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

On Saturday February 7th, while driving home, the vehicle suddenly caught fire without any warning. Within moments, the fire intensified, and I was forced to jump out of the vehicle to save my life. Shortly afterward, the vehicle exploded. The car was completely destroyed. Every item inside was charred, and I barely escaped with my life. A police report was filed. Both the manufacturer and insurance company were notified as well as the bank that the vehicle was purchased from. There were no warning lights or messages prior to. When the vehicle caught fire, all warning lights came on at the same time. Following this incident, I began researching similar cases and was alarmed to learn that fires and engine?related failures appear to be a common issue in this model. Despite this, I was never notified of any recall, safety advisory, or service campaign related to fire risks. Had I been informed, I would have taken immediate action to prevent such a catastrophic and dangerous event.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Going down the interstate on 2/7/26, 56 miles from home and my kia lost power, no lights or warning, loud bang from the engine, smoke rolling out of the back and engine is completely dead. 149,000 miles. Called several tow truck companies, and each asked make and year of vehicle, and immediately after, "did your engine go? kia has that problem. " me and my sister were left stranded on the side of the interstate in the extreme cold. Luckily, 2 gentleman stopped to see if we were okay because they had seen fire under the vehicle. Purchased the extended lifetime warranty and kia will not honor it. No I have no vehicle and a car payment.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

To whom it may concern, I am the owner of a 2017 kia Sorento and have recently experienced excessive oil consumption with the vehicle. The engine is losing approximately 4 quarts 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] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2016 kia Sorento was stolen because it wasn’t updated and also the engine caught fire because it wasn’t updated.

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3 times head gasket has been replaced and repaired and every time oil is changed, they say I am losing oil.

I am reporting a loss of propulsion event in a 2025 kia Sorento s awd. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of drive power when pressing the accelerator. The engine did not respond normally and the vehicle entered a reduced power (limp mode) condition. Stopping in the middle of major intersections, [xxx] and then [xxx] and [xxx] at 4:30 pm. This vehicle is subject to recall 25v548 involving engine connecting rod bolts, which warns of possible engine damage and loss of propulsion. The dealership (gettel kia of bradenton, FL) stated they were unable to duplicate the issue. The recall language states that engine damage or loss of propulsion may occur and could create a safety hazard. This event occurred at approximately moving from a stop position to ? mph on [xxx]] with approximately 1,936 miles on the vehicle. As I drove it home it would disengage and reengage. I am concerned about the safety of continued operation given the recall notice and the propulsion failure experienced. VIN: [xxx] please advise. [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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The contact owns a 2014 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 80 mph, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the engine had seized; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

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The vehicle has less than 75k miles, and I am the second owner. I was driving, and the vehicle lost power. Creating a traumatic experience that could have been fatal. After kia had inspected the vehicle, I was informed that I needed a new engine and it would cost 8k or more, and my extended warranty would not cover it. Kia has current recalls for similar issues.

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-45 mph, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the engine made abnormal knocking sounds. The vehicle was towed to the residence and failed to restart. A mobile technician diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 98,954.

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The oil pressure switch on my 2019 kia Sorento comes on when coming to a stop. This has occurred even after an oil change and checking the oil the dip stick showed full. I understand that kia had a recall on these sensors for kia Sorentos up to year models 2018 but evidently the problem with this sensor has not been resolved and presents a major possibility of fire occurring due to oil leakage. I believe kia for safety sake should be required to replace this faulty sensor at no cost to the owner.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. There was a knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was towed the local dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. No further information was available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 128,405.

