Is the 2019 Kia Sorento a bad year?
436 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 173, 3.3× a quiet Sorento year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 3.3× the complaints of a quiet Sorento year, spread over 24k–109k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2019 Sorento owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 73,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 173 (40%) | 24k–109k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 68 (16%) | 15k–58k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 51 (12%) | 1k–20k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 56 (13%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 28 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 22 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 21 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 18 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 14 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 14 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Lane assist | 12 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 11 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Trailer hitch | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 73,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 436 complaints: 10 mention a crash · 19 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 21 say the car was towed.
90 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
When driving at high altitudes, the car seems to want to stall. We will be driving along just fine and then there is hesitation for a moment and then the car will be going along just fine again and the hesitation happens again.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 73,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2019 Kia Sorento: 2
Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Kia: 69
Repair instructions Kia sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2019 Kia Sorento. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
3.3L GDI 8AT tcu gear shift logic improvement
Lambda 3.3L GDI engine hesitation at high altitudes logic improvement
Product improvement campaign: TSB_R2 - knock sensor detection system (Ksds) logic improvement (PI1805)
Product improvement campaign (P1805) Sorento
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Loss of Motive Power
Neighbouring years
2018 Sorento: 255 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2020 Sorento: 140 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Kia Sorento year
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Questions
Is the 2019 Kia Sorento a bad year?
436 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 173, 3.3× a quiet Sorento year. At 73,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 3.3× the complaints of a quiet Sorento year, spread over 24k–109k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Kia Sorento?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (173), electrical system (68), transmission and drivetrain (51), body structure (56), fuel system (28). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 24k–109k miles.
How many recalls does the 2019 Kia Sorento have?
2 recall campaigns list this model year: Backup camera (NHTSA 23V-639), Trailer hitch (NHTSA 22V-703). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.