Power Train Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 2

I have a 2016 kia Sorento I was having a problem with the shifter it would not go into park and had to use the shift override button I contacted the dealer there was an active recall they refused to repair or replace the shifter because it was inspected by the dealer in 2022 and as far as they where concerned that satisfied the recall the recall is still valid, and does not have close date how can they refuse to repair . It is still a safety issue.

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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.

The vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of motive power while driving due to a failure of the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission's (dct) high-pressure electric oil pump causing loss of shifting and dropping to lower gears at a very high rpm and slowing the car almost instantly creating a hazard for a crash with following vehicles. ?this vehicle was previously serviced under kia safety recall campaign sc250 (NHTSA 22v-760). However, the initial recall remedy failed to permanently resolve the underlying defect. Despite the recall work being marked as completed, the transmission component has failed again.

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Recall 22v-760 was performed, but the remedy failed, the exact same safety code has returned, and the manufacturer is refusing to replace the failed hardware component.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway at 20 mph, the vehicle lost drive power. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had not produced dtc: sc250 associated with NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train). The related code was p1c2d03 - electric oil pump (eop) malfunction. The kia service center was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

The transmission is not shifting gears correctly. The engine revs loudly and hesitates for a few seconds before shifting. There were no warning lamps. The vehicle has not been inspected yet. This causes a dangerous situation when driving and accelerating in traffic.

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Car losing power.

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.

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2017 kia Sorento 2. 4l gdi engine seized due to connecting rod bearing failure confirmed by p1326 diagnostic code multiple times. Vehicle entered limp mode limiting rpms to 1800-2000 exactly as described in pi1802 campaign. Engine subsequently fully seized. Battery tested 98% healthy ruling out electrical cause. Vehicle towed to andy mohr kia avon indiana. Kia techline and consumer affairs denied pi1802 lifetime warranty claim citing used vehicle reconditioning despite pi1802 explicitly stating coverage applies to both new and used vehicle owners per official kia corporate document dated June 3 2019. Consumer affairs appeal case 26292053 opened but kia states no further appeals possible. Kia is wrongfully denying lifetime warranty coverage guaranteed under pi1802 product improvement campaign.

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.

The transmission in my kia Sorento intermittently does not engage when shifting from park to drive. It will take 5 to 10 seconds for the gear to engage. When this occurs, the car is free-wheeling and will roll away. This is especially dangerous if you are on a slope or hill. I of course am applying the brake when shifting out of park, but their is no warning or indication that the transmission is, or isn't engaged. I have mentioned this problem when visiting the kia dealer, but no action was taken.

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.

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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.

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.

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).

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The contact owns a 2022 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted to drive; however, the transmission failed to engage as intended. The accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle unexpectedly rolled backwards. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The failure was a persistent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph and exiting the freeway, the vehicle failed to accelerate and decelerated. While slowing down and driving onto the shoulder a second vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle. During the crash the contact sustained a mild neck injury. Medical attention was sought. Additionally, the vehicle had experienced auto stop failures and the engine failed to automatically restart when the brake pedal was released. Recently the vehicle was jerking while accelerating and merging into traffic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.

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.

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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.

I recently took my 2016 kia Sorento l to the kia dealership for the emissions update recall. The next day when I started it up and put it in drive, it started jerking hard when I was trying to speed up (going from first to second gear). I had to stop and then slowly push the gas so it wouldn't jerk so hard, then it finally switched gears and was smooth. Ever since it's happening only at the first cold start up of the day, and have sluggish acceleration throughtout the day. No lights on or codes. I took back to dealership twice and they said they couldn't replicate it and so they aren't sure, but it definitely still does it (anyone riding with me notices before I even mention it).

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.

The contact owns a 2021 kia Sorento. While driving approximately 40-50 mph in fourth gear, the vehicle shuddered and decelerated to 30 mph, then lost drive power. Additionally, the clutch made a flapping sound while in 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 8th gear. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled while the transmission was shifted in drive(d). The contact pulled over, turned off, and then restarted the vehicle. The failure had occurred approximately five times. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 22v760000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

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.

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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.

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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 am filing a safety complaint regarding a severe, sudden electronic and mechanical failure of the shift interlock system and the body control module (bcm) that compromises vehicle control and leaves the vehicle stranded in active traffic conditions. While attempting to operate the vehicle, the shifter lever suddenly became physically jammed and highly resistant, refusing to shift out of the "park" position or smoothly engage into "drive. " simultaneously, the gear selector indicator (p-r-n-d) on the digital dashboard display went completely blank, indicating a total loss of network communication between the transmission range system and the vehicle's central computer network. Because the vehicle's electronic safety "handshake" failed, the vehicle suffered a no-start condition. To operate the vehicle or move it out of harm's way, I am forced to use the mechanical manual shift-lock override tool. Diagnostic scanning at a professional repair facility confirmed a hard code p0955 (auto shift manual mode circuit malfunction) due to an internal electronic failure inside the body control module (bcm), which handles the safety grounding circuit for the shift interlock solenoid. Safety risk statement: this component failure introduces a severe safety hazard. If a driver is required to quickly shift gears or move the vehicle out of an active roadway, intersection, or railway crossing during an emergency, the physical locking of the shifter and sudden communication dropout prevents immediate vehicle control. Bypassing a safety system via a physical override tool while stranded in traffic is a dangerous distraction. There is an existing safety recall for this model year regarding shifter rollaways (recall sc246), but it does not address this opposite, widespread bcm circuit failure that permanently traps the shifter and disables dashboard monitoring. I request that the NHTSA investigate this systemic kia bcm failure pattern for a retroactive safety recall.

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.