Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My 2008 Kia Sorento parked inside a garage for 2 days, not running, not idling, without the key in the ignition, all of a sudden cut fire by itself, consuming the entire engine compartment and part of the front seat, and also caused substantial damage to the the garage. Filed a claim with Kia which denied responsibilities. The incident occurred in December 26, 2025, and was waiting for Kia decision before further action
I bought my sorento used and the airbag light is lit on the front dash in both where the guages are and under the stereo. It doesnt matter if someone is in the seat or not. I found that there was a recall years ago so when i called Kia they told me that my vehicle had been repaired and I told them it must not have been or the repair didnt work. They then told me the date of repair. Crazy thing is they were saying it had been repaired a year before the recall was announced. I said really. Knowing Kia aint gonna pay for a repair that hadnt been part of a recall yet. Now with the newest recall its saying the brakelights might not come on when applied. But with my Sorento the brakelights wont turn off. No matter what you do even when you take the key out and lock the doors, the brakelights remain on. Right when this started the ESC OFF light on the dash came on. …
Even after having the ESC and relay box replaced the vehicle has become much worse. It's shuts down my accelerator pedal and won't move I have to shut it off completely for it to reset its extremely unsafe and is now affecting my job. And the ability to take car of my son. And Kia wants to charge me $200 plus for a diagnosis when it clearly keeps shutting down the vehicle and the esc off light is on. I even replaced the accelerator pedal assembly $180 and it did not fix the problem please help. Also this has been an on going issue since August 2020 and even after running diagnostic on it. I keep getting the run around from everyone stating a different issue each time.
Sunday sept 9th at around 9 - 9:30 am I smelled smoke and walked around the house and smelled that it was coming from the garage. When I opened the door I saw flames underneath the car and smoke and fire on top of the hood. I called the palm bay fire department when they got there they put the hose on the car until the fire was out they had to cut the hood in order to finish putting out the fire. They fire marshall came and inspected the vehicle it could have been an electrical problem. When I called Kia customer service they gave me a claim number and they told me what would you like Kia do for you . The customer service agent said they will give the claim to the right department and they will get back to me in 3 to 5 business days. This happened while the car was parked in the garage and it hadn't been turned on since Friday . …
On 01/24/2019 at approximately around 6:00 I was attempting to make a u turn on e. Bearess ave in front of mort elem school in tampa fla when my 2008 Kia Sorento cut off then could nt get it to come as I was turning the key so I had and officer behind help me push it out the road as got it let the hood up we notice it was on fire on the driver side fire department was dispatched they came out assess the damage took pictures and ruled out fjre due to electrical problems they unhooked the battery to prevent further fire VIN# is. ([redacted]) can provide fire report bur not at the moment parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 U.S.c. 552(b)(6)
I drove my 08 Kia Sorento home at about 730 am. I work night shift and went to sleep and was woken up at 945 by ems to my car up in flames. It was showing no signs of any problems, not running hot, nothing. It was parked for about an hour when it went up in flames. The fire chief was on the truck that day as he had orientee's, and said the fire started behind the steering wheel/dash and that it was an electrical engine fire which is stated on my fire report. I contacted Kia they told me it was no way it was their problem and had to be a user error. I have photos but my computer would not let me upload them for a reason.
I was in an auto accident 8/18/17 tossed back and forth like a rag doll my air bag didn't deploy on impact until the 4th time and I was knock out unconscious. Don't recall my seat belt worked I recall being tossed back and forth back and forth and took my last breath. This is my 3 time doing this. It was moving I was hit in an accident.
My 2008 Kia Sorento has had numerous instances of the rear taillight/signallight failing to operate correctly. The vehicle does have a recall on this issue for which it was taken in for service and the dealership has since worked on the vehicle to remedy the situation a number of times. They have said and noted that in a prior visit they replaced the stoplight switch. However the problem continues and I have been cited a number of times with a warning for law enforcement. Attached is one of the receipts from the dealership noting the recall and problem. Now, the dealership is insisting that we should pay for the latest attempt to correct the problem, although the issue has never been fixed without a recurrence of the issue. The rear taillight/signal light fails to illuminate.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 4 MPH, the vehicle overheated without warning. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V088000 (electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to napleton's northlake Kia (3626 northlake blvd, palm beach gardens, fl 33403, [phone]) where the contact was informed that the remedy was not available. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 174,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 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 vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the remedy was not available. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently on several occasions. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Related recalls
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.
Electrical complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Kia Sorento, 15% of the model year's 217 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Kia Sorento electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-088 (electrical system, Feb 14, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Kia Sorento electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 5 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.