Power Train Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

Car losing power.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Following an engine replacement performed at billion auto kia in rapid city, sd, I began experiencing persistent electrical system failures in my 2017 kia Sorento. The vehicle alarm would activate randomly without cause, including while I was inside the vehicle with the engine running. Additionally, the door locks would engage spontaneously, trapping me inside the vehicle and preventing me from exiting. The only way to exit was to forcibly pull the door handle, which triggered the alarm. I have video documentation of these incidents. I presented the vehicle to billion auto kia in rapid city, sd — an authorized kia dealership with these exact symptoms. The service department was unable to identify a root cause and provided no repair path, returning the vehicle to me unrepaired. 7 months later, courtesy kia of brandon in brandon, FL, another authorized kia dealership diagnosed the root cause as a failed body control module (bcm). During the service visit, a kia dealership technician personally witnessed the alarm activating spontaneously while operating the vehicle, further confirming the defect. The bcm failure was present and active at the time of the prior authorized dealer visit and was not detected. The failed bcm has also caused the gear shifter to become completely stuck, unable to shift out of park, leaving the vehicle fully inoperable. This vehicle has had 6 recall actions performed since purchase — 4 completed after my purchase in August 2023, and two completed prior to my purchase. Despite this recall history, the vehicle has experienced an engine failure and a bcm failure within less than 3 years of my ownership. Being trapped inside a vehicle with a malfunctioning lock system represents a serious safety hazard, particularly in the event of an accident or emergency requiring rapid exit. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether a safety defect exists in the body control module of 2017 kia Sorento vehicles and whether additional recall action is warranted.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The vehicle is suffering from a chronic, cascading powertrain and fuel management defect that has resulted in a critical safety hazard: sudden engine stalling. Over the last 17,000 miles, the vehicle has experienced three severe engine/emissions failures that the manufacturer has been unable to permanently resolve. At approximately 30,000 miles (on 29-Jun-2025), the engine suffered a severe cylinder 3 misfire (code p0303). At approximately 39,000 miles (on 02-Jan-2026), the unresolved fuel issue caused a failure of the catalytic converter (code p0420) and an evaporative emission system leak (code p0456). At 47,000 miles (current event), the fuel delivery system failed completely. The engine began running excessively rich (code p2178), causing the engine idle to drop dangerously low (code p0506). This defect caused the vehicle to suddenly stall out, resulting in a complete loss of motive power and leaving me stranded. Because the manufacturer's authorized repair facilities have only addressed the symptoms rather than the root cause of the fuel system failure, the vehicle repeatedly loses power and stalls without warning. This poses a severe safety risk to myself and other motorists, especially when operating the vehicle in traffic or at highway speeds.

At stop lights trying to excel it stales for a couple of seconds then resumes. Does this on and off all day because I drive for a living. Finally the check engine light is on and now have to replace the whole turbo because it’s failing. I just got the car mid March of 2026. I have kids and scared to drive around and the car fail on me.

See all problems of the 2022 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 🔎.

My vehicle lost power and accelerated quickly yet unpredictably, and the check engine light came on. A local shop told me it was "an old code" for the transmission and that if it does that again to take it to dealer. It occurred again. Kia dealer states this vehicle has a recall and has been repaired twice, but that they will not repair it again. This is such an unsafe issue they will not allow me to drive the vehicle. I will have to pay almost $7,000 to replace the transmission.

Was in for service on recalls 2 weeks ago may 2026. . . Dealer did not fix shift solenoid recall. . Stated bcu need replaced. . . Driving may 28 26 without warning no lights anything lost power while driving and engine and or transmission failed. . Lost oil. . . Metal shavings in dipstick oil. Oil on skid plate cover. . 3. 3l v6 2016 kia Sorento lx was able to get off road without crashing.

See all problems of the 2016 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 🔎.

