Table 1 shows one common vehicle speed control related problems of the 2025 Kia Motor Sorento.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems |
Instrument gauge cluster freezes while driving. Cannot view current speed, blinker status, cruise control settings, tachometer information, fuel status, or adaas items. Also gear select indicator light freezes and does not show correct gear/park. Can only be reset by disconnecting negative battery cable and discharging system.
I was driving onto a busy intersection from a parking lot. When I went to pull into traffic, the truck wouldnt go, it lost power and we coasted into oncoming traffic , I coasted right , and the dash flashed limited mode max speed 20 mph in yellow lights. The peddle was on the floor at that point. We had kids in the car and it was going 17 mpr in 55 mph cars on us swerving around us. I coasted at 17 mpr downgrade 2 miles before I could get a place to pull over. I turned it off and sat for a while. Turned it back on and it had power again. We made it to the house, I towed it to kia next day, they claim no codes went off and nothing wrong with it. Cars that lose power entering freeways without warning tells me there is something seriously wrong. No problem prior. I leased it new. It has 5000 miles. Its been at kia since mid-December 2025. I contacted corporate and they said it doesn't trigger their warranty and they are done with it. I was told to bring it back when it happens again. I wont risk my life or others with this unrepaired truck. I worry for my family and others. We could of been killed.
Road debris under normal driving conditions caused a puncture of the inverter radiator resulting in a total loss of coolant in the inverter and battery system. Inspection of the system at a kia dealer confirmed the problem. The first sign of concern was an error displayed on the driver screen stating, "check drive motor cooling system". There is no mention of this error in the owner's manual for the vehicle, though I did find several online discussions surrounding similar issues and warnings. I was driving on the highway at the time, and outside temperature was just under 40 degrees f. The car continued to drive normally for roughly 15 miles while utilizing the gas engine on the highway but eventually began struggling to accelerate or brake when switching to the electrical system after moving to residential streets. There is not a means of turning off the hybrid system. I received further warnings for several various driver assist functions becoming unavailable and the car became difficult to steer. I parked in a parking lot until the car could be towed for evaluation.
The contact owns a 2025 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving on the highway at 60-65 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated to 20 mph and the vehicle went into limp mode. The contact stated that the message “vehicle speed restricted to 20 mph” was displayed. The failure had occurred four times while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to identify or duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
On June 5, 2025, I was driving my 2025 kia Sorento. I proceeded to get onto the highway from an on ramp. At that moment, the engine stalled. The car would not accelerate. I could not go faster than 20-25 mph. This was a huge safety risk to me, to my passengers, and to others on the highway. Eventually I exited the highway and drove home very slowly, since the car would not accelerate beyond 20-25 mph. I was pressing the gas pedal as far down as it would go. I even tried turning off the car and restarting it. The check engine light was on. The car was towed to a kia dealer. The kia mechanics noted that the fault log in the car's computer system noted that the stalling/failure to accelerate event did occur, but that they were unable to reproduce it, even after several attempts driving it around in various conditions. The kia mechanics told me there was nothing they could do or fix, since they were unable to reproduce the stalling event. Then just yesterday, on July 6, 2025, the Sorento stalled again while it was being driven on the highway. I am having it towed tomorrow to the same kia dealership to have the same mechanics look at it again. At this point, this is an extreme safety issue for anyone driving the car, in the car while it is being driven, or on the highway when the car is on the highway. Imagine if the car stalls again and another car behind us traveling at a high speed slams into us. We could potentially suffer mortal or grave physical injury.
While traveling to va from TX, [xxx] and on [xxx] the vehicle hesitated to accelerate multiple times. Some were from a complete stop, and other times it occurred when accelerating to merge on the highway. On [xxx], I pulled out of a driveway onto a very busy road and upon increasing pressure on the gas, the vehicle shook (similar to the behavior of a manual when letting up off the clutch and not applying even pressure to the gas. Due to the vehicle's hesitation, I as almost hit by a large truck traveling on my exact path. This was the sole instance that warranted a call to kia corporate, as I feel the issue is a significant safety concern. I placed the vehicle in service 11-12 Jun and the attached receipt highlights that the dealer was unable to replicate the issue. As of 16 Jun, the vehicle is still exhibiting the same issue intermittently, along with the break pedal popping when ascending or descending on a hill/ramp. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Outside temp was 33 degrees f with a slightly lower windchill. I started the car and, when I accelerated to 30 mph, my car began to beep and the dashboard indicated the speed was limited to 30 mph. It went into limp mode and resisted when I tried to go above 30. We were towed to kia but they could not replicate the issue and said it may have been due to the cold. A google search showed others with 2025 model kias also had the issue and they also happened during colder temps. I was glad I was on a 40 mph road and not a highway or it could have been a dangerous issue. There was no indication of any issue until I tried to accelerate to 30 mph. It drove fine the night before when it was also below freezing.
The contact leased a 2025 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle failed to increase over 20 mph. The 20 mph limited message was displayed. The brake pedal was hard to depress. The driver pulled over and called the salesman at the dealer, who discussed red flags. The contact turned the vehicle off and restarted. While driving 45 mph, turning left, the brake pedal was applied, but the brakes violently pumped upwards for about nine car lengths. The vehicle eventually slowed down. The speed decreased from 40 mph to 20 mph, and he crashed into a Toyota corolla stopped at the light. There was an unknown abnormal warning sound detected. There were no reported injuries, airbags, fire, or police report filed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the bumper was cracked and two unknown sensors were damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who investigated the failure and determined that the brakes and Smart cruise control were working as designed. Additionally, informed him not to utilize the cruise control in the city, read the manual, and learn the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 65.