general problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

Our 2021 kia Sorento has been to elmhurst kia service numerous times . The chief complaint is the kia sorrento keeps losing power while in drive reverse middle traffic even on the highway but yeah every time we take it in, they say either it’s the battery . You can’t use it in the eco mode . Turn off the shut off while in drive mode when at stops ! always a different excuse, but yet no recall and it’s not showing up on their computer, but yeah it’s happening and kia does not want to take ownership. The vehicle has been left there for numerous weeks at a time leaving us without a vehicle no loaner . But because cannot duplicate issue release vehicle back with no repairs or maintenance. Kia prefer you taking the car getting into a car accident before they decide to do anything or even a lawsuit because not enough people having same issue with the 2021 kia Sorento s model ! if you also have these issues please report them here so they can be forced to open a recall !!! before someone gets seriously hurt my Sorento has loss power on highway and in the middle of train tracks with my little ones in Sorento and we drove the vehicle from day one original owners not a used Sorento.

My check engine light came on and went to dealer ship jn oct of 2025 they stated the egr needed to be replaced and would cost 1300 to repair but inform me they didn't have the piece to replace at that time to reschedule app. Also reservoir coolant light keeps coming on . I called several times to lumberton kia at one time they stated that they didn't have but 1 mechanic that worked on hybrids and he was behind. I finally have a appointmentthis weekto see what is exactlygoing on with my SUV cause now I have a hesitation when pressing the gas and my transmission jerks.

This has been occurring intermittently since my 2021 kia Sorento reached approx. 15k miles and now has 26,600 miles. There are no lights or indicators on the dash letting me know anything is wrong. When the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or stopped in heavy traffic, the vehicle will start idling high and shaking and the engine will seize up. I am not able to steer, the brakes lock up, I cannot accelerate, all functionality is lost. The only thing I can do is put the vehicle in park (in heavy traffic) and shut the car off and wait a minute and turn it back on and it seems to reset itself. This is extremely dangerous for myself and my passengers (some of which are children) and can cause a serious accident. At no point should I ever need to be concerned with my vehicle seizing up in the middle of the road and having to park and restart my car. This has happened on several occasions already. I have taken my car to 2 separate kia dealerships to address this problem I have been experiencing. The first dealership failed to attempt to duplicate the problem and instead informed me the firmware update the performed from a previous recall should remedy the problem. It did not. Then I recently took it to another kia dealer in another state and explained the situation. I specifically asked them to take the vehicle for a test drive and they argued with me that my battery was low and needed to be replaced and it would not be covered under the warranty. I have been driving this vehicle for a while and it has been having this issue around 15k miles so I know it is not the battery. They totally disregarded the safely of myself and my family and only focused on making money for themselves. This is a serious safety issue with this vehicle and has continuously been swept under the rug by kia. Even the customer service is rude and I have reported this to them and asked for an escalation to their consumer affairs dept and have received no response.

I was driving my car on [xxx] and my car suddenly lost power and when I pressed the gas pedal the rpm quickly increased but the car was hesitating between gears and not engaging. Shortly thereafter a malfunction code showed up on my car screen along with an engine warning indicator. The code was dct p193b79. That code indicates a high pressure electric oil pump performance issue pointing to problems with the 8wdct; the same issue and symptoms associated with the recall bulletin for the 2021 kia Sorento transmission. When I brought it to ken gariff kia in phoenix arizona they stated there is no such recall for my vehicle with this problem and that since I have 76000 miles on the car it is not covered. I feel that this repair falls squarely within the scope of the recall for the kia transmission and would like it replaced at the manufacturers expense. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Sorento is not working properly due to transmission oil pump. This has been recalled by kia but my car does not fall under the warranty.

My car will sometimes completely stall at a light when stopped and not restart with the automatic stop system it has happened about 5 times almost causing a wreck.

My vehicle completely shut off while I was driving with my children in the car. The dealership replaced the battery but never identified the root cause. Since then my car has been experiencing rpm surging while in park — the engine revs up and down repeatedly on its own. The vehicle also feels sluggish and does not want to accelerate properly while driving. Additionally since taking ownership of the vehicle my window has squealed every time it rains and I roll down the window. The dealership has replaced the seals, lubricated and cleaned the window multiple times and the problem persists. The defective window seal also caused a gash in my window tint requiring replacement. I have taken my car to my kia dealership multiple times and they have been unable to fully resolve these issues. My car is currently at the dealership right now and they still cannot find the problem. I contacted kia corporate on March 20, 2026 and opened a formal case. These defects have put my children in danger and I am requesting a formal federal investigation.

