YearToAvoid

2019 Kia Sorento Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 84 electrical system complaints for the 2019 Kia Sorento, 20% of all complaints for the year, with 7 fires, 3 crashes, and 2 injuries reported. Median mileage at failure is 15,000 miles. No related recalls are listed for this component on this model year.

Electrical System complaints
84
20% of 426
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
7
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
15,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Owners report burnt plastic smells followed by the battery light and multiple warning lights coming on before the vehicle loses power completely.
  • Some describe internal wiring found burnt beyond recognition after the vehicle died on the road.
  • Several complaints describe smoke or fire starting under the hood, sometimes preceded by a popping sound at startup.
  • Owners report the forward collision system disabling traction control and ABS unexpectedly, with warning lights staying on and delayed service scheduling.
  • Multiple owners describe headlight low beams projecting odd triangular or half-moon shadows that obstruct night vision and cause oncoming drivers to flash their high beams.
  • One owner reported an airbag warning light traced to a faulty wiring harness in the front console.

When 2019 Kia Sorento electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 17, 2018, latest Sep 4, 2026.

2019 Kia Sorento electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month36Jul 2018Dec 2019Jun 2020Nov 2021Dec 2022Nov 2023Oct 2024Sep 2025
84 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2024 (36).

Electrical System recalls for the 2019 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 the 2019 Kia Sorento have?
NHTSA lists 84 electrical system complaints for the 2019 Kia Sorento, accounting for 20% of the 426 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Kia Sorento electrical system?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the electrical system on the 2019 Kia Sorento.
At what mileage do 2019 Sorento electrical problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for electrical system complaints on the 2019 Sorento is 15,000 miles.
Are the electrical issues serious?
NHTSA records include 7 fires, 3 crashes, and 2 injuries tied to electrical system complaints on the 2019 Kia Sorento, so some incidents are severe.
How does 2019 compare to other Sorento model years for electrical complaints?
The 20% share for 2019 is similar to 2018 (22%) and 2020 (16%), and lower than 2017 (24%) and 2023 (31%), based on NHTSA complaint data by model year.

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.