Power Train Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

On [xxx], a 2022 kia Sorento with 37,971 miles displayed "transmission system error! check transmission oil immediately. " the vehicle is currently drivable, with no crash and no injury reported, but the driver is concerned about a potential loss of drive power while driving. Pride kia of lynn, 793 lynnway, lynn, MA 01905, confirmed an appointment only for December 1, 2026 at 8:00 am, 36 days later, and refused to advance the inspection. A VIN recall check on October 26, 2026 showed 0 unrepaired recalls for this vehicle, including no open sc250 transmission recall. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

When driving between 10 to 50 mph with foot on gas pedal my car won’t jerk sputter and lose complete loss of power while making a turn. I have to release my gas pedal and push back down and it takes a solid couple seconds to get any power back. I’ve been almost hit a couple times in the last two weeks because as I’m turning my car just loses all power.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

2022 kia Sorento, VIN [xxx], subject to recall 22v760 (kia sc250, 8-speed dct electric oil pump). The recall was performed with a software update only; the transmission and original pump were not replaced. On xxx at 116,273 miles, while driving, the dash displayed “transmission system error! check transmission oil immediately” and the vehicle entered limp mode. My scan tool read p193b79 (high-pressure electric oil pump performance) and p0868 (transmission fluid pressure low). The message cleared on its own. I later cleared the codes with my scan tool; p0868 returned and p193b79 has not as of xxx. No fluid leaks. Transmission gear oil was serviced at a kia dealer about 13,900 miles earlier. Kia’s recall report says this pump defect can cause complete loss of motive power. I believe the software-only remedy left the defective pump in the vehicle and may be inadequate. I am limiting use of the vehicle. Kia America case #xxx. A dealer has not yet diagnosed the vehicle. That is the next step. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while accelerating between 10 mph and 15 mph, the vehicle vibrated and jerked, similar to an attempted gear shift, before returning to normal operation. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power, particularly while traveling down a decline. The failure was a recurring issue. The dealer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 76,500.

The vehicle experienced a sudden transmission malfunction while operation on public roads. The check engine light illuminated on the dashboard, and a diagnostic scan from the app revealed active error code p1c2d03. This specific component failure looks like it relates directly to kia safety recall sc250 (NHTSA campaign 22v760) regarding the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (dct). Although my specific VIN shows no active recalls. The failure presents an immediate safety risk as it causes an abrupt, unexpected loss of all motive power while driving in traffic.

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Transmission has failed and dealership scanner did not read code p1c2d03, the diagnostic has confirmed a severe, structural failure of the transmission: the internal fluid barrier seal has worn through, causing total cross-contamination of the dct gear oil and control fluid. This physical fluid mixing is actively starving the electric oil pump and throwing codes p086800 and p193b79. This creates the exact safety hazard described in safety recall sc250. Kia informed me that since I didn't have a direct p1c2d03 code it would not fall under the recall and they would not be replacing the transmission. I was told by another tech that the two codes are related to p1c2d03. To me a barrier failure is a mechanical failure that should be covered under the recall. My vehicle has 133,000 miles on it so it isn't covered under warranty.

I noticed my car having a delayed engagement whenever I put it in reverse. I had to wait a couple of seconds before it would go in reverse. As I was leaving my job there is a hill and I noticed jerking when trying to accelerate up. As I made if past the hill I stop at a light,upon takeoff I noticed my car wouldn't accelerate but the rpm gauge spiked. I turned it off and then back on and it did the same only this time the check engine light came on. The issues I am having with my car fits the description of what the recall is for and I can't believe my car isnt part of the recall! the same make,model,year and engine(turbo). The car isn't even drivable and I will have to have it towed to a dealership and it could be days before they can look at it.

Driving down the road and all of a sudden the red oil pressure light appeared then the engine light appeared. The car engine power then reduced and ultimately ended up stopping, turning the car off. The car now has a loud ticking and knock coming from engine. From previous recalls I see that this is a common problem on these cars. This was without warning and occured a couple of days after a oil change. Oil was in good condition and full. The car is drivable but not safe to do so. There's a loud rattling noise while accelarating. Leads me to believe possible lifters and rod knock.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power on the highway due to the failure of the transmission electric oil pump, matching NHTSA campaign 22v760000. The vehicle previously received only the tcu software update remedy. The software update failed to prevent the underlying physical defect from occurring, and the vehicle is now dangerously disabled. The local dealership is refusing to perform the physical transmission replacement mandated by the recall remedy, falsely claiming the recall is permanently closed because of the prior software patch.

Delayed shifting: noticeable delay when shifting from park to drive or reverse. Slipping gears: slipping out of gear unexpectedly. Rough shifting: a rough or jerky shifting warning lights: the check engine light or transmission warning light may illuminate on the dashboard.

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Kia completed recall sc250 via a software update only. The physical hardware has now failed (code p193b). Kia corporate and the local dealership are refusing to honor the safety recall remedy because the software update marked the recall 'complete,' leaving a failed, dangerous transmission unaddressed.

