Equipment Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

**suspected sudden unintended acceleration – 2020 kia Sorento ex * on October 24, 2026, the driver of a 2020 kia Sorento ex v6 experienced two episodes of suspected sudden unintended acceleration. The vehicle reportedly accelerated unexpectedly while in reverse (r), causing it to collide with an apartment building. Following the initial collision, the driver shifted the transmission into drive (d), at which point the vehicle reportedly accelerated forward unexpectedly. According to the driver, both incidents occurred so quickly that she was unable to apply the brakes. The collision caused significant damage to the apartment building, including structural damage requiring reinforcement, and damaged two other vehicles. The airbags did not deploy. No injuries to the driver have been reported. The driver also recalls receiving a previous recall notice for a vehicle component that was not repaired. The specific recall has not yet been identified. The vehicle has been towed and is being preserved for a potential independent investigation, including examination of the event data recorder (edr). We request that NHTSA review this incident as a possible vehicle safety defect. The cause of the unexpected acceleration has not yet been determined.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Unknown. Car all of a sudden wouldn’t accelerate while driving on the road. It was hesitating while pressing the gas pedal.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

This incident occurred on 10/03/26 at approx. 11:45 am. Location: squankum-yellowbrook rd. (524a) howell NJ. Temp: 73 f. Road condition: 2 lane rural clear and dry. Description of incident: while driving @ approx. 40 mph with no on-coming or traffic ahead or behind, the entire right rear passenger window spontaneously imploded, explosively showering the entire rear seat with glass shards. Upon immediately pulling off the road and upon my own examination (and shortly thereafter by responding police) no impact object that could have caused the glass breakage was found. Had there been rear seat passenger(s) at that time undoubtedly that person(s) would have sustained head/face or eye injuries.

Subject: request for review of potentially related electrical overheating – kia Sorento hvac harness recall sc351 / NHTSA 25v649 I am requesting that NHTSA review an electrical overheating issue involving my kia Sorento and consider whether it could be related to the existing hvac blower-motor resistor harness recall, sc351 / NHTSA 25v649. My vehicle experienced overheating at a terminal on the main relay in the under-hood fuse box. The overheating spread to and melted part of the fuse box. Kia inspected the vehicle in person and informed me that the overheated relay terminal belongs to a different circuit from the hvac resistor harness involved in the recall. I understand kia's position that these are separate circuits. However, I have not received a detailed technical explanation identifying the root cause of the relay terminal overheating or explaining the basis for ruling out any relationship to the recalled wiring defect. Kia has offered approximately $2,200 toward an estimated $3,900 repair through a goodwill program, leaving me responsible for approximately $1,700. I am concerned about both the safety implications of the electrical overheating and whether the problem could be related to a known wiring-harness defect. I am not asserting that the recalled hvac harness definitively caused the damage. I am asking NHTSA to consider whether this incident warrants further review, whether similar failures have been reported by other kia Sorento owners, and whether the existing recall adequately addresses the relevant safety defect. I can provide the vehicle identification information, recall information, photographs of the damage, kia's written communications, and the repair estimate. Thank you for reviewing this potential safety concern.

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

I parked my car in the driveway and about 10 min later my car just ignited into flames from underneath the vehicle by the gas tank and I have video from 3 different angles on my security cams that show when I parked the vehicle there was no fire or flames or smoke and about 8 min later you can see a single flame just ignite under the car, and watch it spread and the location of the flame is in back driverside by gas cap and tank.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

