Kia Sorento Complaints (2017)

808 consumer complaints on file.

#11575291March 4, 2024
ENGINE
No codes/lights or warnings. Engine started making loud clinking sound randomly, then smoke and car was disabled with oil and metal pieces everywhere in the roadway. Only then was there an engine light on the dash.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11574985March 1, 2024
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I purchased a my 2017 Sorento, it had 40,000 miles, it had a knock to it when I would first get started in the morning, took it to get check twice, told nothing was wrong, at 59,700 I took back and it needed a new transmission, then at 98,000 it needs another transmission, so after two transmission, plus changed 6 fuel injectors, all new spark plugs, now the engine is gone. I also have a 2014 Sorento that’s still rolling and never needed any major work. This car has been problems since I purchased it. It has to be a recall on this car. Something is not right. It’s sitting in the shop again and I can’t afford to fix it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11574675February 29, 2024
ENGINE
Vehicle has 108k miles. While driving the vehicle, a knocking noise from the engine began and I immediately pulled over. Vehicle was found to be low on oil and required 3 quarts of oil to get it to acceptable level on dipstick. Knocking noise continued after adding oil. Called dealership and they stated that it could be driven in since there had not been any check engine lights or low oil pressure lights on. Dealership investigated the problem and told me that a new motor was needed, it had broken a rod. Car was 1 month and 3k miles past due for an oil change but almost all prior oil changes and routine maintenance had been on time and completed by the dealership. No oil or check engine light ever came on. There was no oil leak noted either.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11574170February 27, 2024
ENGINE
I was driving with my 10 year old son on the road, and without any warnings the engine made a knocking noise and then stalled out. I was able to put the car in neutral and restart the car. Then when I got home, as I was parking the engine did the same thing, without warning the engine made a knocking noise and stalled out. I went to the dealership and they inspected the vehicle. They stated that the engine rods and bearings failed, and even though all scheduled maintenance was completed it was out of warranty and I would be responsible for the cost of an engine replacement. I then called Kia customer support and they stated that they were able to verify all maintenance in their system, but our engine does not qualify for a warranty replacement. This car has never been in an accident and received regular maintenance, it is a major safety concern that the engine is failing and can stall at any time while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11574284February 27, 2024
ENGINE
When passing another vehicle on the road at ~70 mph, the engine warning lights lit up and rpms went to zero. The vehicle was towed and the mechanic told me that then engine is seized. Fortunately, there was no one ahead of us on the road, but it could have been dangerous because we were passing on a two lane road, and when the engine seized it might have meant we were unable to successfully pass. The vehicle has been inspected by a local mechanic (Autotrust Repairs, Montgomery, TX). The engine had been dealing with excessive oil consumption (nearly 1 qt/1000mi), which online documents by Kia said was "normal". I have kept the oil levels replenished during this time. There were no warning lights before the engine seized, only once it actually had done so. I have called local dealership Sterling Kia and Kia Customer Service and they refuse to cover the engine because of reference to an ECU upgrade not having been done ([XXX]). I have received no notice of the recall, even when I took the car to the dealership on [XXX], well after the recall notices had supposedly been sent out. This recall is also not listed on the NHTSA online. 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
#11573222February 21, 2024
ENGINE
[XXX], traveling for the holidays, my 2017 Kia Sorento broke down. All dash lights came on, black smoke out exhaust. Only issue I had prior to this breakdown was excess oil use. $150 tow to Bengston Tire & Service in Salina, KS. They diagnosed cylinder misfires, spark-plug disintegration & recommended to take it to a Kia Dealership to be looked at, as they said it likely required an entire engine replacement. After a $440 tow, it was looked at by the Kia Dealership of Manhattan, KS, who ultimately did state that my vehicle would require a $7k engine replacement. The said I did not qualify for the 10 year/100k warranty since I was a 2nd owner. Since I still owed on my loan, I decided it was not worth putting the time/funds to fix. I had it towed home for $800. After searching online for hours with my VIN to search recalls, my Sorento did not show up in any recalls, class action suites, etc. During all of this I had to rent a car, which in total from [XXX], when I purchased a new vehicle, I spent $1,530 in total rental fees. It wasn't until I was researching that I found out about the KSDS sensor that many other Kia owners were having installed to assist in the prevention of a situation that my Kia had put me in 12/2023. Kia had never sent me any information on this and the Kia dealership never told me about this, nor offered to help in ANY way with another vehicle that likely should be added to the engine failure recall, as all my symptoms fit the bill. Oakes Kia of Kansas City, MO also told me previously that the excess engine oil consumption was normal, and just part of having a GDI Engine. I sold my Kia for $5k to a buyer who could fix it up. The KBB value of my Sorento was $14,000, as besides the engine failure the rest of the vehicle was in amazing condition with no other issues. I have lost a significant amount of money with this loss that I believe could've been easily prevented or at least better prevented by the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11572655February 18, 2024
