Kia Sorento Complaints

654 consumer complaints on file.

#11650460March 25, 2025
ENGINE
I received a rock hit that punctured the radiator. The front of this vehicle has large holes in the grill that do not prevent rocks from hitting the radiator. This has required me to replace my radiator at my own cost. Many owners are installing metal mesh behind the front facia to protect the radiator. This vehicle needs to be recalled to install a similar protection and KIA need to reimburse owners for related repairs. A punctured radiator caused loss of coolant to the environment and can lead to catastrophic engine failure if it overheats.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650413March 25, 2025
ENGINE
On three separate occasions, after starting the vehicle, the car cannot be accelerated above 30 mph. The Idle Stop and Go (ISG or Auto Start Stop feature) light flashes orange, but no other warning symbols are illuminated. After safely moving the vehicle off the road, I have to turn off the engine, wait for 2-4 seconds, and restart the engine. Once the vehicle is restarted, the vehicle accelerates normally. This issue has happened twice in the past month. I plan to take my car to a Kia dealership for an inspection, but since this problem happens randomly, the Kia technicians may not be able to reproduce the problem. I purchased this vehicle used with about 77k miles in December 2023. I first noticed this issue in April 2024. The vehicle now has a little under 98k miles recorded.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650217March 24, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The USB ports disconnect intermittently cause maps and phone calls to disconnect temporarily. Sometimes not connecting again until I turn off and on the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650125March 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that intermittently, the transmission was slipping. Additionally, the vehicle failed to go into Standard Mode. While driving, the vehicle lost motive power while driving at 15 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. There was an “S” symbol displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the system needed to be reset. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the sensor or wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650111March 24, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while at a red light, the vehicle stalled. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11649653March 21, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Was driving and car lost all power then violently shifted to the next gear and almost caused an accident
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11648316March 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop and while driving at various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond while the engine revved. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle made a dinging sound. The contact stated that the RPMs fluctuated while idling. Additionally, the contact stated that upon manually shifting to Sport Mode, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly Auto Parts, where DTC: P193B and P193B79 were retrieved. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a fee would be charged for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11648294March 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Driving down the road and the sunroof exploded. No other cars were around me so no project was thrown from another vehicle. Took the vehicle to the dealership. The service tech confirmed nothing was thrown and it appears the glass imploded from the inside. We are over 60,000 so not covered by warranty. He stated he would send through to Kia to see if they would replace and was rejected. Was told to take it some place else to get it fixed. Contacted a local auto glass, they will not even touch it. Contacted another, the entire panoramic roof must be replaced even though it was only the front moving part that shattered. I am out $1,300 and a vehicle until the glass arrives which I was told will take weeks. Searching the internet I see there have been numerous complaints of this issue. Something needs to be done. No there was no crash, but very easily could have.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11648005March 12, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle gear slipping acceleration loss with difficulty in proper control of the vehicle. Vehicle has a consistent noise that comes from the accelerator as if something was loose and vibrating. The wheels don’t seem to be moving at the same time and feels like the cars slightly moves side to side as if something in the structure of the vehicle has como off loose with sounds/ rattle coming from the passenger side and back. The vehicle has have wheels aligned and checked more than 6 times with continuous problems and no real solution from the dealers. The dealer has stated everything is fine and to go back if a light sensor turns on. They have said every excuse possible, from telling me that I don’t know to drive the vehicle to having the cops called on me to be removed from the premises . To the dealership telling me they will not check the vehicle. I have gone to 5 different dealership and they refuse to acknowledge my concern with the vehicle. I went ahead and place the vehicle on a lemon law and settled with Kia stating they would validate the warranty. The problem is the dealership have told me that they have to do lots of paperwork and they have to replicate the problem, but have me drive the vehicle instead of them . They stated they only drive the vehicle for about five minutes. The service advisor at time have requested authorization from me inorder for them to drive the car. When asked for a mechanic to do the testing, Ive been told they are may no be available and are working on other vehicles.I have stated the vehicle starts presenting the problem after it has been driven for a while. Again the dealership dismisses all of my claims. The vehicle doesn’t feel safe to drive and I fear a collision may happen putting my life and others at risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11647222March 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
When pressing the accelerator pedal after a near stop (rolling stop, California stop, stop to u der 3mpg and then resume acceleration) or very brief stop (<1 second) there is a significant delay in acceleration or a very brief acceleration then dead pedal and no acceleration for ~ 1 second. No accelerator pedal input variations changes this, i.e. I can release the accelerator pedal, hold the accelerator pedal pr push the accelerator pedal to the floor and it’s still a “dead pedal” scenario until the car decides it’s time to go. Owned car since new (~20 miles) and now has ~64k miles, been a persistent issue for entire ownership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646597March 5, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Outside temp was 33 degrees F with a slightly lower windchill. I started the car and, when I accelerated to 30 mph, my car began to beep and the dashboard indicated the speed was limited to 30 mph. It went into limp mode and resisted when I tried to go above 30. We were towed to Kia but they could not replicate the issue and said it may have been due to the cold. A Google search showed others with 2025 model Kias also had the issue and they also happened during colder temps. I was glad I was on a 40 mph road and not a highway or it could have been a dangerous issue. There was no indication of any issue until I tried to accelerate to 30 mph. It drove fine the night before when it was also below freezing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646037March 3, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Was driving up a hill when the 'Auto-Off' light started flashing on the driver display. Car would not accelerate above 20mph. At the top of the hill, I switched gears to neutral and the car began operating as expected; however, the same behavior occurred again at the next hill. Pulled over and restarted the car. Car worked as expected after restart. This is dangerous. I was taking my daughter to school in morning rush hour traffic. We live in a very hilly area and I'm terrified to drive the car. I dropped it off at the dealership almost 2 weeks ago and they have yet to identify the issue. I do see similar complaints on this site so I'm hoping that you are investigating.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645194February 26, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Engine stumbled and suddenly lost power, the engine turned off while on roadway in traffic. Car wouldn’t restart. When it did restart, an extreme smell of gasoline and tail pipe emissions was observed. Car was discharging gasoline from the tail pipe, at alarming rate, on to the ground. Car was unsafe to drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644990February 26, 2025
SUSPENSION
Strut noise
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644828February 25, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving my 2025 Kia Sorento on the highway, I noticed a coolant leak and an overheating warning. I immediately pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to a Kia dealership for inspection. After diagnosing the issue, the dealership claimed that small pebbles had damaged the radiator, leading to the coolant leak. They stated that this was considered an accident, not a defect, and therefore was not covered under warranty. Why This is a Concern: After researching online, I discovered that many other Kia owners are experiencing the same issue, suggesting that the radiator may be vulnerable to road debris due to poor design or insufficient protection. A radiator should be durable enough to withstand normal highway driving conditions. A failure like this could cause engine overheating and sudden breakdowns, posing a serious safety risk to drivers and passengers. Request for Investigation: Since this issue is affecting multiple Kia Sorento owners, I believe it should be investigated as a possible design flaw. If the radiator is too fragile to handle everyday road debris, Kia should issue a recall or Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to address the defect and ensure driver safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11642580February 13, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
The rear glass panel on the panoramic sunroof shattered without being bumped or hit, the gar is garage kept and in a treeless parking lot in day. The loud noise as well as damger of glass falling into back seat of car is dangerous. Am taking it to dealership this weekend for them to diagnose a cause but were unable to see us for three days.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640819February 5, 2025
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The check engine light has come on. The vehicle has stalled or loss power while driving 3 times with the last week. Once at 70 mph and the other 2 at 35 mph. Still very concerning on how to control when this occurs!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640216February 2, 2025
ENGINE
Our Kia lost power on the highway in a construction site and we had to coast until we finally were able to pull over in a safe place. This has happened a few times before but Kia says they can't do anything unless it can be duplicated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640072February 1, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on the highway, and all of the sudden the car started losing power, it would not respond to the accelerator pedal. It slowed down to 10-15 mph and would not go faster. I was lucky that the drivers behind me were able to slow their cars without hitting me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638983January 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
No less than 6 times in approximately 8000 miles the vehicle has lost all electrical power while driving and then regained power. All interior electric components are lost, power steering, headlights, everything. Twice it has completely stalled out when this has happened. I cannot recreate the issue on-demand. On occasion, the vehicle will not hold a hill. It will drift backwards when taking your foot off the brake. Again, this is not reproducible and is completely random.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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