Kia Sorento Complaints (2016)

1,262 consumer complaints on file.

#11582074April 10, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
A rain storm came and I left my car out of the garage and the rain peeled off huge parts of my paint. There is no reason that my car last paint should have been washed off from rain.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11581889April 9, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
I have a 2016 Snow White Kia Sorento that the paint is coming off of. Paint is coming off from the hood, above drivers side door and above back hatch.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11581616April 7, 2024
ENGINE
I have been the first owner of my Kia Sorento car and it has always been well maintained. The oil change has always been done on time. I was driving on the highway going 65mph when out of nowhere the check engine started flashing, a rattling noise started, and I noticed it wouldn’t accelerate. There was never any warning lights of any kind to warn me of something malfunctioning. I had a mechanic check it and said there was an oil loss and affected the engine and I would have to replace it. He mentioned that there has been a lot of issues about the engine failing in Kias but that there is still no recall for it. I have read so many articles of this being true and Kia should fix this! It is definitely a hazard driving a Kia car that does not warn you of the oil loss causing a failed engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11581297April 5, 2024
ENGINE
The engine gave out while driving on the highway going 65-70 mph on the left lane ,vehicle started shaking and slowing down really loud cars started going around luckily I was able to get to the right breakdown lane as it stalled. I could have caused a major accident on the highway, I restarted the car it shakes as I drove it slowly to the exit at every light the car stalled when I stopped. Brought to the dealer they confirmed the engine is gone , no prior warning of any issue. Car isn’t even paid off til next month! They state only option is to put a new engine which is lots of money.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580720April 2, 2024
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in a drive-thru line, the engine temperature gauge increased to the "high" position and the engine overheated causing engine coolant to leak from the engine compartment with white smoke coming from the exhaust system. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the head gasket was blown. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the replacement engine was on backorder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,820.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580029March 29, 2024
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The engine (I think engine) stalls out, and several times the engine has completely died. Almost causing me and the other car involved a very serious accident. The vehicle stalls when sitting at the traffic light and I go to turn to accelerate and it stalls and after pushing/tapping the gas pedal repeatedly it will eventually stop and I'm able to then drive on. Also the car does not shift properly at all, it winds up and seems the get stuck and have to try accelerate before it shift. I keep getting errors on my dash saying "possible engine condition, please press schedule service" and then I run the diagnostic report and this is what it says CATEGORY (2) PowerTrain P0456 Evaporative Emission System - Leak Detected (Very Small Leak) Possible condition(s) with your Engine Control System has been detected. KlA recommends a full system check when convenient. To schedule an appointment with a KIA dealer, select Schedule Service on the screen. P0303 Cylinder 3 - Misfire Detected Possible condition(s) with your Engine Control System has been detected. KIA recommends a full system check soon. To schedule an appointment with a KIA dealer, select Schedule Service on the screen. Request Appointment I have taken my vehicle in the KIA Service Center twice and have given them the errors and described the issues I am having along with several other issues. The Kia service department has failed to provide me with a resolution to the problem stated above or any other issues I reported. They didn't even check oil as I requested. They advised me the oil levels were "fine" but once I checked it myself it was actually low, proofing they did not do any type inspection on the vehicle as requested. The advised me that there was nothing they could do about the stalling of the vehicle or the engine shutting down because they couldn't duplicate it. I'm not sure exactly what they are meaning by the statement. I then called KIA corporate number and the representative submitted a case onveh
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580170March 29, 2024
ENGINE
