2017 Kia Sorento Complaint Log

Engine seized

The paint I'd peeling off the hood.

While driving after dark with the auto lights engaged, my headlights suddenly turned off. When I turned the knob on the light switch they came back on and I continued to drive. A short while down the road this happened again. At this point I turned the auto lights off and just ran them in manual on mode. No further incident with them in manual. This has now happened on several occasions.

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.

1) The headlights will turn off while driving when the headlight switch is "automatic." 2) The headlights and taillights will illuminate after leaving and locking the vehicle leading to a completely drained battery.

No oil with no idication and no warning light. Extremely rough idling stalling possible complete engine failure.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking lot, at an unknown speed, the oil warning light illuminated. The contact was informed by her brother that there was no oil in the vehicle. The contact stated that oil was added to the vehicle. The oil and engine coolant system had been detected, and a full system check message was displayed on the navigation system. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that an oil consumption test was needed and to drive the vehicle for 1,000 miles, repeat the process, and then perform a leak-down test. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic informed the contact that there were too many fault codes, and the vehicle was not drivable. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 97,150.

I have owned this KIA for 2 years and put 7000 miles on it. It has excessive oil consumption, currently using 1.5qt of oil every 200 miles. I have had 2 engine flushes and switched to Mobil 1 synthetic oil. KIA dealerships as well as KIA CORP have told me they will do nothing until the engine seizes and then it may or may not be repaired. I am the parent of 5 adopted special needs medically fragile children who should this vehicle seize and catch fire would perish in a burning vehicle. The dealership has told me to "drive it like I stole it and let it blow" I tried to trade out of vehicle and the dealerships call it a "COVID CAR" when the could charge excessive prices for used cars. I owe $21k on the vehicle. Owned 2 years and put 7000 miles on it and they will give me $8k for a trade. NOBODY wants it. I rely on transportation to get my medically fragile children safely to doctors and hospitals. I have all service records since I have had the car but no records from previous owner. Please tell me if there is a way you can help me. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Driving down interstate with cruise control at 75 mph. Car suddenly started decelerating, causing a hazard attempting to get to the shoulder.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V586000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,100.

The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, another vehicle t-boned into the driver’s side between the front and rear drivers' side doors. The contact mentioned that the other driver failed to stop at the red light which caused the collision. The air bags in the vehicle failed to deploy correctly. The contact sustained knee, back, and shoulder injuries. The contact's wife sustained a concussion and the daughter sustained bruises on the shoulders caused by the seat belt. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his son was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled, lost motive power, and failed to exceed 40 MPH. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Vehicle has excessive oil usage which made a carbon build up and the engine blew. I was told by my Kia dealer when I first started burning oil that this is a known problem and my engine would eventually blow a piston and not work. Unfortunately this happened. Knowing this was a problem Kia is aware of and not fixing is wrong.

1.Component/System Failure: The issue involves a recurring failure of the oil pressure switch, which is part of the engine’s lubrication monitoring system. This malfunction has resulted in an oil leak that subsequently damaged a major wiring control harness and the associated control module. The affected components are available for inspection by an authorized service center. 2.Safety Risk: The oil leak poses a safety risk by potentially compromising the vehicle’s engine performance and electrical system integrity. While there has been no direct incident of injury, the malfunction increases the risk of unexpected vehicle failure, which could endanger the driver and others on the road. 3.Confirmation of the Problem: The recurring issue was initially diagnosed by an authorized dealer. After the first repair under warranty, the same problem reappeared, and an independent service center later confirmed that the oil pressure switch was leaking excessively. This repeated diagnosis supports the conclusion that the component is defective. 4.Inspections Conducted: The vehicle has been inspected by both the authorized dealer and an independent service center. Additionally, the previous repair under warranty was conducted with oversight from manufacturer representatives. There has been no involvement of the police or insurance representatives regarding this incident. 5.Warning Lamps or Symptoms: There were no specific warning lamps or error messages that appeared before the failure. The primary symptoms noted were poor acceleration and unusual engine noise, which first appeared shortly before the issue was identified as an oil leak.

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.

