2012 Kia Sorento Body & Structure Problems

The paint on the body between the windscreen and sunroof is rapidly delaminating, literally overnight. The vehicle color is Pearl White. I wish to add my case to what I understand is an ongoing effort by other Kia owners with similar delaminating paint issues for the NHTSA to get Kia to act on this and issue a recall.

I own a white 2012 Kia Sorento that the paint is rapidly peeling off of across the piece of roof just above the windshield (body shops have called this Delamination). I have the pearl white paint, which began peeling in a tiny spot at approximately 45,000 miles and I thought this was a chip from a rock or something that fell on it, but since then it rapidly began peeling all over and now is in a few spots in the same area, and down to the metal, causing rust. I filed a claim with my insurance company January 2023, but the claim was denied. They were told by the autobody shop that there has been a paint chipping problem with other vehicles with the same pearl white paint, and that those had been recalled due to a defect.

With one simple google search you can find hundreds, if not thousands of results from people talking about their same experience with their pearl white Kia’s. The paint is cheap, and it’s starting to peel off on its own, which has lead to severe cases of rust. Either Kia was purposely being cheap, or it was a mistake. Either way it’s their responsibility to fix this.

THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. THE HITCH THAT HOLD THE DOOR SHUT IS BROKEN AND DOES NOT ALWAYS KEEP DOOR CLOSED. IT WILL OPEN WHILE DRIVING.

*White Pearl paint is pealing / chipping away on the front hood and around the top of the windshield roof. *I have been told that the area of missing paint around my windshield can rust/corrode through and affect the windshield seal. *My Kia dealer has seen it and said it was a widespread problem with the white pearl paint on the Sorento model.....but no further action was done. *It has not been inspected by the police, insurance....just the Kia Dealer. *No warning lamps or messages.....

PAINT ON ROOF OF CAR AT TOP WINDSHIELD IS PEELING OFF AT AN ALARMING RATE, HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE. STARTED NOT TOO LONG AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLA

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SHOPPING PARKING LOT. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, I - THE CAR OWNER - UNLOCKED THE CAR WITH THE FOB FOR PASSENGERS TO LOAD THE VEHICLE. AS THE REAR PASSENGER GRABBED THE DOOR HANDLE, IT CAME OFF IN HER HAND. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST TIME WAS YEARS PRIOR UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS, SAME PASSENGER REAR RIGHT DOOR. I PAID FOR REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET THAT TIME BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WASN'T A RECALL. I AM SURE THIS HANDLE SHOULD BE RECALLED CLEARLY AFTER HAPPENING TWICE FOR NO UNDERSTANDING REASON OR AGGRESSION.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65-70 MPH AND THE REAR FIXED PANORAMIC SUNROOF JUST SHUTTERED IN HER VEHICLE. I READ ABOUT OTHERS HAD SAME ISSUE. I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD SITTING ON THE BACK SEAT. SHE GOT SCARED BUT LUCKILY DIDN'T GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. WE HAVE DASH CAM VIDEO AND WE HAVE RECORDED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY ROAD DEBRIS HITTING THE CAR.

THE RETRACTABLE SUNROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILD. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING SIGNS OR DAMAGE. THE GLASS FELL IN ON US, MOSTLY MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE KIA DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLES, BUT SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE KIA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET.

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON FEBRUARY 18, 2019. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED WITHIN 2 YEARS. I HAVE CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND.

ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 50 ABOUT 20 MILES FROM SOUTH LAKE TAHOE MY CAR JUST STALLED OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. STEAM/SMOKE FROM COMING FROM THE FRONT END. AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OTHER MOTORIST TRAVELING WEST BOUND STARTED HONKING AND POINTING TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING IS WHEN WE REALIZED THE ENGINE AREA WAS ON FIRE. AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THE FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THAT CAR CAUSING 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE BACK CALF ON MY LEFT LEG. THE CAR WAS IN TOTALLY IN FLAMES WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WEATHERSTRIPPING AROUND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WAS LOOSE AND PREVENTED THE DOORS FROM OPENING. TEAM KIA OF BEND (611 NE PURCELL BLVD, BEND, OR 97701) DIAGNOSED THAT THE WEATHERSTRIPPING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 11/27/18*JB

THIS MORNING JUST 5 MIN AFTER PUTTING MY DAUGHTER IN HER CAR SEAT I WENT TO GO GRAB HER OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. I AM NOT A VERY STRONG PERSON SO THIS SURPRISED ME GREATLY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO GOOGLE I SEE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH IS INSANE AND IF I HAVE TO GO REPLACING ALL MY DOOR HANDLES AS THEY BREAK I WILL NOT BE BUYING A KIA AGAIN. I HOPE THIS IS A ONE TIME THING BUT THINK THAT IS REALLY IS AN ISSUE AS SOME PEOPLE USE THE CHILD LOCK AND WOULD MAKE IT HARD TO GET IN THAT SIDE IF THAT WERE THE CASE.

