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.
Car stalled on 4/28/2019 in the interstate it did not have any power and it has happened to several Kia Sorento owners but the recall for the engine still doesn't come up on the recall system. Code: Obdp1326
This is my 4th time having to call a tow truck for my vehicle. I was reversing out of a parking space, and tried to put car in drive, car would not do anything. I tried again to put car in drive, would not budge. Could not take key out of ignition, could not move steering wheel. Later on tried to take keys out of ignition, it let me, but would not start still. Had it towed to dealership, did not find anything but a dead battery. I bought a new battery. Picked car up. Drove to store about 10 miles from home, same thing happened again. Had it towed again. Same conclusion.did not find anything again. Drove car home. I may drive my car once a week. The next time I drove my car again it stopped on me in the middle of traffic, with no warning, the car just shut down. Someone stopped and pushed me out the middle of street. Thank god. Had it towed again to Kia dealership. Needless to say, they found nothing but a dead battery. Battery was less than 3 months old. Bought from Kia. Made it home safely. 3 days later started car, turned on air, waited until cool inside. Car cut off even before leaving driveway. Could not believe it. This time it started right back up, to no avail, cut off again.
At approximately 70,000 miles, problems began. First noted the coolant container was contaminated with oil and sludge. Entire system was sludged, did not know why. I had the system completely flushed and all new fluids replaced. 2 weeks later, again, the sludge appeared and coolant container filled with oil and coolant hose burned through due to the oil. The coolant hose was replaced. And again I had the entire system fluids flushed. Again, the same thing happened with sludge but this time as I was driving the car 2 miles from my home to a main street bank, smoke came from the hood. Opened the hood, smoke coming out from engine, and a sludge substance exploded throughout the car and oozed out of the car. Could no longer drive the vehicle due to engine seize concerns. Car was meticulously maintained- oil changes regularly, inspections etc. I was told I'd have to possibly get a new engined, or at the least have two head gaskets replaced at a cost of $5,500. Despite Kia touting the 100,000 mile power train warranty, and after weeks of trying to get the dealer to fix it, then went up the corporate ladder speaking with corporate, I was finally told that the warranty did not apply to me because I was not the original owner!!!! this despite the fact that I purchased the car certified pre-owned from the Kia dealer and was told that there was a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty that applied- that this was a selling feature!!! I could not drive the car for a couple of months while I tried to resolve the issue with Kia- but they refused. There was a 2014 recall on the same car, and this car was a 2015, manufactured in 2014. I owed $9,000 on the car!!!! needing a car, I bought a used Buick for $2600 to use since it would be cheaper than renting a car, and will sell that car when needed. Can't upload the photos and the repairs info at this time.
The engine indicator light was coming on at first; I put it on a test and the service tech explained to me that the sensor needed to be replaced. Now the airbag light is on.
The engine burns oil fast. Regular driving after we bought it was ok. We started hearing a mystery crunch noise, but it was a road trip that made the oil problem apparent. We took a trip of 300 miles. At the beginning of the trip the oil was full, when we got there it was almost dry. The crunch noise increased. We took it to a mechanic at our destination and he filled it up again. Thr crunchy noise was gone. When we got back home after driving 300 miles again the oil was at low level. I am afraid to drive this car with my kids in it. I will check my oil everytime I drive but thay is not sustainable. I worry what else is wrong with this engine
- Fort Mill, SC, USA
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Driving on the highway going about 75 in the fast lane when the check engine light came flashing on and the car slowed down to 60 would not accelerate at all was able to get it to the dealership. On the way to the dealership I noticed shifting from 1st to 2nd it did not want to go. I was told the car was in limp mode and then got told the engine had to be replace. Estimated time for my car to be returned to me 2 months. When we first got the car was March 2019, a few days into driving it I noticed that it was shifting weird from first to second and had a hard time down shifting. We took the car back they said it's just a newer car to you and everything is fine. I said fine whatever. Now it's may and it needs a new engine. This is ridiculously dangerous we have 3 kids and what if we all were in the car and it just shut down a high speed.
Was driving my Kia and the engine light came on and the car shut down, no power at all. I didn't have time to get off of the road. The car is being towed to the dealership in the morning. I'm so disappointed / mad with Kia manufacturer. I was driving in 6 lanes of traffic in downtown atlanta earlier, what would of happened if it would have stalled out on that busy interstate.. god is good..... do not buy a Kia ' repeat do not buy a Kia '
Approximately 1 month ago my car sounded rough so I checked the oil and nothing showed on the dipstick. I put oil in it and since have had to add more, also now my mechanic has diagnosed the alternator is going. Oil shows up in the tailpipe which means the engine is using oil, it is not a leak. I am so disappointed as I bought it only one year ago and I use it for my living. I am expecting more problems and don't know how to proceed.
The vehicles engine just stalls out and shuts completely down. Kia keeps saying camshaft sensor but yet they have replaced it three times in the past 2 months. It's the engine and it's not safe!! I've read many reports on this happening to others. I was driving down the highway and it just stalled out. I had to shut the car off and restart it and it kept happening. This is not safe! I have three children with me and I just about got hit by a semi. Lawsuit in the making. This needs to be recalled asap!
This vehicle was purchased Dec 1 2018 and the knock sensor failed on the trip back from the dealership. It was replaced and now April 22nd 2019 less than 5 months later it has failed again and left me stranded. The check engine light is flashing and the vehicle is stuck in limp mode. This model is known for this problem and should be added to the recall list.
