Recall Alert: Chronic Kia Sorento PHEV Fuel Tank Problems Are Now an Official Recall
It only took a few Kia Sorento PHEV fuel tank problems to cause the automaker to issue a recall. The latest recall involved fuel thanks leaking in 2022 model year versions of the Kia Sorento PHEV. The initial warranty claim for this part took place in June, with another in July, prompting an investigation into this issue.
Kia Sorento fuel tank problems
Affected Kia Sorento PHEV models have fuel tanks that leak. This leak is blamed on TI Automotive, the supplier of these fuel tanks, for improper molding of the tanks. AutoEvolution tells us the documents filed with the NHTSA cover this issue which occurred from April 7 to April 9, 2022, at TI Automotive’s South Korean facility.
New Kia Sorento PHEV recall
Kia issues a new recall for the Sorento PHEV for 2022 model year vehicles. This recall will officially reach dealers on March 16, with impacted owners being notified on March 22. Kia dealers will inspect impacted vehicles for faulty fuel tanks and replace them as necessary. Any previous repair expenses associated with this problem will also be reimbursed by Kia.
Thankfully, only 34 vehicles in the U.S. market are believed to be impacted by this recall.
Is this new Kia Sorento PHEV recall confusing?
Kia produced the Sorento PHEV with these defective fuel tanks from April 12 through April 26, 2022, but there’s a catch. While some of these SUVs included defective tanks, other tans that weren’t defective were also being used simultaneously. This is confusing because both tanks have the same part number.
Is the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV a good hybrid SUV?
The Kia Sorento PHEV sips fuel, offers three rows of seats for six passengers, and includes a refined cabin, intuitive technology, and excellent cargo volume when the rearmost rows are folded. This is a good hybrid SUV with a satisfying ride and decent acceleration.
The Kia Sorento fails to stand out due to lackluster handling, a cramped third row, and a small cargo area when all seats are being used.
How does the Sorento PHEV rank for fuel mileage?
Among other plug-in hybrid SUVs, the Kia Sorento offers competitive fuel mileage results. The fuel economy rating of some of the top PHEV SUVs is:
- Volvo XC60 Recharge – 35 EV miles, 23/26 mpg
- Ford Escape PHEV – 37 EV miles, 28/34 mpg
- Kia Sorento PHEV – 32 EV miles, 39/35 mpg
- Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV – 32 EV miles, 25/28 mpg
- Kia Sportage PHEV – 32 EV miles, 25/32 mpg
- Hyundai Tucson PHEV – 32 EV miles, 25/32 mpg
- Kia Niro PHEV – 32 EV miles, 53/54 mpg
- Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – 35 EV miles, 24/31 mpg
- Lexus RX 450h+ – 35 EV miles, 20/27 mpg
- Lexus NX 450h+ – 35 EV miles, 22/29 mpg
- Toyota RAV4 Prime – 40 EV miles, 28/25 mpg
Hopefully, the small number of owners impacted by the Kia Sorento PHEV fuel tank problems will have this issue resolved quickly through this recently issued recall.
Next, check out five Kia SUVs that could work for your family, or learn more about the ten PHEVs listed above in this video below:
