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.
My SUV is having all of the problems associated with a bad engine. This started a week ago and on Thursday, [XXX] my SUV completely stopped running and I had to get it towed to my residence. I had an ASE certified mechanic to check it out and he said your engine is BAD. I have had all of my required oil changes as well as servicing as recommended. I got this SUV in 2020. It has a little over 100,000 miles. I cannot afford a engine repair at this time. Please advice. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Shortly after purchasing the vehicle in February of this year, we started to notice that oil was burning off quickly. We took it to be looked at and was notified that there was no signs of a leak. After that incident all of the warning lights came on on the dashboard. We took it again to be seen where we were told that it was burning oil again and that the oil was low. We had the oil refilled and on our way home the car completely seats and shut down loosing all power on the highway. We lost all control of the power steering, braking system, and the power to the whole car shut off. We had the car towed to a repairman who looked over the car and said that the engine is completely seized with no notable signs of damage but that it would require an entire engine replacement. We notified Kia about the problem and that it was something that was known to happen with the engine and they refused to cover it or do any type of repair. The car is now non-functionable with a complete seizure of the engine.
I was driving to work going about 40 and out of nowhere my 2016 Kia Sorento started slowing down. I could not accelerate and no warning lights came on. There was a sudden loss of power.The car slowed to a stop near a busy intersection. I was in the road and almost hit by multiple cars. I could not start it again. I noticed white smoke coming out from under the hood. There was an awful smell to it. It would not start back up. It was eventually towed to a dealership and they said the engine was locked up and the starter was burned. The engine is a 2.0L Turbo GDI engine.
On January 17 2024 as I am making my usual drive to work on a very busy interstate highway my 2016 Kia SORENTO EX V6 FWD AUTO 3.3 liter engine completely seizes up and so begins my nightmare. The same nightmare I am seeing time and time and time again reported on this site, and every site you do a simple search on 2016 KIA Sorento's for. As a result of the catastrophic engine failure, I (a female, original owner of the KIA, ) was left in a very dangerous position to try and maneuver through and not be killed by oncoming cars and further not get jumped in a very bad part of the metro. (this is not my personal assessment, this is the highest crime area in our city) Car was towed to dealership where I originally purchased it and today I received the diagnosis report indicating Alternator Replacement $1,283.94, Head Gasket $4,276.92, Body Control Module/ ECU $1,030.35 (an issue that I raised when the car was under the manufacturer warranty, and was ignored by the service team and results in me using a screw driver to even get the car out of park) I want answers as do all of the other impacted customers as to WHAT MORE IS NEEDED TO PROVE THAT KIA ENGINES ARE DANGEROUS AND NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE STREET!
My car started jumping while driving we had put oil in my car 3 weeks prior. It also smelt like my car was burning while the heat was on I had 2 babies in the back seat and I was scared to death. I haven-??t received anything in the mail about any recalls what so ever. I had to hear by a family friend the day of the incident that he thinks they-??re recalls on my call so I looked it up. My car is currently not working now and I have work and doctors appointments for babies I got to Kia tomorrow they-??re saying I don-??t have any recalls on my car and I looked it up on here and I do. I-??m pretty sure they-??re just not wanting to pay for it. They said if I have a warranty they could do. I just don-??t know what to do I have no car and I ave 2 children I can-??t afford to not have a vehicle.
- Cookeville , TN, USA
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Sometimes the cruise control works. Sometimes it doesn't work. Even after vehicle is warmed up still no resolution. Engine oil disappears without notice or warning.
was driving at 11mph and car would not Accelerate almost causing and accident issues with engine sparking flames fuel system problems, transmission issues when putting the vehicle into park. Engine problems check engine light keeps blinking on an off system says park vehicle do to diagnosed problems. suspension issues afraid to drive vehicle do to so many safety problems.
I was backing up a residential driveway. My backup camera showed my wheels were in line. My steering wheel turned and my car had a sudden unintended acceleration. My car destroyed a double steel garage door. Pushed a parked vehicle forward approximately 10-12-??. The vehicle crushed a riding lawn mower, pushing the mower through a sheet rock wall. If anyone had been in this area of the garage, they could have possibly suffered serious injury or even fatality. I am trying to arrange to have my vehicle taken to local Kia dealership for diagnostic testing. At this time, the vehicle has not been inspected. There were no warning signs that appeared and I did not hear my backup camera alert.
I was driving down the road and heard a grinding noise from engine. I pulled over to check under the hood for fluid leaks or check engine lights which everything checked out good temp gauges and everything giving normal readings. I then proceeded to keep traveling my route and about 5 minutes in I was loosing power and my car wasn't accelerating any more. I contacted the dealership I received my car from letting them know of these problems and informed them of a recall that was in affect a couple years back and also about the recent one I then asked if they fixed this problem or had any Knowledge of these defects which they stated it's not on them I have to take it up with the manufacturer even though I wasn't informed of these problems before my vehicle purchase. I then contacted the manufacturer and let them know of the troubles and got them in contact with the mechanic that was in charge of my diagnostic at the time and they did an investigation and turned out the recall caused this problem but since the problem already occurred they can't help me with repairs. This shouldn't be on me when they sold me a faulty vehicle without disclosing the recalls that needed attention which in return could've cost me or someone's life that day.