Recall sa512 was previously completed on my vehicle. The problem is happening again. Since there are no open recalls, I am unable to get it fixed under the recall.

I have had many issues where my car will completely shut off after the auto start-stop function causing me to almost get into accidents with my toddlers in the vehicle. There was one incident where I was at a stop light, when the light turned green I started my car again to go and another vehicle continued to bypass me. When I halted for the other vehicle, my engine shut off again almost the cause of a horrific accident. I have had many incidents after this with the related cause of engine shutting off.

I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding recall 22v-760 (sc250) affecting my 2021 kia Sorento. This recall was marked “complete” by kia, even though no actual repair or remedy was performed on my vehicle. I am now facing a complete transmission failure and have been quoted $7,100 to repair a defect kia already acknowledged and promised to fix. The reality is, the defect was always present, it just hadn’t reached full failure yet. The recall being closed does not mean the issue was resolved, and this approach leaves thousands of kia owners like myself unprotected. In may 2023, I brought my vehicle to daphne kia in alabama for a radiator leak. During that visit, they noted the transmission recall was open but stated that no defect was found. As a result, they marked the recall as “complete” without conducting any meaningful repair or replacement. No transmission work was done, despite known problems reported nationwide. In may 2025, my Sorento began showing the exact symptoms described in the recall: surging rpms, transmission hesitation, jerking, and drifting in and out of gear. At times, the vehicle would slow dramatically or jolt in the middle of traffic and lose drive! extremely dangerous situation for me in traffic with complete loss of acceleration. I had to take time off to bring the vehicle to step one automotive kia in fort walton beach, florida, on June 30, 2025 the soonest my schedule allowed. At that appt, I was told the transmission had failed and would cost over $7,000 to replace. I also am paying for a rental vehicle while my car is still with kia for resolution as of now. Recall coverage did nothing to protect me when the defect eventually surfaced. Kia has publicly stated that:“if your vehicle is affected by a recall, kia will repair the vehicle free. ” they have a legal obligation under the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act to correct safety related defects. They are not meeting that. Kia consumer relations contacted as well.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 50-60 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to firestone, where the spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to firestone, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel injectors were replaced, and the transmission oil pump was replaced under NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train); however, the failure recurred after driving 6,000 miles. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the transmission oil pump was replaced under warranty; however, the failure worsened. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the roadway. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to another dealer for a second opinion. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

The stop go feature is not working correctly, when it does cut off at a light after releasing the brake to move forward it takes 3-5 seconds to start. When the cars behind me see that I release the brake they assume im going to move which doesnt happen at first. Some occasions the stop n go just doesnt work at all.

On three separate occasions, after starting the vehicle, the car cannot be accelerated above 30 mph. The idle stop and go (isg or auto start stop feature) light flashes orange, but no other warning symbols are illuminated. After safely moving the vehicle off the road, I have to turn off the engine, wait for 2-4 seconds, and restart the engine. Once the vehicle is restarted, the vehicle accelerates normally. This issue has happened twice in the past month. I plan to take my car to a kia dealership for an inspection, but since this problem happens randomly, the kia technicians may not be able to reproduce the problem. I purchased this vehicle used with about 77k miles in December 2023. I first noticed this issue in April 2024. The vehicle now has a little under 98k miles recorded.

Was driving and car lost all power then violently shifted to the next gear and almost caused an accident.

Our kia lost power on the highway in a construction site and we had to coast until we finally were able to pull over in a safe place. This has happened a few times before but kia says they can't do anything unless it can be duplicated.

