2024 Kia Sorento: What to check before buying

Sudden electrical failures while driving lead this list. Reports describe the car losing all power, including power steering and headlights, and sometimes stalling. Others describe every warning light coming on at once, followed by brake trouble. Some cars brake hard on empty highways for no reason, and one crash followed a 'sensor blocked' collision-assist warning. Smaller faults include dead horns, door switches that stop working the windows and locks, and blackouts of the infotainment, reverse camera and instrument panel. One report involves a fire on the interstate. Dealers often cannot reproduce the faults, and owners wait for parts.

Coolant leaks from the hybrid radiator or inverter cooling system are the most common complaint. Some appear as early as 1,300 miles. Dealers usually blame a rock puncture and refuse warranty coverage. Owners point to an exposed lower grille. The leaks bring overheating, an inverter coolant warning and, in some cases, total loss of power. Other reports describe a flashing check engine light with the engine shaking and losing speed on the highway, and metal shavings in the oil at about 31,000 miles. Dealers are booking diagnosis 1-3 months out.

Hesitation and lost acceleration are the main complaints. The transmission slips, shifts hard, or will not upshift when pulling away from a stop. It feels stuck in neutral, and other traffic nearly hits the car from behind. At idle, revs rise and fall and the engine sputters as if about to stall, then propulsion drops even with the pedal floored. Some reports describe all dashboard lights turning orange while the brakes take about 5 seconds to respond. Several drivers describe close calls with traffic or pedestrians.

Panoramic sunroof glass shatters without any impact. Owners say it happens at highway speed with a bang like a gunshot, and broken glass falls on the people inside. A rear sunroof panel also breaks on a car that was parked and garage kept. The glass falling into the back seat is a clear hazard for passengers. One minor report describes exterior trim that will not stay clipped down. Dealer appointments for diagnosis take several days.

Both reports involve crashes. In one, a side impact rolls the car over, the airbags do not deploy, the seatbelt releases, and the occupant is thrown through the shattered moonroof and injured. The other is really a braking complaint. Automatic braking engages in snow mode, locks the wheels, and the car slides into a tree. Only 2 complaints are on file, but both describe serious crashes.

Glass breaking without an impact is the theme here too. One report describes the panoramic sunroof panel bursting at highway speed. Another describes a large crack spreading across the driver side of the windshield while the car sat parked, with no chip or impact point. Only 2 complaints are on file, but the sunroof failure matches the pattern reported under other categories.

Headlights, taillights and the dash go dark for a few seconds while driving at night, then come back on, with no warning beforehand. The owner blames software, but the dealer says the car is not covered by the related recall and offers only a headlight check. A separate complaint describes headlight lenses fogging up and cutting light output, with the replacement waiting on manufacturer approval.