general problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

Intake manifold. A previously repaired recall that is still causing issue. Rough idle and check engine light.

I was driving my car, while at a stop light I noticed some smoke coming from under my hood. I thought it might have been the cold I turned off the main road onto my street and noticed the smoke increasing, I pulled over turned off my car opened the hood and a fire started at the back of my engine.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle with smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was unable to restart. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v877000 (engine). The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine block had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 189,711.

The vehicle is shifting weird out of first, knocking sound. A code of p1326 skds is showing on diagnostic. This was supposedly repaired by kia a few months ago from a recall. I am questioning if they corrected and inspected the recall appropriately, due to this being the issue. The car is now unable to be driven because I do not want to do more damage.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v877000 (engine). The contact stated that the engine had seized while driving approximately 40-45 mph. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had owned the vehicle for a year. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who declined to service the vehicle due to the contact not having the oil change records. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

The car has been running fine with no problem. I noticed as I was driving the engine light came on. I made it to my destination and as I was processing to head some where else I heard an unusual sound and the smell of burning smoke. Then all of a sudden there's a lot of smoke coming from the car and the car was stalling as if it was cutting off. I manage to get the car to a staff place since it seems as though the car was running hot. The car had to get towed to a mechanic shop and he thought maybe it was the radiator but it was a blown head gasket in the engine.

I was driving and my kia started over heating and smoking and smelled like plastic burning I got it towed to the hendricks of kia and it sat there for 2weeks and I contacted them about giving me a lender until they fix my engine problem and they told me that my engine is not under warranty but is a recall I didn’t blow my engine I recently bought it about 6 months ago.

Was on my way back from picking up my child father from work. My 2 kids were also in the car [xxx] & [xxx] old. My car started smoking and another motorist pulled down his window to let me know that my car was on fire from underneath. I immediately got all of us out of the car and my child father went to go pop the hood and noticed that fire was coming near the engine !! made an insurance claim and they deemed the car as a total loss. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Growl on cold start.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 55–60 mph, the engine overheated and the vehicle stalled while making a turn. The vehicle stalled and failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 23v877000 (engine). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was determined that the battery and bracket needed to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the engine and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 15-20 mph, the axle popped out of the transmission, and fractured the lower ball joints and steering system. There was an abnormal burning electrical odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was not contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. There was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally stalled and was restarted after pulling over to the side of the road. Whenever the vehicle failed to restart immediately, the contact would disconnect the battery and wait approximately 5-10 minutes before reconnecting the battery and restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally stalls while driving uphill. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle had several pending recall repairs. The dealer informed the contact that since the vehicle made the knocking sound, the knock sensors and O2 sensors needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the mileage was above the approved mileage for the repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure progressively worsened. The contact recently received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v877000 (engine). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 205,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated before pulling off the roadway. The hood was opened and there was white smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the smoke then dissipated. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the alternator and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving on a main road at 55 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine, and the engine power was reduced, and the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 mph. The temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact was forced to pull over onto the side of the road where the vehicle was left idling for a while. The check engine, and the oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the engine was faulty and was not worth the effort to replace the engine, as the cost would significantly outweigh the value of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

The contact’s son owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Head gasket blew due to head bolts losing threads or stretching not sure exactly why but many people has reported this issue.

Engine light flashes fast then kia will slow down to about 30 mph when going up a hill, I've make claims on this kia for the fire loss, transmission, brakes and now it won't run unless I pay $85 to have the sensor reset which lasts a short time and the light starts flashing again. Was told it doesn't qualify for a new engine because the mileage is over 150,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and unknown recall repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph and pulling into a gas station, the vehicle stalled and rolled next to a gas station pump. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to firestone, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the long block, the head gasket, and the bolts needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the brake fluid needed to be flushed and refilled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked with the transmission slipping gear with an engine misfire. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to auto zone and a code for the knock sensor failure was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had replaced the spark plugs on the vehicle. While driving 65 mph, the vehicle went into limp mode. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the knock sensor had failed. The dealer related the failure to the NHTSA campaign number: 23v877000 (engine); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer cleared the code, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different certified mechanic who confirmed the diagnostic result and cleared the code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,750.

No oil after filling up with 4qts. Engine over built compression and blew hole through bottom of the block which caused a fire underneath.

3 different episodes SUV will start by appear warning lights downhill, slippery road, abs, engine , decrease speed, shuts down, tire pressure finally battery dead and rubber smell. I've had it fixed once mentioned it was altarnator, second time battery, finally third time something electrical or unknown. Total cost now $3000 and my life in danger al 3 times and towec.