Upon a catastrophic engine failure tasca kia replaced engine under theta ii settlement. I picked up my kia on 9/12. Engine is not running properly. It’s jerking and there is loud mechanical knocking. I don’t feel safe driving. I’ve contacted kia corporate beginning 9/16 who contacted tasca to arrange for tow and loaner. They said tasca service mgr would contact soon to set up. They never did. I called corporate again later that day and after they called tasca they were told service mgr went home for the day. As of this date tasca kia has not contacted me. I again called kia corporate 9/17 asking to please escalate and allow me to use another service dept. The only other service location with loaner is a half hour away and I cannot afford another tow or another rental. I am stranded with a car that is not safe due to installation failure or another defective engine. No one from kia will help in a reasonable time frame. I’m now told it can take up to 48 business hours for any assistance. In the meantime I’m being forced to decide on whether to risk driving an unsafe vehicle to the service dept or to continue waiting for kia to contact me.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2022 kia Sorento. The contact stated after driving 25-30 mph into a parking lot and parking the vehicle, the message "transmission system error check transmission" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store, where it was determined that the transmission pump was failing, there was low oil pressure, but no debris found inside the transmission. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where no diagnostic trouble codes were retrieved; a hard transmission reset was performed. Following the repair, the failure recurred, and an unknown vehicle symbol displayed on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was returned to the local dealer with the error message and symbol present. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

Car will lose power sporadically ,go into limp mode . Need to shut off ignition,restart and then fine till next time!.

The contact owns a 2014 kia sorrento. The contact stated that while driving, the engine suddenly seized in the middle of traffic. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with crankshaft failure. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was confirmed that the crankshaft had seized. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.

Hard shifting and kia said I need a new transmission, 99,500 miles.

Transmission failure at 99,000 miles replaced by dealer under warranty.

While braking in a left hand turn lane waiting for the vehicles in front to turn left through an intersection, the vehicle stalled, shut off, and forced a manual restart in the turn lane. This same sequence happened again at another red light when the brake was engaged. The dealership the car was purchased from would not evaluate the car as they stated it is under factory warranty and should be evaluated at the manufacturer. The closest kia manufacturer has been notified, but they have not inspected it, as they stated they have a lift malfunction and do not have the ability to run diagnostics until at least 10/16/26. No warning lamps or messages appeared prior to the hard stop. After the car stalled, there was a message that appeared stating the car would need to be manually restarted by putting it in park or neutral and engaging the start button. It took 2 tries to restart the car. A police officer did pull up behind me for my safety while the car was stalled, but they let me go when the car restarted. My safety was put at risk as this happened while actively trying pull up to and through a busy intersection in a double left-turn lane. The car stalled right before the intersection while waiting on other cars in front of me to turn left on an unprotected left turn. If I had been braking in the intersection and the car stalled, it could have caused a serious accident with oncoming traffic. I have only owned the car for 45 days. There were two separate occasions in the week prior to this incident where an attempt was made to start the car when parked, and the electrical panel came on, but the engine did not engage. In those instances, turning the car back off then turning it on started the car and no other issues were noted until the issue arose with hard stops when idling at intersections. The car is under 54,000 miles. It is available for inspection upon request.

I own a 2021 kia Sorento 2. 5l turbo awd with approximately 150,000 miles. In the evening, while driving home after dinner with my daughter in the vehicle, I was traveling in the area of [xxx] and [xxx] when the vehicle displayed a “stop safely immediately” warning. The vehicle unexpectedly slowed down/appeared to brake on its own while I was driving. There was no check-engine light at that time and the warning did not remain on, so I did not initially know what caused the incident. Approximately two weeks later, the vehicle developed delayed shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Rpm increased from about 2,000 to 3,000 before the next gear engaged. Switching from eco to comfort mode initially seemed to help, but later that day the problem worsened even in comfort mode and also began occurring from 2nd to 3rd gear. The check-engine light then came on. O'reilly auto parts scanned the vehicle and reported codes p0868/p086800 (transmission fluid pressure low) and p193b79 (high pressure electric oil pump performance). Kia has not yet diagnosed the current problem, and the vehicle is available for inspection. Kia checked my VIN for recalls sometime in 2025 and advised there was no open recall. I am aware of kia safety recall sc250/NHTSA recall 22v-760 involving the 8-speed dct electric oil pump on certain 2021-2022 Sorento vehicles. I am concerned because my vehicle experienced the “stop safely immediately” warning and unexpected slowing and now has worsening transmission symptoms and related diagnostic codes. I am concerned the vehicle could unexpectedly lose drive power while being driven. I request NHTSA review whether my vehicle's condition may be related to the existing safety defect and whether additional vehicles should be investigated. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine seized per kia inspected by kia after aaa towed and could not start car warning lamps have been on for over 6 months. Kia inspected and ran diagnostics at that time and said it was nothing to fix just an annoying dashboard malfunction.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift gear as intended, and the rpm was extremely elevated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact pulled over, and the message "possible condition with the transmission control system detected - press sos for roadside assistance" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission 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 116,000.

