2012 KIA Sorento recalls

• Label#2024549August 15, 2024

  647,384 units affected

  Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: These small errors do not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Kia has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.

• Brakes#2023529September 26, 2023

  276,225 units affected

  Issue: On certain vehicles, the brake hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU) could short circuit. Safety Risk: A short circuit could create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the fuse(s) for the HECU. Kia recommends that you should park your vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repairs have been completed.

• Engine#2020597December 4, 2020

  39,658 units affected

  Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L NU GDI or 2.4 L Theta II MPI engine, an engine compartment fire could occur while driving. Kia is conducting this recall as a preventative measure to prevent fire risk due to potential fuel leaks, oil leaks and/or engine damage. In some situations, you may notice any of the following symptoms: there could be an abnormal knocking noise from the engine; the check engine light and/or the oil pressure warning light could turn on; you may smell fuel, burning or smoke; or you may notice oil leaks. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail and/or a fire could occur. An engine failure can cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. Note: For the Optima model, only the Optima Hybrid is affected by this recall. Safety Risk: An engine compartment fire can create a risk of injury. A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Action: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer for an inspection of the engine and engine compartment. The dealer will inspect for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, if necessary. Kia will also perform a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update free of charge, once it is available for your vehicle. This update will detect and prevent engine damage from worn connecting rod bearings.

• Engine#2019153March 21, 2019

  29,501 units affected

  Issue: Kia Canada is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign that provides an update to the engine control module to detect potential problems before an engine fails. An engine failure may cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the engine control module. Note: Vehicles repaired under Service Campaign SC025 already have this software update.

• Fuel System#2018742December 28, 2018

  2,878 units affected

  On certain vehicles, when repairs were completed under recall campaign 2017-199 (Kia RC109), the high pressure fuel pipe may not have been properly installed on the fuel pump outlet. A fuel leak could occur if the pipe was damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the recall repair. A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, could create the risk of a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the connections of the high pressure fuel pipe to the fuel pump outlet for leaking fuel. If leaking fuel is detected, the fuel pipe will be replaced with a new one.

• Engine#2017199April 7, 2017

  37,504 units affected

  On certain vehicles equipped with 2.0L and 2.4L engines, the engine may contain residual metallic debris from factory machining operations. If debris is present, it could potentially restrict oil flow to the main bearings and rod bearings and could lead to premature wear. If the vehicle continues to be driven with worn bearings, the bearings could fail, which could cause an engine stall while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in loss of motive power which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Worn bearings could also result in the illumination of the oil pressure lamp in the instrument cluster. Correction: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the engine sub-assembly.

• Structure#2016120March 17, 2016

  10,459 units affected

  On certain vehicles, the sunroof can break due to external impacts, which can cause the sunroof crosspieces with some tempered glass attached to dislodge and drop into the passenger cabin onto occupants. Such breakage would be most prevalent in provinces where gravel road treatments for ice/snow and severe temperature shifts are common. Correction: Dealers will install additional connective pieces to prevent the possibility of sunroof crosspieces dropping under a product enhancement campaign. In the interim, owners are advised to drive with the sunshade in the closed position until the campaign is completed.

• Powertrain#2015468October 14, 2015

  42,222 units affected

  Certain vehicles may fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 102 - Transmission Control Functions. The transmission shift selector assembly could become damaged and allow the driver to shift the transmission out of the PARK gear position without depressing the brake pedal, contrary to the requirements of the standard. These issues could cause unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the shift interlock assembly.

Canadian data updated August 24, 2026

• SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE#23V652000September 25, 2023

  Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

  Risk: An engine compartment 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 replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

• ENGINE#20V750000December 2, 2020

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

  Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.

• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS#18V907000December 19, 2018

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

  Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE#17V224000March 31, 2017

  Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.

  Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.

• POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION#15V626000October 6, 2015

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."

  Risk: Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.

  Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.