2021 Kia Sorento Engine Problems

This has been occurring intermittently since my 2021 Kia Sorento reached approx. 15k miles and now has 26,600 miles. There are no lights or indicators on the dash letting me know anything is wrong. When the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or stopped in heavy traffic, the vehicle will start idling high and shaking and the engine will seize up. I am not able to steer, the brakes lock up, I cannot accelerate, all functionality is lost. The only thing I can do is put the vehicle in park (in heavy traffic) and shut the car off and wait a minute and turn it back on and it seems to reset itself. This is EXTREMELY dangerous for myself and my passengers (some of which are children) and can cause a serious accident. At no point should I ever need to be concerned with my vehicle seizing up in the middle of the road and having to park and restart my car. This has happened on several occasions already. I have taken my car to 2 separate Kia dealerships to address this problem I have been experiencing. The first dealership failed to attempt to duplicate the problem and instead informed me the firmware update the performed from a previous recall should remedy the problem. It did not. Then I recently took it to another Kia dealer in another state and explained the situation. I specifically asked them to take the vehicle for a test drive and they argued with me that my battery was low and needed to be replaced and it would not be covered under the warranty. I have been driving this vehicle for a while and it has been having this issue around 15k miles so I know it is not the battery. They totally disregarded the safely of myself and my family and only focused on making money for themselves. This is a serious safety issue with this vehicle and has continuously been swept under the rug by Kia. Even the customer service is rude and I have reported this to them and asked for an escalation to their consumer affairs dept and have received no response.

I was driving my car on [XXX] and my car suddenly lost power and when I pressed the gas pedal the RPM quickly increased but the car was hesitating between gears and not engaging. Shortly thereafter a malfunction code showed up on my car screen along with an engine warning indicator. The code was DCT P193B79. That code indicates a High Pressure Electric Oil Pump Performance issue pointing to problems with the 8WDCT; the same issue and symptoms associated with the recall bulletin for the 2021 Kia Sorento Transmission. When I brought it to Ken Gariff Kia in Phoenix Arizona they stated there is no such recall for my vehicle with this problem and that since I have 76000 miles on the car it is not covered. I feel that this repair falls squarely within the scope of the recall for the Kia transmission and would like it replaced at the manufacturers expense. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have had many issues where my car will completely shut off after the auto start-stop function causing me to almost get into accidents with my toddlers in the vehicle. There was one incident where I was at a stop light, when the light turned green I started my car again to go and another vehicle continued to bypass me. When i halted for the other vehicle, my engine shut off again almost the cause of a horrific accident. I have had many incidents after this with the related cause of engine shutting off.

I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding Recall 22V-760 (SC250) affecting my 2021 Kia Sorento. This recall was marked “complete” by Kia, even though no actual repair or remedy was performed on my vehicle. I am now facing a complete transmission failure and have been quoted $7,100 to repair a defect Kia already acknowledged and promised to fix. The reality is, the defect was always present, it just hadn’t reached full failure yet. The recall being closed does not mean the issue was resolved, and this approach leaves thousands of Kia owners like myself unprotected.In May 2023, I brought my vehicle to Daphne Kia in Alabama for a radiator leak. During that visit, they noted the transmission recall was open but stated that no defect was found. As a result, they marked the recall as “complete” without conducting any meaningful repair or replacement. No transmission work was done, despite known problems reported nationwide.In May 2025, my Sorento began showing the exact symptoms described in the recall: surging RPMs, transmission hesitation, jerking, and drifting in and out of gear. At times, the vehicle would slow dramatically or jolt in the middle of traffic and lose drive! Extremely dangerous situation for me in traffic with complete loss of acceleration. I had to take time off to bring the vehicle to Step One Automotive Kia in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on June 30, 2025 the soonest my schedule allowed. At that appt, I was told the transmission had failed and would cost over $7,000 to replace.I also am paying for a rental vehicle while my car is still with Kia for resolution as of now. Recall coverage did nothing to protect me when the defect eventually surfaced. Kia has publicly stated that:“If your vehicle is affected by a recall, Kia will repair the vehicle free.” They have a legal obligation under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act to correct safety related defects.They are not meeting that. kia consumer relations contacted as well.

The stop go feature is not working correctly, when it does cut off at a light after releasing the brake to move forward it takes 3-5 seconds to start. when the cars behind me see that i release the brake they assume im going to move which doesnt happen at first. some occasions the stop n go just doesnt work at all.

