Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2022 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2019 | 4 | 1% | 56,000 miles |
| 2018 | 1 | 0% | 67,000 miles |
| 2017 | 3 | 0% | 3,000 miles |
| 2016 | 6 | 0% | 0 miles |
| 2015 | 5 | 1% | 72,000 miles |
| 2014 | 11 | 1% | 103,000 miles |
| 2013 | 33 | 3% | 64,000 miles |
| 2012 | 15 | 2% | 82,000 miles |
| 2011 | 21 | 1% | 73,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 5% | 37,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 0% | 85,000 miles |
| 2007 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2006 | 5 | 2% | 105,000 miles |
| 2005 | 8 | 3% | 50,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 0% | 2,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My Vehicle was stolen from my residential home. My window was buss out and they stole my vehicle. After over two weeks my vehicle was finally retrieved by the police and city of Milwaukee tow lot. I was told by financing company as well as police department to go get pictures of vehicle as reported from tow company that my vehicle was completely totaled out. I went and retrieved pictures seeing that my car was totaled. With this being said i don't have a vehicle for me or my children to be able to get to work and or school and daycare. I don't know what I'm going to do with trying to not jeopardize my job with getting to work. So I'm writing this so that KIA company can be held accountable for not recalling these vehicles and putting me and my children during this pandemic at risk of losing everything home, job and more.
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the front passenger's seat was not able to move forward or backward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was started and running, the air conditioner failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the front passenger's seat was moldy, and the sunroof had seized. Additionally, the sunroof headliner fell while changing lanes. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the result was not provided. The windshield washer, the sunroof assembly, the reservoir pump, and the front axle seal assembly were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the issue would be escalated to the corporate level and the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.
The front seat head rests push the head way too far forward and actually hurt my neck/shoulders when driving. Manual says some models have fore-aft adjustable headrest. Unfortunately mine do not, as I found out well after I purchased the SUV. Did see same item in online discussions. My fix as suggested in online forum, was to turn the headrest around backwards. At least that prevented from the extreme head forward position, but also had to strap an additional cushion so that it was not too far back, as when you turn backwards it goes extremely far back. This is a known online issue and Kia should supply a proper adjustable headrest as this would be a safety issue in an accident.
My front driver seat slips out of recline position to another position on its own Had engine replaced, got car back, made humming noise, took back to dealer, could not find noise, car still makes noise and now there's seems to be louder noise coming from steering or front suspension while car is driven, dealer claims with no extension of warranty and over 60,000 miles, any work for this issue with steering/suspension is not covered, this was not an issue before engine was replaced under the engine recall
My heated seats stopped working when my new engine was installed and I took it to the dealership and they never fix it and charged me 200.00 and then my air and heat keeps coming on and off then I got my new engine installed
Subject: Urgent: Structural Failure of Driver Seat Component - 2015 Kia Sorento I am writing to report a serious structural failure in the driver seat of my 2015 Kia Sorento. While driving under normal conditions, the torsion tube under the driver's seat snapped, causing the seat to become unstable and compromising my safety. This part is labeled: "4 Way Manual" Johnson Controls, Inc., Holland, MI Markings: [redacted] &&[redacted] and [redacted] This torsion tube is a core part of the seat structure and should not fail under normal use. The failure occurred with no warning and while the vehicle was in motion.
Tl* the contact owned a 2015 Kia Sorento. While the contact's vehicle was at a complete stop at a red light, another vehicle failed to stop and rear ended the contact's vehicle. The crash pushed the contact's vehicle into the intersection. The driver's seat separated from the base and caused the driver's seat to move backwards and forward, causing the driver's body to strike the rear passenger and driver's seat railings, the driver's window, driver's door, and dashboard. The driver suffered injuries to the neck, head, and face. The contact was seated in the front passenger seat and suffered seat belt bruises and lower back pain. The driver and passenger side air bags failed to deploy. The driver required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a collision shop. A police report was filed. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. …
Related recalls (1)
Seats
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as designed in the event of a rear-end collision.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds and replace the driver seatback frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 9, 2016.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sorento years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (33), 2011 (21), 2012 (15), 2014 (11) and 2005 (8) model years. Seat complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Kia Sorento seat problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 16V-770 (seats, Oct 24, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Kia Sorento seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › recliner (2 mentions), followed by the front assembly › power adjust (2).
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.