2007 Kia Sorento recalls and problems

The 2007 Kia Sorento has 4 safety recalls and 154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer.

Recalls
4
Complaints
154
Crashes / fires
10 / 5
Injuries / deaths
10 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2007 Kia Sorento vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2007 Kia Sorento recalls

Recall 20V-088: Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Feb 14, 2020 · 228,829 vehicles affected · Kia Motors America

Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

Risk: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.

Recall 13V-114: Exterior Lighting

Reported Apr 1, 2013 · 980,377 vehicles affected · Kia Motors Corporation

Problem: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Recall 11V-473: Air Bags

Reported Sep 7, 2011 · 10,631 vehicles affected · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Problem: Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 sorento passenger cars manufactured from june 15, 2006 through november 27, 2007. The front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat or the seat is not occupied. The vehicle's occupant classification system (Ocs), which classifies the occupant in the front passenger seat, may misclassify an adult passenger as a child or child seat and improperly turn off the passenger side air bag. When the air bag is deactivated the "passenger air bag off" light will illuminate on the center instrument panel.

Risk: The passenger side air bag is turned off when the OCS misclassifies an adult passenger. With the front passenger airbag off, the front passenger will not have the protection of the passenger air bags in some frontal collisions, thus increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Fix: Kia will update the programming in the sorento OCS control module at no charge. The recall remedy is currently available under service campaign sc076. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.

Recall 09V-130: Exterior Lighting

Reported Apr 17, 2009 · 139,844 vehicles affected · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Problem: Huyndai-kia is recalling 139,844 my 2006-2007- sedona, sportage, sorento and my rondo and amanti vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released. A stop lamp switch malfunction may also affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature so the transmission shifter would not be able to be shifted out of the park position. It may also cause the electronic stability control (Esc) malfunction light to illuminate, and it may not deactivate the cruise control when the brake pedal is depressed.

Risk: Any of these malfunctions, alone or in combination, may lead to a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on june 17, 2009. Owners may contact kia's consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.

2007 Kia Sorento problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Air Bags61
Electrical System21
Power Train20
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)18
Service Brakes18
Exterior Lighting12
Vehicle Speed Control10
Structure9
Engine7
Engine and Engine Cooling6
Equipment5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5

Most reported parts

  • Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module — 14
  • Air Bags › Frontal — 13
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 9
  • Structure › Body — 5
  • Structure › Body › Door — 3
  • Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 3
  • Tires › Valve — 2
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System — 2

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 56,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2007 Kia Sorento complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Exterior Lighting · reported Oct 30, 2024
I went in to the burlington, wa kia dealership for this recall fix. And after waiting an hour they tell me they don't have the right part. It's now been about a month later and I'm still waiting to hear when the part will be available. I don't think this is ok for a safety issue.
Unknown or Other · reported Nov 9, 2023
The doors were locked by using the button on the driver side of our Kia Sorento. This is performed each time the car is traveling on the road. When the car was parked, the automatic unlock for all the doors worked for both front seat passengers but not the two rear doors. The inside handles for opening the doors on both of the rear passenger doors did not open. Attempting to prior the lock mechanism on both rear doors did not work either thus I was trapped in the back seat of the vehicle. I had to crawl out of the truck of the vehicle to exit. In my opinion, this poses a serious safety concern…
Unknown or Other · reported Aug 9, 2021
I tried to contact the manufacturer to fix the recall but they have told me multiple times they do not have the part to replace or fix.
Service Brakes · at 92,500 miles · reported Oct 25, 2020
I was driving on the highway when my steering wheel became really stiff like I lost power steering. I looked at my dash and had a check engine light, oil light, ABS light, and ESC off light illuminated. I pressed the gas to try to switch lanes as I was in the far left lane and needed to reach the shoulder to figure out what was going on, and the car would not accelerate. I turned my flashers on and was luckily able to make it to the shoulder without causing an accident. When I was on the shoulder I turned the key off and then back on. The check engine light and oil light went away, but the ABS…
Air Bags · at 81,200 miles · reported Oct 15, 2020
The contact owns a 2007 kia sorento. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated as the contact sat in the seat. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 81,200.

Other Kia Sorento years

Compare all Kia Sorento years · All Kia models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2007 Kia Sorento have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2007 Kia Sorento: 20V-088 (electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic), 13V-114 (exterior lighting), 11V-473 (air bags), 09V-130 (exterior lighting). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2007 Kia Sorento?

Owners report air bags problems most often (61 reports), followed by electrical system (21). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 56,000 miles.

Are Kia recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Kia dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.