Vehicle drastic stalling problem. It would often stall and dramatically reduce speed. Experienced 3 times driving on highway reduced fro 60mph to 20mph without breaking and engine light come on while vehicle has heavy shaking and consistent stalling. First time I was told it was knock sensor and got it replaced. Second time I was told it was coil and spark plug and had it replaced. Third time same thing as second time I was told coil/oil consumption burning issue and to get it checked at dealer. Dealer said cylinder failed compression test and need new engine. Vehicle only 94550 miles. I have always felt the vehicle stalling and I thought it was normal since I have mentioned to dealer service on occasion if it is normal to require oil change before the recommended oil change date/millage on the dash. The answer I got was it's just an estimate and it's normal. Recently I have been searching online and there are forums with complaint from other 2017 kia Sorento owners of similar issues. There seem to have been class action settlement on 3.5 Lt engine Sorento about consumption issue. My concern is if this is a difect, I dont want to risk driving on a highway and I have sudden reduction in speed without breaking indication for other drivers to react. Fortunately I work at night and it was not much vehicles on the road. Vehicle is currently at the dealer debating warranty coverage and testing for cause. I will upload the repairs and findings when complete. God forbids I get new engine and I deal with the same issue on the wrong time of the day. Dates of occurense June2, Sept. 23 of 2023, and march 29, 2024. In kia dealer shop since 04/05/2024.

While driving my 2017 Kia Sorento, my car suddenly started making very loud clanging noises out of nowhere. The car then completely shut down in the middle of the highway. Thankfully, I was able to coast off to the side of the road. I tried to restart the car, but it would not start. After having the car towed to my mechanic, he informed me that there was absolutely NO OIL in the car. It was completely empty. No warning lights ever came on to tell me there was an issue. I maintain my car with oil changes regularly. I have all documentation to prove it. There is absolutely no reason for there to have been no oil in the car. As a result, my engine is now destroyed. My mechanic told me it needed a new engine, and after having it towed again at my own expense to a KIA dealer, they told me the same thing. They informed me that my car doesn't fall under any warranties and I would need to pay for a new engine. My car only has 119,000 miles on it, and it isn't even paid off yet! I am the only owner of this car and take good care of it. When I contacted KIA customer service, they were of absolutely no help and they also told me I was financially responsible for a new engine. After doing research, I have found that 2017 Kia Sorento owners have reported the same exact issue of no oil being in the car, with no warning lights coming on, to the NHTSA. And their engines were also destroyed as a result. There is an extended warranty on the Oil safety switch for my vehicle. I brought that up to Kia, and they told me they could replace the switch, but not the engine. I told them that the engine is destroyed because the car lost all of its oil with no warning. Being that this is a known problem with Kia engines, and many complaints have been filed, the NHTSA needs to investigate this and hold KIA responsible for replacing people's engines!

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....

This is a 2017 vehicle, and the paint is peeling off of various areas of the vehicle.

Vehicle up to date on oil changes. Driving down interstate and vehicle just stopped without warning. Message to contact a dealer popped up. When diagnostic put on vehicle shows camshaft and crankshaft bad. No oil on dipstick AT ALL. Oil light never came on showing low. Never seen oil in garage so no leaks. Sensors showing misfire were changed along with spark plugs and coil packs. Codes never cleared. Car is not drivable but has been well maintained and up to date on everything. After researching I have seen multiple pages and pages of the same exact complaint on same exact vehicle. There is a recall for certain 2017 kia Sorento 3.3L V6 engines but shows mine is not affected although my vehicle is the exact same as the recall and having exact same issue as the recall. I would like this looked into and a explanation for the engine issue with help on fixing it through Kia. This is a good vehicle never gave ANY issues at all, nor gave any warnings on the issue that caused it to stop running.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed with his family inside the vehicle, the battery light and check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed as engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000. The VIN was not available.

Smell of oil burning on exhaust manifold. Inspected by dealer service and found oil leaks at head gasket at rear cylinder bank. Dealer service instructed me not to drive vehicle any further and provided a loaner vehicle. Continued driving with oil leak could have resulted in engine fire. Vehicle is not drivable at present and is at dealer awaiting repairs. I am in possession of a letter from Kia to owners of these vehicles that the head gaskets are a known issue and Kia has extended the warranty on this engine.

