Kia Sorento Complaints (2025)

136 consumer complaints on file.

#11773283October 23, 2026
AIR BAGS
I was rear ended and my car slammed into the car in front of me and the air bags did not deploy. Instead my head slammed into the steering wheel.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11773314October 23, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle experienced a slight loss of automotive power and the vehicle decelerated to 35 MPH. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,448.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770915October 13, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I am submitting this complaint to report two separate incidents involving a sudden and significant loss of acceleration in my vehicle while merging onto the freeway. These incidents created dangerous driving conditions and placed both myself and my children at risk. First Incident – July 2026 In July 2026, my vehicle experienced a sudden loss of acceleration while I was merging onto the freeway. I was traveling uphill in a single-lane merge area with no shoulder available to pull over safely. During this incident, the vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 40 mph, and I was forced to maintain that speed for several miles. I had both of my children in the vehicle at the time. After merging onto the far-left lane of the freeway, I needed to cross four lanes of traffic to reach my exit. The vehicle's inability to accelerate normally created a significant safety hazard, as I had limited ability to keep pace with surrounding traffic or maneuver safely. Second Incident – October 2026 In October 2026, the issue occurred again while I was merging onto the freeway. I was unable to accelerate beyond approximately 69 mph. When I released the gas pedal, the vehicle rapidly decelerated to a dangerously low speed, forcing me to pull onto the freeway shoulder. After waiting approximately 10 minutes, I attempted to drive again. The vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 40 mph, and a dashboard message appeared stating, "Park with engine On to charge battery." I was forced to travel along the freeway shoulder for several miles until I could reach the next exit. I then parked in an empty parking lot and waited approximately 20 minutes before attempting to drive again. When I tried to accelerate to merge back into traffic, the vehicle continued to feel sluggish and unresponsive. Unfortunately the dealership were unable to duplicate the issue after the first occurrence and no repairs were done. The car is at the same dealership and I am waiting to hear back.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770979October 13, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
XXX - 9:35am EST: Lost acceleration power while driving on interstate, hybrid battery rapidly depleted forcing gas engine to engage at high RPMs in effort to maintain speed and charge hybrid battery. Decelerated from 65mph to roughly 40 mph within 1 mile of traveling distance, resulting in maneuvering of car over to right hand shoulder to park in the middle of [XXX] between [XXX] and [XXX]. Called [XXX] dispatch to request unit to park behind vehicle with emergency lights on to make other drivers aware while tow truck was called. While having the engine on and awaiting tow truck, vehicle dashboard displayed 'Check Hybrid System' warning message and began idling at lower RPMs than usual while gas engine was running. Vehicle towed XXX at 10:40am to local Kia dealership for serving, as vehicle was under full warranty. As of XXX, dealership has yet to conduct diagnostics, noting during drop off of keys that only (1) technician certified to work on BEVs and HEVs was employed full-time by the dealership service department. Dealership has yet to reach out for additional information, option of courtesy vehicle, or to offer assistance with submission of claim for rental car reimbursement to Kia Motors America. Fortunately, I was the only passenger in the car at the time. However, as a seasoned driver who has experienced other significant incidents while driving (e.g., failure of power booster for power steering and power brakes, tire blowout on interstate), navigating four lanes of 65mph+ traffic to safety park vehicle on heavily trafficked bridge was one of the more anxiety and stress inducing experiences to date. Contingent upon dealership service diagnostics and potential corrective service, I am incredibly hesitant (and may refuse) to drive the vehicle again at this point. Such a failure of the drivetrain is, unquestionably, a safety hazard warranting reporting to NHTSA for further review. 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
#11770029October 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
traveling on 6 lane divided highway at highway speed no traffic ahead for approximately 10 car lengths collision warnings fcs activated steered/swerved and braked. 2. Returned from KIA Dealership assured it should not happen again, 289 miles later driving 6 lane divided highway clear ahead warnings cuts power. Crash at highway speed. KIA Dealer states "NO problems found" "Functioning as designed". Yes Collision red and orange flashing lights, beeping alerts.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769560October 7, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Bought my 2025 Kia Sorento brand new in November of 2025. Summer of 2026 with 30,000 miles on it, all of the dash lights kept flashing at me, including the red brake light, and messages saying CHECK ESC, CHECK ABS, CHECK DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM/ Happened several times but the car would still drive. The morning of August 20, I was going to leave for work and it happened again, but this time it wouldn't let me go in forward or reverse. When i pressed the gas, the engine just revved but it stayed in one spot and kind of jumped. I had it towed to Kia. They came up with 5 codes all having to do with the ABS system, drove it 500 miles, couldn't get it to happen so gave it back to me. Fast forward to Oct 4, the dash lights came on again after 30 min of driving but this time while the car was running and in park-this time let me drive- felt unsafe being everything online says it's a cricical safety issue with your brakes. Contacted Kia- bringing it back in tomorrow (Oct 8) but it then happened again this morning while driving 30 mph. Turned car off and back on and they were gone.