Kia Sorento Complaints

654 consumer complaints on file.

#11730368April 10, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I purchased this car with approximately 22,000 miles on it. I have had to have OEM rotor resurface / replacement at the dealership approximately almost every oil change or about every 6,000 miles for about 30k miles (2 replacements, 3 resurface in an 18 month period). They sent out a Kia engineer last time it happened.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730260April 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am submitting a complaint regarding a 2021 Kia Sorento SX that experienced a premature and catastrophic transmission failure at approximately 76,000 miles. The vehicle developed loss of power, hesitation, and erratic shifting at low speeds (0–30 mph), creating a potentially dangerous condition when attempting to accelerate into traffic or cross intersections. A Kia dealership diagnosed the issue as TCM code P193B79 and determined that the failure involved an internal high-pressure oil pump within the transmission, requiring full transmission replacement. This failure occurred despite proper maintenance and completion of Kia’s SC250 software update, which appears to address transmission-related drivability concerns. My maintenance records confirm compliance with manufacturer recommendations. The symptoms and failure mode closely align with the type of transmission issues addressed in Kia service campaigns and recalls (including SCN-520), yet Kia has refused to provide coverage or reimbursement, stating that my specific diagnostic code does not exactly match the recall criteria. As a result, I was forced to pay approximately $5,300 out of pocket for a full transmission replacement on a vehicle with relatively low mileage. This raises serious concerns that: * The underlying transmission issue may extend beyond the narrow criteria defined in the recall * Software updates may not fully address an underlying mechanical defect * Consumers may be experiencing similar failures without coverage Additionally, the loss of power and hesitation at low speeds presents a clear safety risk, particularly in normal driving conditions. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether transmission failures in the 2021 Kia Sorento are broader than currently recognized and whether affected consumers should receive expanded coverage or reimbursement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730169April 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of drive power and entered a 'fail-safe' mode with check engine light, warning chimes and service vehicle warning message. A diagnostic scan revealed fault codes P1C2D03 (High Pressure Electric Oil Pump Motor Position Sensor), P193B79 (High Pressure Electric Oil Pump Performance), and P086800 (Transmission Fluid Pressure Low). These three specific codes are cited in Kia Recall SC250 (NHTSA 22V760) and associated technical bulletins as evidence of an internal electric oil pump failure requiring full transmission replacement. The safety of occupants was compromised by the sudden loss of motive power on the interstate. I presented these codes to Value Kia 6915 Essington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19153 and dropped my car off on 4/7/2026. The dealer stated the safety recall was 'closed' and that the vehicle was 'out of warranty' due to its 95,000 miles and second-owner status. They would only agree to perform a diagnostic at my personal cost. The vehicle has been at the dealership for two days without an inspection report being provided to me. I have contacted Kia Corporate Consumer Assistance (Awaiting Response) and am filing this report because the vehicle is exhibiting the exact safety defect and 'triple-threat' fault codes of SC250 but is being denied a free safety remedy by the authorized dealer due to mileage and second ownership. As of 4/9/2026, the vehicle has been at the dealership for 2 days. Despite signing an authorization for a $190 diagnostic fee, the dealership has been completely silent and has not provided a status update or the diagnostic report. I am being left without transportation while the dealer fails to address a documented safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729873April 8, 2026
POWER TRAIN, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
2022 Kia Sorento. Dec 2024(previous owner incident) to new owner purchase May 2025- April 2026 vehicle keeps displaying all lights and warnings, loses acceleration & loss of throttle power while driving. High voltage code P0653 code displays. RPM’s will go up and down while vehicle is in park. Have had an active case open with Kia America Escalated case specialist since Nov 2025. Vehicle has been taken to two different Kia dealerships and has had this incident 7 times since May 2025 used purchase. A few different parts have been changed while working with a Kia America tech over a computer, yet it doesn’t fix the problem. It was reported in 2024 by the previous owner and the dealership could not find the source. It was never disclosed from the dealership prior to reselling. My problems started 3 weeks after owning the car. Less than 200 miles. I got in contact with previous owner, the vehicle kept going into limp mode while driving & the code would clear before she could get it to the shop & they couldn’t resolve it, so she traded it back in. 1st Incident: Dec 2, 2024 (previous owner) 2nd: June 6, 2025 3rd: July 19, 2025 4th: August 14, 205 5th: September 19,2025 Contacted Kia after and finally assigned a case officer Nov 10, 2025. Taken to shop Nov 11, 2025. 6th: Feb 22, 2026 7th: April 4, 2026 - going 75Mph on a highway and having to cross 4 lanes of traffic with no throttle power.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729442April 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN
There was a recall for my type of vehicle regarding the transmission. We have tried calling and dealing with Kia about it but they keep saying that our vehicle is not on the list for the recall, we have had the car since the release and are the only owners. The transmission has been showing the same symptoms that the other vehicles were and have had either the pump replaced or the transmission itself replaced. Kia keeps insisting that we repair it on our own and if it does make the list for recalling then we could submit for a possible refund. We have been complaining about this for over 4 years and still no resolution. We are hopeful that your department can help with this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729386April 6, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the radiator was leaking. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the dealer stated that a rock or road debris had caused the puncture in the radiator. The contact was advised by the dealer that it was a known failure and that there was no radiator debris shield to protect the radiator from damage. The contact was informed by the dealer that the repair was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the contact that repair was not covered. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 23,417.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728705April 2, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Car began going into limp mode not accelerating. Brought it in to be told it was the transmission which in my car some of them had recalls for the exact same things but mine was not included in this recall
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727717March 28, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Panoramic sunroof randomly exploded while driving down the highway. Nothing around us or above us to cause it. Myself, my [XXX] pregnant wife, and [XXX] daughter were in the car and had glass rain down on us after the very loud boom. We almost wrecked. The issue has not yet been inspected by the dealership but I understand this to not be uncommon. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11727651March 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On 3/26/2026, I was driving at 45mph when the vehicle started slowing down and the auto stop light on the dash was blinking yellow. Every time it blinked, the car slowed even more. I tried to speed up, but it slowed down more. This could have caused an accident. I pulled off on the side of the road and shut the car off. I waited a few minutes and started the car. It ran alright and the light did not blink. It has been alright so far. If it occurs again, I will call the dealer to have it checked out.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727620March 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
My check engine light came on and went to dealer ship jn Oct of 2025 they stated the Egr needed to be replaced and would cost 1300 to repair but inform me they didn't have the piece to replace at that time to reschedule app. Also reservoir coolant light keeps coming on . I called several times to Lumberton Kia at one time they stated that they didn't have but 1 mechanic that worked on hybrids and he was behind. I finally have a appointmentthis weekto see what is exactlygoing on with my suv cause now i have a hesitation when pressing the gas and my transmission jerks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727051March 25, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Referencing report [XXX] We are having issues getting the fuel filling door to open. We have unlocked the car, several times, but it will not open. We had to pry it open so we could fill the tank and have left it open since as to not have the issue again. Part number in question - 81560R5000 There are other recalls on the car that we need to get taken care of. Is this another one in addition? 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
#11727036March 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with battery sensor failure. The contact was informed that the battery sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the diagnostic test was not performed on the instrument panel. The contact was informed that an additional diagnostic test was required to determine the cause of the failure with the instrument panel. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726760March 24, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission went out while driving on highway. Dealership said they need to replace the entire transmission.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726505March 23, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My AC system has failed due to leak in the evaporator core. It has been inspected by 2 mechanics (one including the Kia dealership) the extreme Texas heat puts myself and small children at risk. I’ve been told the evaporator core has been made with cheap thin metal and has small pinholes in it. I will allow my car to be inspected and there were no warning lights before or after this happened.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726230March 22, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
During my recent oil change, I was informed that the oil pan gasket appears to be leaking. I understand that this issue has been subject to prior investigations, and I am reporting it..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726020March 21, 2026
