Other Fuel System Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

2019 with 56,000 miles and the oil pressure sensor and the fuel pump need replacing. Both items should be considered part of the powertrain but of course they’re not. Called corporate but got the “there is no recall” monologue from their representatives. Needless to say, I won’t make the same mistake with my next purchase.

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On 3 separate occasions, while idling, the engine will sputter as if it’s about to cut off. The rpm will rise and fall and the engine will rev up and down and finally it will quiet down. Once the light is green, it is able to drive as normal. At the next light the same thing happens and the engine revs up and down sounds like it’s about to die. At a certain point the car will lose propulsion,(hard to notice at first when it’s stop and go traffic) even with the pedal all the way down, making it difficult to drive at a safe speed. The car will operate this way in a very limited capacity w stuttered propulsion for a minute or two then a warning symbol and alarm sounds letting me know there is a safety issue with the hybrid system and to stop safely. The car then becomes completely unresponsive and you must stop immediately and shut the car off. Once restarted the car jolts back up and operates somewhat normally.

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Incident #1: [xxx] the vehicle would not accelerate after coming to a stop at an intersection. The vehicle would not exceed 20 mph with oncoming traffic from both the east and west as I was turning west from a north bound road. On coming traffic was traveling between 45 and 50 mph. I was clearly nearly broadsided. The car displayed flashing lights on the dash as I was attempting to accelerate. Depressing the accelerator did not increase my speed. The car kept at a 20 mph speed for the 1/2 mile I traveled to pull off the road in a safe location, causing traffic to be disrupted until I could pull off the highway I had the car towed to the kia of round rock dealership November 17th. The car remained at kia until December 3rd where they were unable to duplicate the problem. I requested the problem be referred to kia in California. Kia of CA was totally unresponsive when the problem could not be duplicated. Incident #2 [xxx] vehicle failed to respond to accelerate after stopping before attempting to enter a four lane highway. (no traffic was visible. ) the car would not accelerate more than 20 mpr, the speed limit was 55 mph. For the 1. 5 mile trip home, I turned on my hazard lights, kept to the right and flagged traffic around me. The car never exceeded 20 mph. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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While driving from phoenix to tucson in midday traffic, the vehicle displayed a "check transmission" error message. Immediately following this warning, the vehicle experienced a significant loss of motive power while navigating a busy intersection. The car would not shift gears appropriately to maintain speed or move out of the path of traffic, which created an immediate risk of a collision. I was able to avoid an accident, but the vehicle's inability to accelerate or change gears left me stranded in a hazardous location. Component failed: transmission/transmission control module. Safety risk: the sudden loss of power in an intersection put me and other drivers at risk of a high-speed side-impact or rear-end collision. Warning symptoms: the "check transmission" message appeared moments before the failure. Inspection status: we have had the recall taken care of on January 25 , 2023 with 8810 miles at peoria kia initially. The incident happened on December 6, 2025 and the vehicle was taken to royal kia on December 6, 2025 for inspection. ".

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My vehicle has an ongoing acceleration problem that feels like the engine and transmission are not communicating correctly. There are times when the vehicle will not accelerate even though the rpms increase. Instead of picking up speed, it feels like the engine is pulling the vehicle back. This creates hesitation and uncertainty about whether the car will respond when I press the accelerator. This happens most noticeably at lower speeds (around 30–40 mph, often near 30 mph), where the rpms may rise on their own even if I am maintaining steady pressure on the gas pedal. It also occurs when I need to accelerate quickly — such as merging onto the freeway or joining the flow of traffic — and the vehicle feels like it resists gaining speed. Even when I press the pedal gradually and correctly, the vehicle struggles to accelerate and the engine revs without the car moving forward as it should. I reported this to the dealership. They ran diagnostics and told me no issues were detected. They also stated they cannot take action unless they can re-create the problem themselves. Because this does not happen every time, recreating it on command is very unlikely, leaving me without a solution. This is a safety concern because hesitation or failure to accelerate properly during merging or crossing traffic increases the risk of collisions. The problem remains unresolved.

