Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

The vehicle is suffering from a chronic, cascading powertrain and fuel management defect that has resulted in a critical safety hazard: sudden engine stalling. Over the last 17,000 miles, the vehicle has experienced three severe engine/emissions failures that the manufacturer has been unable to permanently resolve. At approximately 30,000 miles (on 29-Jun-2025), the engine suffered a severe cylinder 3 misfire (code p0303). At approximately 39,000 miles (on 02-Jan-2026), the unresolved fuel issue caused a failure of the catalytic converter (code p0420) and an evaporative emission system leak (code p0456). At 47,000 miles (current event), the fuel delivery system failed completely. The engine began running excessively rich (code p2178), causing the engine idle to drop dangerously low (code p0506). This defect caused the vehicle to suddenly stall out, resulting in a complete loss of motive power and leaving me stranded. Because the manufacturer's authorized repair facilities have only addressed the symptoms rather than the root cause of the fuel system failure, the vehicle repeatedly loses power and stalls without warning. This poses a severe safety risk to myself and other motorists, especially when operating the vehicle in traffic or at highway speeds.

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The vehicle's original engine suffered severe oil consumption and a blown head gasket, which contaminated the exhaust system. The kia dealership replaced the engine under warranty but refused to replace the damaged catalytic converter claiming it wasn’t a part of the warranty even though it was consequently damaged. The dealership explicitly stated the vehicle should not be started or driven due to the blocked exhaust, but then did repair and release after I pushed for the catalytic converter replacement. They said I would have to follow up with kia corporate. They released the unsafe vehicle anyway and I have been following up with kia customer service for 2 months to request a cat replacement. While driving, the blocked exhaust caused a severe rattling noise, immediate engine overheating, and complete mechanical engine seizure. The engine completely cut power and locked up while in motion, creating an immediate crash hazard on the roadway. The vehicle is now completely inoperable and will not turn over. This is a severe safety defect where a known blocked exhaust system directly caused catastrophic engine failure while operating.

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Was in for service on recalls 2 weeks ago may 2026. . . Dealer did not fix shift solenoid recall. . Stated bcu need replaced. . . Driving may 28 26 without warning no lights anything lost power while driving and engine and or transmission failed. . Lost oil. . . Metal shavings in dipstick oil. Oil on skid plate cover. . 3. 3l v6 2016 kia Sorento lx was able to get off road without crashing.

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The vehicle suffered a sudden, severe engine malfunction/misfire while in operation, presenting a serious safety hazard on the road. Following the incident, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership service center (repair order #xxx), where technicians verbally confirmed that the engine requires a complete replacement due to internal mechanical failure. The catastrophic mechanical failure of the engine directly caused consequential damage to the emissions system, entirely clogging the catalytic converter with unburned fuel/debris. Despite the clear link to the known, systemic defects inherent to the theta ii engine line—which is subject to active federal consent orders, safety recalls, and lifetime warranty extensions—both the dealership and kia corporate are refusing to honor the 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissions defect warranty. The manufacturer is attempting to use the catastrophic failure of their own defective, recalled engine line to evade their legal environmental and safety warranty obligations, leaving the consumer stranded without alternative transportation. This represents a systemic effort by the manufacturer to deflect liability for documented powertrain safety failures onto individual consumers. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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Engine is burning oil at a significant rate, when I get my oil changed at the dealers recommendation it is extremely low. I have to replace the oil regularly between oil changes, and there is an exhaust smell. Also lagging when I hit the gas.

My 2019 kia Sorento equipped with a theta ii engine entered limp mode and displayed a flashing check engine light along with an active p1326 diagnostic trouble code. The p1326 code is a proprietary kia/Hyundai specific code that can only be generated when the knock sensor detection system (ksds) software update is present on the vehicle. This software was developed and distributed by kia specifically to detect theta ii engine bearing failure and rod bearing wear before catastrophic engine damage occurs. The presence of the p1326 code is confirmation by kia's own proprietary detection system that this engine is experiencing the exact failure pattern associated with the theta ii engine defect. The vehicle was towed to an authorized kia dealership. The dealership refused to perform a btc test or enter the vehicle into techline, citing that the VIN does not appear in the theta ii settlement database. Kia America customer care has also denied coverage. The vehicle remains inoperable. Safety risk is significant. The theta ii engine defect has been directly linked to engine fires in kia and Hyundai vehicles. Limp mode and sudden loss of power while driving creates serious risk of accidents, injury, or death to the driver and other motorists. The 2012-2019 kia Sorento is a model year range specifically identified in theta ii multidistrict litigation. Kia's own ksds software flagging a p1326 code on this vehicle while kia simultaneously denies any defect-related coverage is contradictory and raises serious safety concerns for owners whose vins were excluded from settlement but whose vehicles are exhibiting identical failure symptoms.

