There are 14 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2017 Kia Sorentoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I am reporting a serious engine defect in my 2017 Kia Sorento. The has failed and presents an ongoing safety concern. The issue is while driving on the interstate, the vehicle began shaking violently, started making a knocking noise and the check engine illuminated. The RPMs also began spiking so I slowed down and got off at the next exit. Now every time I start the vehicle it continues to shake, knock and cannot accelerate properly -- the RPMs climb as high as 5000 with very little power. This is a clear safety hazard and makes the vehicle unsafe to operate on public roads.
BOTH rear speed sensors have gone bad. One under warranty, one outside. This disables safety speed systems and speed control.
Cruise control works erratically when turned on at times I can't set the speed, othertimes it won't cancel using the cancel button the only way to cancel it is to tap the brake pedsl or turn the cruise off, sometimes it will not turn on and at other times it works as it should.
1 WEEK AFTER PURCHASING MY 2017 KIA SORENTO FE AWD FROM ROCHESTER TOM KADLEC KIA IN AUGUST 2019, I WENT TO USE MY CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WOULDN'T SET. "CRUISE" CAME ON, BUT COULD NOT BE SET TO MY SPEED. ISSUE HAPPENED AROUND 1-2 TIMES A WEEK ON 45 MILE COMMUTE ON HIGHWAY. LATER ON ABOUT A MONTH LATER, I SET MY CRUISE CONTROL AND ONCE SET, THE SPEED BEGAN TO CLIMB. STARTING AT 65, AND GOING UP TO 70 BEFORE I HAD TO USE MY BRAKES TO TURN CRUISE CONTROL OFF AS THE BUTTONS DIDN'T WORK. ON DEC 16TH, MY CAR SHOWED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THEN STALLED AFTER PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE FROM REVERSE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON AND DROVE "NORMALLY". TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP SAME DAY FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY READ THE CODES, "P2106, P2110, P063 LIMP MODE AND THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL RANGE" THEY ALSO NOTED MY VEHICLE HAS A TIMING COVER GASKET AND OIL PAN GASKET LEAK, AND MY BATTERY TESTED AT 12.39VOLTS AND 339CCA OUT OF 640CCA. RECOMMENDED BATTERY REPLACEMENT. MY SHOP ASKED ME TO CHECK THE DEALERSHIP FOR MY WARRANTY, AND IT'S 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES. I CAME INTO THE SHOP AT 62,334 MILES. THE KIA DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE UNLESS I PAID 160 FOR THEIR OWN INSPECTION, AND EVEN THEN, IT'D BE HIGHLY UNLIKELY THEY WOULD DO ANY GOODWILL REPAIR. REPLACED BATTERY 12/26/19 AFTER MULTIPLE FAILURES AND JUMPS TO START, AND FINALLY WOULDN'T TAKE A CHARGE OR JUMP.
LOST POWER,UNABLE TO ACCELERATE.ENGINE LABORED FORCED TO DRIVE AT SLOW SPEED TO DEALER SHOP.CAR AT DEALERS SHOP FOR 7 DAYS.UNABLE TO GET A PICK UP DATE.CAR HAS 16500 MILES WAS IN SHOP FOR FACTORY RECALL PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM.
AFTER USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR APPROX. 4 HOURS, THE COMPUTER IN OUR CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL ON ITS OWN AND THE PARKING BREAK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON OUR DASH PANEL. BRAKE HOWEVER WAS NOT ENGAGED. ANOTHER AMBER COLORED WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED BUT I CAN'T RECALL WHAT IT SAID. WE PULLED OVER, TURNED CAR OFF AND WHEN WE STARTED IT BACK UP, THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESUME USING CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS INCIDENT WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATED ITSELF WHILE DRIVING BUT NOT SUDDEN STOPS INITIATED IT OR WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
THE VEHICLE DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT 60 MPH. THE ENGINE RPM'S DROPPPED FROM 4,000 TO 1,000 AND THE ACCELERATOR AND TRANSMISSION WAS NOT RESPONDING. THE VEHICLE TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO BE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE CONDITION UPON A TEST DRIVE BY THEIR TECNICIAN. THIS FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. NOTE: ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA, THIS IS THE EXACT SAME THING THAT HAS HAPPENED AND BEEN REPORTED BY OWNERS OF KIA OPTIMAS. THE DEALER ORDERED A HOSE ASSEMBLY AIR INTAKE PART TO BE INSTALLED UPON ARRIVAL UNDER SA303 PROCEDURE BUT DENIES IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM.
AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN ON TO A BUSY HIGHWAY, MY GAS PEDDLE STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC. MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO KIA AND HAD A WIRE REPLACED THAT CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER. A FEW DAYS LATER AS I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE MY CAR WAS TRYING TO DRIVE ITSELF. MY CAR WAS TRYING TO EXCEL FASTER THAN I WANTED IT TO GO. I WAS BEHIND A TRACKER TRAILER AND I WAS SCARED I WAS GOING TO HIT IT. MY CAR IS NOW AT KIA SERVICE. THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE THE FULL THROTTLE BODY BUT THEN RECEIVED NOTICE TO PUT A HALT ON THAT BECAUSE OF ANOTHER ISSUE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE PUTTING MY CHILDREN BACK IN THIS VEHICLE.
ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCASIONS THIS VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED EACH TIME WHILE GOING DIFFERENT SPEEDS. ONE OF THESE TIMES I WAS IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC ON AN EXPRESSWAY, ALMOST CAUSING A WRECK. THE FIRST TIME IT DIED I WAS ON A ROAD GOING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR, THE SECOND TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT STARTED MAKING A SURGING SOUND. THE THIRD TIME I WAS IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC GOING 65 AND IT COMPLETELY DIED, THE FOURTH TIME I HAD JUST STARTED DRIVING AND WAS GOING ABOUT 15 MPH WHEN IT DIED.
CRUSE CONTROL SET AT 70 AND WHILE DESCENDING WILL DROP TO 3500RPM AND THEN SUDDENTLY DROP 5000RPM. TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE OR PROBLEM
1.) DRIVING VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NOTICED PARKING BRAKE LIGHT ON (HAD NOT EXPLICITLY ENGAGED BRAKE). TRIED TO DISENGAGE PARKING BRAKE, AND THE LIGHT STAYED ON. PULLED OVER, PUT CAR IN PARK. TRIED TO DISENGAGE AGAIN, STILL WOULD NOT. TURNED CAR OFF, ON AGAIN, WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE. 2.) DRIVING CITY ROAD, APP 40MPH, ACCELERATOR PEDDLE BECAME PHYSICALLY STUCK, TOOK FOOT OFF PEDDLE, PEDDLE STAYED IN POSITION AND CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. TRIED TO GENTLY PUSH PEDDLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. TAPPED PEDDLE HARD AND IT CAME LOOSE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE. CAR HAS 15K MILES. *TR
15-DEC-2016: TRAVELING APPROX. 50 MPH DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC IN MARIETTA, GA, THE VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER THEREFORE PREVENTING THE OPERATOR OF SAID MOTOR VEHICLE TO HAVE COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, (MYSELF) THUS, ILLUSTRATING A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. THIS ISSUE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY, THE LOSS OF LIFE OF MYSELF OR OTHER MOTORIST, AND OR A CATASTROPHIC EVENT TO PROPERTY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON DURING THIS INCIDENT AND EVER SINCE I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FEARFUL TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE EVER SINCE. 2. 22-DEC-2016: ENGINE LIGHT, RPMS ACCELERATE, WHILE VEHICLE IS IN PARK/ DRIVE. I WAS PARKED AND THE RPMS ACCELERATED FOR NO REASON. I HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THIS INCIDENT. 3. 05-JAN-2017: ENGINE LIGHT, RPMS ACCELERATE, WHILE VEHICLE IS IN PARK/ DRIVE. VEHICLE WANTED TO ACCELERATE WHILE PARKED. VEHICLE JERKED WHEN SHIFTING INTO PARK OR DRIVE. VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT APPLYING ANY THROTTLE. ACCELERATED VERY FAST HAD TO HOLD BRAKES WITH SIGNIFICANT FORCE TO PREVENT FROM ACCELERATING. I HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THIS INCIDENT. 4. 16-JAN-2017: ENGINE LIGHT, RPMS ACCELERATE, WHILE VEHICLE IS IN PARK/ DRIVE. VEHICLE SEEMS TO SKIP A GEAR WHEN STOPPED AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE. 5. FRONT OF VEHICLE SHOOK AND HAS PROBLEMS ACCELERATING COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR UP A HILL. FEELS LIKE IT MISSES A TRANSMISSION GEAR WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. 0-10 MPH OK BUT 10-35 YOU HAVE TO PRESS ACCELERATOR SIGNIFICANTLY, THEN OVER SPEEDS. 3 DIFFERENT KIA DEALERSHIPS INCLUDING 5 INCIDENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND AND EACH HAVE FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM OR MAKE REPAIRS. KIA CORPORATE TOLD THE LAST DEALERSHIP TO PARK VEHICLE AND NOT MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR 31 DAY TOTAL IN KIA'S CUSTODY (SERVICE REPAIR CENTER). LEMON LAW PROCEEDINGS PENDING.
