Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 2

The inverter radiator is punctured during typical road use by road debris. This results in a total loss of circulating coolant in the inverter/electric motor cooling system. This renders the car undrivable, with a concern for electric motor overheating, given that the hydrid mode and electric power can not be turned off. This is available for inspection. It is unclear whether the electric motor will shut down when overheated, but seizing of the motor or fire seems possible. Reproducibility: there are many examples online of this occurring during normal road use of kia electric and hybrid vehicles. There is a warning 'check drive motor cooling system' in this model. This appeared during driving and reamined on while the coolant was depleted. Refilling coolant turned the light off but with coolant being actively sprayed out of the pin hole in the radiator at all times (the pump does not turn off when the engine is cold) resulting in rapid coolant loss.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Sorento. The contact stated that, while driving at 60 mph, she observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment, prompting her to attempt to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. During the attempt, the contact stated that she then heard an abnormal pop, after which the vehicle lost motive power, and within a moment, the entire front end of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Upon exiting the vehicle and being assisted by bystanders, the contact was informed that the bystanders had attempted to alert her on the road as they had observed flames emanating from underneath the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility but had yet to be deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed, and injuries were not reported. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,334.

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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.

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Safety concern – 2025 kia Sorento prestige hybrid (VIN [xxx] ) around October 13, 2025, my leased 2025 kia Sorento prestige hybrid experienced a sudden and severe loss of power while I was driving on the highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealership, where the high power control unit (hpcu), part number 36601-3dpg3, was replaced. No clear explanation of the root cause was provided. Less than a month later, on November 6, the same failure occurred again—this time in heavy highway traffic—creating a serious safety risk and increasing the chance of a collision. The vehicle is primarily driven by my wife, who regularly uses highways to transport our son. The recurring and unpredictable nature of this issue has made us feel unsafe and anxious. We are deeply concerned that another failure could lead to a serious accident or fatality. We respectfully request that the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) investigate this matter as a potential safety defect. Without a clear understanding of the cause, we are documenting these incidents to encourage action. It is critical that kia resolves this issue to protect families and maintain trust in its brand. Thank you information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The car engine started on fire while I was driving after all the recalls were fixed and new engine installed. The car was completely destroyed the whole engine compartment was completely burned. Kia says it was an oil leak but that’s not true the car oil change was done regularly and was serviced within 3 months of the engine fire. I also had this vehicle parked inside my garage for 5 years and not a single drop of oil in the garage floor. Kia is also refusing to send me a full report of their findings from the fire inspection. Kia adjuster is acting in bad faith by not providing the fire report. The car engine was replaced new due to an earlier recall and within 10,000 miles the new engine caught fire. They don’t want to be liable for this engine fire but cars don’t just burn without any reason. The refusal of kia adjuster to release the findings in the fire inspection is very concerning to other people driving this vehicle in the public. Where engine fire can cause their deaths and their families deaths. This is a safety problem.

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Burning oil at dangerous rates. No leak yet having to refill oil weekly. Burning at a rate of 2q per 1k miles. Car currently has 95k miles and has had regular oil maintenance until this issue began a few months ago. This is a frequent issue with the 2020 sorrento.

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The car the engine wast the oil in 1 week that every weeks it has problem in the ring of the engine , we just buy the car they tell us it has it had guarantee talking to the bank and the where I buy the car it don't show . It has a bad smell of wet and burnt oil . .

On 10/3 driving at roughly 60mph on the freeway, when going to accelerate, the vehicle would not accelerate with no power going to the engine. The gas motor was not engaging, and the car rapidly decelerated to around 20mph in an incredibly unsafe situation. Coasting it off the freeway, it was towed to the local kia dealership. No warning lights or any indicators went off during that event. 10/9/2025, I picked up the vehicle after they replaced the high-pressure fuel pump and high-pressure fuel line, I noticed the battery was very low and thought it would charge while driving. As I left the dealership, the vehicle did not engage the gas engine and quickly avoided acceleration - no power was going to the engine. The battery reached a catastrophic low, and the engine failed in a busy intersection - creating another extremely unsafe situation - as I was turning around to return to the dealership. This time the hybrid system warning system went off and the battery and oil lights went on. While waiting for the tow truck, the vehicle would not turn off. It is currently with the dealership, 41k miles on vehicle, 1 year old.

