Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving, a sound of an explosion was heard and the sunroof shattered, the slider of the sunroof was closed so the glass did not enter the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
I took t\he vehicle to a non dealer location to be inspected after having multiple issues with the headlamp assembly being faulty. Upon inspection I was notified by the mechanic on duty that the wiring assembly was actually melting , a manufacturers defect. Because this being a fire hazard he was unable to replace the bulbs for me and said he felt the vehicle was unsafe to drive because it would place myself, my family and others on the highway at risk. He proceeded to show me the problem. This problem has resulted in my having to replace the bulbs five times in the past on the drivers side and at least twice on the passenger side. The dealer had to replace the wiring assembly on the passenger side due to the same problem. Have also provided a picture of the repair note of the problem on the opposite side of the vehicle. …
The dashboard reflects onto the windshield reducing visibilty as the reflections cause distorted vision thru the windshield. This is extremely hazardous on sunny days as the reflections increase depending on the angle of the sun reflecting off the shiny dashboard onto the windshield. Maybe the dashboard should not be coated with such a reflective and shiny material to avoid this issue. In addition, the speed panel has detailed metallic paint around the speedometer and panel info which reflects beams of blinding light from the sun and bright lights into the drivers face while driving. Again, maybe the metallic paint and shiny reflective design should be changed to non-reflective options to avoid blinding the driver. …
Driving on route 55 s in new jersey around 3:00 pm , sunny day between exit 53 a and 53 b windows up sun roof closed and air conditioning on when all of a sudden our sun roof imploded onto my wife and I. We were in the passing lane at that time and had to think quick as to what just happened and proceeded to remove ourselves from the highway and off to the side . We called our insurance company looking for advice on what to do, but they were not able to recommend any so we then called 911 and the operator there contacted someone form njdot who responded to our needs . My wife and I were covered in glass with a few cuts and bruises but nothing to serious compared to losing control of your vehicle and creating a nightmare for potentially many others and ourselves . …
While on vacation in new Mexico, we were driving on I-40 when we heard a deafening boom and realized the sunroof had spontaneously burst and the armatures and mechanism that control the opening and closing of the sunroof had detached from the car. There were no other vehicles behind, beside, or in front of our vehicle at the time of the incident. We were following the posted speed limit and the weather was cloudy. When the glass burst, the inside slide cover vibrated violently and began to open. Both my husband and I had to hold the cover closed with our hands to avoid falling glass until we could safely pull off the road to examine the damage. After pulling into a rest stop a few miles down the road, it began to rain. We had to drive 13 miles to the nearest town, while holding the inside cover closed with our hands, in order to buy supplies to secure the sunroof opening. …
Driving down I-20 west (1.5 miles from I-45 south exit) at 70mph on a clear day, on open road with minimal traffic (no overpasses, no vehicles directly in front of me, etc.). My children and I heard an explosion and I looked in my review mirror to see glass pouring off of my back window. My sunroof had exploded for no apparent reason. I called Kia customer assistance & received a case number and was told "do not make repairs until you are contacted by a representative". I received a msg from my "case worker" and have attempted to return her call every day by leaving messages and calling multiple times with no success. I even called 15 times in one day (every 20-30 mins) with no answered calls and no returned calls.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact heard an abnormally loud popping sound and noticed that the sun roof had exploded. The contact stated that the sun roof was not impacted by a foreign object or debris. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to safelite auto glass where the fractured sun roof was removed and plastic was taped to the roof of the vehicle. Sands Kia (13474 n autoshow ave, surprise, az 85388, [phone]) was contacted by phone and informed of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, there was a loud pop from the sun roof exploding. The sun roof had shards of glass protruding and needed to be secured. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was temporarily repaired with cardboard but the repair failed. The vehicle was then taken to a second dealer for the same temporary repair. The failure mileage was approximately 35,582.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. While driving 67 MPH with the sun roof closed, the sun roof fractured. Glass and debris fell into the vehicle. The contact was not injured. Ricart Kia (4255 s hamilton rd #210, groveport, oh 43125, [phone]) was notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. While driving 70 MPH, the panoramic sun roof fractured and exploded outward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be inspected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.
NHTSA investigations
Panoramic Sunroof Breakage
On October 21, 2013 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-035 in order to further examine claims that the sunroof would spontaneously break on 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles.The majority of these claims occurred while the vehicle was in motion.Glass shattering while driving may distract the driver, and the resulting glass particles which enter the passenger compartment may injure occupants.To date,…
Panoramic Glass Sunroof Breakage
The investigation focused on spontaneous breakage (fracture) of the panoramic sunroof (sunroof) on MY 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles. The sunroof is constructed of tempered glass (often referred to as ?safety glass?), which, when broken, crumbles into granular chunks rather than splintering into jagged shards.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2013 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2013 Kia Sorento, 3% of the model year's 982 complaints. The component named most often is sun/moon roof assembly (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Kia Sorento window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof 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 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 32,000 miles, and 41% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 6 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.