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 2015 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was on the highway with my family, when we started to smell smoke,and the car began to slow down I proceeded to get off the highway to pull over to the side the of the road oil light came on and some more signal came on .so my son told me to open the hood it was dark so I could not find the latch so he bent his head down and that's when he seen fire he told everyone to get out the car.!,,,and we got away from the car that's when the whole car blew up.very dramatic night in which I had my grand babies,the fire fighter believes it was electric all,my insurance I missed my payment day..so I had no insurance and I have no car.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was an auction sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 20,19,4 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 20,735.
On June 23rd my 2015 Kia Sorento with a 3.3 l engine V6 started making noises and I called a dealership and they asked if it sounded like knocking noises and I said no it sounded more like exhaust noise within an hour my car was losing power it was idling very rough and I took it into the dealership and they said that I need ed an entire new engine. However I had been in there on June 14th and they told me that my oil level was good and there were no leaks but on June 23rd suddenly I had 0 oil in my engine and they were claiming that it was my issue however it is The exact issue that Kia has had with this model and make but different engine. …
traveling back from Panama City Beach, on 10/14/2022 Florida with a destination of [redacted]. At approximately 2:15pm, I had to pull off on the median of interstate 65 North bound at mile marker 123 in Greenville, Alabama due to mechanical failure of my 2015 Kia Sorento. The vehicle was smoking/caught fire and had become inoperable. I had my kids get out A.S.A.P. A good citizen called for help. Two Law enforcement cars and a fire engine arrived. Due to the trauma it caused on my kids a police officer provided transportation for us to the Quality Inn Hotel in Greenville, Alabama. Later that evening we ordered a pizza from Papa John's for something to eat (receipt information included along with bank transaction page). We attempted to leave Greenville, Alabama and return home in a rental car while repairs were done to the Kia. …
Check engine light started coming on at about 39,000. miles took to local mechanic who preformed lots of repairs and called Kia for information concerning engine issue. Received notice of recall from Kia on the HECU -instructing me to park truck away from home due to fire. Check engine light back on again at 41,000 miles, took to dealership where they replaced the HECU and fuel pump and fuel lines. Picked up truck and noticed when braking the truck shook all over and seem to almost stall when taking off. Check engine was back on and the alert of the system telling me I had an engine failure. Took truck back next day, again repairs of the PVB valve was done. Someone drove the truck of 180 miles on a check engine light and unplugged the battery. Got truck back and within 10 minutes the check engine light was back on and the system telling me engine failure and truck was unsafe to drive. …
Driving at night on an unlit rural road with the high beam lights engaged, a car was coming in the opposite direction, at which point the headlights were switched to low-beams to not impact the visibility of that driver. The headlights and lighting of the cluster turned completely off for a few moments before the low-beam headlights re-engaged and remained on for the remainder of the trip. The headlights throughout the trip were turned on by having the auto function engaged. This has happened a few times before, but the possibility of having reduced/no vision while driving prompted taking it to a mechanic to be checked out. The issue has not been replicated by a mechanic, and to date has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. …
I parked my car and it was sitting for about an hour I came back to the car and heard a humming noise found that weird but I had to drive home about 10 mins later I parked car, sound was still going even while car was off. So I thought to let it sit for another while. Came back to car sound was still on I started car and the abs, traction, & brake light came on and not even 2 mins later my car starts smoking. So immediately I shut it off and have to leave my car parked in another city because I didn't want to risk driving it home. Fast forward to next day. I got to my car and notice the speedometer had went out. i called Kia because I read about the HECU ABS recall. …
This is a continuing problem. I have previously reported this issue to KIA and it has fallen in silent ears. For whatever reason my vehicle has been bone dry of oil. There is no warning that the oil is low. No indicator comes on., nothing! This can happen immediately after an oil change. The oil does not leak on the ground and it is known where the oil goes. The only way I know that there's is no oil is that the car smells as though something is burning. I have spent hundreds of dollars in oil trying to keep up with when it dry's out. Also, the rear brake light (right) burns out at least twice a month. At one point the light burned into the housing unit and had to be pulled out with needle nose pliers. I have again spent a lot of money on replacing bulbs. This car is extremely unsafe and I feel at anytime the car will catch on fire.
My vehicle was stuck in park. I noted that module 2 fuse was blown. I replaced the fuse and smelled smoke. I took my Sorento in to the local KIA dealership for diagnosis. It was determined by a technician that the headlight level sensor and harness pigtail were both significantly melted. It was suggested by the tech to remove the level sensor and that has created a safety issue with the headlights pointing significantly low. The level sensor or headlight leveling system and harness connection are a potential fire hazard and if the component fails, this creates an additional unsafe driving condition with the headlights aiming low.
almost all of my tire/brake lights are on my dash, dealership said its the speed sensors in my back tires. A week later (with those lights still on) my parking brake light came on while driving and started a dinging noise, parked turned it off and back on the noise had stopped but all lights were still on. dealership said speed sensors arent a serious issue to fix, however, my UVO diagnostics says its my ABS/EBS system. Ive already had a blown engine and now have a lifetime warranty but, they are picking and choosing whats covered and what isnt.
Electrical complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2015 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the electrical system of the 2015 Kia Sorento, 8% of the model year's 754 complaints. The component named most often is instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Kia Sorento electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2015 Kia Sorento, though it has 3 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 2015 Kia Sorento electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires and 0 injuries 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.