2013 Kia Sorento Complaint Log

INCORRECT FLYWHEEL WAS INSTALLED ON MY KIA SORRENTO, MOST LIKELY BY THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER. IT HAS CAUSED PREMATURE FAILURE OF MY STARTER MOTOR AND VARIOUS OTHER REPAIRS. THE INCORRECT PART BELONGS TO A KIA SEDONA OF THE SAME MODEL YEAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE LUNGE FORWARD AND ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 500.... UPDATED 12/26/12 *BF

ENGINE IDLES ROUGHLY. *TR

WHILE DRIVE AT SLOW SPEEDS OF ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH THERE IS A TICKING/SQUEAKING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT. IT GOES AWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I HAVE BEEN IN TO THE DEALER 4 TIME, REPORTED IT TO KIA CORP. AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE CALLED TO TELL ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE NOISE, IT IS A PART ISSUE, THAT OVER 30% OF THIS MODEL MADE IN 2013 HAVE THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE WORKING ON A SOLUTION. THAT WAS SEVERAL DAYS AGO. IF THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM THEN THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THE CARS AND REPLACE THE PARTS IN QUESTION. *TR

MY WAS REMOVING GROCERIES FROM HER NEW KIA WHEN IT STARTED TO ROLL AWAY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN PARK. WE CHECK KIA DEALER WE WERE ALL WAS ON WITH THE CAR THE PROBLEM HAD TO BE DIVER ERROR. THEN ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 20, 2015 WE RECEIVED A RECALLED FOR A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT ALLOW THE KIA TO SLIDE OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE WITH THE BREAK PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED.

A DAY AFTER I PURCHASED A NEW KIA SORENTO EX GDI 2013 (9/25/2012), I NOTICED THAT IT HAD ROUGH IDLE AT STOP. I TOOK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE ROUGH IDLE ISSUE NEXT DAY, HOWEVER AFTER 4 DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING BY MECHANIC WITH KIA SUPPORT ENGINEER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE IT. TSB#122 (ECM SOFTWARE UPGRADE) WAS ALREAY APPLIED PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. EVEN TODAY, I STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. MY CURRENT MILEAGE IS 2800 MILES. *TR

I PURCHASED 2013 KIA SORENTO 2.4 GDI LAST MONTH. IT VIBRATES AND SHAKES AT IDLE SPEED FROM DAY ONE. I WAS TOLD BY SALES PERSON THAT IT WILL STOP AFTER DRIVING FOR FEW MILES. NOW I HAVE 1500 MILES ON IT BUT IT CONTINUES TO VIBRATE AT IDLE SPEED WHETHER IN GEAR OR IN PARK POSITION. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY THERE WAS SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR CERTAIN MANUFACTURE DATES BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT APPLIES TO ME BASED ON MY PURCHASE DATE. BUT THEY SAY BRING IT IN AND WE WILL CHECK IT. I AM PLANNING TO GO THIS WEEK. SEARCHING THE WEB, IT LOOKS LIKE LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE. I HOPE IT BRINGS ATTENTION TO KIA MOTORS AND THEY PROVIDE SOME FIX. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE FRONT PORTION OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF ON MY KIA SORENTO 2013 EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING COMING TOWARDS THE CAR THAT COULD HAVE HIT THE SUNROOF. THE DAYS WAS APPROX 90 DEGREES AND THE CAR HAD BEEN HOUSED IN AN INTERIOR GARAGE ALL DAY. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, I DID NOT GO THROUGH AN UNDERPASS BEFORE THE INCIDENT, MY SPEED WAS APPROX 50 MPH. THE SUNROOF WAS PARTIALLY OPEN AT THE TIME. THERE WAS A VERY LOUD SOUND THEN SHARDS OF GLASS EVERYWHERE. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING ON TOP OF THE CAR THAT WOULD INDICATE IT WAS HIT BY SOMETHING. I HAD MINOR CUTS AND AFTER CLEARING THE GLASS DROVE IT RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER. IT'S REPAIRED NOW BUT THOUGHT I WOULD POST SINCE THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION INTO A HYUNDAI MODEL WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR

THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHENEVER IT'S IDLING IN DRIVE AND WHILE YOUR BRAKED. . I TOOK TO MY KIA DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM TO BRING IT IN. I BROUGHT IT IN THEY HAD IT FOR 20 MINUTES AND SAID ITS ALL SET. WELL LET ME TELL YOU IT'S NOT FIXED! I CALLED AND OLD HE DEALERSHIP AND NOW I HAVE TO BRING IT IN AGAIN. THE VIBRATION ONLY GOES AWAY IF WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND PUT THE SHIFTER IN NEUTRAL. *TR

ON 9-3-12 BOUGHT A NEW 2013 KIA SORENTO WITH THE BASE 4 ENGINE. NEXT DAY NOTICED A VIBRATION WHEN IDLING IN DRIVE. THE CAR SHAKES. NOTIFIED DEALER IMMEDIATELY. DEALER NOTICED CONCERN BUT COULD NOT ADDRESS. NO APPLICABLE SERVICE BULLETIN. IN DECEMBER DEALER NOTIFIED ME OF A POSSIBLE SOLUTION. DEALER INSTALLED A NEW TENSIONER AND ALTERNATOR PULLEY. CHANGES DID LESSON THE VIBRATIONS. BUT AN UNACCEPTABLE VIBRATION STILL EXISTS WHEN IDLING IN DRIVE. THE VIBRATION DISAPPEARS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS PUT IN N WHEN IDLING IN DRIVE. *TR

WE LEASED A 2013 KIA SORRENTO ON 8/11/2012. VEHICLE HAD 4 MILES WHEN PAPERWORK WAS DONE. ON 8/25/2012 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ON 8/26/2012 THE ENGINE REVVED TO 6,500 RPM WHEN WE WERE GOING 20 MPH. THERE WAS A LARGE BANG. I TOOK IN TO THE DEALER ON 8/27/2012. I WAS TOLD A NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED AFTER 2 DAYS OF "DIAGNOSTICS". WE NOW HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I AM TOLD IT WILL NOT BE READY UNTIL AT LEAST THIS WEDNESDAY. I FRANKLY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE IN TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK IN THIS CONDITION. I HAVE BEEN TOLD SEVERAL TIMES THAT I WOULD BE RECEIVING A CALL FROM THE NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK AT KIA. NO CALL HAS EVER COME. WE HAVE RECEIVED NO CALLS FROM KIA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS GROUP THOUGH TOLD REPEATEDLY THAT SUCH WOULD OCCUR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,000. UPDATED 7/25/14*CN

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN SLOW TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING. I HAD TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY TO ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE CAR. IT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY START, BUT AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE ENGINE KICKED OVER. I DROVE IT OFF THE FREEWAY AND HAD IT TOWED THE NEXT DAY TO THE DEALER. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR A WEEK THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY "CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" SO THEY WON'T FIX IT. THEY SAY THERE IS NO "CODE" FOR THE PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT A SAFE CAR TO DRIVE IF THE ENGINE DIES ON THE FREEWAY. IF KIA CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM THEY NEED TO RECALL THIS CAR. *TR

WHILE RETURNING FROM VACATION AND ABOUT 35 MILES FROM HOME ON THE INTERSTATE THE GLASS ROOF ON MY 2013 SORENTO SX MOON ROOF (GLASS TOP) SHATTERED. WINDOWS WERE UP AND A/C WAS ON -80DEGREES AND SUNNY OUTSIDE. HAD CROSSOVER 21 DAYS AND 1640 MILES ON CAR. *TR