ENGINE
We purchased 2017 sorento 2.4 with 71k miles. It burned oil very bad from the day we bought it (3 quarts in 2k miles) We tried to contact the warranty company and the dealer, they pointed the finger at kia. Finally the engine blew up at 80k miles. I was told about the class action lawsuit on rod bearings for that vehicle. Unfortunately, rod bearings aren't the only issue with that engine. It burns tons of oil (possibly through pcv valve or faulty rings). All this burmt oil turns into carbon, and ends up destroying the head/ valve train, fouling spark plugs, and clogging the rings. I am a member of a group that has tons of people with the same issue. Kia refuses to cover it, because the lawsuit only said they had to cover rod bearing failure. My vehicle lost compression on a major highway. Before that, my wife was driving with the kids, and it started misfiring due to the carbon build up fouling another set of spark plugs. These vehicles are going to get people killed, and kia/hyundai are doing nothing about it. All of the vehicles with the theta 2 engine are having this problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11572669February 18, 2024
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
We purchased the vehicle with 45000 miles, within a year, the vehicle started to run very badly, car idle vibrates the whole vehicle. It stalls out on her sometimes, burns all the oil by the it is time to change oil, the mechanic says there is less than a quart left, but no leak as per mechanic! The vehicle will blow soon I’m sure, and my wife drives our children everyday. I was made aware of lawsuit settlement, which Kia was only required to send notice to first owner, so we had no idea! The suit was settled and Kia gave lifetime warranty/new engine replacements/new vehicles to owners. The law suit was going on/settled around the time we purchased the vehicle so dealership knew about it and still sold it to us! We can not afford another vehicle, and dealership says unless the engine gives off certain code, they can not do anything! They are avoiding liability, and putting my family in danger! I do not know what to do or who to speak to!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11572440February 16, 2024
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
No warning labels came up. Heard loud noises and took to the dealership. They said I need a whole new engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11571669February 13, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The vehicle just lost power at 75mph on [XXX] heading home to Princeton, ME, started vibrating really bad misfiring then we pulled over the Kia Sorento stalled. Then would not start back up. It’s been using over a quart a week since we got it from the dealership in Bangor, Maine. We got it towed home our mechanic looked at it and noticed oil on the plugs and said we probably need a new engine. Low beam light keep coming off and on so thinking it’s something electrical. Time to time the transmission take a min to shift the engine rpms stay up n takes a few extra seconds to shift. 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
#11570701February 8, 2024
ENGINE
I have had engine misfiring and brought my car in 3 times for this. Had the KSDS update performed in 8/2023 and resolved for about 6000 miles and happened again. I was driving on the highway, and suddenly my speed just slowed down and could not drive more than 45mph. I have had high oil consumption that I have complained about for several years, and was not offered an oil consumption test, that I was not aware of such a test. I did make an appt for the test, but my engine failed before the appt. I have been using 5 quarts of oil about every 1300mi. My low oil lamp has not come on many times, and will only flicker when making turns, only to find my oil level was bone dry. I have had oil changed at regular intervals. Took my vehicle to Kia dealership and there was no compression in one of the piston cylinders, part of spark plug melted off into the engine, and have "engine failure" diagnosis. I Have had the piston rings replaced in the recent past. I had initially brought my vehicle into Kia dealership at 99,600 mi knowing that engine was under warranty. 6000 miles later, engine failed and now Kia dealership is telling me the extended warranty does not cover for it. Estimate cost to replace engine is about $10,000 per Kia dealership estimate.I was under the impression it would be covered. I was not offered a loaner vehicle, since it is not covered under warranty, making me a low priority to get a loaner car to use in the meantime. I am the only and original owner of this vehicle. There has been no oil leaking in my garage, where is it all going?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11570562February 7, 2024
