YearToAvoid

2009 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

5/100

#20 most-complained of 21 Sorento years

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

The 2009 Kia Sorento has 55 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 5 out of 100 — #20 highest of 21 Sorento model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (21 complaints, 38% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes, 1 fire, and 3 injuries.

Complaints
55
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
2 / 1
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15 city / 21.5 hwy

Top 2009 Kia Sorento problems

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

  1. Airbags21 (38%)
  2. Brakes15 (27%)
  3. Electrical System14 (25%)
  4. Engine9 (16%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain9 (16%)
  6. Structure & Body4 (7%)
  7. Other3 (5%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (2%)
2009 Kia Sorento complaints: complaints filed per month4Jul 2009Oct 2010Jan 2012Sep 2013May 2015Nov 2016May 2019Mar 2022
76 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2009 to Jan 2026; peak Mar 2010 (4).

2009 Kia Sorento recalls

2 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.

2009 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.

2009 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
2007Good10154417
2008Good35217317
2009Good555217
2010No verdict031—
2011Avoid1001,517722

All Kia Sorento years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Kia Sorento a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Kia Sorento ranks #20 of 21 among Sorento model years (Complaint Index 5/100, verdict: Good). It has 55 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Kia Sorento?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (21 complaints), brakes (15 complaints), and electrical system (14 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 43,225 miles.
Does the 2009 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2009 Kia Sorento, most recently reported 2020, covering brakes and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Kia Sorento?
EPA rates the 2009 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.