Steering Problems of Kia Motor Sorento - part 1

Driving on the freeway going 75-80 mph and my steering wheel locked up. When this happens I am unable to turn my steering wheel. Have to let my foot of the gas and try with all my muscle to get the car to go to the side of the road to put the car in park. Turn it off and turn it back on. This exact incident has happened to me 3 times in a row on the freeway on [xxx]. Once while the road had a curve. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Power train incident - • transmission holding gears, jerking between shifts, gear shifted into s mode on its own and stuck there, unresponsive acceleration, locked up steering/inability to turn the steering wheel and total loss of drive power. • happened while merging onto a highway in one of two split lanes for highway access. A merging semi truck in the other merging lane almost ran into me because I could not give it gas. Me and a local police officer who saw me broke down and stopped to provide additional cover, were nearly hit several (6) times from other vehicles and semi trucks due to malfunctions happening. • diagnosed by kia dealership and was told there was a major electrical failure which caused the electrical oil pump to fail and need a new transmission. Although my VIN doesn’t list recalls, similar issue to the recall on my same year/make/model under NHTSA campaign number 21v519. • warning lamps/messages shown in photos attached. __________________________________ forward collision warning incident - • front forward safety system light appeared on dash, then moments later a warning appeared and the vehicle braked on its own detecting a vehicle in front of me when there was not another vehicle in front of me within vision!! • happened while driving in a 55mph zone, a vehicle was driving behind me when this occurred and that vehicle almost slammed into the back end of mine causing a crash. • problem not yet inspected on vehicle due to blown transmission from above incident and inability to start/move the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

It feels like the engine is starting to cut out and as soon as that happens, the electronics in the car seem to start fighting each other. They adaptive steering and the lane assist it feels like they don’t work together anymore and I’m always fighting it or it won’t stay in the right lane and the car jerks from line to line. If I turned the lane assist off then it drives ok but the engine still is doing something funny.

My 2021 kia Sorento (VIN: 5xyrldlc8mg069305, built July 2021) has a persistent scraping/metal-on-metal noise when turning the steering wheel. This noise comes from inside the steering column. It matches exactly what kia documents in TSB cha111, which identifies failure of the worm shaft small bearing inside the c-mdps (column-mounted motor driven power steering) system. My vehicle uses the same steering column system covered in that bulletin, though my VIN is not included in the bulletin’s range. The video embedded in cha111 features the exact noise my vehicle is producing. I recorded it and sent it to kia consumer affairs, along with proof of the c-mdps configuration and production date. Despite clear evidence that my steering system is affected by the same design flaw, kia declined support unless I pay for a dealer inspection — despite the issue being a known, documented defect. This noise has been present as far back as I can remember. And is steadily worsening. The steering column bearing is a critical safety component. If it fails, it could lead to steering resistance or failure. Other kia and Hyundai vehicles using this system have already had the part replaced under warranty or goodwill coverage. I can provide a video of my vehicle making the noise. I’m submitting this complaint because kia refuses to address a defect they’ve already acknowledged when it appears in later vins. I am asking NHTSA to investigate and consider requiring kia to expand the scope of TSB cha111 or issue a recall.

Electrical issue all dash lights came on and couldn’t shift into gear, had to replace my main computer as it was fried at 72,000 miles, also had to get the steering column replaced total of $6,000 fixes.

Steering wheel has a "sticky" feeling when driving at high speeds. You have to keep the steering wheel moving back and forth or else it sticks while driving high speeds. I have reported to dealership multiple times, but I have been told there is no issue.

Was turning right onto the road when the steering locked up and every safety warning light came on. My car literally stopped moving in the middle of the road. I wasn't literally right down the road from my house so thankfully I was able to get the car back to my house. The steering felt worse than not having power steering. I called and the dealership matt blac kia of toms river, and they had my car towed to the dealership around 10 am on April 4th. Around 4pm I was told they still had no idea what was wrong with my car, and to come pick up a loaner car. On April 5th at 4:42 pm I received a text stating the wiring harness wasn't secured properly and rubbed the steering shaft, and they had to contact kia to see how to proceed. April 11th was told the part arrived and hopefully sometime next week I would get my vehicle. As of right now I still don't have my vehicle and have no idea of when I will get it back. My main concern is that this was a serious oversight on the assembly of this car, and could have had very different results if I was not in my neighborhood and was on a busier road.

All of it. Car randomly shuts off and lose power steering. No. Dealership has inspected. All the lights in the dash light up, screen says battery discharge warning, car shuts off and lose power steering while driving down the road.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Car shut off and the radio kept going on and off red light on dash board and steering was hard.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

We have received the security update for the ignition system over a year ago for the recall. Even with this recall fix our vehicle was still stolen, so this solution clearly didn't work.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The steering seems to stick, hard to explain but when you are driving on the highway feels like the steering wheel is going to stop working.