Often, service managers like [xxx] from kia university dealerships will unlawfully charge you for diagnostic tests or other unrelated issues that should be free or try to persuade you to purchase repairs as a condition for completing the free recall work; however the repair is a standalone obligation, and the we should have the right to decline any additional, non-recall-related maintenance that the service department might recommend. Seven (7) months ago, I spoke with a kia customer service agent that informed me that there may be another recall or another product improvement campaign coming regarding my 2017 kia sorrento; therefore, please be on the lookout for issues with your vehicle and the engine. Therefore, when I took my vehicle to the kia dealership on university drive “which I had been going to since I purchased my vehicle” and informed them my engine light was just on, the gentlemen informed me that they needed to see the engine light on before they could input the product improvement campaign/recall. I ask the gentlemen why is this situation different, usually they just install the part and I just move out. Once again, I was informed they had to see the engine light on before they could install whatever they needed to install. Between the seven (7) months, I drove the vehicle to kia and just before I got there, the engine light would go off, they still would not install whatever I was informed needed to be installed. I offered for them to take the vehicle and take it as long as you need to in order to get the engine light on, I was informed they did not have enough space in there shop. I started taken pictures that showed I was right around the corner from the shop; often three (3) minutes from the shop, they indicated they would have to emulate the engine light on before they could install whatever needed to be installed. Finally, after never pass seven (7) months, I was able to get the 2017 kia sorrento to the dealership and the first thing [xxx] info information redacted pursuant to the freedom.

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I was driving from richlands coming home and my vechial kept trying to die on me like I didnt have any gas and then I had to suddenly pull off the side of the road without any power and I sat their and even try to restart the vechial and it wouldn't start back then a woman come out of nowhere in an ambulance and I was trying to tell her that it was alright and she was trying to tell me that the vechial was on fire underneath the vechial and I didnt see that it was a fire at all I though I was overheating so I was sitting in the vechial waiting on it to cool down thank god I was not hurt really bad if this would have happened somewere else I know I would be dead I already have smoke in my lungs from breathing in all that smoke I though was just steam but I still dont know what in my engine caught on fire but I do know it started from either in the engine or under it somewhere then everything caught fire and it was all melted the whole thing is completely gone even the tag melted I have never seen that kind of fire before ever and I have own alot of vechicle and they usally break down but this was the first time one caught on fire and thus happens to kia alot even the day this happened the fire dept told me they just put another kia out just the week before how is it that kia are keeping these vechicle on the road it is awful and im trying to do something about it but noone will help me and I dont know what I need yo do to make kia pay for this I only had this vechial almost 6 months and it didnt have alot of miles on it 100000 thats not alot but the kia everything I have read have flew apart after the warranty has expired so its great for them I say they are happy and they have had a few recalls on this vechial and know about the fire but have something stupid like a tow hitch its saying my vechial has that recall but I didnt see a tow hitch anywere but it still caught fire so I would love for someone to take these vechial off the road they are not safe not what kia.

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I have been having heavy oil leaks with my vehicle and when I check my oil a few days after adding oil it registers bone dry. Excessive oil can be seen in my drive way after pulling in and out. The oil ight has been coming on intermittently and now it stays on. Took it to kia dealership and inquired about problem and possible recall and they said their was none and instead tried to sell me a nother vehicle.

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Vehicle information: make: kia model: Sorento year: 2020 VIN: [xxx] mileage: ~80,000 miles complaint summary: I am filing a complaint regarding excessive engine oil consumption in my 2020 kia Sorento. The vehicle burns oil between regular oil changes, requiring frequent top-ups. There are no visible leaks, and this consumption poses a serious safety risk, including potential engine failure or fire hazard. Detailed description: I purchased the vehicle used from a kia dealership. I requested an oil consumption test from the dealership, but they refused, stating the vehicle is out of warranty. I contacted kia consumer affairs, and they also refused to authorize the test or provide assistance. This engine issue is widely reported by other owners of the 2020 Sorento and similar kia vehicles, particularly those with theta ii / gdi engines, which are known for oil consumption problems. The vehicle has approximately 80,000 miles, and the oil consumption is significant enough that I must frequently add oil between changes, creating a safety concern. Actions taken: requested an oil consumption test from local kia dealership — refused. Contacted kia consumer affairs for assistance — refused. Maintained detailed records of oil use and maintenance. Request: I request that the NHTSA investigate this oil consumption issue for my vehicle and the 2020 kia Sorento model line. I also seek guidance on any recalls, service campaigns, or safety actions related to this defect. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine oil consumption test,did 3 at kia dealership and was confirmed engine was bad,we don’t have all the maintenance records so we are denied. Kia should stand by their product and change this engine under warranty and recall.