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was driving down a country road, and suddenly the engine stopped working, all systems shut off, and dash started flashing. Luckily, there was no one around me, and I was able to coast to a stop. However, it would have been terrible if this had happened on a busy road. Nothing worked including brakes. Had the car towed to the dealership, since we were just over 100K miles they would do nothing, and said the only thing we could do was put a new engine in for 20K. We’re going to have to sell the car for a loss of 5K, as we can not justify putting a new engine in an unreliable car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11569209February 1, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I live in VA, bought my Sorento in 2018. Every winter when the temps drop below freezing my car will intermittently not start. This issue only happens below freezing and it is not every time the temps drop below freezing. Once the sun comes up and the day warms up a bit the car almost always will start. I have taken it to the Kia dealership multiple times over the years and of course it always starts right up, no problem, even in the single digits. I have taken it to a couple of other local repair shops as well to no avail. So far this winter I have had it at the dealership 3 times and finally on the third trip they figured out the issue. The factory installed remote start was pulling too much voltage, even while the car was off, that the brand new battery couldn't start the car. They removed the remote start (told me I could buy another and have it installed for $800) and the car has started every single time. This has left me and my family stranded previously so wanted to help others figure this out so it doesn't take them 6 years and stranded like it did us.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568692January 30, 2024
STEERING
For the last few weeksI have been experiencing problems with the steering wheel feeling like it's sticking while driving. It might happen on a straight roadway, but its mostly noticeable on curves, like rounabouts. I can hold the steering wheel around a slight curve and if I need to move it to the right slightly to keep in line with the curve then it jerks a little to get out of that position. I'll take it to the dealer for other recalls and I hope they'll take care of this as well...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568787January 30, 2024
AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY
I was t boned while driving aprox 25 30 non of my air bags deployed and to bolts holding the door had the head shear off while bolts were still stuck in door frame
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11568203January 27, 2024
STEERING
For months now I have been experiencing problems with the steering wheel feeling like it's sticking while driving. It can happen on a straight roadway, but mostly notice it on curves, especially a long stretch of road. I can hold the steering wheel around a slight curve and if I need to move it to the right slightly to keep in line with the curve then it jerks a little to get out of that position. It happens every time whether moving the steering wheel left or right. Last time it happened I said I wasn't going to drive the car anymore because it's unsafe. It got stuck around a curve and took more tug on the steering wheel to get it to move the tires in the direction I needed. There's so many other complaints online about this very problem from other Kia owners around the 2017 models. I've taken it to the dealer twice for this and they never experienced the problem because they just drove around the lot and did a rapid back and forth on the steering wheel. You have to be driving it on a longer stretch of road when you can get it up to faster speeds where it's more noticeable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11567711January 25, 2024
ENGINE
The car was making a noise but no check engine wasn’t on I stop at a stop sign and the check engine light came on and car went into limp mode and couldn’t go over 2000 rpms it’s not showing this recall on this vehicle but it’s on some of the serentos and it’s the knock sensor or bearing in the bottom of motor I have 3 kids and now no vehicle I would deeply appreciate a recall on this vehicle vin number to get this fixed quickly this is kinda urgent if you can reply quickly that would be so appreciated it has 169000 miles on it it’s a 2017 model vin number is [XXX] 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
#11567426January 24, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Automatic Emergency Braking Passenger Side Air Bag Smart Cruise Control System Backup Camera Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning System Head lights blinked on occasion and others all stopped working at the same time which makes the vehicle unsafe to drive. Took it into the dealer and they replaced the SOP Module due to code B10055, ACU communication error tested and found module not communicating with vehicle. To replace this part it costs me 925.50 After replacing this part they ran another coding and found that the ODS mat has internal short causing failure of variant coding. This part will cost an additional $3,287 to fix. Looked online and noticed that Kia has safety Recall (SC175) for 2015-2018 Kia Sedona for the Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection System (ODS)Harness which is the exact same part that my Kia Sorrento needs and falls in the same year built. My 2017 Kia Sorrento has only 56,000 miles on it. Kia Dealership supposedly fixed the CCS Headlights Flicker Failure which was a separate recall which was a multifunction switch but this did not fix the other sensors.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11567229January 23, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This has happened 3 times, out of no where my car goes into "limp Mode" and this last time I was pulling out and it wouldn't go and my kids were in the car. This is uncalled for and this needs to be addressed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566789January 21, 2024
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
Lost power on the freeway, flashing check engine light. Dealership said my fuel injectors failed causing my engine to fail. At 133k miles the car needs its second new motor. It is currently at Phil Long Kia in Colorado Springs waiting a voluntary repossession as I cannot see paying 10k for repairs on a vehicle that has such obvious defects
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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