While driving my 2021 kia Sorento, the electronic power steering suddenly failed/intermittently cut out while the vehicle was in motion. The steering wheel became extremely stiff and difficult to turn, making the vehicle very hard to control and creating a serious risk of a crash. I had to muscle the wheel to get out of traffic turn the vehicle off and on several times before steering worked again. Because the steering failure occurred while driving three times in the last two weeks and could recur without warning, I considered the vehicle unsafe to continue operating and had it taken to a kia dealership for inspection. The vehicle has also experienced repeated electrical/electronic issues, including difficulty starting and recognizing both key fobs. Every time now, the engine requires approximately 3–4 attempts to start. There have also been problems with the climate-control system and other electrical components. I am concerned these issues may be related to a broader electrical, voltage, control-module, or electronic power-steering problem. The vehicle is currently available for inspection by the dealer/manufacturer upon request. The exact cause of the steering failure has not yet been confirmed. I have requested that the dealer inspect the electronic power steering system, retrieve any stored or historical eps/ibu fault codes, and evaluate the vehicle’s battery, charging system, grounds, wiring, and related electronic control modules. The steering failure created an immediate safety hazard because normal steering assistance was lost while the vehicle was moving. There was little or no meaningful warning before the steering became extremely difficult to operate. I am reporting this because I am concerned the condition could recur and result in loss of vehicle control. I have two small children and this is my only means of transportation.

Zubie plug-in obd device for gps tracking and health monitoring of cars. It was triggering an airbag light on the dash which meant in the event of a crash the airbags would not be deployed. My local kia dealer investigated and found the plug in zubie device was triggering the airbag light in the dash. I contacted zubie and they said they knew about this. This is a huge safety concern for a simple gps obd plugin to be affecting safety systems of cars.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Se rompio la bomba DE aceite electrica DE mi auto. La investigación DE kia reveló que la bomba DE aceite eléctrica DE la transmisión dct DE 8 velocidades puede sufrir una falla interna debido a un defecto DE calidad en el proveedor. Un componente DE la placa DE circuito DE la bomba puede desprenderse por una soldadura deficiente.

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

I purchased my 2023 kia Sorento in 2024 from rohrman kia in lafayette, indiana. At the time of purchase, the vehicle had approximately 9,000 miles and had previously been utilized as a dealership loaner vehicle. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have experienced recurring mechanical concerns involving the vehicle’s auto start/stop system and a significant, unexpected loss of engine power. During an occurrence, the auto start/stop indicator (a) began flashing on the instrument cluster, and the vehicle experienced severely reduced acceleration, limiting my ability to travel above approximately 15 mph. This malfunction presents a substantial safety concern, particularly when operating the vehicle in traffic or on roadways where maintaining an appropriate speed is necessary. An unexpected reduction in power compromises my ability to accelerate normally, merge safely, maintain the flow of traffic, or respond appropriately to surrounding vehicles, potentially placing myself, my passengers, and other motorists at risk. I have returned the vehicle to the authorized kia dealership for a year and a half now, regarding recurring mechanical concerns. Despite these service visits, I have been informed that the dealership has been unable to reproduce the reported malfunction, and that the vehicle is throwing no codes during its diagnostic inspections. To my knowledge, the underlying cause has not been conclusively identified or permanently corrected. The warning symptom I observed was a flashing auto start/stop (a) indicator accompanied by a substantial reduction in vehicle power. I cannot confirm which specific mechanical or electronic component is responsible for the malfunction. I have also escalated my concerns to the general manager of rohrman kia due to the recurring nature of these issues and the lack of a satisfactory resolution. I am requesting that this safety concern be formally documented and investigated to determine whether a defect exists.

Took car in to get recalls fixed and they did not repair the vehicle and my car caught on fire.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

While driving my 2020 kia Sorento on the freeway at highway speed, the panoramic sunroof suddenly shattered without warning. There was a very loud explosive sound that startled and frightened me while I was driving. I was not aware of anything striking the sunroof immediately before it shattered, and there were no warning lights, messages, noises, cracks, or other indications that the glass was about to fail. Because I was traveling at freeway speed when this occurred, the sudden explosion/shattering of the glass was extremely distracting and created a serious safety concern. I was frightened by the unexpected loud noise and could have lost control of the vehicle. Broken glass from a panoramic sunroof also presents a risk to the occupants of the vehicle and to other motorists. The component that failed was the panoramic sunroof glass. To my knowledge, the failure has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a kia dealer or independent repair facility, and the vehicle has not yet been inspected by kia for the cause of the failure. I am reporting this incident because the sunroof appeared to shatter suddenly during normal highway driving without any prior warning, and I am concerned that this may represent a safety defect.