On [xxx] we were driving the kia at slow speed due to snow on the road when a warning light came on which we think said hybrid vehicle failure pull over. The car stopped and the traffic lane with the engine off. The car would not start and we were exposed to traffic. Fortunately, we were on a country road at the time about a mile from our house and we were not struck by following vehicle when the car shut off and stopped in the traffic lane. If we had been on a beltway with 60 or 65 mph traffic obviously the result would’ve been quite different. Because I felt the vehicle was not safe to drive. I had it towed to the kia dealer in salisbury pocahontas kia, who have not been able to duplicate the problem and have also not been able to tell us what was wrong with the kia to cause this problem in the first place. Unless there is a clear reason why this happened and it can be fixed then we have no reason to believe this would not happen again and endanger our safety. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I unable to accelerate to merge on to the highway. This is the second time that my car was unable to accelerate and kick into gear. The first time was in 2021/2022 a few months after getting the car.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost drive power temporarily. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with loss of transmission oil pump pressure. The dealer updated the transmission control unit software under NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train); however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was not related to the recall. The contact stated that the recall remedy also involved the transmission replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Subject: urgent safety concern with kia Sorento transmission recall (sc250) dear NHTSA, on [xxx], my 2021 kia Sorento began exhibiting multiple mechanical issues detailed in kia’s sc250 campaign [xxx] ). While driving, the check engine light came on with a “low transmission fluid pressure” warning, followed by power loss and gear disengagement. Kia (russ darrow kia waukesha, WI) advised a software update for the transmission’s electric oil pump as a likely fix, but even after the update, I continued experiencing power loss and disengagement. I brought up the similarities between my vehicle’s issues and the sc250 campaign, but kia said my warranty was void due to the car’s rebuilt title (which I knew), despite it being only three years old with 30,000 miles. I informed kia that federal law under the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act requires car manufacturers to repair safety-related recalls at no charge to the owner. Kia stated the recall had been “closed” by a 2022 software update, releasing them from further responsibility. I then asked if kia would have covered repairs if I hadn’t installed the software update in 2022 when the recall was issued. Kia suggested it might have, but since the recall is now closed, I would need to cover the repairs myself. This stance feels misleading, as it suggests no real incentive to comply with recalls until a problem physically manifests. I also took the vehicle to a transmission shop, where they confirmed that the issues matched those in the sc250 campaign. I am reaching out to NHTSA for assistance, as this situation raises significant concerns about the recall’s effectiveness in ensuring safety and addressing the actual defect. I appreciate any guidance or help NHTSA can offer in resolving this issue. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2021 kia Sorento has been losing drive power, shuddering when we accelerate, hesitate when starting from a stop or parked position, and having issues accelerating at different and random speed intervals. This is a safety concern because it can cause an accident or for us and others or cause us to lose the ability to control the vehicle everyone is also at risk if my car stops responding to me pushing the gas and it will not let me continue, increase, decrease or become entirely unresponsive could cause my entire family to die. It has been reproduced by a local service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. No warning lamps, messages have appeared at any time. The first symptoms started with short shuddering for a quick second or two every now and then. It has become progressively worse and is becoming unsafe for us to operate.

When driving in traffic at a stop, or even just slowing down when needing to make a turn, the accelerator does not respond to the pressure being applied and the vehicle barely moves, even with pedal nearly to the floor. This is a serious problem and can be a very dangerous thing when trying to cross or pull out onto a street when there’s oncoming traffic, so I'm nervous now to pull out when any cars are coming. I took the car into the dealership, who said that "their technician could not replicate the problem" and nothing was done. I found many others with this same problem on a kia forum online. I am going to also report this to kia.

For a few days ( especially if is a hot day (over 80f) ) my 2021 kia Sorento hybrid with 15,421 miles on it displays a "refill inverter coolant" message. I checked the coolant level and is ok. After my research, it seems that the factory put the wrong blue inverter coolant instead red (all other kia hybrid cars have red coolant) . I found out that there is a kia technical service bulletin sa515 that addresses this issue. Called a few dealers in GA and I have been told that they need the cars for 7-10 days for investigation. Why???? when there is a service bulletin. . On top of this, I have been told that I need to rent a car at my expense and fight with kia corp to be reimbursed. This is outrageous!!!!!! other dealers do not have the required vaccum pump to flush the system or they can schedule me after 25 days. A safety recall shall be issued and put pressure on kia to address this issues before a catastrophic inverter fault occurs.

While in the process of pulling into marked stall in parking lot car accelerated unexpectedly jumping over a concrete stop and crashing into the wall of a building. Car sustained eleven thousand dollars worth of damage and the wall that was hit was caved in. Cost of wall repair is unknown at this time. After the collision an attempt to dislodge the car was attempted by putting the car in reverse. The engine rpm was still racing and the car jerked backwards uncontrollably requiring the engine to be shut off to stop the car. Nobody was injured only property damage.

Sometimes the vehicle will stall and not want to move. I have to try and coast off the road to kill the car and restart it. Also sometimes the radio goes completely black and doesnt come back on even if you kill the car.