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The car is consuming oil under the 3,000 mile mark.

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The vehicle involved is a 2019 kia Sorento with approximately 111,000 miles. Over the course of ownership, the vehicle has experienced numerous unresolved mechanical and safety-related issues, including ongoing fuel leak concerns, excessive oil consumption/loss of oil, rough shifting, shift solenoid problems, rattling noises, shaking/vibration while driving, and repeated drivability issues. The primary safety concern at this time is a suspected fuel leak that multiple independent mechanics have identified. I have been told by at least three separate mechanics that the vehicle appears to have a fuel leak. During my most recent oil change at valvoline, the technician expressed concern about the safety of driving the vehicle in this condition and warned me that driving a vehicle with a fuel leak could be dangerous. I previously brought the vehicle to kia dealerships multiple times while the extended warranty was active and specifically requested inspection for the suspected fuel leak. On at least three separate visits, I was informed by the dealership that they could not find or confirm a leak. Because the issue was never resolved or properly diagnosed while under warranty, I am now out of warranty coverage and facing potentially dangerous and costly repairs. This issue has placed my safety and the safety of others at risk due to fear of possible fire hazards, stalling, or sudden vehicle failure while driving. Because of these concerns, I have significantly reduced driving the vehicle and currently do not feel safe operating it regularly. This has created substantial hardship because this is my only vehicle for work and daily life. Additional unresolved issues with the vehicle include: - persistent rough shifting and shifting hesitation - shift solenoid issues - ongoing excessive oil consumption/loss of oil with no confirmed source - constant rattling noises - excessive vibration/shaking while driving - ac system failure around 60,000 miles - electrical seat failur.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly jerked and then lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the low-pressure and high-pressure fuel injectors and gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,779.

Engine- car turn off - lights were still on, car restarted - no icons on dashboard.

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While I was driving my 2017 kia Sorento, the r. P. M suddenly maxed out and then it rapidly went down to zero. My car lost power completely and stopped. There was a burning smell. Now it is dead. There is no clicking sound. Repair place tells me I need a new engine now.

On Jan 1,2019 under kia pi-1803 recall I had a knock sensor detection system(ksds) installed on my 2013 kia Sorento. My car broke down and was towed into the kia dealership and it indicated a p1326 fault active . It was reset and released to me on 05/12/2026 after conducting a bct test saying it indicated pass drove it off the lot went 5 miles, and it broke down, towed back in and they replaced the ksds. They performed a bct replaced the ksds and then said it passed. I have requested an actual copy of the test not just a p. They have refused both at the dealership level and kia customer service . The results of both tests are conducted by techline and that information is available. I believe the vehicle is unsafe to drive as this has happened twice in a 2 day period . I do not trust that it passed the rod bearing tests without the actual test results.

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Had to replace transmission at 133k miles. It was jolting sometimes providing a hard jolt at times will driving. There are also times of what feels like a cylinder misfire. Oil is constantly leaking and have to replace oil every 1k miles. Have had multiple shops look at it and not able to find anything. Now during acceleration there is a huge grey smoke cloud coming from the exhaust. Looking at this site and through online it seems to be a common issue with this car and engine. So there has been multiple issues with this car - oil consumption of the engine leading to smoke in the exhaust and the transmission which was replaced a week ago.

