KiaSorento2007Overview/kia/sorento/2007/base/

2007 Kia Sorento

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2007 Sorento.

Body SUV

The 2007 Kia Sorento is an SUV that recorded 154 total owner complaints and four recalls, with air bags emerging as the primary area of concern. This reliability profile sits within a broader model history spanning 2003 to 2026, where complaint volumes fluctuated significantly. Consequently, the 2007 model occupies a middle ground between the 2010 low of three complaints and the 2011 high of 1,516.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192007

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque65-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124 · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length180.7 in
Overall width74 in
Overall height71.3 in
Wheelbase106.7 in
Curb weight4462 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sorento of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.1–9.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.10 sec — 2003 EX V6
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2004EX V6 3.5L V69.40 sec16.96 sec192 hp4x4
2003EX V6 3.5L V69.10 sec17.00 sec192 hp4x4
2003EX V6 3.5L V69.50 sec17.30 sec192 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 65-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.6
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7-9 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts209-224 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts53-56 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts33 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs14-17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-87 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub178-198 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.56-.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5,950-8,050 ohms

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.19 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number124
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-19 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)54.0-56.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-24 ft-lbs / 16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle47-54 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0012 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.787 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.787 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.724 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Head bolt

127.5-30.4 ft. lbs.27.5–30.4 ft. lbs
2118-122 degrees118–122 degrees
388-92 degrees; Bolt A88–92 degrees
413.74-17.36
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
14 ft. lbs, step 2: repeat 3 times: 17 ft. lbs.4 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBattery (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 18,000 miEngine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 22,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 30,000 miBody Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2007 Kia Sorento represents a transitional model year within this generation's arc. While it recorded the lowest complaint volume (154) of any year between 2003 and 2010, it simultaneously experienced the highest recall count (4) and tied for the most NHTSA investigations (3) in that early period—suggesting that regulatory action preceded widespread owner-reported failures. The complaint trend shows a steady decline from 2003 through 2010, then a dramatic spike beginning in 2011 (1,516 complaints), indicating the generation's reliability issues substantially worsened in later model years. The 2007 model's top complaint area was Air Bags (47 incidents), followed by Power Train (14), with 10 crash-related complaints and 5 fire-related complaints also recorded. This places 2007 near the peak of early-generation regulatory scrutiny but before the sharp escalation in owner complaints that defined 2011–2017. The 2007 Sorento is among the better candidates within this generation due to its low complaint volume and the fact that many defects were already addressed through recalls by this point, though the elevated investigation count warrants verification that all applicable recalls have been completed.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
23
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
154
Owner complaints
10 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 154 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags47
Power Train14
Service Brakes6
Electrical System6
Vehicle Speed Control5
Structure5
Unknown Or Other4
Exterior Lighting4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V088000Electrical SystemReported 14/02/2020

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. 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…

09V130000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 17/04/2009

HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 23 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_BOD055_R12021-09-13StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This…
PS067_R12018-10-19EnginePITSTOP: CYLINDER HEAD STEEL BALL INSPECTION AND INSTALLATION - This Pitstop provides…
PS5392018-03-02Engine And Engine CoolingPITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed…
TSB-GEN085R12017-01-18EquipmentTSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
TSB-GEN0852016-11-04Latches/Locks/LinkagesTSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sorento. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2007 Sorento have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.