PROBLEM: INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ADVANCED SMART CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTONOMOUS BRAKING ON A NEW 2017 KIA SORENTO WITH LESS THAN 1100 MILES. WHAT HAPPENED: WHEN USING THE ADVANCED SMART CONTROL FEATURE, THE SMART CRUISE CONTROL WILL SHUT DOWN RANDOMLY. ON FOUR OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING WITH SMART CRUISE CONTROL, ON A HIGHWAY ON A CLEAR DAY, MY KIA'S DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH "CHECK SMART CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM." THESE ADDITIONAL WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD: ANTI-LOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT, ELECTRONIC BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, MASTER WARNING LIGHT, AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL INDICATOR LIGHT. THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT WORK AND ALL LIGHTS STAY ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND THEN BACK ON. AFTER ONE OCCURRENCE, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. AS THIS ONLY HAPPENS RANDOMLY THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO NOT STORING ANY DIAGNOSTIC CODES. AFTER THE 3RD TIME IT WAS IN THE DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE THEY SAID A CODE WAS STORED. THEY SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CAMERA MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE SERVICE TECH DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED THE CAMERA WITH THE THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE A LOOSE CONNECTION. THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER THEY ADJUSTED THE CAMERA. THEY HAVE A NEW CAMERA ON ORDER BUT IT IS NOT IN STOCK ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. I CONTACTED KIA MOTORS CONSUMER AFFAIRS SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY JUST SEND ME BACK TO THE DEALER. PROBLEM IS STILL UNSOLVED. *TR
PROBLEM: INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ADVANCED SMART CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTONOMOUS BRAKING ON A NEW 2017 KIA SORENTO WITH LESS THAN 500 MILES. WHAT HAPPENED: WHEN USING THE ADVANCED SMART CONTROL FEATURE, AS EXPLAINED TO ME BY THE DEALER, THE MANUAL, AND KIA VIDEOS, THE CAR WILL STOP AUTONOMOUSLY WHEN APPROACHING A CAR AT A STOP LIGHT. MY KIA STOPS AUTONOMOUSLY MOST OF THE TIME, BUT NOT ALL OF THE TIME. ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING WITH SMART CRUISE CONTROL, ON A STRAIGHT ROAD ON A CLEAR DAY, MY KIA SLOWED DOWN BUT DID NOT STOP, CAUSING ME TO TAKE EMERGENCY EVASIVE ACTION AT THE LAST SECOND. AFTER TWO OCCURRENCES, I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ASKED TO SIMPLY HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DO NOT HANDLE SAFETY CONCERNS, AND DIRECTED ME TO CALL KIA, WHICH I DID MORE THAN A MONTH AGO. THE KIA REP TRIED TO TELL ME THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT STOP WHILE USING ADVANCED SMART CRUISE CONTROL, DESPITE THEIR TV ADS, INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS, AND MY OWN EXPERIENCES WHICH SAYS THE CAR DOES INDEED STOP IN THE SMART CRUISE CONTROL MODE. THE KIA REP SAID SOMEONE FROM KIA WOULD FOLLOW-UP, BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED. SO, AFTER WAITING MORE THAN A MONTH, I AM FILING THIS REPORT TO SEE IF OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CRITICAL SAFETY TECHNOLOGY. OTHERWISE, THE KIA OPERATES NORMALLY AND IS A VERY NICE SUV. I JUST WANT MY SORENTO CHECKED OUT BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR
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