On multiple occasions, my 2023 kia Sorento has experienced an intermittent failure where numerous dashboard warning lights and alerts illuminate and the engine will not start. During the failure, the brake pedal becomes very stiff and the vehicle cannot be shifted out of park. The problem is unpredictable and has left the vehicle disabled. The vehicle was taken to a kia dealership for diagnosis. The dealer initially stated that the battery was not properly secured and was moving around, possibly contacting nearby electrical components. They told me the issue had been repaired. However, when I returned to pick up the vehicle, the exact same failure occurred again in the dealership parking lot before I was able to leave. The warning lights came on and, after the vehicle was turned off, it would not restart. The dealer has therefore been able to directly observe the repeated failure. The exact component causing the malfunction is still unknown. I am concerned that this may be an electrical or grounding issue and that the vehicle could become disabled unexpectedly while in use.

On xxx, my father was driving his kia on the [xxx] when the vehicle unexpectedly stopped operating. The specific mechanical or electrical component responsible for the failure is currently unknown. The sudden failure occurred while the vehicle was being driven on a major highway, creating a potentially dangerous situation for my father and surrounding motorists. An unexpected loss of vehicle operation in highway traffic can significantly increase the risk of a collision or serious injury. Following the incident, the vehicle was towed to our family's independent mechanic. The mechanic advised that they could not diagnose the problem because specialized kia diagnostic access was required. The vehicle was subsequently transported to pride kia of [xxx], where it has remained without a diagnosis or repair. We have been informed that pride kia has experienced significant staffing shortages and has been unable to perform the necessary diagnostic evaluation. As of xxx, the vehicle has been out of service for approximately two months, and neither the dealership nor kia America has identified the cause of the failure. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at pride kia of lynn, [xxx]. The malfunction has not been reproduced or confirmed through a completed diagnostic inspection. Kia America consumer affairs has been contacted, but the manufacturer has not provided a confirmed diagnosis or explanation of the failure. Whether any warning lights, dashboard messages, unusual noises, or other symptoms occurred before the vehicle stopped operating is currently unknown. I am submitting this complaint because the vehicle unexpectedly became inoperable while being driven on a highway, presenting a potential safety hazard. I am requesting that NHTSA document and evaluate this incident for any possible vehicle safety defect or related pattern of failures. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

During highway trips the info cluster starts chiming and a coffee cup light comes on the dash saying I should consider taking a break! this happens frequently and is distracting as I need to look down from the road to access what the warning is. I'm being told now that it is not able to be disabled. It's distracting and there's no way I would have bought the car with such a distraction during highway driving.

See all problems of the 2025 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The dashboard has a screen display. I couldn’t see my fuel tank information. Every time I would use my turn signal a large green circle would take over the screen. Followed by loss of the screen, meaning no speedometer, rpm, etc. As the problem continued the speedometer started displaying incorrect numbers. Saying I was going 70 miles an hour when I was actually going about 55. Gage for fuel and heat (notifying if car is overheating, was lost for the entirety of my drive).

I believe my car should be in the ac recall for faulty ac motor/wire harness due to my ac is only cooling on passenger side. Blowing hot on driver. I’m afraid it may catch fire as I read this can happen.

I was driving up a hill and my car stalled. Contacted kia of bowie for assistance had a diagnostic asked for a goodwill repair because of this being a safety issue with my car stalling while driving up a hill life threating situation and they have denied the goodwill repair the service tech is saying because I didnt get my car serviced there and they have no records I informed them that I have and had been taking care of the maintenance at the kia dealership in temple hills MD. They are just overlooking the severity of the situation of a safety issue.

I am writing to escalate an unresolved issue regarding a voluntary emissions service campaign performed on my vehicle at bulldog kia on July 14, 2026. Shortly after leaving the dealership, my check engine light illuminated. An independent mechanic scanned the vehicle and confirmed that the active fault code directly relates to the components/logic altered during the corporate emissions campaign. I have called the dealership multiple times over the last few weeks and left voicemails for two different service representatives, but my calls are being ignored. I also contacted kia corporate customer service who responded saying that they could not do anything and that I needed to continue contacting the local dealership (bulldog kia). From what I understand this could be a safety issue because it prevents me from being alerted to other safety issues that would trigger the check engine light, and there are also ways in which this could potentially cause the vehicle to slow way down or stop running while driving. As noted above the dealer has been unresponsive to my repeated contact attempts and the check engine light remains illuminated.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

