Other Fuel System Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

Gasoline smell is coming with the left side of vehicle. Gasoline is leaking from the fuel pump causing the gas to puddle creating the gasoline smell.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The high pressure fuel pump failed while driving on highway. I took it to the kia dealership and they told me of the issue. There were no prior warnings of issues kia recalled all 2019-2020 kia Sorentos with this same issue. This component should not have failed at 63k miles and kia should extend their warranty to previous models with the same high pressure fuel pump problems under the high-pressure fuel pump warranty extension (wty034).

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

"the vehicle has twice suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power at highway speeds (approx. 70 mph) on the interstate, forcing the driver to coast across active traffic to the shoulder without engine pull. The engine revs freely in 'drive' but the transmission fails to engage any gears. No dashboard warning lights, check engine lights, or diagnostic trouble codes are triggered during or after the failure. The failure resets temporarily only after cycling the ignition key off and on. The vehicle previously had safety recall sc250 (8-speed electric oil pump) performed by an authorized dealer, but the software flash completely failed to prevent this catastrophic hydraulic/electronic failure mode or provide the federally mandated dashboard warning countdown. The vehicle is entirely unsafe to drive,.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Ac stopped, engine began to struggle, engine light came on and engine over heated. Pulled off highway to be towed. Dealer found metal in oil and suggested possible manufacturer defect issue.

See all problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Fuel injectors become unseated randomly causing gas to be sprayed inside engine compartment. Issue can be seen upon request. This issue could cause a fire/explosion as fuel sprays out. The issue was repaired once by an independent shop, then the issue reoccurred and has now reoccurred again. The issue fails randomly and fully with the symptom being the vehicle not wanting to start.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Motor will not turn over, starter/electrical failure.

On xxx im driving my 2021 kia Sorento sx it stalled while driving in the mist of traffic engine light comes on and I had my car towed contacted kia of bowie they are giving me a hassle contacted them because this is a safety issue from the beginning I have mentioned gas smell coming from the oil dipstick now the car has say and the gas has evaperated and they are saying no gas smell contacted corporate and istill have no results. This is a serious issue and I am being mishandled and treated as if this is not a severe safety hazard and needs to be addressed by kia I am asking for assistance please in serious safety matter.

Car stalled July 14th car has been at kia of bowie and they are stalling g me and dont want to do the sarter recal and are asking me for $550 for a diagnostic that I should not pay for do to this safety recall ive been telling them from the start that there was a very strong gas smell coming from theoil dipstick and they have been avoiding it till yesterday now the gas has evaperated and they are asking g me to pay $550 for the leak down test.

I took my 2016 kia Sorento to the dealership for an emissions service update as a result of a service bulliten (sc340) after recieving the car back, the transmission acts unpredictably and the throttle is erratic. This happens when started cold and continues until the engine reaches temperature. It did not do this previous to the update. It is a safetey hazard and almost caused a collision. The throttle response was sluggish, it hunted for gears and as a result I was unable to safely merge into traffic endangering myself and other drivers.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

(transmission and motor) I had taken my car to the dealership on xxx for recalls and all the signal were fine before going there. They took my car back to do the recalls and my son and I waited . Once they were done we left closer to closing time is noticed there was a burn mark on my dash board that wasn’t there before the recalls. Going forward on the way home. We were waved down by a man stating that my signal and brake light weren’t working . So that next day we took my car back to the dealership to see what happen, why all the sudden different alerts were coming up. They had the same mechanic relook at the car and a when finish 31/2 hour latter was told I needed a new transmission, costing $7384. 94 which I don’t have . They charge me $179. 00 just to confirm what they said about needing a new transmission. I was devastated and confused why I wasn’t told that the day before. So a few days later I took it to another machanic to see if the could see why the lights weren’t working and he ended up putting new bulbs in and got them working but also he put it in a diagnosis machine 2 of them and couldn’t get a reading at all and said I should take it back to find out why he couldn’t get a reading. I was so frustrated at that point I just was upset! I then had a friend of the family mechanic look at it and he said it wasn’t the transmission it was a knock sensor that I needed so I ordered it. When I called him to install the knock sensor he was too busy to do it and it had already been a whole month of waiting so I reached out to a place in cumberland ri to see if he could install the knock sensor had it towed there and he kept it for three days and said it was a transmission computer and he tried two of them and neither of them worked and charged me $150 for that I was humiliated and crying , I went there to have my car towed home seen him while waiting for the tow truck to come he said I needed a new transmission and now a motor, crying again. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia).