While driving on the highway on mother’s day weekend with my wife and daughter, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration and engine power while traveling on a 5-lane beltway. The vehicle would not accelerate and I was unable to maintain normal highway speed. I had to coast to the side of the road with the hazard lights activated because of the safety risk. The vehicle was eventually restarted after being towed to a dealership, but it continued to have severe loss of power and could not safely travel above approximately 45 mph. The suspected failure involves the engine and emissions system. The vehicle has a history of engine-related issues and previously received engine-related repairs. The current engine has developed excessive oil consumption. This condition has resulted in fouled spark plugs and a catalytic converter becoming severely restricted/clogged from oil contamination, causing significant loss of engine performance. A dealership inspected the vehicle and documented the oil-burning complaint and catalytic converter-related fault. The dealership performed diagnostic work, including spark plug replacement, but the problem continued. An independent repair facility also inspected the vehicle and confirmed excessive oil consumption and catalytic converter restriction. The vehicle remains available for inspection. This condition presents a safety concern because the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power while traveling at highway speeds and was unable to maintain normal traffic speed.

I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2019 kia Sorento that has experienced recurring oil loss/oil starvation and engine-related issues that I believe may present a safety concern. I purchased the vehicle used with approximately 45,000 miles. Since ownership, the vehicle has experienced repeated incidents involving low or nearly empty oil levels despite regular maintenance and monitoring. The vehicle previously underwent an oil consumption evaluation, however the issue continued afterward. During one event, the vehicle was reportedly found approximately three quarts low on oil. More recently, the vehicle again appeared to have little to no oil visible on the dipstick and began exhibiting drivability and engine concerns including grinding/banging noise during acceleration, intermittent timing/tensioner-type noise, misfires on cylinders 1 and 2, exhaust smoke, and strong oil-burning odor from the exhaust. Due to concern over possible engine damage and reliability, the vehicle was returned to the dealership for further diagnosis and repair. The dealership replaced ignition coils and spark plugs and road tested the vehicle extensively. While the vehicle is currently operating, I remain concerned that the underlying oil consumption/oil starvation condition may not have been permanently resolved. My concern is that repeated oil starvation conditions could potentially lead to sudden engine failure, loss of power while driving, or other safety-related issues. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed to determine whether similar complaints or defects exist involving oil consumption, oil starvation, or related engine failures in this vehicle.

The car started sticking when driving then a knocking in the engine. Upon investigation/ diagnostics we found that the engine is blown and needs replacing. I have owned this car for 3 years to date and have keep up on all maintenance which you can find on carfax there is no reason at 136,000 an engine should blow. I would like this fixed ASAP.

The contact owned a 2012 kia Sorento. The contact’s spouse stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power with no warning lights illuminated. The contact's spouse noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle, prompting the contact’s spouse to pull over to the side of the roadway. Moments later, the front of the vehicle caught fire. The local fire department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire; however, the cause of the fire had not yet been determined. The vehicle was completely consumed by the fire and deemed destroyed. No police report was filed, the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact’s spouse stated that the incident was extremely traumatic and believed the vehicle posed a serious safety hazard. The failure mileage was not available.

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Faulty fuel injectors are causing consistent engine misfires and occasionally causing the check engine light to illuminate and for the vehicle to reduce power greatly. This poses a great safety risk to both myself and other drivers on the road because in the event of a large misfire, my vehicle suddenly slows and I have to navigate to the shoulder of the road. A kia dealership has confirmed that the cause of these misfires is due to a faulty fuel injector that begins to work inconsistently above 3000 rpm. This issue began shortly after the vehicle was purchased in 2023, but due to the dealerships inability to replicate the issue it went without correction. In the recent year, this issue has increased greatly and it is now a consistent issue and this is why it was able to be diagnosed now. This is a very common and widespread issue amongst other individual with vehicles with the same engine.

Vehicle has a recurring p0018 fault code (crankshaft position - camshaft position correlation bank 2 sensor a). Dealer diagnosed loose cam pins on bank 2 requiring major engine repair. This fault creates a safety risk as improper camshaft timing can cause unexpected engine stalling while driving, resulting in sudden loss of power, power steering, and brake assist. The manufacturer has denied warranty coverage despite the vehicle being within the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. This appears to be a known widespread issue on the 3. 3l v6 engine. Vehicle has 96,000 miles and is still within warranty coverage period.