On January 30, 2026, I was driving with my daughter from kansas city to platte city when the vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic mechanical failure. As we approached our exit, the engine unexpectedly revved and the vehicle rapidly decelerated to approximately 30 mph. When I attempted to accelerate, the vehicle was unable to properly gain speed. Upon reaching the top of a hill at an intersection, the engine completely shut off and the vehicle became disabled in the roadway. The vehicle was towed and inspected by two independent repair facilities. Both repair facilities confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure. A bore scope inspection identified a broken valve in cylinder 4, along with severe internal engine damage. The first repair facility estimated the cost of engine replacement at $9,600. The second repair facility confirmed the same diagnosis and recommended full replacement of the long block assembly. Copies of the inspection reports and repair estimates are attached. Due to the extent of the internal damage and the high cost of repair, the vehicle is considered mechanically inoperable and beyond reasonable repair. The cost of repair is substantial and exceeds our ability to proceed with repairs. At the time of the mechanical failure, approximately two years remained on the finance agreement, with an outstanding loan balance of approximately $12,000. As a result of this catastrophic mechanical failure, the vehicle is unusable, and a financial deficiency remains on the loan. Although the engine carried a warranty, we were informed that the specific failure was caused by internal component failure and material shedding, which is not covered under the warranty terms. Supporting documentation, including diagnostic findings, repair estimates, and photographs of the failed engine components, are attached. Due to the sudden and catastrophic mechanical failure, the vehicle has sustained a total mechanical loss and is no longer operable.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Sorento. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 20v750000 (engine) and 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while driving into a parking spot, the vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled. The contact later replaced the battery, but the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that, due to the vehicle not having the sensor changed before the failure, the engine could not be replaced. The dealer informed the contact tha,t due to the mileage, the vehicle would not be covered and would not qualify for the extended warranty coverage for the engine replacement. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

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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.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

We do our oil changes routinely. We had one done not too long ago. We were driving to the store and all of a sudden the oil light came on, but the engine light never came on. And then about 30 seconds later, we heard almost like a thump sound like we had hit something but we didn’t. We pulled into the grocery store parking lot about a minute after that, and there was oil leaking out of my car. We tried to put more oil in, but it just kept coming out. We have tried to see what’s going on. We can’t tell. We plan to get it towed and looked at. I don’t know if it will turn back on because I didn’t want to risk it and my engine locking up, but this seems to be an issue as I have read some of the other complaints.

1. The engine consumed its own oil and a rod bearing failed and destroyed the engine 2. This happened while my wife was traveling on i20 at 70mph and almost resulted in a wreck when the engine died and she lost power to the wheels 3. Nalley kia in lithonia, GA has confirmed that the engine consumed its own oil which cause a rod bearing to fail and ultimately led to the engine failure 4. No warning lights prior to this happening, just a knocking sound as she merged onto i20.

The engine check light is on and the car is using more oil than it should. I had the oil changed and had to add quarts before 2000 miles. I called kia and was told my VIN is not part of the recall. I got an inspection and cylinder 2 is misfiring and has low pressure so the entire engine needs a replacement.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was an engine oil leak on the driveway. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fractured oil pan, causing the engine oil leak. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being under recall. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign: 19v101000 (engine); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,500.

I have 2019 kia seranto . In November 2024 started leaking oil the oil filter casing was cracked. January 2026 oil light came on. Oil was changed 2 months before. Took it to the shop and no oil was in the engine. No oil under the car to tell it was leaking. Shop had to run oil leak detector on it. Several gaskets in engine had to be repaired. There was some other issues with engine concerning oil. $1800. After changing gaskets the oil light kept coming on and off. The oil light sensor and switch had to be repaired. $1500. Car had 107,000 miles only. The auto shop in my town fixed it. This auto shop reports everything to car fox. I would not drive it when oil light came on.

Noticed excessive oil consumption that turned into burning oil when the exhaust turned back of car black. Engine started knocking due to gummed up spark plugs. Replaced the spark plugs but within weeks the new plugs where gummed up as well. Took to kia for diagnosis and potential repair for theta 2 class action. Mechanic confirmed damaged spark plugs, piston issues and needs for new engine.