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768394October 1, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving on the freeway, I was getting over into the next lane. I was half way over and there was no one in front of, next to or behind me from any direction, I was traveling an open road. The closest vehicle to me was 2 lanes over and 5 to 6 car lengths behind me, my car began to beep rapidly and immediately activated the automatic emergency breaking system. It slammed on the brakes, jolting my 2 daughets and me forward. All 3 active seat belts locked and caused pain in my chest. There was not a car near me at all. It was a hard slam and then immediate release. I have not yet reported this to Kia, I have never had this happen to me, therefore, there has never been an inspection initiated by myseld of the ABS. There are no systems failure lamps or warning lights activated. If someone was behind me, we would have surely been rear ended. I am terrified to drive this vehicle now.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11767244September 27, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
A check engine coolant system light came on, so I took the car to the local Kia dealership in downtown LA. They checked the battery coolant level and found it was completely empty and recommended I check for leaks. I later took the vehicle to Kia of Irvine for an inspection, and they found a rock had entered through the front grille and punctured the radiator, causing the leak. The front grill is both very exposed and low to the ground without any kind of protective shield/mesh blocking ordinary road debris from entering and damaging the exposed radiator and other vital engine components. Kia denied warranty coverage, claiming this was an "outside influence". However, online I found numerous complaints by other Kia owners over this same issue, as well as class action lawsuits against other car manufacturers alleging the same issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11766939September 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving in our Kia Sorento 2025 on XXX, completely secluded from any other traffic or road hazards, the sunroof exploded outward. The explosion was very loud and startled my wife, who was driving, almost causing a single-car accident. This is the second time this has happened in our family, and KIA is refusing to acknowledge any issue and won't even return our calls. I'm very worried about this causing a serious accident or even death. Glass shop in [XXX] said they've seen it multiple times but can't fix. Kia Dealer in [XXX] (our home) won't cover it under the "bumper-to-bumper" warranty or recall. Please intervene. If you don't, nothing will change and someone will die eventually. 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
#11766271September 22, 2026
AIR BAGS
Knee airbags deployed in my car accident and have severe injuries on bilateral legs bruises that damage my nerves and veins.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11763631September 11, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving in a 55mph highway, I lost all accelerative power in my KIA Sorento Hybrid, driving my speed down to 25mph with vehicles behind me and no shoulder to pull onto. When I put my foot on the accelerator, the rmps on the dash would go all the way up 3000-4000 rpms, but there wasn't even a revving sound, and the car would not accelerate. Luckily I had just left my house was able to turn around and drive slowly home with my hazard lights on, the two miles back home. The first moment it happened the car behind me had to break, and luckily did so in time. From looking up the symptoms, it seems it may have been a malfunction with the HPCU. At no time did any diagnostic lights come on to alert of an issue. I shut the car off after returning home, tried to drive up my street, the same thing happened even when I tried to accelerate to 25mph. I am making an appointment to take it to a kia dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762668September 8, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Warning Message CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, First incident driving on the road car gave warning message 10 mins later car went in limp mode in the middle of road and did not allow me too move (took to dealership they had the car for four days ,they reported no codes was found )2. Second Incident driving on highway and car gave warning message shortly after warning sign car start to not let me accelerate and was going very slow on highway, manage to pull over and engine light and message came up diagnostic fault code.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762737September 8, 2026
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
multiple active faults, 12 active DTC codes, which have disabled the ABS, ESC and airbag communication lines, the dealer we took the car to refused to perform a full diagnostic and repair. I have been in contact with Kia corporate and they have consistently said that cannot make a dealer perform service. The dealer where we purchased the vehicle cannot see us until October.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761641September 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
The central ccNC infotainment display screen on my 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid intermittently and now permanently failed (blank/black screen). This total display blackout completely disables the backup camera system (FMVSS 111 non-compliance) and critical vehicle setting controls. The issue first began while under the 36,000-mile factory warranty (documented at 12,000-14,000 miles). Despite providing timestamped video proof and taking the vehicle to the dealership for diagnosis (Case #26311712), Kia America has delayed and refused to authorize a goodwill repair/replacement. This issue mirrors official NHTSA safety recall SC361 / 26V046 for 2025 Sorento display defects.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760757August 30, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
