There are 14 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2013 Kia Sorentoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAVE TAKEN MY 2013 KIA SORENTO TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AFTER THE LATEST ENGINE RECALL. THEY UPGRADED SOFTWARE BUT GAVE NO FURTHER EXPLANATION. EVERYTIME I GET MY OIL CHANGE ITS ALMOST EMPTY. THE PAST 2 OIL CHANGES THERE HAS BEEN ALMOST NO OIL. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING, ON THE HIGHWAY AND CHECK ENGINE, OIL, BATTERY, LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING AND THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND 15 MIN LATER WHILE WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK I TRIED TO TURN IT ON AND IT CAME ONE. I CANCELED THE TOW AND I AM AT THE DEALERSHIP TODAY . MY CAR IS NOT LEAKING OIL ANYWHERE AND I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A ENGINE RECALL ON MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I AM AFRAID OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR AND THE SAFETY OF A VEHICLE THAT STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY.
VEHICLE STOPS / CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS. HAVE NEARLY BEEN RAN OVER BY OTHER VEHICLES ON HIGHWAY. ALSO SOMETIMES WHILE AT A RED LIGHT OR IDLING WHILE IN PARK THE CAR WHILE JUST CUT OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (SUNSET KIA OF VENICE, 1179 US HIGHWAY 41 BYP S, VENICE, FL 34285) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY PART WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF VENICE (1179 US HIGHWAY 41 BYP S, VENICE, FL 34285) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE FAILURE RECURRED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO SUNSET KIA OF VENICE WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE O2 SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUNSET KIA OF VENICE WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE FAILURE RECURRED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUNSET KIA OF VENICE WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 13658651. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,899.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE CONTACT WAITED APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MORE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY, BUT COULD NOT EXCEED 40 MPH. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,800.
HIT MY BRAKES GOING ROUGHLY 30MPG (I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE TOLLWAY WITH LOTS OF BRAKING AND GOING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES ALREADY), THE ABS WAS TRIGGERED AS THE CAR WAS MAKING THE JERKING/THUMPING (HOWEVER YOU DESCRIBE FEEL OF ABS), I SHOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH SPACE TO STOP, BUT MY CAR WAS ACCELERATING IT SEEMED AT THE SAME TIME, I HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND IT CONTINUED, LURCHED FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR A SECOND TIME ALL WHILE THE BRAKE (ONLY) WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THAT FINALLY STOPPED THE CAR. THE OTHER DRIVER THOUGHT I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND TOO SINCE THERE WERE TWO HITS...BUT I FELT THE LURCHING AND ALSO THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE BACK OF MY CAR, PROVING IT WAS MY CAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!! AFTER READING ONLINE I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS OF KIA'S LURCHING AND ACCELERATING WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. MANY ACCIDENTS REPORTED WHILE PARKING AND THE CAR ACCELERATES SO QUICKLY IT JUMPS A CURB, HITS A TREE, OR ANOTHER CAR OR OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS. IT IS CLEAR AFTER SEARCHING "KIA SORENTO 2013 ACCELERATING WHILE BRAKING AT THE SAME TIME", THERE ARE LOTS OF REPORTS ON CAR GURUS.COM OF THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING AND ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH THE CAR'S ACCELERATOR STOPPED WORKING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS IN THE LANE NEXT TO THE FAST LANE IN LOS ANGELES. I QUICKLY TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULLED OVER ABOUT 5 LANES TO THE SHOULDER. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. I HAD FOUR KIDS IN THE CAR DRIVING HOME FROM MAGIC MOUNTAIN! I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WORKED FINE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME ALTHOUGH I DID STAY IN THE SLOW LANES IN CASE IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY. ON SUNDAY MY HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR A FEW MILES TO HAVE LUNCH. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON WHEN HE LEFT BUT THEN TURNED OFF WHEN HE WAS ON HIS WAY HOME. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY AND THEY SAID I NEEDED A COMPUTER UPDATE AND THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY LET ME KNOW THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CARS AND THE COMPUTER UPDATE HAS WORKED. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN KIA KNOWING THIS HAS HAPPENED AND NOT SENDING A LETTER OR LETTING US KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM TO HAVE US COME IN AND GET THE UPDATE DONE. WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH. I HOPE THIS FIXES THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE FIRST KIA I HAVE OWNED AND HAVE LOVED THE CAR UP UNTIL THIS POINT. *TR