My check engine light came on and my SUV started sputtering so I pulled over called my husband who came and had it towed to langdale kia of valdosta, GA.

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Faulty motor I have changed oil early every time and every mechanic I’ve been to said the Kia Motor is always doing this ! I still owe 9k on this car! it’s burning oil so fast and not going into the engine this is a on going issue with these motors ! I just now hit 100 k miles no reason for my motor to be blowing please put the recall back on for the 2015 kia’s!!!.

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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.

My Sorento has a transmission issue or something similar. It slips, it dies down and sometimes when I come to a stop and try to move, it won’t move. I have to put it back in park and then put it in drive. I have had several near miss accidents due to all these issues. It has been repaired twice but it has never fixed the issue and the dealer claims there is nothing wrong.

Engine burns oil excessively and kia has this marked as a known issue. The oil is leaking inside the engine around the pistons and into the combustion chamber. Because the engine is direct injection, it now has to go through a combustion cleaning every time this happens at $700 a pop plus diagnostics which makes it over $900 every time this happens. Happens so often that it won't even get to the milage for an actual oil change to be due. Kia refuses to do anything until the connecting rod or connecting rod bearing fails and I have a complete engine failure. I feel like that is very dangerous and could cause serious harm to myself or others if I have an engine failure and cause an accident.

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.

Loss oil in big quantities headed to engine damage.

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Knocking noise started when pulling off the interstate. No engine light came on. No oil registered on 'dip stick'. Oil change was due at 130,449. The mileage on the car was 132,635. Had towed to kia dealership where they said there was no test that could be done due to the vehicle being a 6 cylinder engine. They said the 'sound' points to needing an engine replacement. I inquired about a oil pressure switch test and oil consumption test due to past recalls and known engine issues. I was told due to the car being out of powertrain warrenty they would not perform such tests. I have video that shows the car is burning oil. Visible out of the exhaust. This is not something I was aware of until after this incident. These are the same issues as noted in previous recalls. Dealership said would need full engine replacement.

The engine is consuming oil at a rapid rate that could be potentially dangerous. This is happening to other people with the same make and model as well.

The safety hazard began with a pattern of ignored warnings by the authorized dealer network. On Aug 15, 2025, I brought the vehicle to luther kia of bloomington for a check engine light. The dealer simply cleared the code without diagnosis, failing to catch early signs of engine trouble. On sept 22, 2025, the engine failed again. I drove the vehicle in unsafe "limp mode" to luther Nissan kia [xxx] ). They found the engine was "4 quarts low on oil" (severe starvation just 37 days after a dealer oil change). Despite this catastrophic finding, they failed to diagnose the root cause and released the unsafe vehicle to me after selling only a spark plug replacement. On sept 26, when I attempted to pick up the vehicle, the check engine light was flashing immediately at handover. I refused to take the unsafe vehicle. The dealer then replaced an oil control valve (ocv) and released the vehicle to me again later that day. After this second "repair," I drove the vehicle for only a few miles before the engine failed again with a check engine light. The dealer has since admitted in writing (bbb complaint #xxx) that the engine was "deprived of lubrication" due to the initial low oil condition. By ignoring early warnings and releasing a vehicle with a dying engine twice, the dealer put me and other motorists at risk of a sudden loss of power at highway speeds. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Crankshaft position sensors, codes p0018. Car does not get up to speed, knocking and rattling sounds heard. Oil is correct fullness, was changed less than 1,000 miles ago, O2 sensor changed 2 weeks ago, but car continues to have new codes and more issues.

I came to this website because it was suggested to me to look for a recall. While there is an active recall with my car, the interesting part to me is the fact that the issues I'm having with my car match a recall for the same model as mine, just a different spec. To me that seems odd, I'd have the same type issues. . . I was wondering how to get this examined.

The contact owns a 2022 kia Sorento. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to immediately respond. Additionally, the “battery failure” and check engine warning lights were illuminated in red. The contact scheduled an appointment with the dealer, but the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

It’s been a month since I did an oil change. However, while I was driving the car, I heard a noise like the engine had no oil in it. I stopped and after 15 minutes I checked the engine for oil when I discovered that the engine was empty. I then checked for a leak and there is no leak detected. I took it to a valvoline to get an oil change. This is when I discovered that the engine is burning the oil. This is most likely to happen due to a manufacturing problem. I am submitting this complaint and would like to have an investigation done on that matter because it is a safety concern when a car keeps burning oil without any leak detection.