Engine warning lamp illuminated as the engine lost some power. Code was diagnosed as the knock sensor issue. Unit taken to mechanic to evaluate and diagnose. Repair shop notified us that based on the sensor, the engine could succumb to a failure at any time. Engine oil was flushed, cleaned, and replaced. Code was addressed currently. This is similar to the failures observed by other engines in this class, however, it does not appear this engine is part of the lifetime warranty or recall.

Dealer driving car 35mph. Check engine light started flashing. Burning plastic smell from under hood. Car cut off. Did not restart. Towed to mechanic, was told engine locked up.

Daughter was driving home from getting her kids from daycare and said she couldn’t see behind her from smoke and her boyfriend told her the car was on fire and she said the engine light came on and then all the lights came on and it started smoking more and a lady pulled over and told them get out because the car was on fire and 911 was called and she got out and got kids in the lady’s car and called me at work and I left and got there and the fire department was hosing down the car for about 45 minutes. They finally got the fire out which was contained under the car engine and insurnace checked it out and gave me the estimate that was uploaded and told me that it was a mechanical failure from the engine so they won’t cover anything and I have to put a new engine in it because it has a big hole in it underneath. I am not even sure if they really looked at it because they told me they will give it back to me and I can’t afford to have it looked at. I had a warranty but was told it would be totaled out because a fire is a total loss and the warranty said even though I had coverage the day it caught on fire they won’t cover because they said the claim had to be placed before it got canceled which makes no sense to me but them and insurance said because there are recalls on engines for other same models of my car that kia should have to make a recall for it since the engine is what caused the fire. I still have a payment on the car and waiting for them to get it back to my house and not sure when that will happen because it snowed and they keeps saying they can’t tow it back to my house. But I feel if other 3. 3l engines within 2017 kia Sorento then there needs to be a recall. I don’t see how there are absolutely no recalls on a car. I have yet to find a car that does not have a recall especially kia’s and I have 2 of them and my other one has several recalls on it. Then magically this specific one that’s catches fire has no recall on it.

I bought a kia 2020 from long lewis 3 days after I got it the check engine light come on, I called and told them, then around the 5th day black smut started covering the back of the SUV, and I was smelling a burnt oi; and antifreeze smell, took it to a shop and they pulled the codes and one code was p045600 and another was p074100 then airbag codes, not even a month it started jerking they told me to bring it in so I did, he said they cleared the codes and was gonna fixed the evap, I asked about the torch converter and he said that must've been a code from the history but it wasn't, it did have a history of the code though, and I asked about the black smut on back of the vehicle he said nothing they can do about that and said fixing the evap may fix it, but sometimes it smells like it's on fire, and jerks.

The contact owns a 2017 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while coasting to a stop light, the check engine and traction control warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power and stopped driving as needed. During the failure, the vehicle had not shut off. After turning it off and restarting the vehicle, the failure failed to self-correct. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the catalytic converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 118,000.

I am filing this complaint regarding a suspected safety defect involving the theta ii engine in my 2015 kia Sorento. The vehicle developed progressive engine failure symptoms including: engine knocking and abnormal mechanical noise loss of power while driving misfire conditions excessive oil consumption progressive deterioration of engine performance these symptoms began at approximately 150,000 miles and worsened over time. Given the documented history of theta ii engine failures involving rod bearing defects, sudden engine seizure, loss of power, and fire risk, I believe my vehicle is experiencing a progression of the same known defect. 2) safety risk to driver and public the engine condition created serious safety risks, including: potential sudden engine failure while driving loss of power in traffic or at highway speeds increased risk of collision potential fire hazard associated with theta ii engine failures despite these risks, kia and its authorized dealership advised me to continue operating the vehicle. I was explicitly told to “drive it until it fails. ” this guidance was given despite kia’s documented knowledge of theta ii engine defects and associated safety hazards. 3) manufacturer response and denial I reported the engine failure to kia and its authorized dealership. Kia denied coverage, stating: the vehicle had “too many miles,” and the failure was allegedly “not rod bearing related. ” however, kia and the dealership refused to provide: complete diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) technician notes or inspection reports compression or leak-down test results oil analysis or evidence proving bearing failure was ruled out without this information, kia’s conclusion that the failure is not related to the theta ii defect is unsupported and unverifiable. 4) concern of misdiagnosis and defect misclassification based on the symptoms and known theta ii failure patterns, I believe kia may be misclassifying a progressive bearing-related engine failure as a non-covered.