I found that he ignition key can be removed from my 2017 kia Sorento while the transmission is not in the park position. This is a shift interlock failure. Under fmvss 114, the key must be trapped in the ignition unless the transmission is confirmed in park. This defect caused the vehicle to roll down my driveway after my wife & daughter exited the car & were unloading groceries. The vehicle was purchased in April 2026 from a used car dealer lot. The defect was discovered shortly after purchase. No dealer repair has been performed yet. I am contacting kia consumer affairs requesting a goodwill safety repair under fmvss 114. Component affected: power train — automatic transmission — shift interlock system.

Had to replace transmission at 133k miles. It was jolting sometimes providing a hard jolt at times will driving. There are also times of what feels like a cylinder misfire. Oil is constantly leaking and have to replace oil every 1k miles. Have had multiple shops look at it and not able to find anything. Now during acceleration there is a huge grey smoke cloud coming from the exhaust. Looking at this site and through online it seems to be a common issue with this car and engine. So there has been multiple issues with this car - oil consumption of the engine leading to smoke in the exhaust and the transmission which was replaced a week ago.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

2016 kia Sorento 2. 4 mileage 75,500 (just out of warranty as of Jan 2026), vehicle is having transmission issue, hard shifting/jerking from1st gear to 2nd gear on first cold start-up of the day. No warning lamps on. Took into kia to have the transmission serviced, cost $462, did not solve the issues. Kia paperwork upon completion of service paperwork stated "no further action required, transmission operates to manufacturer's specifications". Safety issue: vehicle may stall during operation.

The car started sticking when driving then a knocking in the engine. Upon investigation/ diagnostics we found that the engine is blown and needs replacing. I have owned this car for 3 years to date and have keep up on all maintenance which you can find on carfax there is no reason at 136,000 an engine should blow. I would like this fixed ASAP.

Vehicle has a recurring p0018 fault code (crankshaft position - camshaft position correlation bank 2 sensor a). Dealer diagnosed loose cam pins on bank 2 requiring major engine repair. This fault creates a safety risk as improper camshaft timing can cause unexpected engine stalling while driving, resulting in sudden loss of power, power steering, and brake assist. The manufacturer has denied warranty coverage despite the vehicle being within the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. This appears to be a known widespread issue on the 3. 3l v6 engine. Vehicle has 96,000 miles and is still within warranty coverage period.

Immediately after a dealership-performed warranty repair, the vehicle experienced a severe safety?critical failure at highway speed. The vehicle began shaking violently, produced loud knocking and impact noises, and metal pieces fell from the underside. The failure occurred without warning and created an immediate loss of safe drivability. The dealership later documented that an engine mount (‘lower dog bone mount’) had not been torqued to specification, which allowed the engine to shift back and forth under load. This improper torque caused the violent shaking, metal impacts, and falling metal. The problem was confirmed by the dealership, but no corrective repair was performed. Only a single bolt was re?torqued, and no inspection was done to determine the extent of damage, the source of the falling metal, or the cause of the knocking. The vehicle was returned in an unsafe condition and has not been driven since. The vehicle had to be towed directly from the highway due to the severity of the failure, and it was delivered straight to the dealership because it was unsafe to operate. The vehicle remains available for inspection.

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

On my way home Friday evening from work. After exiting the expressway , I made a right turn on the street going towards my house. My steering wheel locked to the right and almost caused me to run into another car. If I had not be driving slow than the speed limit or still on the expressway, this would have been a very bad accident, if not fatal! this is after the dealership made repairs on my vehicle and deemed it safe to drive.

At 7,100 miles the transmission failed requiring a new transmission replacement after one year. At 16,636 miles (2years into the lease) the new transmission also failed, and the car is in the garage getting another transmission replacement after.

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

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.

I bought this used with 113,000 miles on it. Within the first year, I had to fix ac,oil leak and alternator. I also had to replace the transmission which gave out completely. Then about 14 months into owning this vehicle, the engine light came on, and I suddenly could not maintain speed. I was lucky I was not on the main highway where I would have been hit from cars behind me. Kia refuses to fix/replace the engine because it is out of warranty. I believe this is too many things that have gone wrong to not be considered defective. I now have to cut my losses and get a different car.

