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.
This is an update to a report/complaint #115-6142 that I filed on 2/7/2023 regarding my 2016 KIA Sorento needing a new engine. I have since spoken with a dealer, a family-owned auto repair shop, who subsequently spoke with a parts store in Denver and another dealer. It was reported to me that KIA has discontinued the sale and/or manufacture of engines for 2015-2017 KIA Sorentos because of many many complaints from owners who had the same problems I had with mine...needing a new engine for a non-very-old car. KIA obviously knows of the problems but have yet to initiate a recall. I'm about to start proceedings for a Class Action Suit. Stay tuned.
For several months I drove the vehicle and kept smelling like something was burning. I took the vehicle to my mechanic they said they didn't find anything. This smell continued and I began to notice my oil was low so I added a quart. Well it then became routine for me to check my oil in between changes. Everytime I would check it was low so I'd add a quart. Eventually while driving home from the store my vehicle began making a noise, the next day it was brought to the mechanic who told me pretty much the engine was going. (This was an engine knock due to over consumption of oil causing) at no point did my oil light come on and stay on nor did the engine light appear for the knock sensor system. I contacted the local Kia dealership ego told me to let it run in my driveway until the engine blew. I did not feel comfortable doing this so I let the vehicle sit. The day I went to trade the Kia in I was driving in congested traffic and without warning the engine light flashed and I immediately lost all power leaving me stuck in congested traffic.
1. Local neighborhood mechanic (s) after many checks determined head gasket blown and unable to repair. Requires complete NEW engine. Car has 120k. Good condition no other major mechanical issues. Shop estimate is $10,000 to repair. 2. Gear shift won-??t budge - must use a flat head screw driver to shift gears 3. Passenger front door sticks and has trouble opening door. Was shown this video about issues and thought I was only one having but I have several of the issues listed here.never even tried to fix #2 & 3 bc with kids and all didn-??t have extra money. Bought car brand new. Only owner. I am looking for guidance on how to proceed cause this is like a punch in face 10k to fix! https://youtu.be/Suv945jAcfo
Engine lost power over night. No warning lights or other signs prior to it happening prior. One day it was running, the next it wasn't. The starter, battery and all oil etc was changed. After everything has been changed out, the car starts but is not in running condition. A continuous knocking in the engine is heard. Had it professionally diagnosed and was told the engine is bad. There is only 69k miles and no problems prior whatsoever! I am the 2nd owner and am upset that this has happened.
2016 Kia Sorento LX which was regularly serviced and well taken care of completely shut off while I was commuting to school on a notoriously dangerous stretch of road. I was in disbelief when the mechanic diagnosed our vehicle as a complete engine failure with 122,000 miles. I thought things couldn-??t be any worse until I had the trauma of interacting with Kia -??customer service-?? and I use that term very lightly. I had never owned a Kia before and I naively thought this well known manufacturer would back their product. HA. Instead, I was insensitively told I was -??out of luck-?? and worse yet incriminated to an extent when I didn-??t have oil change receipts from the past going on 4 years of financing the vehicle during a hysterical phone ordeal (on hold for 45 minutes- I was in the shower when he finally picked up, didn-??t rinse my hyaluronic acid exfoliator off and burned my face). I explained to him that the mechanic described the issue as -??the bolts are walking off of the engine block, it-??s a known KIA issue-?? - to which he ironically vehemently denied any knowledge of. So not only was I lied to but patronized days before Christmas. I tearfully pleaded with him to help me in some way because this is my only vehicle and I-??m counting on it to commute to school everyday, I graduate in the Spring. Kia did not care. Where is my sorento now? The garage. We had GAP coverage so they required the engine be completely tore apart and sent out - our mechanic stated the bolts were so badly warped and wore a machinist would be unable to work with them and fire was clearly on the horizon based on the dangerous conditions. FIRE. I have a 14, 5, 4 and 3 year old who are almost always with me. My children could have been killed. So worse than this inconvenience is the blatant lack of regard for human life. To add insult to injury I guess insurance companies are tired of taking the brunt of Kia-??s incompetent craftsmanship so they are only covering half of the cost, I must pay $5,000.
- Frackville, PA, USA
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My wife was driving the vehicle and the engine locked up because it had burned through all the oil in the vehicle. There was no warning lights to let us know it had low oil. The vehicle is available for inspection. My son was also in the car as well. I had the vehicle towed to my local machanical shop. The owner of the shop was the person that notified me of the engine default.
Traveling from Cheyenne, WY to Houston, TX my SUV overheated without warning and bubbling coolant sprayed everywhere. I was 200 miles south of Pueblo, CO in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico. I then had my SUV towed to the Kia dealership in Pueblo, CO and was informed I needed a total engine replacement. I decided to have my car towed to the Kia dealership here in Cheyenne, WY. I was told 2 bolts were stripped which caused engine failure and overheating "Kia used a bolt thread that fails to grip the block with enough force and overheating is a common scenario. This is a known Kia manufacture defect". I have always maintained my SUV and had regular service performed because I never wanted to be stranded on the side of the road. I am requesting KIA step up and help cover some or all of these expenses due to it being a known manufacture defect. I have not heard from Kia since my case was opened six weeks ago. The Kia dealership here in Cheyenne, WY indicated there have been over 20 cars at their service department alone with this issue.