The contact owned a 2017 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal fuel odor, and there was white smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact was able to safely pull into a driveway, and the contact noticed flames coming out of the hood. The contact stated that the fire caused property damage to the driveway, including debris and burn marks. The entire vehicle was engulfed in fire and deemed destroyed. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire department incident report was filed. The police arrived at the scene, assisted in directing traffic, but did not file a report. The contact further stated that while attempting to exit the vehicle, the contact's mother fell on the ground. No medical treatment was sought, and no injuries directly related to the vehicle fire were reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

At 116 miles, the engine blew and I was informed it would need to be replaced. I purchased a used engine from the same year of vehicle because kia said it would not be covered since the vehicle had passed the 100,000 mile mark. I spend over $5,000 to get this engine and have it installed by a licensed mechanic. This second engine has now also blown leaving me without a vehicle as a single mom with a child who has a medical disability. Kia does not have a recall on this engine, which is clearly faulty. There is no way for me to come up with the funds to replace this engine for a second time and is something that should not even have to have to be figured out. I have been in touch with multiple mechanics who say the only way to repair is to replace as it would cost way more to try to rebuild. Kia should stand behind this as they know it is an issue.

2018 kia Sorento, under 88,000 miles, with theta ii engine defect. Ksds update installed. Oil consumption issues requiring adding at least one liter of oil every 1,000 miles in between regular oil changes/ maintenance. Oil warning lamp does not illuminate at all or only blinks on for a second then stays off, even when oil is less than 1 liter. Noticed slight jerking/hesitation at acceleration for a few days, then experienced shaking and heard vibrations when breaking and idling. Within a few minutes, mil appeared with audible warning, "take this vehicle to a kia dealership. " immediately parked car. Towed to kia dealership. No record of dtc p1326 found, which would have qualified vehicle for new engine under pi1802 y/z theta ii extended warranty. Diagnostic found misfiring cylinder and fouled spark plug. Technician in the video stated "oil consumption. " due to absence of p1326 code, service manager suggests we replace fouled plug and return with the vehicle when the same issue happens again. This does not follow kia's own guidelines in pi1802 y/z campaign for a couple of reasons. First, activation of the mil in conjunction with the audio warning indicates the knock sensor p1326 code should have been generated and stored, but the warning system must have malfunctioned. Service dept. Did not to inspect the knock sensor harness for damage or oil saturation which could have kept the code from registering. Second, service dept. Did not consider shaking and vibration as "engine noise," which would have required them to perform a bct or test for connecting rod bearing noise, providing a pathway to request techline pwa approve replacing the engine under warranty. Kia's product improvement campaign for theta ii engines ought to prevent injury or death resulting from catastrophic engine failure. My vehicle presents clear evidence of engine failure progression at different stages. Rather than navigate the warranty via a techline, kia has advised me to continue driving.

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Engine failure & excessive oil consumption causing the vehicle to overheat. Coolant low, suspect coolant loss internally in engine. P0524 engine pressure too low. Potential causes: low oil pressure, low oil level, wrong oil viscosity, contaminated oil, faulty oil pressure sensor, signal shorted to ground in electrical circuit of sensor, worn internal engine components. Per testing- coolant low, suspect coolant loss internally in engine.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and running, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The vehicle returned to normal operation after the contact added oil to the engine. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the independent mechanic informed the contact that the engine was operating as designed. No repairs were recommended by the mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,500.

The contact owns a 2019 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that a few days later, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with detached cylinder head bolts and a failed engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 186,016.

Immediately after a dealership-performed warranty repair, the vehicle experienced a severe safety?critical failure at highway speed. The vehicle began shaking violently, produced loud knocking and impact noises, and metal pieces fell from the underside. The failure occurred without warning and created an immediate loss of safe drivability. The dealership later documented that an engine mount (‘lower dog bone mount’) had not been torqued to specification, which allowed the engine to shift back and forth under load. This improper torque caused the violent shaking, metal impacts, and falling metal. The problem was confirmed by the dealership, but no corrective repair was performed. Only a single bolt was re?torqued, and no inspection was done to determine the extent of damage, the source of the falling metal, or the cause of the knocking. The vehicle was returned in an unsafe condition and has not been driven since. The vehicle had to be towed directly from the highway due to the severity of the failure, and it was delivered straight to the dealership because it was unsafe to operate. The vehicle remains available for inspection.