Cylinder #1 exhaust valve burnt

Car has had zero problems. Started hearing a strange noise when accelerating, took to dealership they said engine was burning oil and oil was low (no indicator lights). They determineed the engine was failing and needed to be replaced. They told me this was a common occurrence with the 3.3L v6 associated with my model year. They agreed to replace the engine at their cost after a lengthy back and forth. I serviced the car regularly at Kia. They determined it was no fault of my own. Drove the car home and a few additional times. The engine blew up, smoking with no indicator lights. I had to pull over off the side of the road. It could have been a dangerous situation. It has been over a month and the engine has not been replaced yet due to limited inventory and difficulty obtaining a replacement engine by the dealership. The car was towed to the dealership after the engine blew up and it is still sitting at the dealership.

The knock sensor/glow circuit relay failed The car stopped accelerating on the freeway with me and my family in the car. The car was serviced at a Kia dealership and they confirmed that it was the knock sensor which is on recall just not for my cars year. There was no symptoms or warning signs or problems prior to the failure. It happened on the spot.

On March 14, 2024 at approximately 11:40, while driving on a private driveway, which had no other cars or pedestrians on or near it, my vehicle performed its own emergeny braking effort to bring the car to a stop. The standard KIA Emergency Braking warking text displayed on the dashboard declaring the incident. However, no other vehicles or pedestrians were in hundreds of feet of the vehicle or presented a potential obstical that may be crossing in front of the vehcile.The car was traveling approximately 25 MPH and came to a complete stop. It felt as though the engine had frozen and all the wheels locked.

I lost power from the engine while going up a mountain in Georgia. Thought we were going to run off a cliff due to engine failure. We were at about a 45 degree incline going up a mountain. Car stopped due to loss of compression. Family of 3 were 6 feet from edge of cliff when this happened. If breaks failed we would have crashed for sure down the cliff. Total loss of power. It was misfiring per Service department at Halls Service Center in Knoxville , Tn said, Compression in 2 and 3 cylinders were at 60 and 90 PSI. 1 and 4 compression were at 115 and 150. Car is drinking oil like water. Regular maintenance was always completed. Car is available for inspection if needed. I did get a check engine lite on my dash but only after the incident. Other than what the auto service department mentioned above no one else has inspected the vehicle.

Steering is sticky when making SLIGHT correction. Happens every time I drive. The speed does not matter. Happens at all speeds.

Engine uses 1 extra galón of oil in between oil changes.

The steering has at times become sticky for lack of s better term. Turning the wheel, even slightly, feels hard to turn and then will release and cause slight over-correcting. It feels like something is preventing the steering column from turning and then it will let go and turn freely. When this happens it will happen repeatedly on the same outing and is not just a one time occurrence.

I purchased a my 2017 Sorento, it had 40,000 miles, it had a knock to it when I would first get started in the morning, took it to get check twice, told nothing was wrong, at 59,700 I took back and it needed a new transmission, then at 98,000 it needs another transmission, so after two transmission, plus changed 6 fuel injectors, all new spark plugs, now the engine is gone. I also have a 2014 Sorento that’s still rolling and never needed any major work. This car has been problems since I purchased it. It has to be a recall on this car. Something is not right. It’s sitting in the shop again and I can’t afford to fix it.

Vehicle has 108k miles. While driving the vehicle, a knocking noise from the engine began and I immediately pulled over. Vehicle was found to be low on oil and required 3 quarts of oil to get it to acceptable level on dipstick. Knocking noise continued after adding oil. Called dealership and they stated that it could be driven in since there had not been any check engine lights or low oil pressure lights on. Dealership investigated the problem and told me that a new motor was needed, it had broken a rod. Car was 1 month and 3k miles past due for an oil change but almost all prior oil changes and routine maintenance had been on time and completed by the dealership. No oil or check engine light ever came on. There was no oil leak noted either.

I was driving with my 10 year old son on the road, and without any warnings the engine made a knocking noise and then stalled out. I was able to put the car in neutral and restart the car. Then when I got home, as I was parking the engine did the same thing, without warning the engine made a knocking noise and stalled out. I went to the dealership and they inspected the vehicle. They stated that the engine rods and bearings failed, and even though all scheduled maintenance was completed it was out of warranty and I would be responsible for the cost of an engine replacement. I then called Kia customer support and they stated that they were able to verify all maintenance in their system, but our engine does not qualify for a warranty replacement. This car has never been in an accident and received regular maintenance, it is a major safety concern that the engine is failing and can stall at any time while driving.

