Kia Sorento Complaints
654 consumer complaints on file.
- #11527309June 16, 2023POWER TRAIN, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Failures with power train around 12,000 miles. Code P1C2D03. Engine jumps gears and may require full transmission replacement. Upon research, there are at least nine other separate complaints of the same issue under 12,000 miles. Car was brought in a month earlier to have the front camera replaced due to a latent defect in the sensor causing forward assist to erroneously lock the brakes while driving. As an aerospace/automotive quality engineer, I am appalled that there isn't a major recall on this vehicle for powertrain failures under 12,000 miles. https://www.carcomplaints.com/Kia/Sorento/2022/transmission/transmission_failed.shtml 12/27/22 – At around 12,000 miles the SUV wouldn't accelerate while driving 20mph to 40mph. Also, it wouldn't get out of 1st gear off the line. On its 3rd transmission in 2 months. 8/4/22 - Kia Sorento is 5 months old, with 2017 miles locally driven, and this is the third time the transmission has failed me while driving. 2/21/22 - Transmission failed at 1561 miles. It would accelerate to 3000rpm, do the 1-2 shift then bang back to 1st gear. https://www.kia-forums.com/threads/transmission-recall-updated-information.360349/ 4/2/23 - Waiting to hear whether I’ll need a new transmission on my SX Prestige 2022 Sorento. 8000 miles on the clock and it started struggling to change out of first. 5/4/22 - same with my 2021 Sorento 11,582 miles, been at the dealers since last Thursday night (4/28/22). This is what’s on my Kia app…Code P1C2D03. (1) Powertrain 5/8/22 - Same milage basically here at 10,400mi for my failure. Transmission was not rebuilt for me FYI. It was a brand new transmission from factory shipped in. 5/10/22 - Check engine code was P1C2D03. I have had the car 15months, and not even 25k yet. Mine is 2021 SX 2.5Turbo AWD https://sorentoforums.com/threads/2021-kia-sorento-transmission-light-wont-move.149/ 5/10/22 - Mine is the same code P1C2D03 and they tell me they've never seen this code before. I have 8500 miles on it.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11526836June 13, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My passenger interior dash and glove box trim are melted. I’ve had it checked out by Kia, however they do not see where an origin could have come from. The day i noticed it, my vehicle had been hit on the front right passenger fender. The melting looked to be electrical or caused by a combustion of sort but we also believe it could have been caused by reflection off of the interior of my vehicle to that spot. I live in Michigan, the temperature was above 80*.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11526739June 13, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My 2021 Kia Sorrento has shut down and died while on a Highway drive 2 days in a row. The engine light comes on, the oil light comes on, and and the phrase “Engine Off. Shift to N then start engine” comes on. Prior to this, other issues were happening. Originally, my automatic start wasn’t working properly, and a Kia service advisor told me to “turn that feature off”. After that, while driving down the road last month, all symbols on my dash began flashing and the phrase “Check forward safety system” appeared.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11526046June 8, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 6/6/2023, the sunroof shattered while driving. No rock/debris collided at this time with the sunroof and I believe this is a security malfunction due to the glass overheating. This incident isn't the result of mishandling on our (the consumer's) behalf. The car dealership (VANGUARD KIA of Arlington) has denied responsibility in the defect of this car part. As such, I'm filing on for our situation and warning of others who are at risk. Additionally, no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem were present prior to the failure.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11525224June 3, 2023ENGINE
This is 2nd time that my Kia Sorento shuts off while we’re stopped at a red light. When we release the brake the engine didn’t start.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11524189May 28, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:CONNECTORS/PLUGS/RECEPTACLES
September 2022 recall for tow hitch harness has produced NO information for repair. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer has made any progress in correcting potential fire problems associated with this tow hitch.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11523746May 24, 2023SERVICE BRAKES
The ABS system did not activate when emergency breaking nor did the system indicate anything was wrong with the ABS (no warning lights on dash board). When emergency breaking, the wheels locked causing the car the slide straight forward. The vehicle has not been inspected by any parties.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522926May 19, 2023FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, STEERING
This is the info that was given to kia : VERIFIED CONCERN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON VEHICLE IDLING ROUGH, SCANNED FOR CODES AND FOUND CODE P0303 PRESENT, MONITORED WITH LIVE DATA AND CAN SEE HEAVY MISFIRES ON CYLINDER #3, REMOVED SPARK PLUG AND SWAPPED TO CYLINDER 1 AND REMOVED COIL AND SWAPPED WITH CYLINDER 4, REMONITORED AND MISFIRE REMAINED ON CYLINDER 3, NO FUEL ON SPARK PLUGS, PROCEEDED TO PERFORM COMPRESSION TEST, FOUND 60 PSI ON CYLINDER 3, PERFORMED WET COMPRESSION TEST AND READING WENT TO 120 PSI, PERFORMED COMPRESSION TEST ON CYLINDER 1,2,3, FOUND 90 PSI IN ALL OTHER CYLINDERS. was told i would need a new engine but have now been denied it. The car has stopped on me and shakes while I drive it. It has an active recall and have been told there is no solution for it. The dealer confirmed issues and recall that is active with no remediation. Have contacted dealership as well as corporate kia and have not been able to get any resolution. this issue apperaed first with a check engine light Sep 2022 ,
