Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dear Kia, 1st of all I Love my Kia Sorrento. The only problem I have is that the original paint is peeling off the vehicle. Now my car is 8 yrs old and the original paint is starting to peel and the metal is showing, on the passenger side of the front windshield. Now to me it seems that the original paint that was used for my car must have a defect. When, have you heard of the original paint peeling from the vehicle to where the metal is showing, that does not happened unless the paint is faulty I have 2002 dodge caravan (White) and that has never happened, I also have a 2004 ford truck 150 (White) and that has never happened. As you can see how old these vehicles are and their original paint of the automobiles is still there. Now I know it's the original paint, but if you need for me to take it to a Kia expert I will so they can analyze it. …
My 2013 Kia Sorento SX (Paint Color: Pearl White) began to to peel pain around August 2021 with around 90,000 miles on the car. I am the original owner and it has been kept in the garage most of the time. The paint peeling happened rapidly on the painted section between the Windshield and Sunroof. I Googled the issue and apparently it is widespread since 2011 on a lot of Kia and Hyundai models especially with Pear White paint. I took it to a Kia dealer who referred me to their paint contractor (Dent Magic) co-located with them. I spoke with the team and asked for an estimated. As soon as the estimator saw it he said "Oh yes the is paint delamination, it was pretty wide spread on the vehicles a few years back. I am surprised yours took so long to peel. It was likely because you have garage kept it and it looks like you keep it in great condition. …
The paint on my roof is chipping and peeling. I purchased the vehicle used with 65K miles. After about a year, 12K miles I noticed some small chipping just above the windshield. I assumed it was normal road debris causing it. Then the paint started to peel back. Just recently a patch about 8" x 6" peeled off. There are other concerned KIA owners suffering the same issues. Now small areas of where the paint chipped/peeled off is starting to rust. The color of the vehicle is Pearl White, which is the most common KIA paint to chip or peel. I purchased a 3 year extended warranty when I bought the car. The dealer I purchased the vehicle from was not a KIA dealer so may not have known about the peeling paint issue with the Sorento and Pearl White paint.
I own a 2013 Kia Sorento with 39,000 miles on it. It has Pearl White paint that is rapidly peeling off. It started peeling around a year and half ago when mileage was around 34,000 miles. I have contacted KIA Consumer Assistance Center and they asked for 2 estimates to repair the paint problem. When received they the estimates they said it's out of warranty and refused any responsibility for the defective paint. Kia has sent me extended warranties on the Engine, Air bags and other items. I assume the only reason for extra warranties is that the car was built with unreliable parts. The paint is a big item that Kia should stand behind with some type of warranty. It too is defective to where it just peels off. This makes the car worthless.
I took my Sorento to an automotive center because the paint is peeling off on 2 areas and I wanted to have it painted. I was told there's a problem with the primer that was used by Kia. They said the same problem is happening with other manufacturers such as Toyota and possibly Hyundai and those companies have a recall on their vehicles. He told me to check for a recall but I see there isn't one yet. I checked some Kia Sorento reviews and there are several Kia owners who are having the same issue. So I wanted to make you aware of the problem and hopefully with enough vehicles with the same problem a recall will be issued. I attached photos. Thank you!
I was sitting in my car before work as I always do. It was running but it was parked. All of a sudden I hear a huge bang that sounds like a shotgun blast. I jump and duck thinking someone is shooting a gun at my car. I then see little shards of glass all over my windshield. I exit my vehicle and see that my sunroof is completely shattered. In the pictures it's clear it wasn't from a point of impact (nothing hit my car). Luckily my shield was pulled so no glass got on me and I wasn't driving. This could have caused me to crash with how loud the boom was. I see online that there's been several instances of this happening with no recall.
When attempting to open the driver's side passenger door, the door handle came completely off the car. I therefore could not get my grandchild out of the car from that side and had to crawl over through the passenger side rear door to get her out. Apparently, this is a common problem because when I called a repair shop to ask what it would cost to replace, they told me they do these all the time and yes, it's a common problem. Found many complaints on line also. This is a dangerous situation. If there was an emergency to get someone out of a car on that side quickly you could not do it. Very disappointed in this cheap plastic handle.
Car shuts down in the middle of driving and cannot idle. Had transmission 1x lat year and battery replaced 2x. Even after repairs car randomly does this. I have taken it to shops several times but no one knows what the problem is.... When it randomly chooses to do it, I cannot accelerate, and the car power will go out in the middle of driving decreasing the speed dramatically. Right after it does it the car will stop and turn off like it has a dead battery, except it turns right back on. All of the check engine lights on the inside start to going on.... check engine, battery, oil, tire traction etc....
Exterior paint is rapidly falling off the car, to the degree that the outer paint will completely delaminate. It appears to be a serious manufacturing defect, as the car has been properly cared for, and the peeling has nothing to do with scratches, dents or other abrasions. The peeling paint is accessible to children, including my own, who could easily get it on their hands and ingest, making it a major hazard. I've taken it to two auto body shops, who refuse to touch up the peeling areas, because they insist that the only fix is a complete paint strip and repainting of the entire car.
I own a 2013 Kia Sorento with Pearl White paint. It started peeling huge chunks of paint off of the top of my car. There is no reason the paint should just be peeling off, often in huge peeling strips. I am aware of other makes and models with this paint around my production year that have had recalls to fix this defective paint. I believe Kia should be included in this recall. I have included pictures, the last picture is of three average size paint chunks that are coming off daily.
Body complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2013 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 91 complaints about the body & structure of the 2013 Kia Sorento, 9% of the model year's 982 complaints. The component named most often is body (85 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Kia Sorento body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2013 Kia Sorento, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Kia Sorento body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.