Vehicle: 2019 kia Sorento issue: engine failure / safety concern complaint: I am filing a complaint regarding a 2019 kia Sorento that experienced sudden engine failure after clear warning signs that created a serious safety concern. The vehicle began making a loud ticking/knocking noise that progressively worsened over time. While driving, the vehicle struggled to accelerate and lost power. The noise became louder when pressing the gas. Shortly after, the vehicle shut off completely and is now unable to start at all. This failure occurred without any warning lights appearing on the dashboard, including no check engine light, which prevented me from knowing the severity of the issue in advance. After contacting kia, I was informed that there were multiple recalls on the vehicle that were not completed. However, I was never notified of these recalls as the current owner. I was told that recall notifications were sent to the previous owner, and no effort was made to notify me directly. Kia has refused to assist with the engine failure, stating that recalls must be completed first. However, the vehicle is now completely inoperable and cannot be driven to complete recall repairs. Requiring a non-running vehicle to complete recall updates is unreasonable and places consumers at risk. This situation raises serious safety concerns because: the vehicle lost power while in operation, creating a dangerous driving condition there were no warning indicators prior to failure the engine failure appears consistent with known issues involving kia engines I am requesting that this matter be investigated, including kia’s handling of recall notifications and their refusal to assist with a known engine failure issue under these circumstances.

The clock spring needs fixed no features including the horn is working in my airbag light is staying on. Also I now have a loud knock in my motor I understand this should fall under the extended 15 yr 150k warranty; 2012 kia vehicles (specifically the Sorento) with v6 engines are covered under major safety recalls for engine failure and fire risks. The primary issue involves metal debris from manufacturing that can cause premature engine bearing wear, stalling, and fire. You should check your VIN on the NHTSA site or kia's recall page to confirm, as these recalls are still active.

The contact owned a 2013 kia Sorento. The contact stated that he had received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000(service brakes, hydraulic). The contact then stated that soon after the recall was serviced, the vehicle would hesitate to start after multiple attempts without warning. The vehicle had been taken back to the dealer on multiple occasions due to failure; the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure, but stated that the failure was not related to the recall. The contact then stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph, a white-grayish smoke began to emit from the vehicle without warning. The smoke became heavier and quickly turned black as the contact pulled over and exited the vehicle. The vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames as the authorities were called to the scene. Both the police and the fire department arrived at the scene, and the fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it remained in their possession. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer had yet been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding my 2022 kia Sorento, which is experiencing a dangerous and recurring loss of engine power during acceleration. This issue presents a significant safety hazard, particularly during situations requiring immediate acceleration such as highway merging, crossing intersections, and passing traffic.

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I bought this used with 113,000 miles on it. Within the first year, I had to fix ac,oil leak and alternator. I also had to replace the transmission which gave out completely. Then about 14 months into owning this vehicle, the engine light came on, and I suddenly could not maintain speed. I was lucky I was not on the main highway where I would have been hit from cars behind me. Kia refuses to fix/replace the engine because it is out of warranty. I believe this is too many things that have gone wrong to not be considered defective. I now have to cut my losses and get a different car.

My high pressure fuel pump is spraying fuel in my engine. This is a new engine replacement as of October 2024. This is a huge fire risk and we cannot operate this vehicle.

The contact owned a 2017 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband noticed a cloud of smoke in the rearview mirror, but the contact stated that the smoke was coming from the engine compartment. The contact's husband pulled over, and she, her husband, and daughter all exited the vehicle safely. Before the vehicle was engulfed in flames, the contact checked underneath the hood and discovered a piece of plastic on fire. The contact dialed 911, and police and firefighters arrived on the scene. The firefighters extinguished the fire. The contact was unaware whether a police or fire department report had been filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, and the insurance company was made aware of the fire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

My 2019 Sorento 3. 3l suffered high oil consumption followed by a severe oil leak at the back of the head/engine block threads. There is an odor of coolant which smells sweet with no visible coolant leak meaning there is likely coolant seeping into the engine mixing with the oil. I believe this an ongoing engine failure caused from kia not correcting the issues over many years.

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.