CarComplaints.com Notes: As long as catastrophic engine failure at under 60,000 miles is the top owner complaint, it'll be pretty hard to recommend the 2012 Sorento.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 47
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
71,884 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While operating the vehicle, a grinding noise was present coming from the engine and the oil consumption was approximately one quart per every 600 miles. The vehicle was taken to Kia of laurel (14921 baltimore ave, laurel, Maryland), but no failure was located. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 17V224000 (engine) in 2016 and the engine was inspected. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Vehicle has started consuming high amounts of oil as it passed 90,000 miles. Received an oil low light and needed to add 3.5 quarts of oil. Took to a ki dealership who noted that there were no visible leaks, but plugs were burning white. Kia corporate forces the dealer to install knock detection sensor update which voids all previous engine recalls. In the past, high oil consumption was enough to lead to engine replacement by previous recall information. Now however ki claims that once the computer system is updated all previous engine recalls are void and excessive oil consumption is no longer a valid reason even when combined with engine wear. A user must now have multiple sensor failures or engine failure, and expect to monitor oil every few hundred miles. Local dealership says their hands are tied due to requests by Kia corporation.
Restrict oil flow to the bearings causing bearing wear. A worn connecting rod bearing will produce a cyclic knocking noise from the engine. This issue happens when the car is on and driving in a city street and highway
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving approximately 50 mph, the engine blew out and made a loud noise. Also, the brakes failed. The contact temporarily lost control of the vehicle, but managed to pull the vehicle over. The engine sprayed oil all over the ground. The vehicle was towed to parkside Kia (9929 parkside dr, knoxville, tn 37922, (844) 755-6461). The dealer wanted the contact to pay over $2,000 to determine who was responsible for the engine failure. The manufacturer stated that they were aware of the faulty engines that were shipped from Korea; however, there were no recalls. The failure mileage was 73,337.
While accelerating after a right hand turn into turn only lane headed for highway, my car just seized up and stalled out. I glided to stop and shut off the engine, turned it back on. I accelerated onto on ramp of highway and it seized up again completely stalling. When checking oil levels there was had none, my husband brought me 4 quarts of oil (always followed dealership protocol on oil changes), tried engine again nothing. Towed it to dealer, they removed and dissembled the engine to find point of failure. Found #1 and #4 connecting rod bearings to have spun and welded them self to the crank shaft, also found #2 and #3 to be worn down/chewed up, found bearing debris in the oil pan and through out the engine, needed to replace the engine and all needed seals and gaskets.
The engine compartment of the vehicle caught on fire, eventually engulfing the entire vehicle in flames. The vehicle was traveling at normal highway speeds when this occurred.
First time in 2017 started car and it started knocking, as I drove it got louder, engine light came on, drove it to Kia dealer and motor had thrown a rod, Kia honored their recall and supposed new motor was installed with 60 days. No problems until yesterday, 15,000 miles on new motor, as I was driving on freeway at 70mph, engine light came on, so I pulled over within a minute and called tow truck and towed to Kia dealer. They were hoping it was just a coil, but today they told me it was the motor again. This time they said Kia said I must have drove it a lot after the light came on and would not give me another motor "?" I had bought the extra 20,000 mile guarantee, so even though this supposed new motor only has 16,000 miles running time on it, my mileage is at 111,000 since the first one blew at 95,000. So I should still be getting another motor, but, after reading all of these accounts, looks like I was so lucky for it not to have caught on fire, even if I get it back, I don't think I can put my grandkids in it again, and its almost paid off, love my car, but someone is going to get killed, something needs to be done, soon.
I was driving the truck when I heard a loud noise like a fire gun than I saw smoke coming out from the engine, I pulled over and saw that the engine was already on fire, I got my two daughters out of the truck and five minutes later the whole truck exploted
Was driving home from work on 11-26-18, about a mile out of town when my car made a really high pitch squeal sound followed by a terrible grinding sound, pulled in to the closest business to it knocking and it had stalled right where it was parked, have I not pulled into the parking lot it would have stalled on a county highway at 60 mph. Had it towed in to a dealership on the morning of 11-27-18, they said it is engine failure. The 2012 Kia Sorento doesn't even have 90,000 miles on it yet and gets regular maintenance and oil changes so there really is no reason for this to have happened. It was a perfect running vehicle without ever having any issue with it what so ever, no signs of anything going out either, not even a dash indicator light! have read numerous accounts of this happening all over the internet, there's a recall out for this type of thing but my car isn't in the batch that was recalled"?"!!! I think this is absurd!
