2021-2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid Seat Belt Pretensioner Recall (22V447)
Kia America, Inc. · 17,199 vehicles · Reported June 23, 2022
Kia America, Inc. is recalling 17,199 2021-2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid; 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment. An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 22V447 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 22V447000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | SC241 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | June 23, 2022 |
| Manufacturer | Kia America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2021-2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid; 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV |
| Units affected | 17,199 |
| Component | Seat Belts > Pretensioner |
| Safety risk | An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid in recall 22V447?
In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid with recall 22V447?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the pretensioner.
Which vehicles are included in recall 22V447?
Recall 22V447 covers 17,199 vehicles: 2021-2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid; 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV.
NHTSA lists 17,199 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | Kia | Sorento Hybrid |
| 2022 | Kia | Sorento PHEV |
What is the fix for the Sorento Hybrid seat belt pretensioner recall?
Yes. Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge.
Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC241. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 22V-127. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
When was recall 22V447 announced?
Kia America, Inc. reported recall 22V447 to NHTSA on June 23, 2022. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as August 17, 2022.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 23, 2022 | Kia America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 22V447000. |
| August 17, 2022 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 52 months ago. If your Sorento Hybrid was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Sorento Hybrid is part of recall 22V447?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 22V447 is open on your Sorento Hybrid, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 22V447000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Sorento Hybrid owners do about recall 22V447?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 22V447000 applies to your Sorento Hybrid.
- Call a Kia dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the pretensioner happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Sorento Hybrid owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 2 of them about the seat belts.
Too few NHTSA complaints about the seat belts have been filed since recall 22V447 was reported (2) to say whether the fix is holding.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 55 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 2 of them involve the seat belts. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV: 22 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts
- 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid: 21 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
- 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid: 12 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
I took my car into Winn Kia dealership in Fremont, Ca to have my recall completed which entailed seat belts and airbags. They claimed to have completed the recall and gave me my car back a few days later.
2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11639500, filed January 29, 2025
I received a recall notice for a problem with the front seat seat-belt pretensioners, which apparently deploy abnormally and may project metal fragments into the passengers. Despite being told the repair should only take 1 hour, I cannot get an appointment for 2 months to get it fixed.
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11481343, filed August 26, 2022
Can recall 22V447 make my Sorento Hybrid a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
Seat belt defects are safety defects. If the belt, buckle or pretensioner still does not work right after the recall repair, the repeat visit belongs in your records.
This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 22V127000.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Sorento Hybrid been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Kia Sorento Hybrid recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 22V447
Is the 22V447000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed August 17, 2022.
How do I know if my Sorento Hybrid is part of recall 22V447000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 22V447000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Kia. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.