The vehicle is a 2016 kia Sorento equipped with a 2. 0l turbo theta ii engine subject to the ksds (knock sensor detection system) safety recall. The original engine was replaced at approximately 70,000 miles under kia’s engine service program. The replacement engine currently has approximately 32,000 miles. The vehicle developed internal engine damage diagnosed by a kia dealership as a burnt exhaust valve. A burnt exhaust valve indicates abnormal combustion conditions such as lean operation, pre-ignition, detonation, timing deviation, injector malfunction, or lubrication failure. These are conditions the ksds recall was intended to detect and mitigate. Kia consumer affairs denied warranty coverage, stating that the extended warranty applies only to rod bearing failure and that no further escalation would be pursued. Kia consumer affairs declined to escalate the matter for district parts & service manager review and directed the owner back to the dealership. During the prior engine replacement, the dipstick was observed to be glued in place, raising concerns regarding oil level accuracy and lubrication integrity on the replacement engine. This complaint is submitted due to concern that a ksds safety recall-related engine failure involving abnormal combustion was not properly reviewed or escalated, and that recall procedures were not administered in accordance with their intent.

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I am submitting a formal written complaint to supplement my existing NHTSA safety report id 11702339 regarding a serious fuel system defect on my 2013 kia Sorento. My car began experiencing sluggish starting, sputtering during acceleration, stalling at stop signs and traffic lights, and a strong fuel odor. A check engine light subsequently illuminated, and due to safety concerns, the vehicle was towed to a kia dealership for diagnosis. The dealership confirmed and documented fuel leakage from the high-pressure fuel pressure regulator and fuel contamination in the engine oil. This defect presents a serious safety risks: increased risk of engine fire due to fuel leakage, unexpected loss of power while stopped or in traffic, and increased likelihood of a collision due to engine stalling. This vehicle previously had its engine replaced under a kia recall in 2020, making this failure particularly concerning. Fuel system failures and post-recall engine-related defects have been the subject of multiple kia recalls, service campaigns, and NHTSA investigations involving engine fires and fuel leaks. Despite the dealership's documented diagnosis and clear safety implications, kia consumer affairs denied recall coverage and refused to assist with repair costs, stating this is not a recall-related issue. The estimated repair cost exceeds $1,700, and the vehicle remains unsafe and undrivable. Given the confirmed fuel leakage, fuel contamination of engine oil, prior recall engine replacement, repeated stalling events, and kia's refusal to acknowledge responsibility, I respectfully request that NHTSA review this case as part of a potential defect trend, particularly involving high-pressure fuel system components on kia Sorento vehicles with prior recall engine replacements. I am submitting this complaint to ensure this safety issue is formally documented, investigated, and considered for further action to protect consumers. Thank you for your attention to this serious safety matter.