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522078May 15, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Have token vehicle to dealer ship twice and no resolution
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11518946April 25, 2023VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently decelerated with the transmission error warning light illuminated. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 12,000. The VIN was not available.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11518794April 24, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While traveling on the highway about 70m/hr. the glass sunroof exploded while operation the vehicle. The glass explored/shattered in upwards direction. There was not trucks or overpass around for any object to fall from or strike the vehicle/sunroof. The explosion was comparable to shotguns or "like a bomb". My first thought was that tire blown but I didn't loose steering. After the assurance, I pull over immediately to the side of the route in safe place to inspect the vehicle. After the inspection of the vehicle, I noticed that sunroof glass shattered in pieces. Thanks god the curtained was closed at the time of the incident. This is something I never experienced in my life. Based on the information available on the website, this is not the first time happened and there is complains already filed. It is defiantly dangers and may result in crash, face injury and possible death caused by collision. Kia Dealership has been informed and appointment has been scheduled. Kia motors did not made decision on repair yet to classify as manufacturing defect.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11518762April 24, 2023VISIBILITY/WIPER, VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
While driving a vehicle on the highway, the sunroof exploded violently. The large, moving piece of the panoramic sunroof appears to have broken outwards. Large pieces of glass and smaller pieces landed in the front and middle of the cabin, including on the driver. Small chunks of glass landed on and cut the driver of the vehicle. A loud sound occurred. This was very startling, the glass was very dangerous, and we were lucky that no one was in the middle seats where the glass primarily fell. This occurred in a temperate (high 60s or low 70s F) climate and with no prior damage to the glass. No sign of an impact from anything on the glass. The sunroof cover was pulled back while the glass was in the closed position. The vehicle is at the dealer and we are reaching out to the manufacturer.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11518302April 21, 2023POWER TRAIN
When accelerating onto a highway from a stop the vehicle hesitated to the point that a collision with cross traffic was imminent. This has happened 5-6 times in the year we have owned the vehicle. It is not predictable and mechanics have not been able to duplicate the problem. This happened a week ago and we were able to see the Electronic Stability Control indicator light flash on and off as the hesitation occurred. We have had the KIA dealership in Joplin, MO try to troubleshoot the problem but to no avail. The dealership has installed other transmission-related updates but none have fixed this problem. We are unable to report this on the KIA website due to glitches on the site such as "invalid VIN" or "session has timed out". The Sorento "Features and Functions Guide", page 44, comments that "aggressive acceleration maneuvers" may cause a "slight time lag" due to clutch overheating in cars with Dual Clutch Transmission. The incidents we have experienced have been associated with what we would consider to be normal acceleration needs.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11517870April 19, 2023TRAILER HITCHES
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that he contacted the dealer who stated that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11516311April 10, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle jumps when put in reverse and sometimes turns off when put in parked.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11515045April 2, 2023POWER TRAIN
Loss of power while shifting gears for roughly 3 seconds between each gear change causing check engine light to illuminate. No issues detected by Kia diagnostic check in Kia Access app. Believed to be a similar issue as stated in recall 22V760000 regarding power train, but has yet to result in a complete loss of power.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11514418March 29, 2023POWER TRAIN
Our issues include not shifting into second gear with no warning lights on the dash to indicate a faul. It goes completely in to neutral at all speeds without any warning. Never recovers until stopped and turned off. Again, nothing happens, no sounds , no lights, no flashes. Just no transmission at all. My wife was almost rear ended on when it stopped functioning in traffic. Someone is going to get killed.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11513402March 23, 2023ENGINE
This vehicle has four drive modes… when in eco mode and pulling onto a road with a steep grade the car lacks power to safely drive. This only happens in eco mode. I have tested 4 times and got the same result. The hesitation lasts for about 3 seconds with that gas pedal fully depressed the vehicle moves about 2 mph maybe slight faster but it’s noticeable. Thank you.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11511807March 14, 2023ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The RPM was fluctuating, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11511221March 10, 2023TRAILER HITCHES
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0