I was driving down a very busy road and with no warning my car lost power. It would turn over but not start back up. I was stuck in the middle of a busy road way causing traffic’s to back up. I had to call the police to sit behind me so I wouldn’t get hit from behind.

The vehicles is showing all this codes p0340, p0365, p0780, po010.

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).

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

While driving, have had the engine of my 25 Sorento hybrid stop working. An emergency notice comes on the screen (see photo) stating to pull over safely. The hybrid system error message has come on 4-5 times in the last month. The vehicle will not drive more than 15-20 miles per hour and has virtually no acceleration making it very dangerous to drive in or around high speed/traffic areas. Took it to a local kia dealership where I was told nothing was wrong and their only guess was that it was related to the battery and cold weather. The same messaged/incident has happened 2x since bringing it into the dealership. With the most recent being 1/22/26. Problem first arose on 1/9/26. There are dozens of reports of this in online threads over the past few months with kia hybrid engines.

Formal complaint – repeated engine failures and unacceptable service delays vehicle: kia Sorento 2014 VIN: [xxx] purchased: fall of 2021 current issue: vehicle in service at kia of lincolnwood since January 9, 2026 dear kia consumer affairs and legal department, I am writing to formally document my severe dissatisfaction with the repeated engine failures in my kia vehicle and the complete lack of communication and urgency from both kia of lincolnwood (6750 n Lincoln Ave, lincolnwood, IL 60712) and kia's consumer support channels. This has caused significant financial hardship, disruption to my family and work, and eroded any trust in the brand. I purchased this vehicle approximately 5 years ago through carmax. Within that time, the engine has died or stalled three times: the first failure occurred about one year after purchase, stranding me at 11:00 p. M. In rural wisconsin during winter with my three young children in the vehicle. The second incident happened in downtown chicago (river north), just one hour before I needed to depart for a work event in champaign, IL, requiring a tow and last-minute rental arrangements. The most recent failure occurred at approximately 4:30 a. M. After leaving my music studio, necessitating another tow and a $50 uber ride home. Eleven months ago, kia of lincolnwood replaced the knock sensor under a one-year recall warranty. Despite this, the engine issues persisted. On January 9, 2026, I brought the vehicle to kia of lincolnwood for the third major engine-related failure. It has now been in the shop for nearly six weeks with no meaningful updates on diagnosis, repair timeline, or resolution. I have called the dealership at least ten times seeking callbacks from my assigned service advisor (max) or any team member. In each instance, I was either hung up on, placed on hold for over an hour, or promised a return call that never came. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2019 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Car is in shop 3rd time 2020 Sorento with 2. 4l thete ii gdi engine. In may e went in p1326 code of death, knocking and blinking light. They put a band aid on. Back in September more issues, oil gasket valve cover and 4 spark plugs. Another bandaid, westarted seeing oil, I thought we were nuts because it was just fixed. Check engine light cane on, read 4th spark plug shot that they put in on 9/25. Tatvfirst rried sating 300 for plug and done. Then day after head mechanic says we need a new engine but all receipts not available. They're not filing a claim for an engine, these engine are blowing up and failing everywhere they just haven't gotten to year 2020 yet in law suits or settlements. When p1326 originally happened we were on the highway and it just decellateared and loud knock! luckily we were okay and got over fast. With each issue car was immediately brought back to the kia dealer, the sane dealer I bought the car new off lot in 2020.

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.

It need to fill the oil ever two to three weeks - oil consumption? now this morning it has the a lot of oil in the ground - I won’t drive the car.