My 2026 Sorento developed a fault after just two weeks of use. It had to be towed three times because the engine shuts down and won't restart. I tried to resolve the issue with the dealership, but they claim there is nothing wrong with the car. I reported the situation to kia America; after a 19-day wait, they replied that there is nothing they can do and that I must pick up the vehicle from the kia east orlando dealership, or else I will have to pay parking fees. During this time—while the car was being towed three times by kia’s own partners and transported to the dealership—it sustained damage to the trunk. They claim the car arrived at the dealership in that condition but refuse to provide me with photos or the tow truck inspection checklists.

The panoramic sunroof on my 2023 kia Sorento intermittently fails to close. When commanded to close, the glass travels most of the way, then stops or reverses before reaching the fully closed position. It frequently takes many repeated attempts. In some cases the panel will not seat at all until the vehicle is driven over rough pavement, and the resulting vibration allows it to complete closure. The malfunction is accompanied by a loud grinding or scraping noise from the roof assembly during travel. This condition has been present since I purchased the vehicle new. The sunroof has seen very limited use. Safety risk: the glass panel cannot be reliably secured. An open or unseated panoramic panel at highway speed presents a risk of water intrusion, wind loading on an unsecured glass panel, and loss of roof structure integrity. Repeatedly operating the switch and monitoring the panel while driving is a significant distraction from the driving task, and driving specifically to induce vibration in order to force closure is itself an unsafe workaround. Dealer history: I have reported this to a kia dealership on multiple occasions. I was told there is no defect and that the cause is debris, which is inconsistent with a vehicle purchased new with minimal sunroof use. On one visit the dealer cleaned the assembly as a goodwill gesture. This did not correct the noise or the closure failure. The vehicle was returned to me as repaired while the noise and the failure to close were both still present. Kia issued technical service bulletin bod125 (rev 1, 02/27/2017) describing a slow-to-close condition and abnormal closing noise on the prior-generation Sorento (uma), remedied by cleaning and lubricating the rear guide rails and replacing the rear tilt levers. My vehicle exhibits the same failure mode described in that bulletin. The component is available for inspection on request. No warning lamps or messages preceded or accompanied the failure.

Vehicle component affected: electrical system / hvac / blower motor resistor incident description: while operating my 2023 kia Sorento, the hvac system suddenly suffered a complete failure, causing all airflow to cease instantly. A subsequent professional diagnostic inspection by an authorized kia dealership revealed that the contacts at the blower motor resistor were severely burnt, causing the blower motor relay to burn out. This failure presents two critical safety and fire hazards: fire risk: the physical burning and overheating of electrical components and wiring within the dashboard assembly create an active fire hazard in the passenger cabin. Loss of visibility: the sudden, complete loss of the climate control system severely compromises passenger safety by preventing the vehicle from defogging or defrosting the windshield during inclement weather, presenting an immediate crash hazard. This exact failure mechanism matches the description of kia safety recall sc351 (NHTSA campaign 25v649) word-for-word. However, kia has stated that my specific VIN is excluded from the current recall population. Because this identical safety defect is actively manifesting outside of kia's restricted recall range, I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate an expansion of sc351 to include all affected 2023 kia Sorento vehicles to mitigate the risk of electrical fires and sudden visibility loss. 06/29/26 experienced symptoms inspected and diagnosed on 07/01/26 at jt kia (killian road) columbia, south carolina.

Driving down the road and the left rear passenger window exploded. Shatters went everywhere all over the passenger in the back. I went online and looked and this is a hugh issue evidently with some kias. To me this is really serious issues that kia is completely ignoring. Someone will eventually get seriously injured bi the glass exploding like it does.

