Car · Kia problems

2018 Kia Sorento problems

255 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Kia Sorento. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (44% of them). NHTSA also lists 94 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 11. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 255 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling112 · 44%
• Exterior lighting41 · 16%
• Other or unknown37 · 15%
• Electrical system30 · 12%
• Steering26 · 10%
• Fuel system13 · 5%
• Air bags10 · 4%
• Body and structure9 · 4%

14 smaller areas not shown (61 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 94 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2018 Kia Sorento. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. WTY031_TSB_R2Received June 18, 2026

   Visibility and wipers

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. SC340Received December 2, 2025

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: theta II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module 'ECM' system software...

3. SC340_POCReceived October 24, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: SC340_poc: proof of correction card.

4. SC340_QAReceived October 24, 2025

   Electrical system

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: question and answer (SC340) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Emissions...

5. SC340_STKRReceived October 24, 2025

   Electrical system

   SC340_stkr: voluntary emissions service campaign completion label/sticker.

6. SC330Received February 1, 2025

   Voluntary service campaign: multi-function switch repair (SC330) - This bulletin provides information to repair the multi-function switch knob on certain 2016-2018MY Sorento (UMa) vehicles...

7. SC330_QAReceived January 30, 2025

   Electrical system

   Voluntary service campaign: question and answer (SC330) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC330.

8. TSB_TRA046_R4Received June 4, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer.

1. 22V703000September 19, 2022Do not drive notice

   Trailer hitches

   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.

2. 18V656000September 21, 2018

   Steering

   The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.

3. 17V784000December 8, 2017

   Air bags

   The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.

See all 3 recalls for the 2018 Kia Sorento, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Sorento will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 112 complaints · 44%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Exterior lighting 41 complaints · 16%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 30 complaints · 12%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Steering 26 complaints · 10%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2018 Kia Sorento: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Kia Sorento?

Of the 255 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Kia Sorento, 112 (44%) name engine and engine cooling, and 41 (16%) name exterior lighting. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 Kia Sorento reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 12 of the 255 complaints as involving a crash and 11 as involving a fire. They also reported 11 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 Kia Sorento have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 94 repair bulletins for the 2018 Kia Sorento.

More

• 2021 Sorento problems
• 2019 Sorento problems
• 2017 Sorento problems
• 2016 Sorento problems
• 2015 Sorento problems
• 2014 Sorento problems
• 2013 Sorento problems
• 2012 Sorento problems
• 2011 Sorento problems
• 2018 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.