I have filed a complaint with the South Carolina Attorney General which is pending and spoke with KIA Consumer Affairs twice about the failure of the Knock Sensor device which has caused engine failure in my 2016 KIA Sorento. I was told by KIA Consumer Affairs that the Upgrade Knock Sensor Campaign was mailed to the first owner of the vehicle in 2018 and was not replaced. I bought the SUV in November 2019 from Carvana. I have the original carfax report which states No Recalls on my SUV. I had no knowledge of the knock sensor upgrade Campaign and of course didn't receive a Recall notice. The only Recall notice I have received, just recently, is for a wiring harness for tow hitch, however, I don't have the tow pkg./hitch on my SUV. Until my engine failed due to the knock sensor, I had no indication of anything being wrong with the SUV. KIA refuses to pay for the engine replacement. My SUV is still at the dealership service dept. until this is resolved. I am a [XXX] lady with 32 years Federal Service with the Veterans Administration in SC. I do not have the money nor should I have to pay for the engine replacement. It's a lot of money! I am appealing for your help to force KIA to take responsibility and replace the engine. When the engine died without warning, I was in a dangerous intersection, during rush hour. An off duty police officer assisted me with directing traffic & obtaining a tow truck to pull me safety until AAA could come tow it. I called the dealership the next day, on [XXX], & was told why they thought the engine died & that warranties on the motor had been extended to 100,000 miles to cover it. I was told to have it towed there. A couple days later a technician called & said he did not think KIA would cover it because the knock sensor was not replaced during the "Recall." Any assistance you can provide is appreciated. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578903March 22, 2024
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55-60 MPH, a loud explosion was heard coming from the vehicle. The vehicle then lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was a hole in the bottom part of the engine, causing oil to leak from the engine. The dealer informed the contact that the engine, starter, and exhaust manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer denied the engine replacement. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000. The contact stated the safety issue of the vehicle losing all power without warning while driving is due to a specific engine that Kia installed in several of its cars/suvs. It is called a Theta II engine that was used in 2.0 and 2.4 liter cars.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578688March 21, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
Paint bubbling/chipping on multiple areas of my car. Concerned for rusting and further damage to my car. Paint chipping was first noticed in 2021 and it has progressively gotten worse since.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578381March 20, 2024
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Since 2019, the power steering for my Kia Sorento has failed on at least 30 occasions while my vehicle is in motion, placing vehicle occupants and nearby drivers at significant risk of a serious accident. All failures have the following in common: - Vehicle becomes very difficult to steer and requires significant arm strength to turn the wheel to either the left or the right - The red EPS warning light illuminates, no other warning lights nor alarms - The steering wheel feels a minor shudder before fully locking - Upon stopping them vehicle, placing in park, turning the engine off, and then turning the engine back on, the EPS warning light is no longer illuminated and the steering is restored ("as if nothing happened") - There no known common causes, such as vehicle speed, temperature, nor any other triggers which cause this error, as a driver, there is the distinct chance that it can happen at ANY time Documented instances8 with video include: 11/20/2021 8/2/2022 8/4/2022 8/18/2022 (highway speed, specified in Additional Details) 8/24/2022 3/13/2024 Kia America issued an "MDPS Warranty Extension Notice" on January 7 2022 which appears to be specific to this problem sine it references EPS warning light, however this is a categorically insufficient response by Kia since it offers no clear remediation to address the actual acknowledgment by the manufacturer of their problem, offering coverage "if the diagnosis indicates the condition" but stating "vehicle steering will continue to be operational" after EPS illuminates. This is false since a person of my size is unable to operate the steering I have taken the vehicle to a Kia dealership for this problem on several occasions, including 2/7/22 after receiving the above "warranty notice," however their equipment is incapable of finding any record of the problem using any advanced OBD scanners, nor able to replicate the problem through driving since the problem is random, hence Kia will not repair under warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578471March 20, 2024
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked when the contact attempted to open the trunk, however, the trunk failed to open. The contact stated that the failure recurred multiple times and after multiple attempts, the trunk was able to open. The contact stated that the failure continued to recur and the trunk became inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed the contact that the warranty did not cover the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578015March 18, 2024
ENGINE
