YearToAvoid

2012 Kia Sorento Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 81 airbag complaints for the 2012 Kia Sorento, 9% of that year's 880 total complaints, with 9 crashes and 12 injuries reported. No related recalls are listed for this component on this year. Median mileage at failure was 97,000.

Airbags complaints
81
9% of 880
Crashes reported
9
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
12
Median mileage
97,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the airbags failed to deploy during side-impact and rear-impact collisions, sometimes resulting in injuries requiring hospital transport.
  • Several complaints describe curtain airbags on the rear passenger side not deploying when the vehicle was struck in that area.
  • Some drivers report the airbag warning light staying illuminated, later diagnosed as a faulty clock spring.
  • Owners describe crashes where airbags did not deploy even after being struck head-on or at moderate speed by another vehicle.
  • One report mentions a Takata recall reference tied to a crash where the vehicle pulled to the side before impact.

When 2012 Kia Sorento airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 1, 2012, latest Sep 14, 2026.

2012 Kia Sorento airbags complaints: complaints filed per quarter72012 Q12015 Q42017 Q32018 Q42020 Q12021 Q22023 Q22026 Q3
81 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q3 (7).

Airbags recalls for the 2012 Kia Sorento

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Airbags complaints by Sorento model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20101 (33%)
  2. 2011183 (12%)
  3. 201281 (9%)
  4. 201360 (6%)
  5. 201451 (5%)
  6. 201530 (4%)
  7. 201616 (1%)
  8. 201714 (2%)
  9. 201810 (4%)
  10. 20195 (1%)
  11. 20204 (3%)
  12. 20214 (2%)
  13. 20221 (1%)
  14. 20230 (0%)
  15. 20242 (5%)
  16. 20253 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA lists 81 airbag complaints for the 2012 Kia Sorento, which is 9% of the 880 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2012 Kia Sorento?
No related recalls are listed in this data for the airbag component on the 2012 Kia Sorento, though one owner complaint references a Takata recall.
Did the 2012 Kia Sorento airbag problems cause injuries?
Yes, NHTSA data shows 12 injuries and 9 crashes tied to airbag complaints for the 2012 Kia Sorento, along with 1 fire.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically appear on the 2012 Sorento?
The median mileage at failure for airbag-related complaints on the 2012 Kia Sorento is 97,000 miles.
How does the 2012 Sorento compare to other years for airbag complaints?
The 2012 model year had 81 airbag complaints (9% share), lower than 2011's 183 complaints (12% share) but higher than most later model years like 2016 through 2022.

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.