The transmission pump on my transmission just went out randomly last week. The power in my car went into limp mode and the car won't drive properly now. The car was being driven at the time this happened, and my husband had to pull over, as the car wouldn't work. I had this looked at by an auto body shop and they diagnosed it with this, which is to be found that there is a recall on my specific year and model of car for this issue as well. For about a month prior, we had noticed a few "stutters" when driving the car. After I hit 100k miles on the car, it was doing it almost daily.

Vehicle flashes auto start stop icon on the dashboard, which is not commonplace. When this occurs, the vehicle can not accelerate when the accelerator is actuated. The vehicle can not accelerate past 40mph and the rpm is sporadic. This happens randomly and can not be diagnosed by the dealership. Multiple dealerships have tried and none can duplicate this issue. This is a severe safety concern and seems to be common all over multiple forums.

The transmission failed for the fourth time. The transmission (power train) is the component that failed and is available for inspection at the dealership. The vehicle became unsafe and unreliable to drive due to the repeated transmission failures, creating a risk of sudden loss of power or control. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer on multiple occasions, most recently on August 24, 2026. The vehicle has also been inspected by kia America as part of an open case (case #25964896). History: the 1st transmission failure was covered under the original factory warranty. The 2nd failure occurred after the 12,000-mile transmission replacement warranty had expired, requiring an out-of-pocket repair of $5,500. The 3rd failure occurred within 12,000 miles of that replacement and was covered by kia. On August 24, 2026, the dealer confirmed the transmission had failed again — a 4th failure of the same component. Warning symptoms typically appeared as loss of power, hesitation, or rough shifting prior to each failure.

The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns 2020 kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for a routine oil change when the contact was informed that there was an unknown issue with the vehicle however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission fluid was leaking and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2023 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop or while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The message “transmission fluid low” was displayed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train); as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 208,600.

"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,.

Car goes into "limp mode" and functions on only partial power. Warning light reads "transmission system error! check transmission oil immediately. " dealership says car shows no codes. My 2022 kia Sorento sx had a recall because this problem is known. Kia recalled all the 2021 and 22's and fixed the programming to allow for limp mode. This "fix" kia dealership kept the car and drove it but could not replicate. I took the car back and it happened again. It has happened on July 24th, August 26, September 3, October 7. In between, I've paid for an $800 transmission service and kia has replaced the "clutch pack for the transmission" (whatever that is). The car pros kia service writers all said that I needed to bring the car back while the warning was on. So when it happened yesterday, 10/7/26, I "limped" it 15 miles with my 4 way flashers on and carefully did not turn the car off so that someone could observe the warning. The service writers would not even come out and look at it - after all those previous demands that I bring it in with the warning on. They just had a flunky drive it to the garage to look at tomorrow. I had a foster child in the car (I am a court appointed special advocate to foster children) on two of these occasions. Since they replaced the clutch pack, my mpg have dropped about 20 - 25%. This is a known problem - kia campaign sc250. I have tried to only tell you the relevant essentials. If you need more information, please call, text or email.

2015 kia Sorento v6 engine failed and seized. VIN was not included in kia extended warranty offered for this year and engine.

I am filing this complaint regarding my 2021 kia Sorento, which has suffered a transmission failure. The transmission slips, shifts harshly, hesitates during acceleration, loses power unexpectedly, and has become unsafe to drive. 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 operate as expected. 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 or would never have purchased the dangerous vehicle in the first place. It is extremely frustrating and costly 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 then went away even though the issue did not. Prior to that warning, the vehicle had already shown delayed shifting, slipping, hesitation, rough gear changes, and loss of power, which became progressively worse. I reported this to kia on a previous service visit to romeo kia in lake katrine, NY and was told they did not find anything wrong. This situation has caused significant emotional stress and anxiety. I am requesting a full review and a fair resolution from kia. Thank.

I have a 2023 kia Sorento with approx 60k, purchased new from new pot richey kia. Approx 7 days ago, while driving home from dropping my son at school, my transmission system error warning came on as well as my check engine light. My rpm's would increased without corresponding acceleration, which meant my transmission, was slipping. I was also experiencing jerking during shifting. In addition to that, my car would hesitate before moving. And I would also experience a slight vibrations at low speeds. All of this would make me feel unsafe when driving my car.

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.

The electric oil pump circuit board for the transmission failed, causing motive power loss. The vehicle is currently located at ourisman chantilly kia and is available for inspection. Safety was compromised due to sudden loss of drive power while operating on public roads, creating a severe crash hazard. The failure was diagnosed and confirmed by ourisman chantilly kia service department, which retrieved active diagnostic trouble code p1c2d03. The vehicle was inspected by the kia dealership service department. Prior to failure, check engine/warning lights illuminated and transmission drive symptoms appeared. This vehicle is subject to recall sc250. A software update was performed under a previous owner, but the physical component failed. Kia is refusing replacement because the recall was marked "closed" after the software patch, leaving a known unaddressed safety defect active on the vehicle.

The vehicle suddenly lost power when in drive or reverse but will idle fine in park or neutral.