Steering sticks and makes it difficult to stay straight. Have to use extreme effort to keep it in the lane. Complained to kia in 2022 and dealer saw problem with the rack mounted motor driven power assembly but that it was within their specs. They did a software update on the eps and said system now operating as designed. The miles were 35,774 at that time. Started having same issues in February of 2025. Dealer is saying it needs a new steering column, but now out of warranty. Miles were 59,436.

Steering mdps unit malfunction causing loss of power assisted steering. Visible steering light on dash. Vehicle was inspected at a kia dealer confirming issue with mdps unit. Kia shop stated that this was an issue with the 2016-2020 kia Sorento models and most fell under the recall umbrella but this specific 2017 kia Sorento is not on the VIN checked list for a steering recall for the mdps unit failure. Kia stated that the repair would cost out of pocket at $3500 for the same issue others with the same problem kia is replacing under recall warranty. The mdps unit failed while driving causing issues with being able to steer.

The steering started to fail and would be hard to steer while driving. I then looked further online and found that a recall was issued for the steering column and how dangerous it was to continue driving the vehicle for the cross as stated in the recall could seperate and one could lose steering and cause a crash so we; my wife and I managed to get the car safely to the dealer for further diagnostic only to find out that although a recall was issued for the steering problem. Our VIN was not included and we had to pay for the repair.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the steering column. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering column became severely loose, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the steering column might have failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the mechanic had not completed a full diagnostic test on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 76,289.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

Steering cupler failure.

While driving a red wheel icon with exclamation mark appeared on the dash. This caused for my car steering wheel to become increasingly hard to maneuver and drive while on the highway driving about 60mph.

My vehicle has always been well-maintained with the dealer with regularly scheduled oil changes. On the captioned date, my vehicle failed the state emissions test. Immediately after leaving the testing facility, the check engine light came on and the engine began to rumble. The vehicle barely made it to the kia dealership. Kia told me the entire engine needs to be rebuilt for $6,500 and that may not even solve the “timing” issues.

This is an ongoing issue, from the day I purchased the car used. The steering sticks and binds when turning to the left; not on an ordinary sharp turn at an intersection, but at highway speeds. Sometimes the steering sticks and must be corrected to avoid going into the opposite lane. Several diagnostic attempts have been made including alignment, recalibration, and replacement of the 4wd coupling. Car still wavers and sticks at speed when turning left. Unknown cause. No codes show. However, at one time, on the display (not the dashboard symbol display, the camera/radio display) a message appeared saying: mechanism failure.

The power steering system has randomly gone out. This occurs at random times when I’m driving. Once I was backing out of somewhere and the power steering light came in, while I was in the middle of the street blocking both sides. I had to turn my car off and restart it. I am put at risk because of my inability to turn at random times. This puts others at risk too when I can’t turn/ move my steering wheel properly. I’ve been desperately trying to get my car looked at but I keep getting the run around that they can’t check what the codes are on the car because the lights on the dash turn on and off. There were no warning signs. The car is managed well and kept up with. This started randomly when driving and turning into a parking lot, causing me to almost hit cars and large rocks. The car has been fine until now.

When attempting to start the car, the engine will not start and every alert system and dashboard light turns on. The car is undriveable when it does this. It takes 5-10 minutes of turning the car on and off before it stops and is drivable again. It does not happen every time and seems to be random. This has happened 5 times. An additional 6th time this same issue happened while I was driving - all of the dashboard lights went on, and every alert / warning turned on (forward collision, lane warning, etc). The steering wheel also became stiff and extremely difficult to turn. I have been attempting to work with 2 different kia service departments and their corporate escalations department without luck. They are unable to replicate the issue and are planning to give the car back to us. After seeing so many similar or same issues reported on various forums I am filing a NHTSA claim. (one forum example here: [xxx] ) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.

My front driver seat slips out of recline position to another position on its own had engine replaced, got car back, made humming noise, took back to dealer, could not find noise, car still makes noise and now there’s seems to be louder noise coming from steering or front suspension while car is driven, dealer claims with no extension of warranty and over 60,000 miles, any work for this issue with steering/suspension is not covered, this was not an issue before engine was replaced under the engine recall.

Car was burning oil rapidly. While driving heard loud noises, shaking, smoke started coming through vents and car turned off. Kia is stating that there are many recalls on vehicle, but the only recall I received is for a tow hitch. I don't have a tow hitch. Very dangerous if I was going somewhere with a higher speed limit. Kia dealership is saying corporation won't offer extended warranty due to recalls not being completed. Again the only recall is for a tow hitch. Kia dealership has quoted me over $10000 to fix a vehicle that is suffering from known manufacturer failures.