Previous warranty repair for a failed fuel injector (ro #1103175) resulted in severe gasoline dilution of the engine oil. The vehicle now vents raw fuel vapors into the cabin (fire hazard) and hesitates/jerks when braking at stoplights (stall/crash hazard). Kia corporate has refused to communicate for over two weeks while the dealer holds the car.

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).

To whom it may concern, I am writing to formally dispute a repair charge and report unacceptable service at courtesy kia (mesa, az) regarding my vehicle. Timeline of events: June 12, 2026: I brought my vehicle to courtesy kia for a mandatory software recall. Prior to this appointment, my fuel gauge worked perfectly. Immediately upon picking up the vehicle, the fuel gauge ceased to function. After calling customer service, I brought the vehicle back for inspection. The dealership kept my car for three days. Despite the issue being caused during their previous service, I was denied a loaner vehicle, forcing to come to take the car and use it during the weekend or I can wait until Monday 29 until the service manager back but I asked them I can’t use the car with this error as it’s not safe for me and my kids and that should be fixed by them since that’s their mistake and unfortunately I’ve had paid out-of-pocket for my family's transportation. June 26, 2026 (diagnostic): the service department initially claimed the issue was a broken fuel pump and quoted me $1,210. I informed them this was impossible, as the fuel pump was completely replaced just 3 months ago. I requested to speak to the service manager, but was told he was unavailable until Monday. And the gentleman michael who was taking care of my car said let me speak with the technician and back to me again with different quote the diagnosis was suddenly changed to a "fuel sending unit and gasket," with a new quote of $546?? but if I want I can wait until Monday to check with service manager. June 29, 2026: after receiving no follow-up call, I contacted the dealership myself. I spoke with service manager shane hackelton, who refused to take responsibility for the damage caused during the recall service and insisting that not related to recall software and should be fixed by myself. I look forward to your prompt response and a resolution to this matter.

On June 6, 2026, while driving home, the vehicle suddenly began smelling strongly of gasoline and burnt rubber. Within seconds, thick black smoke became visible in the side mirrors, followed immediately by white smoke pouring from the front hood and into the passenger cabin through the air vents. ?as I attempted to pull over to safety, the vehicle completely stopped responding. The brakes failed to operate, the engine stalled, and the steering wheel locked completely. We were barely able to bring the vehicle to a stop. Immediately upon exiting, visible flames erupted from underneath the driver's side of the vehicle and out of the front hood. The engine compartment and motor burnt completely. The safety of the driver and front passenger was put at extreme risk of death or severe injury. Because the brakes and steering locked up simultaneously while the cabin filled with smoke, we almost lost the ability to safely exit a moving vehicle that was actively catching fire. Furthermore, at no moment prior to or during the failure did any warning lamps, check engine lights, or diagnostic messages illuminate on the dashboard. There was absolutely zero advance warning from the vehicle's safety systems. The fire originated from a catastrophic fuel system failure, specifically matching the known issues of the high-pressure fuel pump leak. The vehicle is a total loss and is currently located at a tow yard. It is fully available for inspection upon request. Local police responded to the scene and generated an incident log number. A corporate claim has been opened directly with kia but as of today, no inspector from the manufacturer or insurance has been sent out.

See all problems of the 2012 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a kia vehicle I purchased from carmax waldorf approximately 3 months ago. The vehicle has developed a strong gasoline/fuel odor that is consistent with a possible fuel leak. This creates a serious safety concern, including the risk of fire or explosion while driving or operating the vehicle. The issue began shortly after purchase and has continued. The vehicle is now unsafe to drive due to the strong fuel smell. When I contacted carmax about the issue, I was instructed to take the vehicle to a kia dealership instead of carmax inspecting or addressing the safety concern themselves. I believe this is improper handling of a potentially dangerous defect in a recently sold vehicle. At this time: * vehicle emits strong fuel/gas smell * safety risk increases while driving * vehicle has been in my possession for only 3 months * issue appears to be early or pre-existing defect * I was redirected away from carmax responsibility I am requesting that this safety issue be investigated as a potential fuel system defect and documented appropriately.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

For an unknown reason when driving on the highway in heavy traffic the engine started to shake violently causing us to immediately pull over and when we opened the hood the engine was shaking violently. This was a dangerous situation because during this time the engine was not very responsive to input. No warning lights came on at all.

