Model year report

2008 Kia Sorento: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2008 Kia Sorento

On the 2008 Kia Sorento, the failure owners report most often is airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault, and the reports cluster around 15,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 59,000 miles. Overall it scores 71 out of 100, high risk for a 2008.

High risk for a 2008 — 87th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. 319 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

The failures owners actually file about

Owners have reported 47 named failure modes on the 2008 Kia Sorento, and the three most-reported carry 28% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault leads with 31 reports, about 0.9 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 3k to 65,000 miles.

Other driver assistance problem follows with 30 reports, usually reported between 36k to 70,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.

Other engine problem follows with 27 reports, usually reported between 31k to 90,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into adas (55), airbag (44) and engine (42).

When these failures get reported

257 of the reports on the 2008 Kia Sorento came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 59,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 42% by 50,000 miles, 76% by 100,000 miles and 90% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 4 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 12% of the dated reports.

30% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault around 15k, seat belt or retractor failure around 24k, control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure around 38k and other powertrain problem around 40k.

Median

Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault

15k
Other driver assistance problem

47k
Other engine problem

55k
Other speed control problem

54k
Other electrical problem

59k
Other powertrain problem

40k
Tail light, brake light or signal failure

99k
Other brake problem

60k
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure

38k
Differential or transfer case failure

48k
Seat belt or retractor failure

24k
CV axle or driveshaft failure

126k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 47. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 59.2k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 4 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 15 mention a crash, 14 a fire, 12 an injury and 1 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.89, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault at $300–$1,600, other driver assistance problem at $250–$1,800, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other speed control problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

25% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	31	22	3k	15k	66k	0.9	$300–$1,600	High
Other driver assistance problem	adas	30	28	36k	47k	71k	0.9	$250–$1,800	High
Other engine problem	engine	27	23	31k	55k	90k	0.8	$300–$4,000	High
Other speed control problem	adas	22	20	34k	54k	86k	0.7	$250–$2,000	Critical
Other electrical problem	electrical	19	12	46k	59k	74k	0.6	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other powertrain problem	transmission	16	15	24k	40k	50k	0.5	$400–$4,500	High
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	12	7	—	99k	—	0.4	$100–$900	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	12	7	—	60k	—	0.4	$300–$1,800	High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	11	10	4k	38k	60k	0.3	$700–$3,000	High
Differential or transfer case failure	drivetrain	9	6	—	48k	—	0.3	$900–$4,200	High
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	9	9	13k	24k	86k	0.3	$200–$900	High
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	7	7	—	126k	—	0.2	$450–$2,200	High
Other lighting problem	lighting	6	4	—	60k	—	0.2	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Engine bay fire	engine	4	4	—	34k	—	0.1	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Overheating	cooling	4	4	—	174k	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	4	4	—	135k	—	0.1	$250–$1,500	High
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	4	4	—	85k	—	0.1	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	4	4	—	70k	—	0.1	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Stalling while driving	engine	3	3	—	115k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	3	3	—	160k	—	0.1	$200–$1,800	Moderate
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$500–$2,400	High
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	3	2	—	124k	—	0.1	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Cruise control failure	adas	3	3	—	59k	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Tire pressure monitor failure	wheels	3	3	—	65k	—	0.1	$80–$600	Low
Misfire or rough idle	engine	2	2	—	51k	—	0.1	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Complete transmission failure	transmission	2	2	—	100	—	0.1	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure	fuel	2	2	—	63k	—	0.1	$300–$1,200	Moderate
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	2	2	—	57k	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	Critical
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	2	2	—	80k	—	0.1	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	2	2	—	47k	—	0.1	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Other steering problem	steering	2	2	—	150k	—	0.1	$350–$2,400	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	2	2	—	115k	—	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other body or interior problem	body	2	1	—	85k	—	0.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Complete engine failure or seizure	engine	1	1	—	63k	—	0.0	$4,500–$12,000	Critical
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Oil leak	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	1	1	—	90k	—	0.0	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	1	1	—	119k	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Engine sensor failure	electrical	1	1	—	80k	—	0.0	$180–$900	Moderate
Parking brake failure	brakes	1	1	—	53k	—	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	1	1	—	143k	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Loss of power steering	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,800	Critical
Door latch or handle failure	body	1	1	—	64k	—	0.0	$250–$1,200	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	1	1	—	40k	—	0.0	$300–$2,200	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	1	1	—	13k	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	High
Other visibility problem	glass	1	1	—	48k	—	0.0	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	37	26	26k	88k	133k	1.1	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2008 Kia Sorento draws about 9.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 88th percentile of complaint rates among 2008 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 32,679 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2008 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 kia sorento. While driving at any speed, the passenger side air bag light would remain illuminated regardless if a passenger was seating in the seat. The vehicle has been diagnosed by the dealer on three different occasions, but the failure still occurs. The current mileage was 871 and failure mileage was 200.

200 miles NHTSA complaint 678825 filed 2008-07-18

Passenger airbag light will not turn off when passenger sits in seat. Meaning the airbags will not deploy if an accident occurs. This has been happening intermittently since december 2008, the first documented time was january 2009, and has been documented five times. The only attempt to repair was to update the computer chip, which did not work. We have been told by the dealer that they will not repair this problem, which to me is a major safety issue. *tr

17,863 miles NHTSA complaint 711321 filed 2009-03-09

Recalls on the 2008 model year

NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Kia Sorento, affecting an estimated 66,597 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electron, exterior lighting:brake lights:switch and air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

20V088000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

228,829 vehicles 2020-02-14

Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Consequence: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.

13V114000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

980,377 vehicles 2013-04-01

Defect: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to…
Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

11V473000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

10,631 vehicles 2011-09-07

Defect: Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 sorento passenger cars manufactured from june 15, 2006 through november 27, 2007. The front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat or the seat is not occupied. The vehicle's occupant classification system (ocs), which classifies the occupant in the front passenger seat, may misclassify an…
Consequence: The passenger side air bag is turned off when the ocs misclassifies an adult passenger. With the front passenger airbag off, the front passenger will not have the protection of the passenger air bags in some frontal collisions, thus increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: Kia will update the programming in the sorento ocs control module at no charge. The recall remedy is currently available under service campaign sc076. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2008 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2008 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

How 2008 compares with the other years

High risk for a 2008 — 87th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.

Across the 22 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2024 comes out best at 65 and 2016 worst at 80, with 2008 itself at 71.

If the model year is negotiable, 2024, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009 score lower than 2008 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2007–2010 generation specifically, 2009 is the strongest year at 68 and 2008 the weakest at 71.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2007-2010 generation, 2009 Kia Sorento scores best at 68 and 2008 Kia Sorento worst at 71.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault from about 3k, control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure from about 4k, seat belt or retractor failure from about 13k and other powertrain problem from about 24k.

On a 2008 Kia Sorento with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.

The limits of complaint data

319 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 319 reports, 257 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 81% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Kia Sorento?

The most-reported failures are airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault (31 reports, median 15,000 miles), other driver assistance problem (30 reports, median 47,500 miles) and other engine problem (27 reports, median 55,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2008 Kia Sorento problems start?

Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 15,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 5,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 59,000 miles.

Is the 2008 Kia Sorento reliable?

It scores 71 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 87th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2008 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Kia Sorento is best?

Within the 2007–2010 generation, 2009 scores best at 68 out of 100 and 2008 worst at 71. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 30 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed