Kia Sorento Complaints (2014)

988 consumer complaints on file.

#11741120May 31, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The pearl white paint on the 2014 Kia Sorento has delaminated and is coming off in large sections all over the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739208May 21, 2026
STEERING
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and steering left or right, the steering wheel would seize. The contact would have to maneuver the steering wheel back and forth for it to unlock and continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed a notch in the lower steering shaft as the cause of the steering failure. The steering joint assembly was replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,538.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737163May 11, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The paint on my 2014 Kia Sorento (Snow White Pearl) is peeling and delaminating across multiple areas of the vehicle, including the roof and side panels. In several areas the paint has detached completely, exposing bare metal, and rust has begun forming on the roof. The condition appears to be progressively worsening and does not appear consistent with normal wear or isolated paint damage. The affected areas are available for inspection. The peeling paint may create a road or visibility hazard if pieces detach while the vehicle is in motion. In addition, the exposed metal and developing rust on the roof and upper body areas may affect long-term structural integrity over time. This appears to be a widespread issue affecting similar Kia Sorento vehicles with Snow White Pearl paint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736910May 10, 2026
ENGINE
To whom this may concern: This is what I sent to KIA which I was informed to contact KIA customer care via phone. Which I will do but I know of several people that have had the same issue as me with a Sorento. I am writing this in regards to my 2014 KIA Sorento VIN: [XXX] I purchased in November 2021. At time of purchase it had 89199 miles, I kept up routine maintenance as usual then May 2022 while my husband was driving down the interstate the KIA shut completely down. He tried to start it back and seen a warning display on screen. We then had it towed to KIA in Morristown,TN for them to inform us that the motor needed to be replaced. That this was an ongoing issue with this make /model of vehicle. Luckily I had extended warranty that I purchased through Farris auto when I financed the KIA. They covered the replacement of the motor with 65000 miles along with a couple other things at that time. So the replacement motor was installed by July 2022 I haven’t had any issues with it until September 2025 I had the exact same thing happen to the second motor that happened to the first while my husband was pulling into driveway. I tried contacting the warranty company and of course there was nothing they can do. I contacted KIA in Morristown TN and Knoxville TN spoke with someone in the service department and nothing they can do. For this to be a known issue with Kia Sorento why can I not get the motor fixed? I don’t know where or how to find out if the motor that was replaced is in the recall list but it seems to me that KIA as a company would stand by their product. I am still paying on a vehicle that I can’t even drive, just so it doesn’t hurt my credit. 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
#11733577April 24, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk. The check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent dealer, where it was diagnosed with an unknown engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, black smoke was seen coming from under the hood, and the contact managed to pull over to the shoulder of the road, safely exit the vehicle, right before the engine caught on fire. The local fire department arrived on scene to extinguish the fire. The contact sustained PTSD; however, no medical attention was sought. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard and deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723722March 11, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Car burns oil to the point it requires 1 qt/500 mile. Had oil consumption test when issue first started in 2024 by kia, was told there was no problem. Car has continued to have this issue and has now broke connecting rod due to engine starvation even through the oil is to the full mark. I lost all power while driving with no warning before hand. Kia has admitted these engines have oil consumption issues that can lead to this exact problem and many other consumers have complained of the same situation in which Kia will not replace the flawed engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722527March 6, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
My 2014 Kia Sorento EX was purchased brand new, one owner, and started losing paint in several areas on the outside of the car and is horrible. So many 2014 Kias have this issue. It is a BAD PAINT job. This should never happen and I’ll never buy another Kia. Kia should fix these issues immediately. My Kia is in great shape except for the horrible paint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718774February 18, 2026
ENGINE
1. The engine consumed its own oil and a rod bearing failed and destroyed the engine 2. This happened while my wife was traveling on I20 at 70mph and almost resulted in a wreck when the engine died and she lost power to the wheels 3. Nalley Kia in Lithonia, GA has confirmed that the engine consumed its own oil which cause a rod bearing to fail and ultimately led to the engine failure 4. No warning lights prior to this happening, just a knocking sound as she merged onto I20
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718328February 16, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Re: Formal Complaint – Repeated Engine Failures and Unacceptable Service Delays Vehicle: Kia Sorento 2014 VIN: [XXX] Purchased: Fall of 2021 Current Issue: Vehicle in service at Kia of Lincolnwood since January 9, 2026 Dear Kia Consumer Affairs and Legal Department, I am writing to formally document my severe dissatisfaction with the repeated engine failures in my Kia vehicle and the complete lack of communication and urgency from both Kia of Lincolnwood (6750 N Lincoln Ave, Lincolnwood, IL 60712) and Kia's consumer support channels. This has caused significant financial hardship, disruption to my family and work, and eroded any trust in the brand. I purchased this vehicle approximately 5 years ago through CarMax. Within that time, the engine has died or stalled three times: The first failure occurred about one year after purchase, stranding me at 11:00 p.m. in rural Wisconsin during winter with my three young children in the vehicle. The second incident happened in downtown Chicago (River North), just one hour before I needed to depart for a work event in Champaign, IL, requiring a tow and last-minute rental arrangements. The most recent failure occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. after leaving my music studio, necessitating another tow and a $50 Uber ride home. Eleven months ago, Kia of Lincolnwood replaced the knock sensor under a one-year recall warranty. Despite this, the engine issues persisted. On January 9, 2026, I brought the vehicle to Kia of Lincolnwood for the third major engine-related failure. It has now been in the shop for nearly six weeks with no meaningful updates on diagnosis, repair timeline, or resolution. I have called the dealership at least ten times seeking callbacks from my assigned service advisor (Max) or any team member. In each instance, I was either hung up on, placed on hold for over an hour, or promised a return call that never came. 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
#11718157February 15, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2014 Kia Sorento sxl Pearl White paint just peeling off the vehicle in large pieces. Seems to be a common issue that Kia does not want to fix. Paint is peeling from both left and right pillars, the hood and the top towards the fin. Started about a year ago and is getting progressively worse. The paint needs to be recalled and effected vehicles repainted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715315February 3, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the engine had seized; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714352January 29, 2026
ENGINE
We do our oil changes routinely. We had one done not too long ago. We were driving to the store and all of a sudden the oil light came on, but the engine light never came on. And then about 30 seconds later, we heard almost like a thump sound like we had hit something but we didn’t. We pulled into the grocery store parking lot about a minute after that, and there was oil leaking out of my car. We tried to put more oil in, but it just kept coming out. We have tried to see what’s going on. We can’t tell. We plan to get it towed and looked at. I don’t know if it will turn back on because I didn’t want to risk it and my engine locking up, but this seems to be an issue as I have read some of the other complaints.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714028January 28, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
While driving at low speed and turning, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power accompanied by engine knocking. The engine stalled and would no longer operate normally. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic, who found metal fragments/shavings in the engine oil, indicating internal engine damage. The engine is now inoperable and has effectively failed. There were no warning signs prior to the failure other than the knocking noise immediately before the loss of power. This failure occurred suddenly and without driver input. The sudden engine failure caused a loss of propulsion while the vehicle was in use, creating a potential safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle required towing due to engine failure. Kia Consumer Assistance was contacted regarding the engine failure. I was informed that no recalls apply to this VIN and that the vehicle is out of warranty. Kia Consumer Assistance stated they would not inspect or document the engine failure unless I paid out of pocket.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713715January 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
My key fob doesn’t register even while in car, my battery drains daily has to recieve jump off every Otha day if not daily, door open indicator shows open on all doors even when closed, car locks won’t disengage automatically but your system shows no recalls something’s wrong with it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713328January 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
paint delamination and peeling on multiple panels
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712297January 20, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My car having gas leak under hood. Strong gas smell comes from ac vent.its a safety hazard
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710805January 13, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
Paint peeled off
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700704November 20, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I got my car fixed and I’m still having the same issue. Seems like they just turned off the lights on my car and it’s still giving me issues..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698658November 10, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, STEERING
The car engine started on fire while I was driving after all the recalls were fixed and new engine installed. The car was completely destroyed the whole engine compartment was completely burned. Kia says it was an oil leak but that’s not true the car oil change was done regularly and was serviced within 3 months of the engine fire. I also had this vehicle parked inside my garage for 5 years and not a single drop of oil in the garage floor. Kia is also refusing to send me a full report of their findings from the fire inspection. Kia adjuster is acting in bad faith by not providing the fire report. The car engine was replaced new due to an earlier recall and within 10,000 miles the new engine caught fire. They don’t want to be liable for this engine fire but cars don’t just burn without any reason. The refusal of KIA adjuster to release the findings in the fire inspection is very concerning to other people driving this vehicle in the public. Where engine fire can cause their deaths and their families deaths. This is a safety problem
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698383November 8, 2025
ENGINE
When start up there’s a clacking sound then it goes away, while the vehicle is warm you hear the clacking while driving vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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