I OWN A 2012 KIA SORENTO SX. 9PM TEMPERATURE ABOUT 70 ALL DAY. TURNED OFF MAIN BUSINESS STREET IN DES PLAINS IL DROVE ABOUT 100 FEET WHEN REAR PANEL OF PANORAMIC SUN ROOF SHATTERED. FIRST THOUGHT WAS GUN SHOT. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES BEHIND OR IN FRONT OF ME, SIDEWALK WAS EMPTY.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF. I WAS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR, AND THE HANDLE JUST FELL OFF.

ON 12/27 THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND IT WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER WITH A COST OF ALMOST $300. THE HANDLE WAS IN HER HAND. YESTERDAY THE REAR DRIVER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT WITHOUT THE HANDLE YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND AS SUCH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE REAR PASSENGER IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WE HAVE CANALS NEXT TO THE ROAD IN SOUTH FLORIDA. THUS I AM REPORTING THIS. TWO DIFFERENT DOOR HANDLES IN TWO WEEKS. VERY DANGEROUS.

MY PAINT COLOR IS PEARL WHITE. I HAVE AT LEAST 2 SPOTS OF RUST ONE ON THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL. AND ONE ON THE LEFT SIDE REAR DOOR. NEITHER ONE IS DENTED OR SCRATCHED BUT THE PAINT IS PEALED AND RUST IS SHOWING THROUGH.

TODAY, SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2014 I WENT TO OPEN MY TRUNK...IT FELT REALLY HEAVY AS I WENT TO LIFT IT...TO MY AMAZEMENT THE STRUTS THAT HOLDS UP THE TRUNK WOULD NOT KEEP THEM UP. I'M GLAD IT DID NOT COME DOWN ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING MY GROCERY OUT OF THE TRUNK...NOW WHAT DO I DO TO GET THIS FIXED...I ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR FOUR MONTHS AND NOW THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION!!! IT COULD HAVE COME DOWN ON MY BACK AS I WAS REACHING INTO THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE STRUTS ON MY BACK LIFT GATE ARE ALREADY WORN OUT ON A 2012 KIA SORENTO. I HAD A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BACK STRUTS ON THE LIFT GATE. ON THE SPORTAGE THE GLASS OPENED SEPARATELY FROM THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE LIFT GATE. HOWEVER, THIS NEWER VEHICLE WORE OUT THE BACK LIFT GATE STRUTS IN JUST OVER 2 YEARS WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE BACK LIFT GATE IS NOT SEPARATED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE GLASS SO THE ENTIRE BACK LIFT DOOR IS EXTREMELY HEAVY TO OPEN AND HOLD WITHOUT THE STRUTS TO KEEP THE TRUNK DOOR LIFTED AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HURT SMALL CHILDREN OR EVEN ADULTS WHO ARE NOT ANTICIPATING A SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE STRUTS ON A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. AT THIS POINT, THE ENTIRE TRUNK AREA CANNOT BE USED UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED, BUT REPAIR SHOPS WANT OVER $500 TO FIX A PART THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE WORN OUT THIS QUICKLY TO BEGIN WITH. I WILL ATTEMPT SEEK REMEDY FROM KIA DIRECTLY, BUT WANTED TO BRING THE ISSUE UP IN CASE OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS FOR TREND ANALYSIS AND POTENTIAL RECALL. *TR

THE POWER SUN ROOF BLEW OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT.THOUSAND OF SMALL GLASS PIECES WERE SCATTERED IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR.OUTSIDE FL TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 65 DEGREES. *TR

SEAT TRIM ON DRIVERS SEAT BREAKS ALLOWING SEAT CONTROLS TO MOVE SEAT WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING. IT CAN MOVE SEAT FORWARD OR BACKWARD WITHOUT DRIVER DOING ANYTHING. THIS TRIM HAS BROKEN 4 TIMES WITH THE SEAT MOVING TWICE (2) OUT OF THE FOUR (4) TIMES. KIA DEALER HAS REPLACED TRIM ALL FOUR (4) TIMES AND ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS A DEFECT IN THE TRIM DESIGN, HOWEVER KIA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. TRIM IS HELD ON BY PLASTIC, AS IT MOVES THE PLASTIC BREAKS, ALLOWING SEAT CONTROLS TO MOVE AGAINST DOOR OR FLOOR MAKING SEAT MOVE. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON 8/27/11, 06/16/12, 08/04/12 AND 11/09/12. TALKING TO KIA DEALERS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. *TR