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my 2021 kia Sorento and the repeated lack of resolution from the dealership where the vehicle was purchased and serviced. I have taken my vehicle to the dealership multiple times to address ongoing and serious safety concerns. Despite having active warranties on the transmission and powertrain, I have continually been told that there is nothing they can do, and my concerns have not been properly addressed. The vehicle is experiencing persistent issues, including: the transmission jerking and jarring when shifting gears the dashboard and center display screen intermittently go completely black while driving these issues do not occur constantly, but they happen frequently enough to pose a significant safety risk. I regularly have my grandchildren in the vehicle, and their safety, as well as my own, is my highest priority. Each time I have contacted the dealership to report these problems, I have been met with excuses and resistance to even scheduling an appointment. Due to the lack of cooperation, I felt I had no choice but to drop off my vehicle on April 13, 2026, without an appointment in order to have it addressed. I am extremely disappointed in the level of service and treatment I have received. As a loyal customer—this being my third vehicle purchased from the same dealership—I have never experienced this type of disregard. I also feel that I have not been treated fairly and, at times, have been dismissed in a way that is concerning and unacceptable. I am requesting the following: a full and thorough diagnostic of my vehicle, specifically addressing the transmission and electrical issues proper repair under warranty clear communication regarding findings and next steps immediate attention to these safety concerns I purchased this vehicle with the expectation of reliability and safety. At this time, I do not feel safe driving it, and I am requesting that kia take this matter seriously.

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).

2022 kia Sorento. Dec 2024(previous owner incident) to new owner purchase may 2025- April 2026 vehicle keeps displaying all lights and warnings, loses acceleration & loss of throttle power while driving. High voltage code p0653 code displays. Rpm’s will go up and down while vehicle is in park. Have had an active case open with kia America escalated case specialist since Nov 2025. Vehicle has been taken to two different kia dealerships and has had this incident 7 times since may 2025 used purchase. A few different parts have been changed while working with a kia America tech over a computer, yet it doesn’t fix the problem. It was reported in 2024 by the previous owner and the dealership could not find the source. It was never disclosed from the dealership prior to reselling. My problems started 3 weeks after owning the car. Less than 200 miles. I got in contact with previous owner, the vehicle kept going into limp mode while driving & the code would clear before she could get it to the shop & they couldn’t resolve it, so she traded it back in. 1st incident: Dec 2, 2024 (previous owner) 2nd: June 6, 2025 3rd: July 19, 2025 4th: August 14, 205 5th: September 19,2025 contacted kia after and finally assigned a case officer Nov 10, 2025. Taken to shop Nov 11, 2025. 6th: Feb 22, 2026 7th: April 4, 2026 - going 75mph on a highway and having to cross 4 lanes of traffic with no throttle power.

The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of drive power and entered a 'fail-safe' mode with check engine light, warning chimes and service vehicle warning message. A diagnostic scan revealed fault codes p1c2d03 (high pressure electric oil pump motor position sensor), p193b79 (high pressure electric oil pump performance), and p086800 (transmission fluid pressure low). These three specific codes are cited in kia recall sc250 (NHTSA 22v760) and associated technical bulletins as evidence of an internal electric oil pump failure requiring full transmission replacement. The safety of occupants was compromised by the sudden loss of motive power on the interstate. I presented these codes to value kia 6915 essington Ave, philadelphia, PA 19153 and dropped my car off on 4/7/2026. The dealer stated the safety recall was 'closed' and that the vehicle was 'out of warranty' due to its 95,000 miles and second-owner status. They would only agree to perform a diagnostic at my personal cost. The vehicle has been at the dealership for two days without an inspection report being provided to me. I have contacted kia corporate consumer assistance (awaiting response) and am filing this report because the vehicle is exhibiting the exact safety defect and 'triple-threat' fault codes of sc250 but is being denied a free safety remedy by the authorized dealer due to mileage and second ownership. As of 4/9/2026, the vehicle has been at the dealership for 2 days. Despite signing an authorization for a $190 diagnostic fee, the dealership has been completely silent and has not provided a status update or the diagnostic report. I am being left without transportation while the dealer fails to address a documented safety defect.