My 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid SX-Prestige has repeated issues with the engine and drive train. On December 30th, 2025 it was diagnosed with a blocked breather hose sensor, causing the check engine light to come on. On July 1, 2026, the car rapidly decelerated while driving on the highway (limp mode), creating an unsafe condition, with an alert to charge the battery. The car also seemed to struggle getting up to speed, and shifted gears less smoothly, and at higher engine RPMs than it had previously. The deceleration behavior was confirmed by the Kia Technician. On July 21st, 2026, the car again rapidly decelerated while driving on the highway (limp mode), creating another unsafe condition, but no alert to charge the battery was received. This time the fuel rail pressure sensor was replaced. The car is now sitting in my driveway, completely dead. I drove it 2 days ago, and nothing appeared amiss. Yesterday morning, the doors would not unlock using either key fob, so I used the physical key to enter the car. It would not start. My husband measured the voltage from the battery terminal (inside the fuse box under the hood) to the bolt on the wheel strut at ~3 Volts. No settings were changed in the car and I verified the headlights remain in "Auto" mode. As it is Sunday, I will contact the Kia dealer tomorrow for directions. Due to the repetitive nature of issues with this car, I would like help from the NHTSA to ensure this is promptly and permanently fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760338August 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
VEHICLE: 2025 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX]) KIA CORPORATE CASE #: XXX SAFETY DEFECT DESCRIPTION: The central ccNC infotainment display screen suffers from recurring, thermal-induced flickering and complete blackouts while driving and parking. When the screen blackouts, the FMVSS 111 federally mandated Backup Camera, navigation, and critical vehicle safety displays are completely lost, posing an immediate collision and safety hazard. EXTENSIVE SERVICE & REPAIR HISTORY (2 FAILED DEALER VISITS): 1. VISIT #1 (XXX - Healey Kia, Newburgh NY): Reported intermittent display flickering and blackout. Dealer claimed unable to duplicate on quick drive and requested video proof. 2. EVIDENCE DOCUMENTATION: Clear video was captured demonstrating screen flickering and total blackout after ~20 minutes of driving, while audio continued playing. 3. VISIT #2 (XXX - Kia of Middletown, NY, Invoice #XXX at 4,951 miles): Dealer performed a 2-hour manual CCNC software update via KGIS and released the vehicle as "operating as designed." 4. FAILURE RECURRENCE (XXX): Less than 24 hours after the software update, the display experienced another complete failure and blackout while driving (captured on secondary video). CURRENT STATUS / REFUSAL TO REPAIR: Despite TWO separate dealership visits and conclusive video evidence proving the software update failed, Kia Customer Care (Case #XXX) refused to authorize a warranty Head Unit / Display Assembly replacement and instead instructed me to repeatedly surrender the vehicle for indefinite dealer visits. This is an unresolved, chronic safety defect. 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
#11760144August 27, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
About a minute into my drive, I heard an explosion. I looked back thinking something happened to my twin toddlers and saw nothing. I heard the sound of glass cracking and looked up to see the front glass of my moonroof shattered. I pulled over to safety and closed the sun cover for the moonroof before any more glass could fall into the car in fear of my toddlers getting injured. The car itself had been on for maybe 5 minutes prior to driving away from my house.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758432August 21, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the rear windshield wiper was moving with the switch turned off. The contact turned the rear windshield wiper to high, then low, and the wiper finally turned off. The contact continued driving and the vehicle suddenly stalled, and the message Press Button to Start Engine message was displayed. The vehicle continued to coast in neutral, and then decelerated to approximately 65 MPH. The contact pressed the start button and the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle failed to move immediately. The contact stated that after several attempts, the engine revved as needed. The contact stated that while continuing to drive, the steering wheel was hot, the radio screen was blacked out, and the horn failed to sound. When the radio screen was illuminated and displayed the information on the screen, the contact became aware that the GPS had reset to an erroneous location. The rear windshield wiper independently activated again. The contact noticed a burning odor while continuing to drive the vehicle. After the contact arrived to the destination, the contact had to press the button four times before the vehicle turned off. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issues. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758296August 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
During highway trips the info cluster starts chiming and a coffee cup light comes on the dash saying I should consider taking a break! This happens frequently and is distracting as I need to look down from the road to access what the warning is. I'm being told now that it is not able to be disabled. It's distracting and there's no way I would have bought the car with such a distraction during highway driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757346August 17, 2026
ENGINE
This report concerns a repeating loss of power in the 2025 Kia Sorrento-Hybrid that forces the engine into "limp-mode". This issue has occurred when traveling at speeds exceeding 55mph on highway as well as when accelerating to merge into traffic. The vehicle does not flash any warning lights on the dashboard and shuts down in the middle of traffic which presents a serious safety issue for oncoming traffic as the vehicle must coast to the side of the road. This has occurred multiple times and twice I have had the vehicle towed to the dealership. Initially a fuel pressure sensor was replaced and the second time the dealership indicated they could not find any relatable cause. Since that time there have been two additional occurances that I have had. I believe the issues are related to either a fuel pressure sensor or a sudden loss of power within the EV system that causes the vehicle to protect itself by enetering into the limp-mode. I have discovered a short term resolution is to disconnect the 12-V battery and let the car sit for 30 minutes to clear the system codes, but sitting on a busy roadway and the loss of power at speed is a serious safety issue. I have spoken to other owners who have experienced similar issues so this appears to be a wider spread issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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