Traction Control complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2017 | 4 | 0% | 62,000 miles |
| 2016 | 9 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 8 | 1% | 72,000 miles |
| 2014 | 11 | 1% | 79,000 miles |
| 2013 | 8 | 1% | 79,000 miles |
| 2012 | 12 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2011 | 24 | 2% | 66,000 miles |
| 2009 | 8 | 15% | 66,000 miles |
| 2008 | 44 | 20% | 51,000 miles |
| 2007 | 18 | 12% | 93,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 1% | 119,000 miles |
| 2005 | 1 | 0% | 115,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 1% | 100,000 miles |
| 2003 | 1 | 0% | 120,000 miles |
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
1 week after purchasing my 2017 Kia Sorento fe AWD from rochester tom kadlec Kia in August 2019, I went to use my cruise control and it wouldn't set. "cruise" came on, but could not be set to my speed. Issue happened around 1-2 times a week on 45 mile commute on highway. Later on about a month later, I set my cruise control and once set, the speed began to climb. Starting at 65, and going up to 70 before I had to use my brakes to turn cruise control off as the buttons didn't work. On dec 16th, my car showed a check engine light then stalled after putting it into drive from reverse. I turned the car off, then back on and drove "normally". …
On 3/24/2019, our 2017 Kia sorrento with 30K miles on completely shut down on the freeway. All lights went on and off, the car shook from side to side and the car shut down we lost steering and power brakes while we were going 70mph on the freeway. Luckily we were able to get to the side of the freeway. This happened 2 more times and then we had the car towed to a dealership for service. This could have easily caused a life threatening car accident and we no longer feel safe driving this Kia. Now the service dealer is not able to replicate this incident which has happened to others we are reading about so then the dealership says, "no issue." this car has been recalled for this exact issue (although not our VIN apparently). This is our first and last experience with the Kia - very disappointing. …
Sparks coming from battery box, lights in dash go off and on can not acceleration and back axle is loose. I bought this used in dothan Kia last yr. The car just went down past 2 months. Can't drive my expensive car
Traction control - our vehicle has sustained two incidents involving the traction control system. The first incident involved the traction control light on the dash illuminated intermittently while the vehicle was moving. The vehicle was turned off then back on the light would go off. The dealership evaluated the problem but could not duplicate the incident. Several months later, the vehicle was in motion at approximately 25-30 MPH, in a residential neighborhood, in a moderate right hand turn, and the traction light came on during the turn. The vehicle became uncontrollable when the vehicle steered towards the right and forced us to strike a curb causing steering and wheel damage. The vehicle was take again to the dealership and the manufacturer was contacted. …
The wipers and headlights would randomly come in and out of working conditions. You don't know when wipers are working until it starts raining so it was very dangerous. We had to pull over and either wait for the rain to stop or wait until the wipers started working again. The backup camera also comes in and out. You can see the screen warning you to be careful but the camera itself is absent. The door handle fell off onto the floor with no prior warning. No one hit it or anything. We opened the backseat in front of our home then drove to the airport and tried to open it again and it fell off onto the ground. The top of the door handle and parts inside that make the handle work. And now most recently our ac is not working properly coming in and out of proper function, nor are our headlights working again. …
Wheel speed sensor, ABS sensor, and TPMS sensor gave out at 56K. Got in one day and it said I was doing 140 while parked. Before I got to my destination, the ABS, TCS, and TPMS lights were on. Car was used and well taken care of. If everything wasn't built into the wheel hub, it would be a relatively easy fix. Instead I now have to drive my Sorento with no TCS, ABS, or know if a tire is low/flat because a quoted cost of repair was close to 1200 dollars. Nobody has 1200 to get it fixed. After looking at online forums, it seems to be common with 2013-2015 Sorento to have anything ABS/TCS related go south. Car drives like a dream, only wish it didn't take 2 months rent to feel safe.
I was driving 70 MPH down highway when car shutdown and sterling locked, unable to control vehicle. Come to find out next few days it was the accelator that caused it. I had no control and almost got killed by a 18 wheeler driving in next lane.
Hello, I am writing here since I did not receive for online access. My situation is related to my 2014 Kia ​​Sorento vehicle,VIN # [redacted] it is presenting failure indicators related to 4 recalls reported by the federal department of transportation to correct whether it is replaced or repaired. I contacted Kia de aguadilla puerto rico presenting the situation, they indicated that the vehicle was inspected for 2014 and that at that time it did not present any type of problems and that by the VIN #. My vehicle is obviously one of the units referred to by the recall and according to the information the vehicle that meets the specifications of the make, model and year must be inspected by certified Kia mechanics. In the telephone conversation they indicated that the cost of the inspection starts at $ 65 depending on the type of problem. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sorento years have traction control problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (44), 2011 (24), 2007 (18), 2012 (12) and 2014 (11) model years. Traction Control complaints make up 20% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Kia Sorento traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for any Kia Sorento model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Kia Sorento traction control problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles; 31% happened before 50,000 miles.
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.