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving 70 mph, the steering wheel seized without warning. The brake pedal was depressed, but took an extended amount of time to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine seized due to a lack of engine oil. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Murray Kia (located at 1402 West ridge pike, conshohocken, pa 19428, (610) 279-3020) was informed of the failure. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 17V224000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000.
Engine is using excessive oil - a quart of oil every 1000 mi. I have taken it to my nearest Kia dealer who on the first visit a month ago told me I needed a tune-up (new plugs, PCV valve, etc. I just had a tune-up at my regular svc rpr shop in May. Kia dlr told me they did not use oem arts, so I ok'ed the tune-up and suggested work to see if it would help. Per their advice, I brought it bsck this wk after putting on 1000 mi. And it was again a qt. Low. They had a tech line case open with Kia factory on firt visit and worked with them again this wk. Kia's answer is that they will not replace the engine until ti throws a rod. I am greatly concerned for my wife and I safety. We live in a high traffice city (atlanta) and when the engine blows, we could be injured badly or even killed. This is not an acceptable solution. Note: Engine recall was done last year or so, so I am told the engine will be replaced for life any time it fails still unacceptable due to the threat of injury or death.
While driving all warning lights on dashboard turned on and my car started shaking and I hear the engine turn off while in the middle of driving. I was in a residential area going down hill and speed limit was 25 mph so I was able to pull to the side of the road. The lights would stay on and would not turn off. The gears were stuck as well, it would not let me park the car. I waited a few minutes to turn car off and it worked. I used the emergency brakes to keep car from rolling. I then waited a few minutes to turn car on lights on again and was able to shift the car into park. I have my car service routinely and no warning of something like this could happen.
Engine bearing failure very similar to engine recall for the other types of Kia 2.4 Sorento engines. This engine is a 2.4L DOHC cvvt 4-cyl. Catastrophic engine failure needs new engine.
Upon exiting the freeway on an out of town trip, my elderly father, 9 year old son and I began to smell a strong gasoline smell. There were no previous symptoms or signs of an issue and we just travelled about 250 miles. I typically drive alot in the city as well. In this case, I pulled into the hotel parking lot (right off the freeway) and there was a large amount of smoke coming from under the hood of the car. Because this occurred on Saturday evening and we were coming into town for an event, we were not able to contact warranty forever until Monday. Fearful, because I have heard of the many spontaneous fires that have occurred on my vehicle type, we have to wait to have it towed and inspected. The engine was replace in my vehicle, under recall, just last year. Thankfully, no one was injured. It could have been worse, very scary. I will be more than happy to upload any needed documentation after an inspection has been completed.
I never received a recall notification for my vehicle. I was deployed from 2013-2015 and didn't have a physical address and I would like to get the issue fixed.
The engine stalled without warning, no warning lights previous to the stall. On the highways traveling about 60 mph when many warning lights all appeared at the same time of the stall. Upon towing the car to a nearby shop we were initial informed it appears the engine has seized.
Takata recall: I purchased my call Feb. 11, 2017 and starting may I started having all kind of electrical problems. Fused kept blowing open every other day. Now fast forward to 2018 I go in for an oil change and find that my engine is leaking oil. The mechanic tells me that I need to replace the engine asap. My car has been parked for the passed two weeks.
'takata recall' I continue to smell a burning smell under my hood but no one can seem to find it. It come and goes I had it checked was told all fluids are fine and no leaks. I pray it never catches fire as I have a grandson who rides with me often. Also my rear break light go out ever two months not sure why it is not just one side they take turns each side. Pressure in tires tend to go low very often for no reason please help me find out what is really wrong before something bad happens 🙏🙏 the burning smell scammers the most but I smell while in motion.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Burtonsville, MD, USA