While driving on the expressway at night, my car lost acceleration. No warning at all !!! the car completely stopped before making it completely to the shoulder. I had to get my car pushed by another car to avoid a major accident or fatality. I learned after towing my car to a repair shop that there was a recall that I wasn't informed of and my motor has to be replaced. Thank god he sent angel's to protect us.
While driving on the highway and attempting to accelerate, the engine light came on, the car slowed and would not accelerate. Within 400 feet, the engine completely stopped and the car would not start again. I had it towed to the mechanic who said the engine 'seized' and would need replacement. There were no prior warnings of problems and the oil was changed regularly.
Was driving down the interstate, the engine completely shut off, I had no signs of my car needing oil wasn't due for a oil change for another 1,000 miles, my engine light never flashed the car never jerked or nothing just shut off and would not testart, called the tow truck he advised me that my motor was locked up, upon pulling the oil stick out I didn't not have 1 drop of oil in my car, I had no smoke or anything coming from my car it is a 2015 Kia Sorento however on the door it has a 2014 manufacturing date
When I turn a corner, my Kia sputter to get around the corner. This problem has almost caused me to be in a couple of accidents. I advised the dealer before about this problem and was told, "my car is ok". this is not ok. Also, when accelerating, it sounds like the transmission or some other component is slipping. It rpms goes high before decreasing back down to get into next gear. I've expressed this to the dealership as well and was told once they drove my car, "they didn't notice any change". when going up a hill, I have to press all the way down on the gas to get up the hill which causes the RPM to raise and it sounds like it's stuck in a gear or something. These issues needs to be rectified immediately. This is not normal for a car to do this. It frustrates me to tell the dealership what's going on with my car and nothing is being done. I am the one who drives my car everyday and I know when something isn't right. How can a dealership tell you what your saying isn't correct when they don't drive your car everyday? for me to have purchased this car 1 year and 4 months ago with only 2,500 miles on a 2015 Kia, I really shouldn't be having these many problems. It almost make me feel like the odometer was rolled back. Just my opinion.
I took my car in to a Kia dealership recently for preventative maintenance, and because I noticed that it was not driving as smoothly as usual. I was told that nothing was wrong with the car, but, there was a product improvement campaign for which software was updated on my vehicle. Approximately one month later, I was out of town in my vehicle, and all of a sudden the engine light began to flash, the rpms went down, the transmission appeared to slip, and the car was essentially disabled. The Kia service department that I brought it to explained to my husband that the "product improvement campaign" -- where the software was added to my vehicle was due to the fact that Kia knows that the engines have issues, and may have catastrophic failure early, and because of this, they have designed something to put the vehicle in a 'limp home mode', so that it is not further damaged. Because this has not been called a recall -- even though Kia has full knowledge of engine issues -- a vast majority of Kia oweners of the affected vehicles have not had this software update, and are at risk of their engine failing at high speeds, endangering themselves, their families, and others. This is an absolute public safety issue. Additionally, just replacing the engines is not enough, these vehicles need to be completely recalled. Many are still being financed, and owners owe thousands of dollars on vehicles that will have to carry a salvage tag, and be worth pennies on the dollar due to having an engine that it was not manufactured with. Please hold Kia accountable for their irresponsibility, and consumer fraud.
On 3/10/2019, I was out of town, driving on the highway when my car lost speed, engine light came on and car shut down and wouldn't start back up. Had to have car towed to near by shop and had to find a way back home, which was 2 hours away. On 3/11/2019, shop stated that my engine had froze. He could understand why engine froze because it had oil and I wasn't due for an oil change until another 800 miles. Shop owner informed me that he have had 3 other customers with the same make and year who car did the same thing. I have taken my car to Kia on several occasions for evo systems reading problem with system and told them that I heard a knocking and shaking in my engine. I have read about several other case similar online. Clearly there is a problem with the engines in the 2015 Kia Sorento that you all aren't willing to investigate or admit too
While vehicle was traveling 70 mph on interstate, engine cut off. Subsequent mechanic evaluation was engine is internally damaged and requires replacement
I was driving and was stopped in a turning lane waiting to turn when the car stopped working and wouldn't do anything. I had it towed to a Kia dealer and was told the engine had seized. There was no reason for this to have happened on a newer vehicle. I was told there was sludge, much like I am finding a lot of other people with these vehicles were told. It cost me $5700 to have a used engine put in that will likely fail as well, as after researching this is a common problem in these vehicles. There was a recall up to year 2014 for known engine failure and it should be extended to 2015 because the problem is beyond the year 2014 engines.
Between oil changes, the engine on this vehicle burned through / consumed all of the full synthetic oil causing a massive failure with the timing chain and all the tensioners. Repair estimate: $2800. I've never had a car that consumed oil like this. It was unpredictable. If I had caught this later, it was have likely caused a more catastrophic failure requiring the replacement of the entire engine or rebuild. The vehicle is under 75,000 miles. Had I been the original owner of the vehicle, a 100,000 mile warranty would apply. However, subsequent owners lose 40,000 miles of warranty coverage. My warranty is expired as a result. Kia has had other recalls on prior year Sorento models, but the 2015 is yet to be recalled as of the writing of this complaint. I hope that changes in the near future.
The engine began knocking while driving on the highway. This occurred about 2000 miles into the last oil change. The dealership is stating the bearings in the engine are the cause of the failure.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Knoxville, TN, USA