2018 Kia Sorento Service and Repair Manual
Kia changed the Sorento's specifications from one model year to the next, and the figures here are the 2018 set: written for this exact year, engine and trim, not approximated from an earlier or later Sorento.
Engines covered
- 2.0L inline-four (122 cu in) — DOHC, turbocharged, gasoline
- 3.3L V6 — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
- 2.4L inline-four — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
Body styles covered
- 4-door sport utility
Trims covered
- EX
- EX Pack
- L
- LX
- SX
- SX Limited
- SXL
Known issues on the 2018 Sorento. One recall is on federal record for this model year, and it covers the trailer hitches: on Sorentos equipped with a tow hitch, a fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury. Owners have filed 326 complaints for the year and Kia has issued 131 technical service bulletins.
Whether you are inspecting the tow hitch area after that recall, tracing a fault on the 2.0L turbocharged four or the 3.3L V6, or simply keeping to the service schedule, the manual holds you to the procedure and specification Kia wrote for your 2018 Sorento.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.
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.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are ind
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPAIR (WTY031) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the marg
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS: ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340 REVISION 5) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black b
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OIL PRESSURE SWITCH (OPS) REPLACEMENT (WTY026 REVISION 2) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA II 2.4L GDI EMISSION SECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340 REV 4) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are ind
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been m
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC340 FLIGHT 103 / UM) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions software logic in the
Showing the 8 most recent of 195 technical service bulletins on file with NHTSA.
I have replaced my rotors and my brakes soon as I got the car I’ve had the car for a month now I was in a major accident. Someone walked in front of my car. My emergency brake system did not work my rotors and my brakes, have been scrubbing ever since I got the car. And I don’t know how to fix the situation. The brakes are still going out and sound very horrible. I can’t keep replacing them because I don’t think they need to be replaced. Is something wrong with the car. My Insurance adjuster na
I was in a weather related accident where I hit the guardrail twice head on and none of my airbags deployed. My vehicle is currently at a tow yard and will be towed to the autobody shop 12/8/2021. No warnings or indications on why the airbags wouldn't have worked properly prior to the accident.
I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES PER HOUR ON A CITY STREET WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. THE IMPACT TOTALED THE OTHER VEHICLE AND CAUSED $7,500 IN DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHILE I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED, I DID SUFFER SIGNIFICANT WHIP-LASH TYPE INJURIES, AND INJURED MY KNEE WHEN IT HIT THE DASH BOARD.
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, HIT DEER. FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CAR SWERVED ONTO MEDIAN AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CRASHED INTO GUARDRAIL. SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. UNCLEAR WHY SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. FRONT PASSENGER HIT HEAD ON PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW AND SHATTERED WINDOW, SUSTAINED CONCUSSION.
FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A DEER ON INTERSTATE 81 NORTHBOUND IN PA., CRUISE CONTROL SET AT POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 65MPH, NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AT TIME OF IMPACT OR AFTER COLLISION CHEST IMPACTED STEERING WHEEL AND ARM PAIN FROM HOLDING STEERING WHEEL.
My car went into Sudden Unintended Acceleration when I shifted from neutral to drive. I was in a gas station that was perpendicular to highway traffic. When I attempted to come out of the car wash tunnel to get my car dried off, the car accelerated out of control, the gas pedal was stuck and the brakes would not engage. The car flew out of the tunnel and into traffic. The car hit a curb before entering into traffic and went airborne. I in the third lane of southbound traffic. The vehicle then c
The contact owned a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, another vehicle had abruptly attempted to merge into the opposite traveling lane and caused the front end bumper to crash into the Front Driver-side door of the other vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed away to a local tow yard. A Traffic Accident Information form was filed by the local police department. The vehicle was deemed a total loss
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE INTERSECTED HIS LANE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PREVENT A CRASH BY SWERVING BUT CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL ON THE FAR LEFT SIDE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER DID NOT HAVE ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTO BODY SHOP. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER (PREMIER KIA SERVICE CENTER LOCAT
I WAS BACKING UP WHEN MY CAR JUST ACCELERATED LIKE CRAZY AND RAN OVER A HUGE BRICK MAILBOX. IT WAS LIKE MY CAR WAS POSSESS, IT BECAME A CRAZY 4 WHEEL DRIVE.
I've never had a problem staying awake driving. I don't have this problem in my vehicles or other vehicles. Every time I drove the car. I could not stay awake. I ve driven the car about 5xs. I would fall asleep and not even realize it. Now fell asleep driving the car two nights ago. No warnings went off and I drove over one lane and off into the center medium. No lane change warnings went off. But I truly believe there's something more going on with the car that's making people fall asleep. My
MY SON WAS TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY BETWEEN 45-55 MPH WHEN HE OVERCORRECTED AND MADE FULL IMPACT OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR WITH A SOLID SNOW BANK IN THE MIDDLE MEDIAN. THE RADIATOR WAS SLAMMED BACKWARDS, THE FRONT END WAS DEMOLISHED WITH AROUND $12,000 IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO REASON WE CAN FIND THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY RATING BUT NOW I AM CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE ISSUES WITH OUR AIR BAGS. WILL THEY PROTECT US IF THIS SHOULD EVER
My breaks would not push down for me to stop and I collided into the car in front of me causing a serious accident. It is being investigated for malfunctioning breaks.
I was driving from richlands coming home and my vechial kept trying to die on me like i didnt have any gas and then i had to suddenly pull off the side of the road without any power and i sat their and even try to restart the vechial and it wouldn't start back then a woman come out of nowhere in an ambulance and i was trying to tell her that it was alright and she was trying to tell me that the vechial was on fire underneath the vechial and i didnt see that it was a fire at all i though i was o
The contact owned a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number regarding the Trailer Hitches however, the contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied in a parked position, he noticed that the rear end of the vehicle inadvertently caught fire. The contact then stated that the fire started to spread igniting the whole vehicle. As a result, the side of the contact house caught fire. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required.
I WAS TRAVELING TO FLORIDA AND SAW SPARKS IN THE MIRRORS IN THE BACK. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER AND WENT TO THE BACK AND SAW FIRE, THE CAR WAS ON FIRE EVERYBODY GOT OUT, WE TRIED TO PUT IT OUT BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS AN ACCELERRENT OR SOMETHING CAUSE IT WAS ENGULFED WITH FIRE VERY FAST ONCE WE STOPPED THE WHOLE CAR WAS BURNING.+WE WERE ON 65 SOUTH IN KENTUCKY JUST DRIVING ,NO RAIN ROADS WERE DRY.
Showing the 15 most serious of 252 complaints filed with NHTSA.