My 2019 kia Sorento suddenly began making loud knocking noises from the engine and immediately lost all acceleration while I was driving with my children in the car. The vehicle would not respond when pressing the gas, and the check engine light came on. This created a terrifying situation because I had no power to merge or move out of traffic, and I had my [xxx], [xxx] and [xxx] children with me. The engine now knocks severely and has almost no power at all. The oil level is full, so this is not due to low oil or lack of maintenance. This appears to be a sudden internal engine failure consistent with known kia engine defects involving rod bearings, timing issues, and loss of compression. I am reporting this because the vehicle is unsafe to drive and put my children at risk. Kia is refusing to cover the engine failure even though this matches the same symptoms seen in other kia engine recalls. I am extremely concerned that this defect could have caused an accident or left us stranded in a dangerous situation. I need this investigated as a serious safety issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Warning lights on while driving. The emergency triangle, collison warning, break warning, both turn signals, and departure warning lights were illuminated. We were concerned of causing damage to the vehicle and pulled over. Dealer knows of issues in CA and az with other Sorentos. Dealer said it is due to camera overheating; the camera housing is metal and therefore causes this issue. No known fix and we are apprehesive to drive it. Kia customer care had no information and only said to go to dealer when lights are on so a code can be pulled. I believe the housings need to be replaced if that is the case and if there is a true issue with the vehicle I cannot distignuish between "camera" or mechanical when lights come on.

Hello. I just started smelling gas fumes when my car has been running. I see no drips , etc. It happens everytime I drive it to the point where someone pointed it out to me. I had a new engine put in by kia for my old engine "going to sleep" about 4 years ago. I have been told that this is a on going problem with the model I have. I want to know what I should do at this point. Im [xxx] and [xxx] so I dont have the money to take it all over the place if this engine issue is covered. Could you please let me know and how to proceed? [xxx] [xxx] cell [xxx] thank you for any help ps. . . . You should have record of kia replacing the engine on file??? is this a warranty issue since I do have a newer engine? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked and turned off for approximately an hour, the vehicle was restarted and there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact continued driving and the knocking sound increasing in volume and frequency. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that since the vehicle was not repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches); the dealer was unable to repair the engine ffailure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

This is a follow up of NHTSA case# 1840444. Complaint description: vehicle exhibited active can-bus communication timeout code dtc c1642 targeting the hydraulic electronic control unit (hecu). Following the official technical safety guidelines established under NHTSA campaign 20v519000 (kia sc197), an isolated parasitic current draw test was performed between the engine junction box positive power post and the abs2 circuit terminal. Testing across three independent iterations utilizing a digital multimeter confirmed a continuous localized parasitic draw of 218. 6 ua. This dramatically exceeds the manufacturer's maximum safety engineering threshold of 70. 0 ua by over 312%. This quantified excessive amperage draw conclusively isolates an internal circuit board short-circuit condition caused by a failure of the internal hecu brake fluid seals. The vehicle presents an immediate network communication failure, brake malfunction, and thermal/fire risk. Kia corporate must be compelled to immediately authorize an expedited, zero-cost component replacement under the active safety recall mandate.

The horn isn’t making any noise at all. There were no warning lamps or messages, I didn’t know until I needed to use my horn.

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

I am writing to report a recurring issue with the center navigation and infotainment screen in my 2022 kia Sorento. The screen periodically goes completely black while I am driving. Occasionally, the display glitches before failing, while at other times, it goes dark without any warning. This is particularly concerning when I am relying on the navigation system for directions. I have previously taken the vehicle to the dealer, but they were unable to replicate the issue and therefore have not yet performed a repair.

My 2016 kia Sorento rolls out of park; I apparently have a Sorento that is "out of the date range" of the 2016 kia Sorentos that had a recall. This is not acceptable!!!.

Fire at the rear bumper of car.

Coolant empty, found overheating. Coolant refilled. No noticeable leaks. Mechanic found failure of thermostat. Replaced and car found to be overheating again. Coolant leaking into hood covering engine components.

My sunroof exploded.

The pearl white paint on the 2014 kia Sorento has delaminated and is coming off in large sections all over the car.

I have a 2019 Sorento my car was loud when I start it so I took it into my kia dealership. They found that my muffler had come apart at the seam, but that it is not under warrenty. My concern is that if anyone is sitting in a parked car with the windows up they could be overcome by the exhault fumes.