YearToAvoid

2014 Kia Sorento Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 219 electrical system complaints for the 2014 Kia Sorento, 22% of that year's 986 total complaints. Ten of these cases involved fires, five involved crashes, and the median mileage at failure was 70,000. No related recalls are listed.

Electrical System complaints
219
22% of 986
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
10
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
70,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a burning odor followed by visible flames near the rear trailer hitch wiring harness or tail light.
  • Some vehicles lost power suddenly while parked or at a stop, with the engine dying and refusing to restart.
  • Multiple owners describe smoke or fire starting near the passenger backseat, engine bay, or driver's side of the cabin with no dashboard warning lights.
  • Complete electrical shutdown has been reported at highway speed, with the vehicle stalling and the ignition becoming unresponsive.
  • Some owners noticed headlights and tail lights failing intermittently before other electrical faults appeared.
  • Fires have occurred both while driving and while the vehicle was parked and not in use.

When 2014 Kia Sorento electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 9, 2013, latest Aug 28, 2026.

2014 Kia Sorento electrical system complaints: complaints filed per quarter142013 Q32015 Q12017 Q32019 Q12020 Q32022 Q12023 Q42025 Q4
219 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q1 (14).

Electrical System recalls for the 2014 Kia Sorento

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Electrical System complaints by Sorento model year

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

  1. 20100 (0%)
  2. 2011312 (21%)
  3. 2012174 (20%)
  4. 2013158 (16%)
  5. 2014219 (22%)
  6. 2015138 (18%)
  7. 2016159 (13%)
  8. 2017190 (24%)
  9. 201857 (22%)
  10. 201984 (20%)
  11. 202022 (16%)
  12. 202148 (19%)
  13. 202232 (17%)
  14. 202337 (31%)
  15. 202413 (32%)
  16. 202521 (28%)

Frequently asked questions

How many electrical system complaints does NHTSA have for the 2014 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA lists 219 electrical system complaints for the 2014 Kia Sorento, making up 22% of the 986 total complaints filed for that model year.
Are there fires linked to the 2014 Kia Sorento electrical system?
Yes. Among the sample complaints reviewed, 10 fires and 5 crashes are tied to electrical system reports for the 2014 Sorento.
Is there a recall for the 2014 Kia Sorento electrical system?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2014 Kia Sorento.
At what mileage do 2014 Sorento electrical problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for electrical system complaints on the 2014 Kia Sorento is 70,000 miles.
Is the 2014 Sorento worse for electrical complaints than other years?
Among Sorento model years listed, 2014's share of electrical complaints is 22%, higher than 2013 (16%) and 2015 (18%), though lower than 2017 (24%) and 2023 (31%).

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.