2020 Kia Sorento Recalls & Problems
2020 Kia Sorento: 1 official recall and 140 owner complaints to NHTSA, most often about engine.
Most common problems reported by owners
“I bought a used 2020 Kia Sorento LX 2.4L in 2022. It had 15,000 miles on it. AT 50,000 miles I noticed it was consuming oil. I have been changing the oil at 5,000 mile intervals even though the manual calls out to do it every 7,500 miles. I have records of the maintenance for every oil change done on this vehicle. I kept a log and now at 54,740 miles it is consuming 1 quart every 500 miles or so. …”
“**Suspected Sudden Unintended Acceleration – 2020 Kia Sorento EX V6** On October 24, 2026, the driver of a 2020 Kia Sorento EX V6 experienced two episodes of suspected sudden unintended acceleration. The vehicle reportedly accelerated unexpectedly while in Reverse (R), causing it to collide with an apartment building. Following the initial collision, the driver shifted the transmission into Dri…”
“Driving at highway speed, the vehicle began to make a loud rattling noise that came from under the vehicle. A passerby pulled even with my car and began frantically gesturing. After a few seconds of confusion, me daughter said the she thought the man was saying "it's on fire." We pulled over to the shoulder of the road, exited quickly and realized there was fire visible in the engine area, seen th…”
“The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for a routine oil change when the contact was informed that there was an unknown issue with the vehicle however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission fluid was leaking and the…”
“Driving at highway speed, the vehicle began to make a loud rattling noise that came from under the vehicle. A passerby pulled even with my car and began frantically gesturing. After a few seconds of confusion, me daughter said the she thought the man was saying "it's on fire." We pulled over to the shoulder of the road, exited quickly and realized there was fire visible in the engine area, seen th…”
“The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated the fuse box located on the driver's side had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was provided; however, the cause of the failure was not yet dete…”
“**Suspected Sudden Unintended Acceleration – 2020 Kia Sorento EX V6** On October 24, 2026, the driver of a 2020 Kia Sorento EX V6 experienced two episodes of suspected sudden unintended acceleration. The vehicle reportedly accelerated unexpectedly while in Reverse (R), causing it to collide with an apartment building. Following the initial collision, the driver shifted the transmission into Dri…”
“the car the engine wast the oil in 1 week that every weeks it has problem in the ring of the engine , we just buy the car they tell us it has it had guarantee talking to the bank and the where I buy the car it don't show . it has a bad smell of wet and burnt oil ..”
Official recalls (1)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Recall repairs are free. Check a specific car with its VIN on our recall lookup or at NHTSA.gov .
Other Kia Sorento years
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall and complaint databases. Complaints are unverified owner reports.