While driving at highway speed, the battery light and oil light came on and the throttle became unresponsive. The driver pulled over safely. The vehicle had to be restarted before the throttle became responsive again. The vehicle was taken to Maguire Kia Service (Ithaca, NY), where the engine was subsequently replaced.
On 02/03/2023 and once before, I stepped on brake to come to a stop and car accelerated to the point that braking took more distance to come to a stop. I called the Kia dealer today and got an appointment which is scheduled for 02/09/2023 to have them inspect vehicle for problem. I read an article published 11/23/2021 by [XXX] on the MotorBiscuit website that states the problem is with an issue with the throttle contol system. This problem nearly caused my to crash into car in front of me and could have been catastrophic if I had been going at a higher rate of speed and had to stop quickly. resulting in loss of life or injuries to myself and others. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request. There were no warnings. The floor rug was not jammed under accelerator. The first time it happened was also when coming to a stop. At that time I wasn't sure why it happened. This time myself and my passenger both heard the engine revving while I was trying to brake. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
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.
On many occasions the cruise control cancel button does not work. The brake system is needed to disengage the cruise control. When mentioned to dealership they stated probably dirt behind the steering wheel cover or in or around buttons. Stated would have take apart inspect at owners expense. Stated they have heard of that problem before. Seems to be a known safety or design problem. Did not have dealership do any work due to pricing and the fact I know the issue. Other owners may not know and may cause serious safety issue.
Sometime Mid May 2022 I was driving back from Tri City Washington. As I was passing a semi truck I noticed my car was losing some power. I ten was able to to get in front of the semi when I seen a place to pull off. During this time I noticed my dash lights were coming on. Engine light. I was lucky enough to pull off where on a side road in Warden, Washington. My car then ceased and would not start. I had to have it towed in my home town of Moses Lake, Washington to a auto mechanic by my resident. The name is Customs Auto on Broadway. They said it needed to go to a Kia Specialist/Mechanic for repairs. So I then had it towed to Over Turf Kia Dealership in Tri City, WA. where my car has been sitting since the end of May 2022. Nathan from Over Turf said I needed to replace my engine and quoted me at $6300 which is what I owe my bank loan with Wells Fargo. I only had 135,000 miles on it and not sure why all of a sudden my engine ceased. Now I have filed a complaint with NTSB they gave me a complaint #11466956 on Kia and their recalls. I had a recall repair on it September 2017 and had contacted Kia out of Wenatchee, WA where the recall was done. But they are closed down because of the covid. I am lost to what to do at this point. I was given an email address to send an email of pictures or important documents pertaining this problem. I am asking for any direction as to what to do or who to contact. If you need to call me please fill free at [XXX]. Thank You! Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate or fail to accelerate upon depression of the accelerator pedal; the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic code showed that the throttle position sensor was defective. Upon further investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V089000 (Vehicle Speed Control) which he linked to the failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and he was informed that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided information about an extended warranty that the vehicle qualified for; however, upon calling the dealer, the contact was informed that his vehicle did not qualify for the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 69,500.
The vehicle has failed to accelerate in various situations, i.e., after coming to a complete stop and turning onto a street with opposing and oncoming traffic. The issue has occurred intermittently for ~two months. Sometimes weeks without the issue resurfacing. Today, after running one errand early in the morning, the engine check appeared when we started the car and the vehicle went into limp mode. We barely got the car home, with little control of the acceleration. We could have been involved in an accident if this occurred while on the highway or turning onto a street from a heavily traveled intersection. This is a severe safety issue.
Car uses oil frequently, even after I get an oil change. The oil light does not come on when oil is low. It is low before my oil changes. On 1/22/22 my check engine light is on and it says P303 with cylinder 3. Replaced the coil and the check engine light is still on. The engine is sputtering and it takes 2-3 times to start. This started all of a sudden. It is frustrating because I took it to a Kia dealership last year and told them the problem. They told me it was a recall but it was only for up to 100,000. So they only put oil in it and basically sent me my way. So there are two issues going on and It doesn't matter the mileage because several Kias are having identical issues.
While my Kia Sorento had a chattering noise. When leaving home for an appointment l took the interstate and the chatter sound got louder about 10 minutes into driving. As I increased acceleration, the check engine light began to flash quickly and immediately The SUV started losing power and the engine stalled coasting long enough for me to pull to side of road. I tried to re-start the engine but it would not turn over to start. Twice in the past my husband took the SUV to Kia of Dayton Because car was losing oil with no warning light indicating it was low on oil. The mechanic explained there was a problem, he said that it had to be proven after a couple of oil changes and same problem occurred, which it has repeated twice. They said then they had to contact Kia for further instructions on how to proceed. The danger that affected my 91 year old Dad and myself is that we were stranded on a busy highway with no heat on a cold winter day. I had to find transportation to get my Dad home, because he takes blood thinner which causes him to get cold very easily.
My children and I were on the freeway, and when I pushed the accelerator, nothing happened. No rpm increase, no engine change-??nothing. I have had my car looked at and diagnosed, and nothing alerts to being wrong. The screen said Engine Control System, the engine light came on, and I had to pull all the way over across 4 lanes of traffic on the freeway, without being able to accelerate. I pulled over, put the car in park, and waited about 10 minutes. I turned the car back on and everything was fine. I do not understand. This is a safety hazard!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Darlington, SC, USA