On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, I was driving my vehicle to work. I have a 12 mile commute and take both highways and local roads. When I started driving, I noticed that the engine would make a knocking/rattling sound when I accelerated. While in the final mile of my commute, I stopped at a stoplight. When the light turned green and I applied my foot to the accelerator, the vehicle did not respond and dashboard lights for the oil, engine and battery all illuminated. These lights did not illuminate at anytime prior to this point. Being that I was on local roads, I was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. I turned off the engine and attempted to restart. The engine did not start but all other electric components in the vehicle appeared functional. Roadside assistance attempted asses whether the vehicle had a dead battery using a portable battery back but were also unable to start the vehicle. The vehicle had to be flatbed towed to the dealership. After a week, I was informed that the engine had seized and was non-responsive. As of this date (3/18/24), I am still waiting for backordered parts and do not have an ETA for the return of my vehicle. I also have not been provided a loaner.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577824March 17, 2024
ENGINE
Check engine light turned on. The crankshaft has given out and the mechanic confirmed it needs a new engine. Cylinders 2&4 are misfiring. It has a rough idle and does not accelerate. Many online forms confirm that this is a Kia problem and different years have had a recall. I can not drive my car due to the shaking of the car and the unknown of possible breaking down. It revs up high before it shifts gears and shakes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577856March 17, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The paint is coming off in chunks. We have a white 2016 kia sorento. We noticed a few areas shortly after bought it but now bigger pieces are missing. We did research and noticed other similar vehicles are having the same issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577302March 14, 2024
ENGINE
In December 2022 while driving at various speeds, the vehicle began to overheat. No warning lights illuminated. I pulled over and let the engine cool down. Then coolant was added to the reservoir. I waited before restarting the vehicle. I took the vehicle to an independent mechanic the next day and was informed that the head gasket was blown, and the engine would likely need to be replaced. Kia dealership was contacted and notified. The vehicle was not repaired.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577041March 13, 2024
POWER TRAIN
Gear shift will not shift into Park and car will roll where parked depending on the incline. It also will not start unless I use the shifter bypass with a small screwdriver to shift it into neutral to start and then shift into reverse or drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577077March 13, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Paint peeling and bubbling. Started at 45,000 miles and is now very bad on good, above windshield this makes my car look terrible I see many other pearl white ones with this issue. Kia stated paint is not in warranty. I feel they should honor the quality of their paint on cars
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577231March 13, 2024
ENGINE
The engine overheated. We were able to get to a place and stop. We continue to have overheating issues. An independent shop believes it is being caused by the issue of stripped head bolts. They advised I take it to the Kia dealer who denies being able to recreate the overheating. No further inspection has taken place. The temp gauge was topping out but no other warning lights or gauges were triggered. After reading numerous other accounts of issues with this engine in this car I was concerned about continuing to drive the vehicle for fear of being stranded or the engine seizing while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577031March 12, 2024
ENGINE
I was driving on an interstate coming down a mountain and my car stopped accelerating. The check engine light also began flashing. I glided along the interstate to the nearest exit. I had my car towed to a mechanic who told me my engine blew due to a defect in my engine. Months prior to this incident, my car would not retain oil so I took it to Kia and they replaced my oil gasket thinking that was the issue. However, it turns out the problem was with a defect in my engine. This is a very dangerous issue. Please please recall these cars.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11576669March 11, 2024
ENGINE
My 2016 Kia Sorento 3.3 L V6 starting over heating and smoking and loss of power and would no start when it was running hot. In January of 2023. We towed the car to Kia and they could not find the problem told us we need to replace the thermostat for $1000 and that would fix the problem we left and had it towed away. We took the car to a radiator shop two days later and they change the water pump and thermostat. The overheating continued we took it back to the radiator shop and they performed a head gasket pressure test and the car failed and they said the head gasket was leaking and we need to get the heads repaired they quoted $6900. We later took the car to a engine rebuilder and they certified that the heads gasket was blown with the same test and the bolts were wore off on the cylinder heads and the engine needed to be rebuilt or replaced. We went to Kia they did not do anything. We had to get the engine totally rebuilt on our cost total cost $4712.04 and it took 3 months to find all the Kia parts . KIA issued a letter to cover the repairs for these engines and this model on Janurary 2, 2024 and it and has not been paid it has been sixty days which was there time frame in the letter to cover the claim they won't answer us at all with a verdict the most terrible car company around .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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