2006 Kia Sorento problems & reliability
242 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Kia Sorento, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
7 complaints report injuries (14 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2006 Kia Sorento vehicles were involved in 31 fatal crashes with 18 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 67 | 28% |
| Exterior Lighting | 56 | 23% |
| Electrical System | 53 | 22% |
| Power Train | 35 | 14% |
| Steering | 33 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 19 | 8% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 7% |
| Suspension | 10 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 9 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 82,000 miles (middle 50% between 49,750 and 110,000 miles), based on 207 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was a fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle would move, but shortly afterwards the vehicle would lose motive power and stall. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle several…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Dec 8, 2022
“When fueling I am unable to put the fuel hose in all the way and lock in place. I have to hold the fuel hose and pump very slowly. If I pump too fast the fuel will not go in tank. I was told it’s the ball in the fuel tank that is screwed up. I was also told there was a recall but I never received knowledge to that…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Oct 20, 2022
“The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that he purchased the vehicle with the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the passenger's side seat sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer…”
Air Bags · filed Aug 8, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Defect Petition DP21003 · opened Nov 12, 2021 · closed Jun 20, 2023
Technical service bulletins
19 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Kia Sorento. The 10 most recent:
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in…
TSB_BOD055_R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 13, 2021
PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine.
PS539 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 2018
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various Kia models and are strictly intended for ?one…
TSB-GEN085R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 18, 2017
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. Though not limited to the following, some examples are…
TSB-GEN085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2016
TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides information regarding the use of USB ports and 12V power outlets to connect/charge mobile phones. Customers may experience issues…
PS443 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2016
Pitstop: unusual fuel trim values and/or misfire codes after incorrect engine repair - this outlines the procedure to follow if after an engine repair you encounter a complaint relating to mil on (dtc p)#)x) with a…
PS233 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 17, 2013
Summary to be provided on a future date.
PS233 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2013
Kia: there may be erratic shifting, shift shock, and a malfunction light on with stored trouble codes. This is caused by a problem within the transfer motor. *rm
034 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2011
Kia: fuel tank air filter reminder. The air filter can accumulate dirt over time and needs to be maintained. *rm
TSB-019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2010
Kia: intermittent mil on with no fault code stored; information about dtc p1330. Provides information relating to certain vehicles. In affected vehicles an intermittent short to ground in a circuit only intended for…
TSB-068 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2010
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Kia Sorento has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Kia Sorento?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 82,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.