See all problems of the 2025 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

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).

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

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.

Vehicle: 2023 kia Sorento, VIN [xxx] , currently 48,000 miles. Vehicle has never been in a collision. Defect: fuel filler door actuator with no emergency release — stranding hazard the fuel filler door actuator fails to release on demand intermittently. When the actuator fails, the door must be pried open with tools or force, which is inconsistent and not always possible. The dealership service advisor has stated that this model is not equipped with any emergency release mechanism for the fuel filler door. With no emergency release, the actuator is the only mechanism by which the fuel door can be opened. Safety implication: an intermittent actuator failure with no backup release mechanism creates a stranding hazard. If the actuator fails when the vehicle is low on fuel — particularly in remote areas, in cold weather, at night, or in emergency situations requiring refueling to reach safety or medical care — the vehicle cannot be refueled and becomes immobilized. This is a single-point-of-failure design on a system required for vehicle operation. The condition has been reported to the dealership and remains unresolved. The vehicle remains within the 5-year / 60,000-mile basic warranty period. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

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.

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Upper fuel pump module, on top of fuel tank, is leaking fuel from a crack in fuel pump port where fuel hose connects. Fuel can be seen on top of upper fuel pump module and can be seen leaking from fuel pump port, and can be seen on exterior of gas tank. Also fuel odors were present. This could be a fire hazard. The manufacturer issued TSB fue 064 for this exact issue for vehicles produced from March 31, 2017 through July 24, 2019. Local dealer will not cover the vehicle because it was manufactured in February of 2017. The vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, of insurance company. There were no warning lamps, messages prior to failure. The symptoms were fuel on top of module, fuel odor, and fuel stain on exterior side of fuel tank.

The system that failed is the high-pressure fuel pump and the intake fuel pump. The fuel system pressure is too low, and the cold start fuel pressure is too high. This is defective because I purchased the car used in November 2023. The car is a safety risk as it stalled immediately yesterday while I was driving with my children and it began smelling like gas fumes from exhaust. The vehicle has been diagnosed by a certified mechanic at mike and nick's tires and services in canyon country, California no warning lights or messages appeared prior to the failure. The engine light came on as soon as the car began to stall and shake/lose power.

Component: 2. 5l t-gdi engine failed completely at 102,971 miles, requiring full replacement (~$8,000). Vehicle available for inspection at [xxx] kia, [xxx] . Safety risk: engine lost power during normal operation. Sudden, uncontrolled loss of engine power creates a direct collision risk at highway speeds for the driver, passengers, and surrounding vehicles. Confirmed by dealer: mark kia performed a borescope inspection on April 10, 2026 confirming cylinder wall scoring, oil-fouled pistons, and worn honing patterns across multiple cylinders. Findings are consistent with kia TSB eng235 (January 2022), which documents a defective pcv check valve on 2021–2022 Sorento 2. 5t engines allowing oil to contaminate combustion chambers. Vehicle was serviced exclusively at mark kia for all 17 visits since 2021. TSB eng235 does not appear in any service record. Prior symptoms: no warning lamps or messages before failure. A certified 36-point inspection one week prior showed zero cautions. Spark plugs replaced at 74,534 miles (Jan 2025) were found fouled at ~102,000 miles, only 28,000 miles later — indicating silent, progressive oil contamination. The defect is undetectable by the driver until catastrophic failure. Kia America has not responded to two formal written dispute requests (case #xxx, April–may 2026). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Timeline of maintenance & failure: • October [year]: I purc timeline of maintenance & failure: • October [year]: I purchased this vehicle. • February 11, 2026: I performed a full oil service (documented receipt attached). • April 3, 2026: while transporting my two grandsons—one of whom has autism—the vehicle suffered total engine failure while in traffic. • the safety defect: despite the engine running out of oil, the vehicle provided zero warning lights or signals. No "low oil pressure" light or "check engine" light ever appeared. This "silent failure" left me stranded in a high-risk traffic situation with a child who has special needs, as I had no warning to pull over safely. • April 8, 2026: the kia dealership confirmed the engine is seized. Improper handling of the claim: the dealership is currently refusing to honor warranty extension wty026 (15-year/150,000-mile oil pressure switch). Their refusal is based on an outdated service sticker in the window that is over 9,000 miles old, while they are ignoring my verified paper receipt from February 11, which proves the vehicle was serviced less than two months ago. The dealership is requesting a full breakdown (teardown) of the engine at my expense to determine the cause. It is my position that requiring a consumer to pay for a mechanical breakdown is an unreasonable barrier to a warranty claim—especially when they have not yet performed non-invasive diagnostic tests, such as a videoscope/borescope inspection, to check for the known oil pressure switch leak covered under wty026. Significant safety concern: the failure of the oil pressure switch (wty026) to trigger a dashboard warning is a critical safety defect. This failure led directly to a seized engine while I was transporting children. I am requesting that the department of transportation investigate this safety-system failure and that kia corporate override the dealership’s request for a consumer-funded teardown, given that I have provided proof of maintenanc.

