Car · Kia problems

2019 Kia Sorento problems

435 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Sorento. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (40% of them). NHTSA also lists 63 service bulletins and 2 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: 16. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 435 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 cooling172 · 40%
• Other or unknown111 · 26%
• Electrical system68 · 16%
• Body and structure56 · 13%
• Power train (transmission and drive)51 · 12%
• Fuel system28 · 6%
• Exterior lighting22 · 5%
• Visibility and wipers21 · 5%

15 smaller areas not shown (102 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 63 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2019 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. SC365Received September 18, 2026

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: This bulletin provides the procedure to update the emissions‑related logic of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) system software on certain 2019 - 2020MY Sorento...

2. SC365_POCReceived September 18, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   SC365_poc: proof of correction card.

3. SC365_QAReceived September 18, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: question and answer (SC365) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding Voluntary Emissions...

4. SC365_STKRReceived September 18, 2026

   Electrical system

   SC365_stkr: voluntary emissions service campaign completion label/sticker.

5. SC340_TSB_R5Received May 1, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

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

6. 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...

7. SC340_POCReceived October 24, 2025

   Electrical system

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

8. SC340_QAReceived October 24, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   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...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2019 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. 23V639000September 16, 2023

   Back over prevention

   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.

See all 2 recalls for the 2019 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 172 complaints · 40%

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

Electrical system 68 complaints · 16%

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

Body and structure 56 complaints · 13%

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

Power train (transmission and drive) 51 complaints · 12%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

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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2019 Kia Sorento: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2019 Kia Sorento?

Of the 435 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Sorento, 172 (40%) name engine and engine cooling, and 68 (16%) name electrical system. 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 2019 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 10 of the 435 complaints as involving a crash and 19 as involving a fire. They also reported 16 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2019 Kia Sorento have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2019 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 63 repair bulletins for the 2019 Kia Sorento.

More

• 2021 Sorento problems
• 2018 Sorento problems
• 2017 Sorento problems
• 2016 Sorento problems
• 2015 Sorento problems
• 2014 Sorento problems
• 2013 Sorento problems
• 2012 Sorento problems
• 2011 Sorento problems
• 2019 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.