Most common 2007 Kia Sorento problems
Share of the 154 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Sorento complaints by model year
Best Sorento years: 2020, 2018, 2024. Years to avoid: 2011, 2016, 2017, 2013, 2014. Compare all years →
2007 Kia Sorento recalls (4)
Electrical system
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.
Remedy: 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.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
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.
Remedy: 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.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
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…
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2007 Kia Sorento:
AIR BAG OCS
Kia reports that for vehicles built prior to the software update of 11/27/2007, the vehicles can improperly classify an adult as a child restraint seat and thus illuminate the airbag off warning light and suppress the frontal passenger airbag.on May 12, 2009, Kia launched a technical service bulletin (sb076) campaign to re-flash all vehicles built prior to the 11/27/2007 production date.Kia also believes that…
Air Bag Occupant Classification System
The Sorento's front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is seated 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.But the Sorento has misclassified adults sitting in the passenger seat.This causes…
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003.
What 2007 Kia Sorento owners say
Air bags all 58 →
Tl contact owns a 2007 Kia Sorento. Three days after purchasing the vehicle, the air bag light illuminated, which indicated that the passenger side air bag was deactivated. While driving between 40-45 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. When the vehicle is stopped at a stop sign or a red light, the exterior lights shut off. The contact has had to strike the dashboard in order to get the air conditioning to work. In addition, none of the windows will roll down. The blinkers, turn signal, and cruise control do not work. After owning the vehicle for ten months, the alternator had to be replaced and it currently needs to be replaced again. The rails to step up into the vehicle had to be replaced twice. During a crash with a deer, both the driver's and passenger side air bags failed to deployed and the seat belts did not work. As a result, the passenger sustained a broken arm. …
Tla* the contact owns a 2007 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, it began to rain heavily and the vehicle suddenly hydro-planed. The consumer regained control of the vehicle, but it hydro -planed again and the vehicle hit an embankment with the front bumper spinning the vehicle around. The vehicle then rolled over four-six times, before landing in a ditch. Both rear seat belts became unlatched independently and the air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact sustained bruises, scrapes and lacerations to the shoulder area. Two rear passengers also sustained lacerations. Another passenger suffered from a concussion and a bruised kidney. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage center. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. …
Brakes all 24 →
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V088000 (electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle decelerate. The contact stated she depressed the brake pedal however the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact also stated she saw smoke exiting the hood. The contact stated a sheriff was on the scene to assist her and he opened the hood and more smoke was seen however, no flames were seen. The vehicle was towed to Kia of vacaville (651 orange dr, vacaville, ca 95687; [phone]), where it was diagnosed with a cracked radiator that needs to be replaced. …
Electrical system all 21 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V088000 (electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle decelerate. The contact stated she depressed the brake pedal however the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact also stated she saw smoke exiting the hood. The contact stated a sheriff was on the scene to assist her and he opened the hood and more smoke was seen however, no flames were seen. The vehicle was towed to Kia of vacaville (651 orange dr, vacaville, ca 95687; [phone]), where it was diagnosed with a cracked radiator that needs to be replaced. …
While the vehicle was sitting, not running, the car began to smoke from the drivers side engine compartment and under the dash. The smoke got much worse and the heat from the source was growing. After opening the hood and disconnecting the positive terminal on the battery the smoke slowed and eventually stopped all together. Note - the car was parked and the engine was not running. Also the car was, and had been sitting since the night before and the engine was cold to the touch when the electrical fire transpired. Note: the locations that were bellowing smoke were hot to the touch and the smoke was black and gray. The inside of the cab had filled up with smoke as well and had a strange new odor that is unpleasant to say the least. Over all the car did not catch full fire and the damage is not visible to the eye. The enteral unseen damage May be significant. …
2007 Kia Sorento engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 22 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2007 Kia Sorento a good car?
Based on 154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2007 Sorento rates better than average: 82% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Sorento at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2007 Kia Sorento?
The air bags — 58 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › sensor/control module. Next are the brakes (24) and electrical system (21).
How many recalls does the 2007 Kia Sorento have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2007 Kia Sorento, the most recent from February 14, 2020 (electrical system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Sorento?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2018 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2016, 2017, 2013 and 2014. See the full Kia Sorento years comparison.
At what mileage do 2007 Kia Sorento problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 56,000 miles; 46% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.