On 3-21-26 I noticed the smell of gasoline after driving the vehicle. Upon inspection a noticeable fuel leak from the top of the fuel tank was evident from underneath the vehicle. Further inspection found fuel leakage at the fuel pump outlet line. After online research it was found that other vehicles of this type have hairline cracks on the fuel pump outlet causing fuel to spray out under pressure. Fuel pump assembly replacement has repaired the problem. No indication other than the smell of gasoline was noted at any time. This is a safety hazard that should be addressed ASAP. Part removed has only been inspected by me. Part is available. If I had not been diligent in addressing this problem the consequences could have been catastrophic. The fuel outlet on a high pressure pump should have never been allowed to be made of plastic. People's lives are at risk!.

Referencing report [xxx] we are having issues getting the fuel filling door to open. We have unlocked the car, several times, but it will not open. We had to pry it open so we could fill the tank and have left it open since as to not have the issue again. Part number in question - 81560r5000 there are other recalls on the car that we need to get taken care of. Is this another one in addition? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The issue appears to involve the electric oil pump and related components. My 2021 kia Sorento had a recall for the electric oil pump that was marked “completed” in January 2023; however, the dealership only performed a software update and did not replace any mechanical components because no fault code was present at that time. Beginning around October 2025, the vehicle started experiencing drivability issues including hesitation and bogging down when accelerating from a stop. A dealership representative later stated the electric oil pump and housing likely need replacement and that the transmission may also be affected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle frequently hesitates or bogs down when attempting to accelerate, especially when pulling into highway traffic. When pressing the accelerator, the vehicle sometimes struggles to engage and move forward, which increases the risk of a collision. I brought the vehicle to kia of rbc and spoke with service advisor justin hawkins. At the time of inspection, the check engine light had turned off and I was told they could not diagnose or repair the issue unless the warning light was active. I was instructed to continue driving the vehicle until the light returns. During a later conversation, dealership staff indicated the electric oil pump and housing likely need replacement and that the transmission may also require replacement, but they could not confirm this without the warning light being present.

This has been occurring intermittently since my 2021 kia Sorento reached approx. 15k miles and now has 26,600 miles. There are no lights or indicators on the dash letting me know anything is wrong. When the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or stopped in heavy traffic, the vehicle will start idling high and shaking and the engine will seize up. I am not able to steer, the brakes lock up, I cannot accelerate, all functionality is lost. The only thing I can do is put the vehicle in park (in heavy traffic) and shut the car off and wait a minute and turn it back on and it seems to reset itself. This is extremely dangerous for myself and my passengers (some of which are children) and can cause a serious accident. At no point should I ever need to be concerned with my vehicle seizing up in the middle of the road and having to park and restart my car. This has happened on several occasions already. I have taken my car to 2 separate kia dealerships to address this problem I have been experiencing. The first dealership failed to attempt to duplicate the problem and instead informed me the firmware update the performed from a previous recall should remedy the problem. It did not. Then I recently took it to another kia dealer in another state and explained the situation. I specifically asked them to take the vehicle for a test drive and they argued with me that my battery was low and needed to be replaced and it would not be covered under the warranty. I have been driving this vehicle for a while and it has been having this issue around 15k miles so I know it is not the battery. They totally disregarded the safely of myself and my family and only focused on making money for themselves. This is a serious safety issue with this vehicle and has continuously been swept under the rug by kia. Even the customer service is rude and I have reported this to them and asked for an escalation to their consumer affairs dept and have received no response.

