (4/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2022 KIA SORENTO involve power train (24 complaints), unknown or other (19 complaints), engine (18 complaints). Other affected components include power train,engine, visibility/wiper, visibility.
How many crash reports does the 2022 KIA SORENTO have?
There are 4 crash reports associated with the 2022 KIA SORENTO out of 166 total complaints (2.4% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2022 KIA SORENTO have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2022 KIA SORENTO out of 166 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2022 KIA SORENTO.
How many injuries are reported for the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
4 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2022 KIA SORENTO. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2022 KIA SORENTO?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2022 KIA SORENTO is acceptable with caveats. It has 166 complaints, 6 recalls, and a good (4/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
The components with the most failures on the 2022 KIA SORENTO are: 1. POWER TRAIN (24 complaints), 2. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (19 complaints), 3. ENGINE (18 complaints), 4. POWER TRAIN,ENGINE (8 complaints), 5. VISIBILITY/WIPER (7 complaints). POWER TRAIN is the single most-reported problem area with 24 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2022 KIA SORENTO?
Be aware of potential electrical system issues and check for recalls. Ensure the vehicle is serviced regularly. The 2022 KIA SORENTO has 166 NHTSA complaints and 6 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it good (4/5).
How reliable is the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
The 2022 KIA SORENTO receives a reliability score of 55/100, indicating average reliability. This is based on 166 owner complaints, 6 recalls, and 5 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Electrical System: Wiring, Fuses, and Circuit Breakers and Power Train: Automatic Transmission.
What are the known issues with the 2022 KIA SORENTO?
Known issues with the 2022 KIA SORENTO include: Electrical System: Wiring, Fuses, and Circuit Breakers, Power Train: Automatic Transmission, Engine and Engine Cooling: Turbo/Supercharger, Reverse Camera Bracket. These are based on patterns found across 166 NHTSA complaints. 6 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
Are there any recalls for the 2022 KIA Sorento?
Yes, there are recalls for the electrical system wiring, fuses, and circuit breakers, as well as issues with the automatic transmission.
What are the most common issues with the 2022 KIA Sorento?
The most common issues are power train problems, particularly with the automatic transmission, and electrical system issues.
Is there a known issue with the sunroof in the 2022 KIA Sorento?
Yes, there are reports of the sunroof exploding without impact, which is a known issue.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be aware of potential electrical system issues and check for recalls. Ensure the vehicle is serviced regularly.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2022 Kia Sorento
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2022 Kia Sorento. The data includes 166 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 6 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 4 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, 4 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2022 Kia Sorento an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16