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I am reporting a safety defect on my 2013 kia Sorento (VIN: [xxx] ). Before the failure, the vehicle began experiencing sluggish starting, sputtering during acceleration, stalling when stopped at traffic lights or stop signs, a noticeable fuel odor, and eventually a check engine light. These symptoms increased over several days, and once the check engine light illuminated, we had the vehicle towed to a kia dealership for diagnosis. At the dealership, the problem was confirmed and reproduced by their technicians. They diagnosed: •fuel leakage from the high-pressure fuel pressure regulator •fuel contamination in the engine oil these components and diagnostic findings are available for inspection upon request. This issue poses a significant safety risk. Fuel leakage and fuel-in-oil contamination increase the potential for an engine fire, and the hesitation, sputtering, and stalling at intersections present a risk of unexpected loss of power in traffic, which could result in a collision. The vehicle previously had its engine replaced under a kia recall in 2020, and the current symptoms are consistent with known kia engine and fuel system defects addressed in past recalls and technical service bulletins. The vehicle has been inspected only by the dealership so far; it has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Kia consumer affairs has been contacted and is reviewing the case. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue as a potential defect trend involving the high-pressure fuel system on this model, especially in vehicles with prior recall-related engine replacements. Documentation from the dealership, including the diagnostic report and repair estimate, is available upon request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle: 2016 kia Sorento, VIN [xxx] incident date: November 13, 2025 incident location: durham, nc (3828 guess rd) cause of loss: engine fire, confirmed by durham fire department report (incident #253663) as "originated from under the hood. " technical narrative & symptoms (critical for liability): I am filing this complaint to report a catastrophic vehicle fire that I believe is directly linked to multiple acknowledged manufacturing defects that create a fire risk in kia vehicles. Abs/traction control light warning (direct fire risk symptom): immediately prior to the loss, the abs and traction control warning lights were constantly illuminated. This is a known precursor symptom for the defective hydraulic electronic control unit (hecu) or abs module short-circuit, which has been cited in numerous kia fire recalls (e. G. , NHTSA 20v019, 20v519). The fire's origin under the hood is consistent with this component failure. Prior engine failures (systemic defect history): this vehicle has a history of catastrophic manufacturing defects: the engine assembly was replaced in 2023 due to the known theta ii rod bearing failure. The knock sensor was replaced in September 2025 as part of the ksds product improvement campaign, demonstrating the vehicle was still under active service for critical engine monitoring defects just weeks before the fire. Potential tow hitch wiring fire risk: the vehicle was fully engulfed, but the fire may also be linked to the defect cited in NHTSA recall 22v703 (tow hitch wiring harness short circuit, which also poses a fire risk). I require a full investigation into this defect leading to compensation for the total loss of the vehicle and consequential damages. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My vehicle has a slow speed pick up and I’m getting code p0018 and has very rough idling !.

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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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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).

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.

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Around 35,000 miles the vehicles fuel pump, relay assembly, and Smart junction box failed and left my wife stranded. Kia took about 7+ days to diagnose and repair.

My Sorento started smelling like gas , inside & outside. Worse when I stop driving. The fuel pump pressure hose (that’s in a compartment under my backseat) is spraying fuel everywhere inside the compartment it in. The safety for myself and my grand sons that are all 2years old (3 of them) is we are inhaling the fumes from it separating steadily out under the seat their car seats are sitting on. I have not taken my vehicle to anyone but my friend after seeing a video of why a guys vehicle smelled like gas no inspection has been done by anyone I’m not even sure what steps I need to take or what to do now. There were no messages, lights, etc. , that flashed or popped up on my message center. It just all of a sudden one day started smelling like gasoline in my car. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My engine was replaced under the kia pi1802y/z engine replacement program in July of 2024 in August of 2025 after the replacement I began to smell gas in my vehicle and took my vehicle to the kia dealership to find out what the issue was. They informed me that it was a fuel pump leak due to bad gaskets. I believe the engine replacement was done improperly and should be under the sc172 high pressure fuel outlet recall campaign. I have reached out to kia and the dealership. The dealership is being less than cooperative and kia is not addressing the issue specifically. The gas leak was significant and was potentially dangerous. It would fill up my entire garage with fumes.

My car started to act crazy not wanting to move when in traffic.

Dad, driving back with daughter, noticed a brief and unusual delay between shifts, but was able to make it home fine. A few minutes later, mom left for picking up son after school. On the way there, she noticed sluggish acceleration, louder engine sounds/effort on acceleration and mild slopes, and there was a lag in acceleration response. After powering off the vehicle and sit in idle to recharge battery, restarted trip home and was unable to get acceleration response up the hills, doing only 20 mph. Engine was struggling and not getting any acceleration response. No check engine lights were generated as usual. Dad called service manager at kia temecula and he said to call kia roadside assistance to come tow the car to them. He also said that likely we'll be out of pocket to do any car rentals until they have a car to loan to us.