Car began going into limp mode not accelerating. Brought it in to be told it was the transmission which in my car some of them had recalls for the exact same things but mine was not included in this recall.

Transmission went out while driving on highway. Dealership said they need to replace the entire transmission.

My check engine light came on and went to dealer ship jn oct of 2025 they stated the egr needed to be replaced and would cost 1300 to repair but inform me they didn't have the piece to replace at that time to reschedule app. Also reservoir coolant light keeps coming on . I called several times to lumberton kia at one time they stated that they didn't have but 1 mechanic that worked on hybrids and he was behind. I finally have a appointmentthis weekto see what is exactlygoing on with my SUV cause now I have a hesitation when pressing the gas and my transmission jerks.

The vehicle’s transmission failed. While driving on the highway, the transmission began slipping and then would not allow the vehicle to accelerate beyond approximately 10 mph. The vehicle also lost the ability to reverse. My family’s safety was put at significant risk. The incident occurred on a highway with a speed limit of 70 mph and low visibility. Due to the sudden loss of acceleration, our vehicle was unable to keep up with traffic, creating a dangerous situation with a high risk of being struck by other vehicles. The dealer reproduced and confirmed the issue. They documented very hard shifting, lack of reverse, and stated the transmission fluid smelled burnt. No diagnostic codes were present. The dealer advised replacement of the transmission. No warning lights or messages appeared on the dashboard prior to the failure.

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.

The vehicle just had an oil change. It was driven after that approximately 25 miles when there was a loud noise and the wheels locked up. The vehicle was shifted into neutral and coasted to the end of a dirt road. Could smell oil burning. Upon inspection of the underside there was oil blown onto the exhaust and down the underside of the vehicle. After looking further, I noticed a semi rectangular hole in the narrow end of the oil pan just above the exhaust pipe. Some oil had drained out but the dip stick was reading full. This incident could have resulted in losing control of the vehicle when the tires locked up or caused a fire when the oil hit the exhaust. It could have cause an accident if another vehicle was following. No lights were on until after the incident when the check engine and oil light came on. It still has not been diagnosed by the dealer because they are all backed up until may. Have to rent a vehicle due now and probably look for an independent garage.

Car burns oil to the point it requires 1 qt/500 mile. Had oil consumption test when issue first started in 2024 by kia, was told there was no problem. Car has continued to have this issue and has now broke connecting rod due to engine starvation even through the oil is to the full mark. I lost all power while driving with no warning before hand. Kia has admitted these engines have oil consumption issues that can lead to this exact problem and many other consumers have complained of the same situation in which kia will not replace the flawed engine.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

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.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and occasionally jerked while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed. The message to "pull over and shut off vehicle" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,846.

I was driving with my son when my 2015 kia Sorento stopped in traffic. I remember warning lights coming on my dash including the engine light, oil light and battery light. However, I was more concerned about getting my hazards on so we would not be hit by another car. Traffic was heavy, it was raining and getting dark. I needed to push my car off the road with the help of another driver. A hyannis ambulance was a few cars behind me and the emt's also assisted with the traffic and moving my vehicle out of the road. I called aaa and had my car towed. I was told in writing by the kia dealership that the engine needed to be replaced. I was told verbally by kia that it was a rod knock issue. When I asked how it was diagnosed with rod knock she said the mechanic put something down in the engine and said its rod knock. I requested through kia corporate that the car be inspected for the wty039 extended warranty and corporate said they would reach out to the dealer and ask that it be checked. I have not received any further communication from the dealership or kia corporate. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. Safety was an issue because the car stopped so suddenly in heavy traffic. I was not able to slowly decelerate or steer to the side of the road. I felt like a sitting duck. We were extremely lucky that we were not hit from behind at 35 mph resulting in injury to us and to the drivers behind us. Prior to this event there were no warning lights that had come on and no strange noises from the car. They first appeared when it stopped in traffic.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

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

Gear shifter gets stuck. Car jerks back when trying to speed up.