Sometimes this condition hardly noticable and other times very stiff then move steering wheel slightly and full assist. Seems more prevalent after driving 1/2 hour or more on expressway steering becomes stiff and ratchety. This causes steering to stick whenever driving at highway then driver is putting more effort to overcome stuck wheel. When breaks loose vehicle goes to far in that direction then sticks again causing to stick again and over corrects other direction. This goes from annoying and uncomfortable to just plain dangerous depending on conditions speed weather and proximity to other vehicles or obstacles.

Steering wheel "sticks" at higher speeds, making it difficult to make fine adjustments. When steering un-sticks, it then overcompensates and you end up zig-zagging down the highway. It is very uncomfortable and it feels unsafe.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, the brakes locked up, the steering seized, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was barely able to pull off the highway. The contact was not able to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

The clock spring went bad with no warning.

The steering wheel sticks and has to be forced out of the stuck position. Not a safe situation if it gets worse. If it sticks for good I could be driving into the ditch or into the path of an oncoming car. I hear the steering column has to be replaced. It has been doing his for the last year.

Sticking steering wheel at speeds around 60 mph on slight turns been happening over a year took it to dealer said they couldn’t get it to do it.

Shortly after purchasing the vehicle in February of this year, we started to notice that oil was burning off quickly. We took it to be looked at and was notified that there was no signs of a leak. After that incident all of the warning lights came on on the dashboard. We took it again to be seen where we were told that it was burning oil again and that the oil was low. We had the oil refilled and on our way home the car completely seats and shut down loosing all power on the highway. We lost all control of the power steering, braking system, and the power to the whole car shut off. We had the car towed to a repairman who looked over the car and said that the engine is completely seized with no notable signs of damage but that it would require an entire engine replacement. We notified kia about the problem and that it was something that was known to happen with the engine and they refused to cover it or do any type of repair. The car is now non-functionable with a complete seizure of the engine.

The contact owns a 2017 kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel momentarily became stuck while turning or attempting to switch lanes. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering column was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 132,000.

My gear shift has been stuck in park almost 2 months now. I've been using a screwdriver in order to move the gear from park to reverse.

Steering motor and controller failed at 53000 km . The steering light and traction control came on and no power assist to the steering in any way . It requires considerable force to turn the steering wheel. Took it to a certified kia dealer and was told the steering motor and controller needs to be replaced. Kia canada refused to fix this issue insisting that the warranty is for 5years or 100,000 km. (bought brand new ,single owner) I do understand the business part and I will take my business elsewhere in the future. Consumers should be aware that such a critical part of their vehicle can fail with no warnings whatsoever. Imagine driving on the highway and your steering fails. . . .

Me and my wife were traveling north on [xxx], left lane, 18 wheeler in right lane, cars directly behind us, 70 mph, when there was an abrupt thud, and slight skid, then lost all power from the engine. There were no warning indicators at the time. When the engine failed, we almost hit the tractor next to us. Looking in the mirror to try to determine what to do, as steering was hard to perform, there was a large cloud of black and blue smoke, the car behind us being covered in smoke and most likely oil too. The car behind us aggressively braked and ducked in behind the 18 wheeler just before a rear impact would have occurred. We finally got to safety on the side of the road as the traffic stacked up behind us was able to reduce speed in time. I had my car towed to the kia dealership in springfield, mo. One interesting point, the wrecker operator said that unfortunately a big part of his business was hauling kias. We almost died. Upon review of social media, I see there are literally thousands of kias placing families in danger. Why hasn’t mr. Budegedge acted on it. After experiencing this, it’s likely there will be deaths. My car had 120,000 miles on the engine. Kia said it was my problem as they met their warranty obligation at 100,000 miles. There are so many incidents, even with 6 cyl engines. Customers need to be warned. At least they can be prepared for the failure when it happens. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

3/11/24 the first thing I noticed was that my cruise control shut off with a couple of jerks to my vehicle. Then a few minutes later, I lost all steering, put in it park. There was smoke coming from under the hood, but not fire. It is sitting at my house still. A couple of months or so ago, when I received the letter of the recall, I called the dealership I bought my vehicle from and inquired about it. I was told that the part was not available but when it does, I will receive another letter. Also wanted to note, that right before I made that call, my engine light came on the day before that. Today, I called the same dealership to let them know what happened yesterday and they told me there was a cost for a tow truck to come get my vehicle. I was given a phone number to kia, to which I called and started some kind of process. But it stopped when she told me it was going to be over $200 for a tow truck to come get my vehicle. I am not able to pay that nor feel as if I should due to kia knowing about the recall and danger of same. Right when I lost steering and a red lamp popped up. I immediately parked it.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Sorento 🔎.