The vehicle emits a strong fuel odor: seems to be around the rear of vehicle & front engine compartment of vehicle. Seems the fuel system, both low & high pressure fuel pumps and their pipes channels are leaking to emit a strong fuel odor. Extreme high volatile combustion & fire risk! remedy: the fuel system including both low & high pressure fuel pumps & their pipes channels need replaced with strong, better engineered components! a newer vehicle like this should not be having fuel system failures.

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Nhtsa complaint – kia Sorento vehicle: 2025 kia Sorento component/system: engine, fuel/propulsion system, power train date of incident: [xxx] location: [xxx] , southbound description of the problem: while driving my 2025 kia Sorento southbound on [xxx] , the accelerator did not respond properly both on a flat road and while going uphill. The engine failed to provide adequate power, creating a serious safety risk on the highway. The vehicle is currently at the dealer for inspection, which will take place on Monday. However, I am extremely frustrated that I have not been provided a loaner or rental vehicle, even though I need transportation immediately. Additionally, as a u. S. Citizen, I feel I am being treated unfairly and receiving discriminatory service compared to others in similar situations. No warning lights or messages appeared before the incident. The dealer has not confirmed or fixed the issue yet. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. I am reporting this issue to document the safety risk, service denial, and potential discrimination, and to seek proper investigation. Inspection availability: unknown – vehicle can be inspected upon request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Fuel pump leaking gas from a crack around electrical connections on top of it. Fire hazard.

* high pressure fuel pump quick disconnect fuel line fitting leaking fuel. * raw fuel leaking poses a risk of fire and danger to the vehicle occupants. Raw fuel leaking in a closed in area as it did in my garage could have lead to an explosion due ignition of the fuel vapors. * my vehicle was repaired by a kia dealership. The dealership noted that they've seen this issue several times in the past few months including one instance where the fuel line fitting actually fell off. The dealership acknowledged this failure hasn't yet become a recall issue which is why I'm filing a complaint with the nhsta to establish a record of the issue. * the component was probably discarded by the dealership. The dealership didn't mention sending the part out for inspection or reporting the issue to the manufacturer. Galeana kia did provide 2 pictures of the fuel leak area. I've attached these to this form. * there were no warning lamps or messages for this type of leak. The vehicle drove as normal. It wasn't until I parked the vehicle in my garage that I noticed a strong smell of raw fuel.

Fuel pump main high pressure connection to line got hairline crack on main fuel connection line resorting to fuel leak and smell outside and inside of vehicle.

To whom this may concern, I'm having to replace an upper module fuel pump that goes into the top of the tank. This part is being recalled on several other kia vehicles but not mine. The car was stalling and had a heavy smell of gasoline. I was told by my repair shop not to drive this car until repaired due to gasoline fumes having the potential to be ignited and cause a fire. I was told by kia customer care (sandra) on 6-30-25 @ 655am mst that my VIN number was not a part of this recall. I explained my car was experiencing the same issue and required the same repair as other recalls for kia and I was directed to file a formal complaint with NHTSA for assistance. Can you please assist with a formal recall. This is a very dangerous situation with flammable fumes escaping. Sincerely, [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Fuel pump is leaking, unsafe to drive vehicle, no check engine light just really bad smell of gas.

Upper fuel pump module is defected and will malfunction. This leads to a fuel leak inside the vehicle. You will be able to see the leak if you remove the back seat and you will be able to smell the fumes of the fuel inside and outside the vehicle. This has occurred twice to our vehicle. First time, the vehicle had 72000 miles and the 2nd time is 130 000. The kia dealership repaired it the first time and has acknowledged the leak both times. This is dangerous as the vehicle can burst into flames by a spark or flame. We did not receive any warning lights regarding the fuel leak. The leak was determined by the smell and the reduced miles per gallon.

I have had many issues where my car will completely shut off after the auto start-stop function causing me to almost get into accidents with my toddlers in the vehicle. There was one incident where I was at a stop light, when the light turned green I started my car again to go and another vehicle continued to bypass me. When I halted for the other vehicle, my engine shut off again almost the cause of a horrific accident. I have had many incidents after this with the related cause of engine shutting off.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

I smelled fuel in & around vehicle. Did some checking discovered cracked fuel rail , causing significant fuel leak when engine is on. Did some more research online discovered 2012 kia sedona recall sc188 “fuel rail leak” identical issue my 2012 Sorento has but my VIN does not come up with fuel leak recall. There is however recall 23v652 hecu replacement- engine fire possible.