When passing another vehicle on the road at ~70 mph, the engine warning lights lit up and rpms went to zero. The vehicle was towed and the mechanic told me that then engine is seized. Fortunately, there was no one ahead of us on the road, but it could have been dangerous because we were passing on a two lane road, and when the engine seized it might have meant we were unable to successfully pass. The vehicle has been inspected by a local mechanic (Autotrust Repairs, Montgomery, TX). The engine had been dealing with excessive oil consumption (nearly 1 qt/1000mi), which online documents by Kia said was "normal". I have kept the oil levels replenished during this time. There were no warning lights before the engine seized, only once it actually had done so. I have called local dealership Sterling Kia and Kia Customer Service and they refuse to cover the engine because of reference to an ECU upgrade not having been done ([XXX]). I have received no notice of the recall, even when I took the car to the dealership on [XXX], well after the recall notices had supposedly been sent out. This recall is also not listed on the NHTSA online. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The airbag light stays on and the Tunersville NJ dealership charged me $169 for a diagnostic of the problem. The error code was a B1448 OC sensor MAT defect and they need to replace the cushion because the Occupant Detection System (ODS) Sensor Pad is located inside the seat and quoted me around $2000 to replace it. I was told by the dealership that if the passenger mat detection is not working then the airbag will not work if an accident happens. I found that Kia Sorento from 2011- 2015 has the same issue and the company replaced it without a charge and extended the warranty for this airbag sensor to 15 yr with unlimited miles. This is a known defect for Kia corporation and they don't address this issue until somebody gets hurt in an accident and the airbag malfunctions.

No warning labels came up. Heard loud noises and took to the dealership. They said I need a whole new engine.

I purchased a 2017 kia sorento in 2017. Moved to mississippi in 2018. Never received a recall notice on the engine of my car. Engine blew last month for the exact reason of the recall. Mechanic had to inform me of the recall. Kia is not honoring the recall or the warranty. They are wanting to charge me for any work.

No codes/lights or warnings. Engine started making loud clinking sound randomly, then smoke and car was disabled with oil and metal pieces everywhere in the roadway. Only then was there an engine light on the dash.

On February 13th, while driving from a restaurant to our residence with our children, the vehicle experienced a complete shutdown, accompanied by an engine failure alert. This incident posed a significant safety risk to both myself and my children, necessitating that we push the vehicle to a safe location. Subsequently, the vehicle was towed to a KIA dealership for diagnostic evaluation. It was determined that KIA had previously misdiagnosed the issues with the KIA Sorento, and it was confirmed that the engine required replacement, after several tests. Prior to this incident, the engine exhibited symptoms of excessive oil consumption and irregular jerking. Despite multiple visits to the KIA service center, we consistently received inaccurate diagnoses. Most recently, the vehicle ceased operation once again, and I have been informed that the engine wiring harness is compromised. However, KIA has declined to acknowledge responsibility for this issue. KIA has been the subject of prior reports regarding engine failures and refrains to replace the engine or the harness .

The vehicle just lost power at 75mph on [XXX] heading home to Princeton, ME, started vibrating really bad misfiring then we pulled over the Kia Sorento stalled. Then would not start back up. It’s been using over a quart a week since we got it from the dealership in Bangor, Maine. We got it towed home our mechanic looked at it and noticed oil on the plugs and said we probably need a new engine. Low beam light keep coming off and on so thinking it’s something electrical. Time to time the transmission take a min to shift the engine rpms stay up n takes a few extra seconds to shift. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

We purchased 2017 sorento 2.4 with 71k miles. It burned oil very bad from the day we bought it (3 quarts in 2k miles) We tried to contact the warranty company and the dealer, they pointed the finger at kia. Finally the engine blew up at 80k miles. I was told about the class action lawsuit on rod bearings for that vehicle. Unfortunately, rod bearings aren't the only issue with that engine. It burns tons of oil (possibly through pcv valve or faulty rings). All this burmt oil turns into carbon, and ends up destroying the head/ valve train, fouling spark plugs, and clogging the rings. I am a member of a group that has tons of people with the same issue. Kia refuses to cover it, because the lawsuit only said they had to cover rod bearing failure. My vehicle lost compression on a major highway. Before that, my wife was driving with the kids, and it started misfiring due to the carbon build up fouling another set of spark plugs. These vehicles are going to get people killed, and kia/hyundai are doing nothing about it. All of the vehicles with the theta 2 engine are having this problem.

