YearToAvoid

2013 Kia Sorento Visibility & Wipers Problems

Owners filed 31 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2013 Kia Sorento, 3% of that year's 981 total complaints. Most describe the panoramic sunroof shattering or imploding while driving, at a median 32,000 miles. NHTSA lists no related recall for this issue.

Visibility & Wipers complaints
31
3% of 981
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
6
Median mileage
32,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Panoramic sunroof glass suddenly shatters or implodes while driving at highway speeds, often with a loud bang and no visible impact from an outside object.
  • Sunroof failures occur across a wide range of conditions, including clear, sunny, cold, and moderate-temperature days, ruling out a single obvious trigger.
  • Some sunroof shattering events happen at very low mileage, within days or weeks of purchase, while others occur tens of thousands of miles later.
  • Glass from the shattered sunroof sometimes falls into the cabin or scatters onto surrounding traffic, though the closed sunroof shade has prevented injury in several cases.
  • Owners report the vehicle was not driven under an overpass or struck by debris before the sunroof failed, suggesting the glass fails on its own.

When 2013 Kia Sorento visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 23, 2012, latest May 19, 2026.

2013 Kia Sorento visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month3Jul 2012May 2013Mar 2014Oct 2014Nov 2015Oct 2016May 2026
31 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2012 to May 2026; peak Mar 2014 (3).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2013 Kia Sorento

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Sorento model year

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

  1. 20051 (0%)
  2. 20062 (1%)
  3. 20071 (1%)
  4. 20082 (1%)
  5. 20090 (0%)
  6. 20100 (0%)
  7. 201129 (2%)
  8. 201228 (3%)
  9. 201331 (3%)
  10. 201427 (3%)
  11. 201511 (1%)
  12. 201623 (2%)
  13. 20179 (1%)
  14. 20187 (3%)
  15. 201921 (5%)
  16. 20205 (4%)
  17. 202110 (4%)
  18. 202216 (8%)
  19. 202311 (9%)
  20. 20244 (10%)
  21. 20256 (8%)

Frequently asked questions

How many 2013 Kia Sorento owners complained about visibility and wipers problems?
NHTSA lists 31 complaints in the Visibility & Wipers category for the 2013 Sorento, which is 3% of the 981 total complaints filed for that model year.
What is the main visibility issue with the 2013 Kia Sorento?
The vast majority of sample complaints describe the panoramic sunroof glass shattering or imploding while driving, with median mileage at failure of 32,000 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2013 Kia Sorento sunroof?
No. NHTSA's records show no related recalls listed for this problem area on the 2013 Sorento.
Were there any injuries linked to this issue?
NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2013 Sorento shows 6 injuries and 1 fire reported, though no crashes.
How does 2013 compare to other Sorento model years for this issue?
The 2013 Sorento's 31 complaints and 3% share are similar to 2011 (29 complaints, 2%), 2012 (28 complaints, 3%), and 2014 (27 complaints, 3%), suggesting this was a multi-year pattern rather than unique to 2013.

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.