I was driving down the interstate going 80mph when all of the sudden the vehicle lost power. I had to dodge traffic and cross over into another lane to get to the side of the road I-??m lucky I made it and nobody was hurt.
Smelled something burning. Pulled over and noticed smoke coming from under hood. Called the fire department. It was fully engulfed by the time they got there. Pictures of it burning are available. The vehicle is a total loss. Police report taken today 2-9-2023. Insurance company being notified. No warning lamps. No check engine light. No inspections made yet.
We were driving home from a road trip in November 2022 - and the heater was failing, not working. There were no warning lights showing. There was a rattling-type sound when we got nearer to home and since there were still no warning lights coming on, we got the car home. Checked the coolant and oil levels - topped them off (not too low). The next morning, I was going to drive to work - started the car and it sounded rough. Took daughter's car to work. My husband took the car to shop near the house - they said they got air pocket out of coolant line and suspected head gasket was blown. Took it to KIA dealer and they confirmed head was blown and would need a new engine - $12,000. Never had any indication of overheating until just before we took it to the dealer - the temp gauge indicator would be in the middle then would rise to high and go right back down to middle. Did that a couple of times on ride to the dealer. It's now sitting in my garage while I figure out what to do with it.
I have had my car less than a month as I-??m driving my car starts to rattle loudly and loses power I go to a nearby auto zone and they run a test which says I have a recall on my engine
With just a few payments left on my 2016 Kia Sorento I was traveling home from work when without any warning at all, my car, in the middle lane of a highway, dropped from about 65 miles an hour down to 30 mph. This almost caused a major accident involving many cars. I managed to get the car off the road and to the mechanic. I was told that there was very little oil left in the motor, which was hard to believe because I was only a month beyond my scheduled oil change. I was told by the mechanic that this engine is known to start burning oil at an excessive rate without warning. I was also told that the motor was no longer any good due to the damage that was caused. I was disappointed to find out there was no recall and I was left with a car that had very little value. Please recall these cars before someone gets hurt or worse.
The Engine failed due to bolts backing out of the engine and causing a leak into the exhaust system.This causes the head gasket to leak. This comes without warning of any kind. Kia is aware of this problem. There were not any warning lights on. It was diagnosed at an independent service center.
Did oil change on vehicle about a week ago. A week later checked oil noticed it was a quart low and put more oil in. Next day heard a knocking sound come from engine compartment. Checked oil noticed no oil. No warning lights came on to show I had low oil. Put more oil in took to kia. Kia told me that engine rods are gone and engine is fried. Need new engine and its going to cost me $11,000. No lights or warning system was in place when I bought the car and no one informed me of any update or issue needed to prevent this. Car only has 67000 miles on it so I should still be covered under manufacturing warranty but they are blaming me for the no oil when no idiot lights came to tell me low oil. This is Kias fault.
I had no warning lights come on all of a sudden steam and anti freeze blew from outside hood luckily I was right near home pulled in popped hood all Xtra antifreeze gone from back up container.had triple A tow to a mechanic as thought it was a hole in radiator or hose fell off.He got back to me and said there are exhausted gases in antifreeze and my head gasket is blown !Nothing ever gave me a clue just happened.He suggested towing to kia as only 70.000 miles and he said there is a leak either from head gasket bolt.but somehow this is a reason for kia as he has read many complaints the same as mine.not the knock sensor issue this is a whole new problem with v6 engine.so I owe $15,000 for a car that does no longer run kia will do nothing as had towed to dealership.what do I do? I can not find anyone to do engine cause there are none there are no recalls on this issue!Kia needs to be held accountable for all there issues !As my car is still there cause have no idea what to do !so now still paying payments with no help from them!please look on kia complaint you will see so many others with same issue! https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cars/news-blog/hyundai-and-kia-s-decade-of-very-troublesome-engines-continues-44497118
Was driving my car and the engine began to knock and then died. Looked at the oil and there was no oil on the dip stick. No warning light ever came on that the oil was low! Had to have it towed to a mechanic that said I now have to replace the engine!!!
More often than not I-??m finding I have to add oil to the car. It gives no warning the oil is low, no light, no smoke. The car starts to run a little hard so we check the oil. Each time we check the oil is low and needs more. We have gotten oil changes on the recommended schedule. Yet the problem still persists. Also I notice at times when pushing the gas to accelerate it almost seems hard to do.
Car started to make a knocking noise especially when accelerating, however no lights on dash indicated anything was wrong. Car started fluttering and engine died. Started the car again, more knocking and fluttering before the engine died. Pulled over and checked oil. It was low so had someone bring me oil. Put in 3.5 quarts and got the car started again. The car was still making the knocking sound but was able to drive.5 mile to the closest mechanic. They said it is a serious engine problem from the sounds of it and instructed me not to drive it but to get it towed to the dealer.
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- Peyton, CO, USA