YearToAvoid

2008 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

35/100

#14 most-complained of 21 Sorento years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Kia Sorento has 217 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 35 out of 100 — #14 highest of 21 Sorento model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is brakes (68 complaints, 31% of the total). Complaints report 15 crashes, 9 fires, 17 injuries, and 3 deaths.

Complaints
217
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
15 / 9
Injuries / deaths
17 / 3
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15 city / 21.5 hwy

Top 2008 Kia Sorento problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes68 (31%)
  2. Airbags66 (30%)
  3. Engine66 (30%)
  4. Electrical System41 (19%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain23 (11%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires13 (6%)
  7. Other12 (6%)
  8. Fuel System5 (2%)
  9. Steering5 (2%)
  10. Structure & Body3 (1%)
2008 Kia Sorento complaints: complaints filed per quarter322007 Q42009 Q42011 Q42013 Q42015 Q42017 Q42020 Q22022 Q2
305 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q3 (32).

2008 Kia Sorento recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V088000Feb 14, 2020Brakes228,829 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

    Risk: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.

  2. NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

  3. NHTSA 11V473000Sep 7, 2011Airbags10,631 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 sorento passenger cars manufactured from june 15, 2006 through november 27, 2007. The front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat or the seat is not occupied. The vehicle's occupant classification system (ocs), which classifies the occupant in the front passenger seat, may misclassify an adult passenger as a child or child seat and improperly turn off the passenger side air bag. When the air bag is deactivated the "passenger air bag off" light will illuminate on the center instrument panel.

    Risk: The passenger side air bag is turned off when the ocs misclassifies an adult passenger. With the front passenger airbag off, the front passenger will not have the protection of the passenger air bags in some frontal collisions, thus increasing the risk of occupant injury.

    Remedy: Kia will update the programming in the sorento ocs control module at no charge. The recall remedy is currently available under service campaign sc076. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.

2008 Kia Sorento fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
21.5 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other Sorento years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Good20242116
2007Good10154417
2008Good35217317
2009Good555217
2010No verdict031—

All Kia Sorento years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Kia Sorento a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Kia Sorento ranks #14 of 21 among Sorento model years (Complaint Index 35/100, verdict: Good). It has 217 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Kia Sorento?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (68 complaints), airbags (66 complaints), and engine (66 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 57,027 miles.
Does the 2008 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2008 Kia Sorento, most recently reported 2020, covering brakes, electrical system, and airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Kia Sorento?
EPA rates the 2008 Kia Sorento at 17 MPG combined (15 city / 21.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.