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Component: Electrical System / Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist / Speedometer Incident Summary: I am reporting a catastrophic and uncorrected safety defect in my 2021 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX] ). Pre-Accident Attempts: Before April 2024, I repeatedly sought diagnosis for instrument cluster 'glitches.' The Kia dealer misdiagnosed this as a battery failure, charging me out-of-pocket for a replacement that did not resolve the issue. Collision (April 22, 2024): While driving, the instrument cluster suffered a total system crash into 'Factory Mode,' losing all telemetry. Simultaneously, the vehicle's Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) failed to engage. Despite the vehicle being equipped with automatic emergency braking designed to detect and mitigate collisions, the system provided no warning and no autonomous braking prior to striking a deer. Post-Accident Failures: Following the crash, Geico Insurance funded a wiring harness replacement at a Kia facility (backed by a Geico Lifetime Warranty). However, the glitches and 'Factory Mode' errors have returned, proving the vehicle's core safety systems remain compromised. Safety Risk: This vehicle is non-compliant with FMVSS 101 and 127. The failure of both the speedometer and the autonomous emergency braking creates an extreme risk of further injury or death. Kia Corporate has failed to address this documented accident history. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725991March 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1. Panoramic sunroof 2. Sunroof exploded while parked sounding like a gun shot. 3. Dealer/Kia Customer Care has informed me this is a known issue. 4. Dealer said they looked at my car but never looked at it. I confirmed this with the service manager at University Kia in Waco Tx. He admitted to falsifying the paperwork, I had him redo the paperwork showing nothing was inspected. Now Kia won't look at it again. 5. No warnings, just spontaneous exploding glass.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725971March 20, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This has been occurring intermittently since my 2021 Kia Sorento reached approx. 15k miles and now has 26,600 miles. There are no lights or indicators on the dash letting me know anything is wrong. When the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or stopped in heavy traffic, the vehicle will start idling high and shaking and the engine will seize up. I am not able to steer, the brakes lock up, I cannot accelerate, all functionality is lost. The only thing I can do is put the vehicle in park (in heavy traffic) and shut the car off and wait a minute and turn it back on and it seems to reset itself. This is EXTREMELY dangerous for myself and my passengers (some of which are children) and can cause a serious accident. At no point should I ever need to be concerned with my vehicle seizing up in the middle of the road and having to park and restart my car. This has happened on several occasions already. I have taken my car to 2 separate Kia dealerships to address this problem I have been experiencing. The first dealership failed to attempt to duplicate the problem and instead informed me the firmware update the performed from a previous recall should remedy the problem. It did not. Then I recently took it to another Kia dealer in another state and explained the situation. I specifically asked them to take the vehicle for a test drive and they argued with me that my battery was low and needed to be replaced and it would not be covered under the warranty. I have been driving this vehicle for a while and it has been having this issue around 15k miles so I know it is not the battery. They totally disregarded the safely of myself and my family and only focused on making money for themselves. This is a serious safety issue with this vehicle and has continuously been swept under the rug by Kia. Even the customer service is rude and I have reported this to them and asked for an escalation to their consumer affairs dept and have received no response.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725815March 20, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
My vehicle completely shut off while I was driving with my children in the car. The dealership replaced the battery but never identified the root cause. Since then my car has been experiencing RPM surging while in Park — the engine revs up and down repeatedly on its own. The vehicle also feels sluggish and does not want to accelerate properly while driving. Additionally since taking ownership of the vehicle my window has squealed every time it rains and I roll down the window. The dealership has replaced the seals, lubricated and cleaned the window multiple times and the problem persists. The defective window seal also caused a gash in my window tint requiring replacement. I have taken my car to my Kia dealership multiple times and they have been unable to fully resolve these issues. My car is currently at the dealership right now and they still cannot find the problem. I contacted Kia Corporate on March 20, 2026 and opened a formal case. These defects have put my children in danger and I am requesting a formal federal investigation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725737March 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When I turned my car on and started to drive, an orange a popped up and started blinking. It looked like the automatic stop and start light. My car would not shift and I could not go above 60 mph. I had to turn my car off and turn it back on for it to stop doing what it was doing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Kia Sorento