My engine has started to burn excessive amounts of oil causing the oil light to flash. I took the car to the dealership and was told that it is a known defect in the engine and that if the car has over 100,000 miles they would recommend getting rid of the car because it could not be fixed and did not qualify for a new engine like they were putting in older models. The dealership said that they had told 9 other families the same thing as me in the last 2 weeks. Apparently the oil flows back into the combustion chamber and ruins the engine and there is no way for the dealership to know until a warning light comes on. Hard to believe since they know there is a major defect in the engine.

Just bought the car, was perfectly fine during the test drive, no lights on or engine codes present. On my way home check engine light came on showing code p0420 , catalyst system efficiency below threshold (bank 1), saying the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. Did some research and found there were certain 2016 kia Sorentos recalled for this issue, but doesn’t show up on affected vehicles list when I look up my VIN # .

Over heating , loss of heat in the vehicle , oil in the radiator fluid so possibly a bad head gasket car has 121000 on it.

To whom it may concern, I am the owner of a 2017 kia Sorento (VIN ending in [xxx] ) and have recently experienced excessive oil consumption with the vehicle. The engine is losing approximately 2 quart of oil per 1000 miles, with no visible external leaks or exhaust smoke. I am aware that many kia vehicles equipped with the 2. 4l gdi engine have been affected by issues related to piston ring defects, which can cause abnormal oil consumption and, in some cases, premature engine failure. I also understand that kia has issued recalls, service campaigns, and extended warranties on similar models and engines. I am requesting the following: 1. Confirmation of whether my vehicle is included in any recalls, service campaigns, or warranty extensions related to this issue. 2. A dealer inspection and oil consumption test to formally document the problem. 3. Information on any coverage, goodwill repairs, or warranty extensions available if my vehicle is determined to have this defect. I respectfully request your assistance to resolve this issue promptly. Please provide me with any relevant documentation or service campaign numbers in writing for my records. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your timely response. Sincerely, [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine light was on about a week prior to taking it to the dealer for inspection. Was not time yet for an oil change. Had another 1000 miles before next oil change was due. After oil change they found metal shavings in new filter and oil. Told us we need to replace the engine. So we have a defective engine.

I am receiving an engine problem on uvo. I took it to autozone to run a diagnostic test and states cam sensor engine problem. It is using excessive oil. I keep my engine oil changed consistently on time. It is not making it to the next oil change date before I have to add oil. This is my main source of transportation and I am on social security and cannot afford engine failure repair. This should not be happening since I have my oil changed consistently. Please advise.

The contact owns a 2019 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed because the engine oil level was extremely low. The contact stated that the vehicle was not due for an oil change at the time of the service. Despite the oil change, the failure worsened as the sound became increasingly louder. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic and was diagnosed it with engine failure, and the contact was provided an estimate for a new engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000. The VIN was not available.

My kia, engine just died. I was at a stop light, the light turned green I pressed on the accelerator to go and at the middle of the intersection the engine died. Not certain what had happened or why the engine would die. After a week I had the vehicle towed to a car shop. The same shop that had just done a maintenance on the vehicle in July 2025. I have attached the copy of receipt from the work that the shop had done. When they looked at it they thought at first it was the key fob, so a new key fob was done, it still did not start. Then it was thought to believe it was the starter, so a new starter was installed, vehicle still did not start. At that time I was advised that it was the engine that had siezed. My complaint is that there was no warning signs or signals in the vehicle of anything mechanical going wrong or needing any kind of attention. No warning light displayed on the dash. I drove the vehicle not knowing why would my engine just die, my miles is between 175,000 - 178,000 so the last thing I would think to happen is my engine siezing up on me. Warning lights give you something needs to be looked at and figured out. But as a safety you get nothing displayed then your engines just dies, anything could happen when you are in the middle of traffic, highway or even if it was in the middle of the train tracks. I had spoken to kia dealer service and he advised my vehicle does not have an engine recall but there were a recall in the past for engines such as mine. The kia dealer service advised that they would have to do an inspection, at a cost of $270. 00 dollars, and unfortunately it would have to be towed. Advised me that if I wanted to get a new engine it would cost $12,000. 00. The vehicle is available for inspection just need to be towed.