I PURCHASED MY CAR ON MAY 8, 2012. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS LATER, I BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH A LOUD THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS THUMPING WAS MOST NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON SATURDAY, JULY 21, 2012. I CALLED ON TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012 AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE STILL TESTING MY VEHICLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG. I FINALLY HEARD FROM THE DEALER ON THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2012, AND WAS TOLD THAT MY NEW CAR REQUIRED A NEW TRANSMISSION, THAT IT WAS ON ORDER AND MY CAR WOULD BE READY BY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2012. MY VEHICLE WAS READY FOR PICK UP ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2012. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I HAD A REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECK AT 5,477 MILES, OIL AND FILTER CHANGE, ETC., ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012. ON MONDAY, MARCH 4 2013, I AGAIN BEGAN TO HEAR THE THUMPING NOISE, NOT LOUD, BUT IT BECAME LOUDER AS THE WEEK PROGRESSED. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2013, INFORMED MY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE THUMPING NOISE WAS BACK, AND THAT THE LUMBAR WAS NOT WORKING ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR, SO THAT THE TECHNICIAN CAN LOOK AT IT ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. I RECEIVED A CALL ON TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013 AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WOULD NEED A TRANSFER CASE, WHICH HAD TO BE ORDERED AND THAT MY CAR WOULD BE READY IN ONE WEEK. I RECEIVED A FROM THE DEALER ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2013 INFORMING ME THAT MY CAR WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP, AND THAT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE LUMBAR SUPPORT, AS THE TECHNICIAN TESTED IT AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE DUE AT THE TIME WAS ALSO PERFORMED HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL AN ISSUE WITH THE LUMBAR IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE MOTOR WORKS, BUT THE LUMBAR BAR DOES NOT EXPAND OR CONTRACT FOR SUPPORT. *TR

I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE WHICH HAD ONLY 5 MILES ON IT AND HAD NOT BEEN TEST DRIVEN PRIOR TO ME. I NOTICED A VERY SLIGHT VIBRATION FROM 0MPG TO 10MPG, AND ASKED THE SALES ASSOCIATE IF THAT WAS NORMAL. HE SAID IT WAS FINE AND WAS NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY FURTHER ISSUES WHILE IDLING AT STOP LIGHTS AND DID NOT NOTICE THE VIBRATION AGAIN DURING THE TEST DRIVE. AFTER I SIGNED THE FINANCIAL PAPERS AT 11PM AFTER THE DEALERSHIP HAD OFFICIALLY CLOSED FOR THE DAY AND GOT INTO THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME, I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR WHILE IT IDLED AND I WAS SPEAKING TO THE SALES ASSOCIATE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE VIBRATION WAS VERY NOTICEABLE. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE ASSOCIATE AND HE SAID TO BRING THE CAR IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE FOLLOWING DAY TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND SAID IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. HE SAID IT'S UNDER WARRANTY SO IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. WE BROUGHT THE CAR IN THE NEXT DAY AND THE SERVICE MAN TOLD MY HUSBAND IT WAS LIKELY JUST THAT IT NEEDED TO BREAK-IN SINCE IT ONLY HAD A FEW MILES ON IT. THEY RAN TESTS ON THE CAR AND EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE. THE MAN SUGGESTED WE TAKE IT FOR A LONG DRIVE AND PUT A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES ON IT AND SEE HOW IT WAS RUNNING AFTERWARD. WE DID SO AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT GET BETTER. WE BROUGHT IT IN THE NEXT DAY TO BE INSPECTED AGAIN AND THE SERVICE MEN TOOK IT FOR A SHORT DRIVE TO SEE IF THEY COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEY NOTED THEY DID. OUR SALES ASSOCIATE TOLD US HE LOOKED INTO THIS VIBRATION PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT KIA WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WERE WORKING ON A FIX FOR A COMPUTER CHIP THAT WAS AFFECTING THE 4 CYLINDER 2013 SORENTOS. HE TOLD US KIA DID NOT HAVE A TIMEFRAME FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM BUT IT SHOULD BE SOON, BUT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH ALL 4 CYLINDERS THAT THEY ARE MAKING. *TR