Was driving on the [xxx] with my children and puppy on a truck/car route and my engine made a noise and the car slowed down and jerked. I pulled over, turned my car off to check for smoke, leaked, and my tires but nothing seemed wrong. When I tried to start the car the engine light came on blinking and then the battery and oil light came on. The safety of my family and I was freshly put at risk with hundreds of trucks passing by and my car almost swerving into and oncoming truck in the lane to my right. My car has been towed the the dealership where I purchased it to be checked today on 7/3/2024. The used vehicle was purchased at brick city motors at 346 broadway avenue, newark, NJ 07104. I purchased this vehicle from this dealership on [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I smell something burning inside the car when after one hour driving it and not feel safe, right after picking the car up from the dealership after the recall service, the engine starts shutting off every time I stop ped at a stop sign or light, the engine also stops every time I go 25 scare me so much, the kia losing power everytime going up hills. The dealership suppose to replace that engine, I told them about the issue and nothing is done to replace it. Instead they look at other issues in order to make money instead of fixing the engine recall issue before something worse happens down the road. I have always maintained my truck well. I want the engine to be replace please. VIN: 5xykt3a12bg106925.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that the “low oil pressure” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that there was engine oil leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic where it had been diagnosed that the oil pressure switch had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 10v388000 (electrical system). The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall or in the technical service bulletin with the manufacturer id number 026 and NHTSA id number: 10235099 (electrical system). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 170,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who determined that the cam shaft sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The cam shaft sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 169,000.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, there was a jerking and grinding noise detected when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle was slow to stop. The engine, traction, abs, and hill assist warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed and towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 23v877000 (engine). The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 285,658. The VIN was not available.

Unknown and the engine light is on.

After my daughter pulled into her school parking lot on Friday morning, 4/19/24 she reported smelling a very bad smelling smoke. She immediately got out of the car because she then saw flames from under the hood. The car lit on fire, and was completely totaled. I have since been made aware of the recall that causes engine fires.

Car dash lights flashed and car shut down.

Knock sensor code came up when having my car checked p1326.

I received a letter in the mail dated February 9th, 2024. This letter stated there was a recall on my car to mitigate any unreasonable fire risk due to potential engine damage. It states to take the car to a kia dealer so they can inspect and, if need be, replace the engine. It is recall number 23v877. It states the recall will be repaired at no cost to me. However when I took the car to the dealership, the employee I dealt with told me that it had a very strong burning plastic smell, valve cover is warped, leaking oil onto exhaust manifold and suggest to replace the intake valve and valve cover. I was also told the engine was leaking oil, valve cover and intake leaking. I was then estimated for a total of $1,213. 78+tax for the manifold replacement, $454. 62 for valve cover replacement, and $211. 27 for rear brake lamp assembly. So I would like to file a formal complaint against the bill walsh kia dealership in ottawa, IL. For their inability to remedy this defect without charge. I drive my 3 year old daughter around in this car, it is my biggest asset, it gets me to work, it feeds my child, it pays my bills. If my safety is at risk or my child's safety because of the negligence of kia, they should fix it at their cost.

I’ve gotten approved to buy another car and was going to trade my 2011 kia Sorento but still has open recall and kia dealership has no answers when they can fix. What do I do. Thank you for your help!.

Unknown. Oil leaked totally out happened March 16th 2024. Had car towed oil light came on when oil totally leaked out. Having it looked at on March 26th 2024.

Oil was serviced mid-January, driven intermittently where oil level checked right after service before trip to college (it was full) and oil level checked again March 7 before a trip to florida and it showed full.   during trip (approx 590 miles after starting trip0, engine failed while driving on interstate causing a safety concern - driver was not able to steer or do any movement of vehicle causing a potential dangerous situation for driver, passengers and other vehicles on interstate. A tow truck was called and vehicle was towed to nearest auto mechanic shop, will's auto mechanic shop in jasper, florida. They indicated the engine was locked up and no longer functional with diagnosis of no oil in engine where dip stick was dry and they did not see any visible leaks. In addition, no check engine or oil light appeared throughout drive prior to engine stopping on interstate. Called insurance although doubtful anything will be covered. Will's auto indicated will cost approx $3k for engine plus minimum $1,500 in labor to replace engine. If doesn't make sense to replace engine, car worth $150 in scrap as they do not purchase and re-sell vehicles at shop which is 14 hours away from our home. Researched and saw same engine for 2012 kia Sorento was recalled for similar engine issues with no warning lamps.

My 2011 kia Sorento is leaking oil. (possibly from an oil pressure sensor from inside engine compartment) unable to drive vehicle.