DRIVING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY SCREECHED TO HALT (I DID NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKES), ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ALL PARTS OF VEHICLE WERE DISABLED (UNABLE TO STEER, START, ETC.) I WAS THROWN FORWARD DESPITE SEAT BELT ON DUE TO SUDDEN AND COMPLETE STOP. THANKFULLY, I WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE IN THE ROADWAY AT THE MOMENT. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF NO RESPONSE FROM VEHICLE WITH IGNITION ISSUES, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RESTART AND CONTINUE MY DRIVE, AS WELL AS CONTACT DEALER FOR APPOINTMENT TO 'REPAIR' THIS RAMPANTLY UNSAFE 2013 KIA SORRENTO ENGINE ISSUE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN FEBRUARY 2013 WITH THE NOTION THAT KIA HAS A 5 STAR SAFETY RATING. AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND AFTER REVIEWING OTHER EERILY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE WITH THE RATING. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. I DRIVE TO AND FROM PATIENT'S HOMES FOR A LIVING, OFTEN TRAVELING FREEWAYS AND IN REMOTE AREAS. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY ISSUES WITH MOTOR PRIOR TO 'COMPUTER UPGRADE' REQUESTED AT LAST VISIT TO DEALER. I AM HOPING THAT KIA RESOLVES THIS OBVIOUSLY RAMPANT ISSUE BEFORE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH RESULTS FROM THIS PROBLEM. I WILL NO LONGER TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE UNTIL KIA CAN REMEDY THIS SITUATION. I AM TAKING IN TO THE SAME DEALER WHO DID 'UPGRADE' TODAY TO 'REPAIR' IF POSSIBLE. I WILL ALSO BE CONTACTING KIA VIA PHONE AND EMAIL CONTACT AS WELL AS THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS ENGINE FAILURE ISSUE IS SERIOUS AND COULD BE FATAL IF NOT DEALT WITH SOON. *TR
WE HAVE OWNED OUR KIA FOR 9 MONTHS, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND NOW ITS IN THE SHOP AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WILL COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN GOING FULL SPEED, WE WERE GOING 45MPH FOR THE LAST INCIDENT AND THE KIA CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP OUT OF NO WHERE AND THE ENGINE SHUT WAS STILL ON BUT IDLE HIGH AND WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE UNTIL YOU TURNED THE KIA OFF, WAITED FOR 15-20MINS FOR IT TO "REPROGRAM" AND THEN IT HAD ENOUGH POWER TO MOVE SLOWLY OUT OF THE ROAD. AFTER GETTING IT HOME MY HUSBAND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST TIME AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG SO THEY SENT US TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG AT THE TIME BUT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN TO BRING IT BACK, WELL 9 MONTHS LATER WE ARE STILL HAVING ISSUES AND ARE NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT WITHOUT FEAR THAT IT WILL JUST RANDOMLY SHUT DOWN IN THE ROADWAY. THE ONE TIME IT DID IT WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE, AS A PARENT MY KIDS CAN NOT RIDE IN A VEHICLE THAT KEEPS DOING THIS AND KIA WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE. *TR
HAVE A 2013 KIA SORENTO. PURCHASED USED END OF MAY 2013. WIFE NOTICED AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL OR SHUTDOWN WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. HAPPENED AGAIN 09/11/2013. TOOK IT THE KIA PLACE AND THEY DID THE FOLLOWING: CAUSE: SA153 XMA VQ ECM UPGRADE CAUSE: FOUND P2111 THROTTLE ACTUATOR FAILURE 28325R1A VCM MOTOR ASSY ( THETA ENG ), R&R 1 - 35100-3C700 ETC-ACTUATOR 1 - UM040-CH010 THROTTLE PL & IND CL THEY CLAIM THIS RESOLVED IT....WE WILL SEE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURES COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,880.
IN APRIL 2013, WE WERE DRIVING NORMALLY AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AN HOUR WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WENT OUT AND ALL OF THE ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND WE JUST HAD TO WAIT FOR THE CAR TO STOP. BROUGHT IT IN AND THEY WORKED ON THE THROTTLE. LAST WEEK, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. KIA DEALERSHIP WAS NOT HELPFUL AT ALL. THEY SCREENED THE CAR AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THEY DID NO REPAIRS, BUT REPORTED THAT THEY HAD TO DO AN ECM UPGRADE. CONTACTED THE KIA HEADQUARTERS REGARDING THIS MATTER AND INDICATED THAT THERE HAS TO BE A PROBLEM IF THE SAME ISSUE HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN A SPAN OF SEVERAL MONTHS. WE ALSO INFORMED THEM THAT WE FELT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE AND THEY OPENED A CASE TO NOTE THE ISSUE. WE HAVE CHILDREN, AND THIS IS A SERIOUS RISK. WE JUST GOT THE CAR IN APRIL OF 2013. *TR
WHILE DECELERATING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEFECT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY,BUT THE PROBLEMS TILL HAPPENING SO MANY TIMES,THEY ALSO DID A UPDATE ON THE COMPUTER AND AGAIN THE PROBLEM STILL THERE....I AM SO SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR.I KNOW AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND SEEMS THAT KIA DOESN'T CARE SINCE THEY KEEP SAYING WE NEED DUPLICATED..THIS HAPPEN IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS WITCH I COULD BE INVOLVED INA SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH MY KIDS... *TR
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
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026