Worst 2008 Kia Sorento Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Airbags
Electronic Stability Control
Engine Problems
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Kia Sorento.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 48 | 10 | — | 89,485 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 44 | 1 | 1 | 58,853 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 35 | — | 3 | 88,439 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 30 | 1 | 5 | 70,344 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 28 | 3 | — | 72,231 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 19 | 1 | — | 58,703 mi | |
| Brakes | 17 | 2 | 1 | 64,394 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 13 | — | — | 4,300 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 13 | — | — | 71,633 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 8 | — | — | 60,164 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 6 | — | — | 15,594 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 6 | — | — | 30,841 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 6 | 1 | — | 77,034 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 5 | — | — | 146,250 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 3 | — | 1 | — | |
| Tire Defects | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Kia Sorento. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 Kia Sorento
3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,219,837 vehicles.
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.
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.
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.
Other Kia Sorento Years
2008 Kia Sorento — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2008 Kia Sorento reliable?
What are common problems with the 2008 Kia Sorento?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Kia Sorento?
How safe is the 2008 Kia Sorento?
Does the 2008 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2008 Kia Sorento?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Kia Sorento reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Kia Sorento
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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