On January 26th, 2024, the 2017 Kia Sorento was parked outside in an uncovered parking lot (in the rain) for about 8 hours with the ignition off when suddenly the tow hitch harness caught fire and I saw the smoke coming from the car. The fire department was called and we were able to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher before they arrived. Once they arrived, I notified the fire department of the open recall and they were able to pull the fuse to reduce the risk of future fires. I had been into the dealership since the recall was announced and had numerous services performed, but they did not remove the fuse at that time. I had also called a local Kia dealership in December about having the recall remedied, but they were unable to fit me in until mid February. After the fire was extinguished and the fuse had been pulled, I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Kia dealership and contacted them. Since then, the dealership has indicated they cannot work with me and I must work through corporate Kia, but they have not been forthcoming about fixing the recalled issue, repairing the fire damage, or returning my car for nearly 60 days now. I have been back and forth with both email and phone calls with Kia and still haven't even received a date I can expect my car back or information about a loaner/rental car.

The car was making a noise but no check engine wasn’t on I stop at a stop sign and the check engine light came on and car went into limp mode and couldn’t go over 2000 rpms it’s not showing this recall on this vehicle but it’s on some of the serentos and it’s the knock sensor or bearing in the bottom of motor I have 3 kids and now no vehicle I would deeply appreciate a recall on this vehicle vin number to get this fixed quickly this is kinda urgent if you can reply quickly that would be so appreciated it has 169000 miles on it it’s a 2017 model vin number is [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have had engine misfiring and brought my car in 3 times for this. Had the KSDS update performed in 8/2023 and resolved for about 6000 miles and happened again. I was driving on the highway, and suddenly my speed just slowed down and could not drive more than 45mph. I have had high oil consumption that I have complained about for several years, and was not offered an oil consumption test, that I was not aware of such a test. I did make an appt for the test, but my engine failed before the appt. I have been using 5 quarts of oil about every 1300mi. My low oil lamp has not come on many times, and will only flicker when making turns, only to find my oil level was bone dry. I have had oil changed at regular intervals. Took my vehicle to Kia dealership and there was no compression in one of the piston cylinders, part of spark plug melted off into the engine, and have "engine failure" diagnosis. I Have had the piston rings replaced in the recent past. I had initially brought my vehicle into Kia dealership at 99,600 mi knowing that engine was under warranty. 6000 miles later, engine failed and now Kia dealership is telling me the extended warranty does not cover for it. Estimate cost to replace engine is about $10,000 per Kia dealership estimate.I was under the impression it would be covered. I was not offered a loaner vehicle, since it is not covered under warranty, making me a low priority to get a loaner car to use in the meantime. I am the only and original owner of this vehicle. There has been no oil leaking in my garage, where is it all going?

This has happened 3 times, out of no where my car goes into "limp Mode" and this last time I was pulling out and it wouldn't go and my kids were in the car. This is uncalled for and this needs to be addressed.

I was t boned while driving aprox 25 30 non of my air bags deployed and to bolts holding the door had the head shear off while bolts were still stuck in door frame

My car has less than 62,000 miles on it and is burning through all oil every 2000 miles. My engine is completely out of oil. I only know this because I checked it...no lights or any warning signs that it is out. I am worried my engine will seize at any given time.

January 14, 2024. I was driving on the highway, up a mountain, when the engine abruptly failed. All dashboard lights came on, including the check engine light. My safety, and the safety of those driving near me, was put at risk because of the sudden decrease in speed. When the car was inspected by a Kia dealership, they confirmed it needed a new engine, but that the engine was not covered, even though there is a long history of these engines failing and needing replacement.