# Kia Sorento airbag warning light: complaints, recalls and what to do **Verdict:** Drive to a shop this week - **Owner complaints:** 37 - **Most complaints:** 2015 (18) - **Related recalls:** 1 - **Verdict:** This week ## Quick answer NHTSA has 37 owner complaints about the airbag warning light on the Kia Sorento (2015-2026 models), most for the **2015** model year (18). There is **1 recall** for related parts; check yours by VIN. Drive to a shop this week: The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. ## Kia Sorento airbag warning light complaints by model year | Model year | Complaints mentioning the airbag light | All complaints that year | Share | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2015 | 18 | 755 | 2% | | 2016 | 5 | 1262 | 0% | | 2017 | 6 | 808 | 1% | | 2018 | 3 | 255 | 1% | | 2019 | 1 | 435 | 0% | | 2020 | 2 | 140 | 1% | | 2022 | 1 | 194 | 1% | | 2023 | 1 | 126 | 1% | Counts are complaints filed with NHTSA whose description mentions this light. They show where owners have had trouble, not a failure rate: popular years collect more complaints simply because more cars are on the road. ## Kia Sorento recalls related to the airbag warning light **[17V784000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=17V784000)** (2018 models, reported 2017-12-08): If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury. **Remedy:** Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer. Enter your 17-character VIN at [nhtsa.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see whether yours is still open. ## What Kia Sorento owners report - "All safety features disabled, srs light turns on, vehicle shuts off when driving, guage cluster is inop doesn't show speed." -- owner of a 2023 Kia Sorento, complaint filed 2025 - "The airbag indicator light was prevented from illuminating due to the resistor splice, masking critical SRS faults. Additional mechanical tampering was found: - Stop-leak blocking heater core - Improper coolant bypass fitting This complaint is being filed to report the airbag safety violation and request..." -- owner of a 2022 Kia Sorento, complaint filed 2026 - "Driving on highway at 65, traction control light, airbag light, parking light, bcw warning, all came in at the same time. I was able to pull off to the side and re start engine to clear the lights. As soon as I got up to 40 lights one by one flickered on until up to highway speed and then all flickered and dash..." -- owner of a 2020 Kia Sorento, complaint filed 2026 Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly cleaned for reading. They are owners' own accounts and have not been verified. ## What the airbag warning light means The airbag or SRS light means the airbag computer found a fault and may have turned off some or all airbags. The car drives normally, but you may not have airbag protection in a crash. Common causes include a loose connector under a seat, a worn clock spring in the steering wheel, and a seat belt buckle sensor. Have it diagnosed soon and check for open airbag recalls. The most common causes, on any make: 1. **Loose or damaged connector under a seat** (common) 2. **Worn clock spring in the steering wheel** (common) 3. **Passenger occupant sensor fault** (less common) 4. **Seat belt buckle or pretensioner fault** (less common) Full causes, what to do and how to reset it: [Airbag (SRS) warning light](/warning-lights/airbag). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a recall for the Kia Sorento airbag light? Yes. NHTSA lists 1 related recall (17V784000) covering 2018 models. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is open. ### Which Kia Sorento years have the most airbag light complaints? In NHTSA's database the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Sorento model years have the most complaints mentioning the airbag warning light, with 18 for 2015. Complaint counts reflect how many cars were sold as well as how often problems happen. ### Is it safe to drive a Kia Sorento with the airbag light on? Drive to a shop this week. The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. Do not try to repair airbag parts yourself, because an accidental deployment can cause serious injury. ### How do I check if my Kia Sorento has an open recall? Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask any Kia dealer. Open recalls are fixed free of charge, even if you are not the first owner. ## Sources - [NHTSA: Vehicle safety complaints and recalls (api.nhtsa.gov)](https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis) - [NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) ## Other Kia Sorento warning lights - [ABS warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/abs/kia-sorento): 36 complaints - [Battery (charging system) warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/battery/kia-sorento): 29 complaints - [Brake warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/brake/kia-sorento): 24 complaints - [Check engine light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/check-engine/kia-sorento): 578 complaints - [Coolant temperature warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/coolant-temperature/kia-sorento): 138 complaints - [Oil pressure warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/oil-pressure/kia-sorento): 216 complaints - [Power steering warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/power-steering/kia-sorento): 81 complaints - [Tire pressure (TPMS) light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/kia-sorento): 14 complaints - [Traction control light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/traction-control/kia-sorento): 34 complaints ## Airbag (SRS) warning light on other models - [Subaru Forester](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/subaru-forester): 280 complaints - [Nissan Altima](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-altima): 250 complaints - [Ford Explorer](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ford-explorer): 205 complaints - [Nissan Rogue](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-rogue): 163 complaints - [Honda Accord](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/honda-accord): 90 complaints - [Jeep Wrangler](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-wrangler): 88 complaints - [Ram 1500](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ram-1500): 77 complaints - [Volkswagen Tiguan](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/volkswagen-tiguan): 75 complaints - [Jeep Cherokee](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-cherokee): 71 complaints - [Chevrolet Traverse](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/chevrolet-traverse): 69 complaints ## Kia Sorento - [Kia Sorento specs and mpg by year](https://diagxcar.com/vehicles/kia-sorento) --- Source page: https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/kia-sorento Updated: 2026-11-04 General information, not a substitute for a qualified mechanic.