WHILE ON VACATION (JUNE 15) WE WERE TO STOP BY THE DEALER AND GET OUR NEW TAGS. ON I77 AT MILEAGE MARKER 33 IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND WASN'T ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT (NOBODY WOULD LET US GET OUT OF THE LANE WE WERE IN) TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE .WE ALMOST CAUSED MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS. MY WIFE WAS SCREAMING. I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO CREATE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. NO MATTER WHAT I DID I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE CAR STARTED AND IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. PEOPLE WERE GOING AROUND US ON BOTH SIDES BEEPING THEIR HORNS AND OTHER GESTURES. AFTER FOOLING WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER, I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK IT STARTED BUT WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT STARTED TO MISS AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STALLING WHEN I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN FINE. I THEN PUT IT IN LOW GEAR AND IT STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD, ONCE I GOT SOME SPEED (DID NOT LOOK AT THE SPEEDOMETER TO SEE HOW FAST I WAS GOING) I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE AFTER THAT. ALSO, THE VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH WHEN IN NEUTRAL AND WHILE IDLING WHEN IN GEAR (VARIES WITH NO RHYME OR REASON). THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT KIA KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND WERE WORKING ON IT. THEY SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER WITHIN TWO WEEKS. IT IS AUGUST 13 AND THAT WAS JUNE 15. ON AUGUST 7 IT HAPPENED AGAIN...HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS AT TIMES, VEHICLE MISSING, STARTING TO STALL....I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP EACH TIME A PROBLEM HAPPENED...SO FAR ALL I GOT IS LIP SERVICE. CALLED SEVERAL HOURS AGO (TALKED TO THE SALESMAN) SAID HE WAS WITH A CUSTOMER AND WILL GET BACK TO ME. NO RESPONSE FROM HIM SO FAR. I AM AT A LOST AS TO WHAT TO DO MY WIFE IS SCARED AND WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I AM WORRIED THAT I MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE HELP ME GET THIS PROBLEM SOLVED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR EVEN WORST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, HE FELT A SHIMMY THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT EXACT REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,400. ...UPDATED 10/19/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE IN A ROUGH MANNER. WHEN AT A STOP. UPDATED 10/25/12

THE LEVER TO FOLD DOWN THE SECOND ROW SEAT GETS STUCK. IT IS SO HARD TO OPERATE SOMETIMES THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH FORCE YOU USE THE SEAT BACK LEVER WILL NOT RELEASE. AFTER SERVICING IT 3 TIMES THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THEY FIXED IT EACH TIME, BUT THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. THEY SAY THE GEAR THAT HOLDS THE SEAT IN PLACE HAS VERY SHARP TEETH AND WAS NOT MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. THEY SAY MANY KIA SORRENTOS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SEAT BACK AS YOU TRY THE RELEASE LEVER. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS IF YOU HAVE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY THE SECOND ROW SEAT IN THE UP POSITION WOULD PROHIBIT THE BACK SEAT PASSENGERS FROM ESCAPE. THE SEAT IN THE DOWN POSITION WOULD IMPEED THE TWO SECOND ROW PASSENGERS FROM EXITING THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR. *TR

4 CYL ROUGH IDLE AT STOP LIGHT AND EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. NOTICE WHEN DROVE NEW CAR OFF LOT. ASSUMED IT WAS NORMAL. HAD TO MAKE A LONG TRIP. AFTER RETURNING FROM TRIP HAD CAR SERVICE. I WAS TOLD UPON IT WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM AND WOULD BE FIXED --NO DEFINITE TIME. SERVICE REP WAS CORNERED AND SAID COULD BE 30-60 DAYS. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CALL DEALER AND WRITE AN EXTENSIVE NOTE--SEEMED TO GET STONEWALLED BYG BEING TOLD--WORKING ON IT AND WILL LET YOU KNOW. FINALLY ON AUG 16 TOOK CAR IN AND HAD A "COMPUTER ADJUSTMENT FOR ROUGH IDLE". MUCH BETTER, BUT ONLY A FEW MILES SINCE RECALL NOTICE AND FIX. I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL RECALL NOTICE-- I FEEL THAT KIA CORPORATE INTENTIONALLY DID NOT DIVULGE THIS PROBLEM TO AUTOMOBILE SAFETY OFFICIALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONTINUING TO SELL THE 4 CYLINDER SORENTOS-POOR DECISION. *TR

WHEN LEAVING A STOP SIGN VEHICLE WENT TO IDLE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO GAS PEDDLE. AFTER SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND CAR DROVE OK. TOOK CAR FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND CLEANED MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE THROTTLE. (THIS IS A "FLY BY WIRE" SYSTEM.) *TR