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Have had an issue of losing power while on an interstate traveling back from work twice now. After the second time I reported to my local dealership. While driving home, my vehicle lost power and was extremely slow and unresponsive. Check engine light came on but when checked under the diagnostics of the entertainment system, showed no issues present. Light turn off but still was having issues with responsiveness. When arriving home connected my personal odb scanner tool to the vehicle and showed 1 code p0301cylinder 1 misfire. Had take. Pics of the code and of my obd tool and cleared the code. Car started functioning correctly again. But still took to dealership for analysis. Dealership could not find any issues or codes, probably cause I cleared the code which allowed the vehicle to run normally again.

The fuel injectors, it is available for inspection. The vehicle feels like it is going to stop unexpectedly, or will not accelerate when it is suppose to, which leads me to feel unsafe driving it with my children. This is the same exact issue we had previously and it was confirmed and fixed by the dealership. The component was previously inspected and confirmed but since happening again has not been- I called the dealership and told them about the issue and they stated my vehicle was not included and they are on a month wait list. The check engine light is on. My check engine light came on, when accelerating the vehicle seems to "jump" or need a minute to catch up. It also makes a sputtering and a "tink-tink" noise when the vehicle is on. We had this exact issue moths ago and it was the fuel injector- which was replaced by kia.

Strong smell of gas while driving and under the hood of car with no visible leaks.

There have been 2 incidents. First, I was going down a steep incline and used my paddles to down shift and up shift. When I entered the flat area the car lost power 25mph to 38 mph. I was unable to go any faster. This continued until I shut off car. Then it went back to normal. A few days later driving on flat streets it lost power again in the same way. I returned home shut off car and it started up as usual again. I took it to dealer and it has been with them 4 days. They were unaware of any other complaints and cannot locate the problem. I have to take grandkids to school and activities a few times a week. This is very dangerous especially on the freeway. Found similar problems on internet.

1) I bought this car in October 2021, when it had ~79,000 miles on it. After ~2,000 miles, it showed a low engine oil sign, and it has been showing this issue since then, I. E. , I have to change my oil/filter after every ~2000 miles. It has incurred a huge cost. I talked to the dealers, but they did nothing to solve this problem and charged me ~$1200. Funny part. Whenever I go for an oil change, they say that kia/Hyundai cars have this engine problem. It's a joke to this system that the govt still allows them to roll on the USA roads. 2) today, this car had a flashing engine light. I will go to a mechanic tomorrow, but afraid of how much they will charge.

My vehicle falls under the 2013 kia sorrento engine replacement and fuel pump. Recall these have not been done to my vehicle. I even double checked with the previous owner and kia did not service the engine or replace it although it has a recall under mine, and all the symptoms stated in the recall with the engine and fuel pump are happening with my vehicle now how do I get this service covered under the recall also a very strong fuel odor.

Critical issue: gasoline leaks into engine. That causes increasing engine oil level significantly and mixed with engine oil. I dropped off me car (mileage: 11731) at kia pro in glendale, CA on 5/1/2025 as soon as I confirmed that engine oil level exceeds the maximum (twice of max) and smelled gasoline from the dipstick. The service advisor and a tech confirmed that the excessive engine oil level and gasoline smell. However, they refused to repair it under warranty because they don't see any physical leaks and error codes. In addition to that, they told me that the car is not good to drive as is because gasoline is mixed with engine oil. In my opinion, this can cause critical powertrain failures or possible life-threatening damages if that initiates fire from engine. Car maintenance history: at 6312miles, 1 oil change change at kia in alhambra, CA I have attached the service receipt on 5/1 for your reference. That shows that the dealership confirmed the issue but they didn't try to resolve the issue.