My 2021 kia Sorento, has literally cut off on me several times in the last 3 three months, when I am at a stop ight/sign the vehcile will just shut off, it will not turn back on, after 3-4 attempts of trying to get the vehhicle to start it would, but later on the same day it would do the same thing. On the third incident I took the vehcile to the kla kdealership in victoirville, CA. After keeping the vehicle for several days, they said they could not find anything wrong and that I should replace the battery because it had a low cell. So I bought the battery and paid for the diagnositic. The same day I picked of the vehicle drove to las vegas , nevada,the vehicle did the same thing it would not start, we had to get a jump to get it started, was terrified to drive the vehicle back to California. Call the dealership about the issue but never received a call back. Now here it 11 Jan 2024, the vehicle cuts off at a 4 way stop light, we were in the turning lane!!!! the vehicle would not start, there virtually no power,had to move the vehcile to a parking lot ariound the corner, called a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to the kia dealership. They are saying it will take 3-5 days before they can get a diagnosis done. There is something going on with this vehcile, and I do not feel safe drilving it even a short distance. This probllem needs to be investigated before some get hurt/accident. I have not a seen a recall on my VIN number but there is something on wrong very similare to the transmission problems the kia is having. I would like to have this issued looked at immediately to find out the root cause of this problem with a resolution. Will be awaiting a response, my vehice is still at valley hi kia, victorville, CA.

There is a malfunction in the vehicles. Computer system that gives a warning about low coolant level for the hybrid battery. It's been been seen by the kia dealer and the issue keeps arriving.

Today, our vehicle began making a chiming noise and displaying the words "stop safely immediately. " we were nearly in a car accident as our car stopped working in the middle of the road. We had to abandon the vehicle because it would not move. Upon coming home, we searched our VIN and found that there was a recall on the vehicle that kia had never informed us sc250. Kia is mandated to inform clients of recalls that may endanger them, yet kia chose not to do so.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who mentioned a recall on the transmission. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed there was no recall or warranty coverage on the VIN. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train). The failure mileage was approximately 66,550.

My 2021 Sorento randomly gets stuck in between gears, slipping into neutral and rev'ing up to 4000-5000 rpms. This is at lower speed usually within a mile or so of leaving my house. It's very frightening and has happened to me dozens of times, but I live in a rural area over an hour from a kia dealership, and they do not offer loaners. This issue first arose for me after the transmission oil pump recall was already addressed. I am the 2d owner, and suspect this could be why the previous owners sold the car, which I bought through autotrader from the heiser dealership in wisconsin. After the latest episode, I finally arranged alternate transportation and took it in to the serra kia dealership in jackson, TN. They have had it over a week and not been able to replicate the issue so far. No computer codes show up on it either. They say there's no technical advisory on the issue, and have no idea what's going on with the transmission. Serra kia is saying that kia corporate will not approve replacing the transmission without an error code. From reviewing other owner reviews in kia forums, the kia 2021 Sorento slipping into neutral while driving appears to be an issue for others as well. It is dangerous, as I could be rear-ended. Quite honestly, it’s terrifying, and I am afraid to drive the car again without this issue being addressed.

I had reported a momentary loss of power when driving the first time I took my vehicle for an oil change. Dealer said the car was just getting accustomed to my driving habits. I said I was in an intersection and the car lost power for a moment and I was almost rear-ended. It has happened many more times and it seemed as though it usually happened between 25-30 mph. Recently it has become more frequent. It’s happening at all speeds. Yesterday it seemed like it was choking like when you’re out of gas (it had 3/4 tank of gas). Today I was making a turn at a heavily traveled intersection, when rounding the corner vehicle lost power then banged into gear. I’ve never heard it bang like that before. Seems to be getting progressively worse and I’m now concerned for myself and others safety. I work 45 miles from home and depend on this vehicle. This is my 3rd Sorento and have always liked and recommended them. I’m making an appointment for a diagnostic service soon but can’t afford to be without my car. I saw there was a recall for “loss of power” but my VIN isn’t included. Please help.

My 2021 kia sorrento has shut down and died while on a highway drive 2 days in a row. The engine light comes on, the oil light comes on, and and the phrase “engine off. Shift to n then start engine” comes on. Prior to this, other issues were happening. Originally, my automatic start wasn’t working properly, and a kia service advisor told me to “turn that feature off”. After that, while driving down the road last month, all symbols on my dash began flashing and the phrase “check forward safety system” appeared.

This is 2nd time that my kia Sorento shuts off while we’re stopped at a red light. When we release the brake the engine didn’t start.

Engine has turned off on road at stop and not started up again. Starts to shake then powers off. I have had to push break shut off engine completely and turn on again in middle of road. Carson of kia states there is nothing wrong with it but this is a huge safety concern.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The rpm was fluctuating, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

My 2021 kia Sorento is waiting on a new transmission with no eta. Thank goodness after it started driving rough and rocking back and forth while in park we took it to a kia dealership. Dealership said we. Needed a new transmission. I’m just glad we caught it before we had total engine failure going down the road like the recall states.