YearToAvoid

2012 Kia Sorento Steering Problems

NHTSA lists 20 steering complaints for the 2012 Kia Sorento, 2% of its 880 total complaints that year. Owners reported power steering failures and sudden lock-ups, often tied to engine stalls, at a median 38,000 miles. No related recall covers this steering issue.

Steering complaints
20
2% of 880
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
38,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical steering symptoms owners report

  • Steering wheel becomes very hard to turn or fails intermittently at low speeds, with failures recurring multiple times over months or years.
  • Vehicle stalls at freeway or stop-sign speeds and simultaneously loses power steering, power brakes, and acceleration.
  • Steering wheel locks up mid-turn, sometimes while slowing down or coming to a stop, then resets after the car is restarted.
  • Vehicle wanders or gets pushed sideways in wind, snow, or wet pavement while the steering wheel stays straight, making the car hard to control.
  • Engine shutdown combined with loss of ABS and power steering forces the driver to shift into park before the vehicle will restart.

When 2012 Kia Sorento steering complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 18, 2011, latest Sep 22, 2026.

2012 Kia Sorento steering complaints: complaints filed per month4Oct 2011Jan 2013Dec 2013May 2014Mar 2017Nov 2018Dec 2019Apr 2026
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2011 to Sep 2026; peak May 2014 (4).

Steering recalls for the 2012 Kia Sorento

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Steering complaints by Sorento model year

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

  1. 20100 (0%)
  2. 201153 (3%)
  3. 201220 (2%)
  4. 201322 (2%)
  5. 201435 (4%)
  6. 201533 (4%)
  7. 201680 (6%)
  8. 201797 (12%)
  9. 201826 (10%)
  10. 201911 (3%)
  11. 20204 (3%)
  12. 20216 (2%)
  13. 202210 (5%)
  14. 20237 (6%)
  15. 20241 (2%)
  16. 20252 (3%)

Frequently asked questions

How many steering complaints does the 2012 Kia Sorento have?
NHTSA lists 20 steering complaints for the 2012 Sorento, which is 2% of the 880 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for steering problems on the 2012 Kia Sorento?
No. NHTSA's data shows no related recalls listed for this steering issue on the 2012 Sorento.
At what mileage do steering problems usually happen on the 2012 Sorento?
The median mileage at failure for steering complaints on the 2012 Sorento is 38,000 miles.
Are steering complaints worse on the 2012 Sorento than other years?
The 2012 Sorento's 2% share of steering complaints is lower than the 2016 (6%) and 2017 (12%) model years, and similar to 2013 and 2011.
Did the steering problems cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA records 1 crash and 1 injury associated with steering-area complaints for the 2012 Sorento, along with 2 fires.

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.