I am filing this complaint regarding my 2021 kia Sorento, which has suffered a serious transmission failure. The vehicle is displaying diagnostic code p0741, indicating a torque converter clutch malfunction. The transmission slips, shifts harshly, hesitates during acceleration, loses power unexpectedly, and has become unsafe to drive. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This defect has put my safety and the safety of others at risk. On several occasions the vehicle failed to respond properly when accelerating, including while entering highways and driving in traffic. The hesitation and sudden loss of power created fear and anxiety because I could not trust the vehicle to move when needed to avoid a dangerous situation. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a repair facility, and the symptoms are consistent with a transmission torque converter clutch failure. I also contacted kia and provided the vehicle information. Kia informed me that they would not repair the vehicle because it has exceeded 100,000 miles and that the recall or warranty extension had expired. However, my vehicle is experiencing the same transmission-related symptoms reported by many other kia owners. I never received any recall notification because I purchased the vehicle from a dealership as the second owner. Had I been properly notified, I would have taken the vehicle in for inspection much earlier. It is extremely frustrating and financially devastating to be denied assistance solely because of mileage when the failure appears to be related to a known transmission defect. Before the failure, the check engine light illuminated and code p0741 appeared. Prior to that warning, the vehicle had already shown delayed shifting, slipping, hesitation, rough gear changes, and loss of power, which became progressively worse. This situation has caused significant emotional stress, anxiety, and financial hardship. I am requesting a full investigation and a fair resolution from kia.

Car completely stalled while on the freeway with no warning, no engine lights, nothing…. Luckily we were going downhill and were able to pull over to the side safely. Still owe 6k to the finance company but mechanic claimed I needed a new waterpump…after being changed and charged the car still wouldn’t turn on despite the new waterpump…. And a bunch of new obd codes showed up & now I need a new engine. After a lot of research I’ve learned this car is notoriously known for many recalls and overall complains…. . I wish I had done research before buying it, now I’m in debt for a car I can’t even drive.

I was driving everithing was normal but suddenly the light of the engine was on and the car lost power and the engine shut off everything happened in like one second, dont let me time or opportunity to think something safe, it was a lot of traffict on the street and the car behind almost crash on me. It was like a nigthmare.

Component/system affected: unknown – suspected fuel system or related component due to strong gasoline odor. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. What happened: there is a strong gasoline odor specifically at the front driver’s side wheel well/tire area. The odor is also noticeable under the hood. The smell is present while the vehicle is parked (I had to move it out of the garage) and after driving. No visible fuel leaks or puddles have been observed under the vehicle. Safety risk: gasoline fumes create a potential fire hazard and pose a risk of accident. The odor is now also noticeable inside the vehicle, which increases concern for occupant safety. Confirmation by service centers: the problem has been reproduced and confirmed by independent service centers. Two separate auto mechanic shops inspected the vehicle and both confirmed smelling gasoline, but neither could identify the source of the odor or any mechanical defect. Inspections by others: the vehicle has been inspected by two independent mechanics only. It has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warning lamps or symptoms: no warning lights or dashboard messages have appeared. The only symptom is a persistent gasoline odor. Timeline: the odor was first noticed on 02/19/2026 and has continued since that date. Vehicle information: 2020 kia Sorento VIN: [xxx] mileage: approximately 87,438 miles used for local commuting to work and school. Vehicle is garage-kept and receives regular maintenance at certified auto mechanic shops. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Car would randomly stall and jerk while accelerating. Unsafe to drive. May cause accident. Having to constantly set hazard lights to prevent accident.