Home › Cars › Kia › Sorento › 2018
2018 Kia Sorento problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
59% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 Kia Sorento are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 80% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 52 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 47%).
Does the 2018 Kia Sorento have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 120 of 202 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Sorento concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (59%), and the largest group is filed under engine (106). For comparison, the 2017 scores 65% and the 2019 scores 52%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2018 compares with other Kia Sorento years
Of the 12 Kia Sorento years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the 6th-best on engine and transmission share (59%). The worst is the 2012 (68%), the best the 2011 (43%). By volume, the 2018 drew 254 complaints (120 drivetrain), against 804 for the 2017 and 428 for the 2019.
Kia Sorento years to avoid and best years →
2011 Sorento problems · 2012 Sorento problems · 2013 Sorento problems · 2014 Sorento problems · 2015 Sorento problems · 2016 Sorento problems · 2017 Sorento problems · 2018 · 2019 Sorento problems · 2020 Sorento problems · 2022 Sorento problems · 2023 Sorento problems
The rest of the picture on the 2018 Kia Sorento
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2018 Kia Sorento said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 120 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2018 Kia Sorento engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2018 Kia Sorento, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2018 Kia Sorento? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2018 Kia Sorento
Does the 2018 Kia Sorento have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 120 of 202 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Sorento concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (59%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Kia Sorento?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 Kia Sorento is engine: 106 of 254 complaints (42%) name it, followed by exterior lighting (41) and electrical system (30). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2018 Kia Sorento reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 59% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 80% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 12 Kia Sorento years we score, it ranks 6th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2018 Kia Sorento?
No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2018 Kia Sorento, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Kia Sorento years are better?
Among the Kia Sorento years we track, the 2011 (43%), the 2023 (44%) and the 2014 (52%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (59%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/kia-sorento
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.