On three separate occasions, after starting the vehicle, the car cannot be accelerated above 30 mph. The Idle Stop and Go (ISG or Auto Start Stop feature) light flashes orange, but no other warning symbols are illuminated. After safely moving the vehicle off the road, I have to turn off the engine, wait for 2-4 seconds, and restart the engine. Once the vehicle is restarted, the vehicle accelerates normally. This issue has happened twice in the past month. I plan to take my car to a Kia dealership for an inspection, but since this problem happens randomly, the Kia technicians may not be able to reproduce the problem. I purchased this vehicle used with about 77k miles in December 2023. I first noticed this issue in April 2024. The vehicle now has a little under 98k miles recorded.

Was driving and car lost all power then violently shifted to the next gear and almost caused an accident

Our Kia lost power on the highway in a construction site and we had to coast until we finally were able to pull over in a safe place. This has happened a few times before but Kia says they can't do anything unless it can be duplicated.

Subject: Urgent Safety Concern with Kia Sorento Transmission Recall (SC250) Dear NHTSA, On [XXX], my 2021 Kia Sorento began exhibiting multiple mechanical issues detailed in Kia’s SC250 campaign [XXX] ). While driving, the check engine light came on with a “low transmission fluid pressure” warning, followed by power loss and gear disengagement. Kia (Russ Darrow Kia Waukesha, WI) advised a software update for the transmission’s electric oil pump as a likely fix, but even after the update, I continued experiencing power loss and disengagement. I brought up the similarities between my vehicle’s issues and the SC250 campaign, but Kia said my warranty was void due to the car’s rebuilt title (which I knew), despite it being only three years old with 30,000 miles. I informed Kia that federal law under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act requires car manufacturers to repair safety-related recalls at no charge to the owner. Kia stated the recall had been “closed” by a 2022 software update, releasing them from further responsibility. I then asked if Kia would have covered repairs if I hadn’t installed the software update in 2022 when the recall was issued. Kia suggested it might have, but since the recall is now closed, I would need to cover the repairs myself. This stance feels misleading, as it suggests no real incentive to comply with recalls until a problem physically manifests. I also took the vehicle to a transmission shop, where they confirmed that the issues matched those in the SC250 campaign. I am reaching out to NHTSA for assistance, as this situation raises significant concerns about the recall’s effectiveness in ensuring safety and addressing the actual defect. I appreciate any guidance or help NHTSA can offer in resolving this issue. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

When driving in traffic at a stop, or even just slowing down when needing to make a turn, the accelerator does not respond to the pressure being applied and the vehicle barely moves, even with pedal nearly to the floor. This is a serious problem and can be a very dangerous thing when trying to cross or pull out onto a street when there’s oncoming traffic, so I'm nervous now to pull out when any cars are coming. I took the car into the dealership, who said that "Their technician could not replicate the problem" and nothing was done. I found many others with this same problem on a Kia forum online. I am going to also report this to Kia.

While in the process of pulling into marked stall in parking lot car accelerated unexpectedly jumping over a concrete stop and crashing into the wall of a building. Car sustained eleven thousand dollars worth of damage and the wall that was hit was caved in. Cost of wall repair is unknown at this time. After the collision an attempt to dislodge the car was attempted by putting the car in reverse. The engine RPM was still racing and the car jerked backwards uncontrollably requiring the engine to be shut off to stop the car. Nobody was injured only property damage.

My 2021 KIA Sorento, has literally cut off on me several times in the last 3 three months, when I am at a stop ight/sign the vehicle will just shut off, it will not turn back on, after 3-4 attempts of trying to get the vehicle to start it would, but later on the same day it would do the same thing. On the third incident I took the vehicle to the Kia dealership in Victorville, Ca. After keeping the vehicle for several days, they said they could not find anything wrong and that i should replace the battery because it had a low cell. So I bought the battery and paid for the diagnostic. the same day I picked of the vehicle drove to Las Vegas , Nevada, the vehicle did the same thing it would not start, we had to get a jump to get it started, was terrified to drive the vehicle back to California. Call the dealership about the issue but never received a call back. Now here it [XXX], the vehicle cuts off at a 4 way stop light, we were in the turning lane!!!! the vehicle would not start, there virtually no power, had to move the vehicle to a parking lot around the corner, called a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to the Kia dealership. They are saying it will take 3-5 days before they can get a diagnosis done. There is something going on with this vehicle, and I do not feel safe driving it even a short distance. This problem needs to be investigated before some get hurt/accident. I have not a seen a recall on my VIN number but there is something on wrong very similar to the transmission problems the Kia is having. I would like to have this issued looked at immediately to find out the root cause of this problem with a resolution. Will be awaiting a response, my vehicle is still at Valley Hi Kia, Victorville, Ca INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Today, our vehicle began making a chiming noise and displaying the words "Stop Safely Immediately." We were nearly in a car accident as our car stopped working in the middle of the road. We had to abandon the vehicle because it would not move. Upon coming home, we searched our VIN and found that there was a recall on the vehicle that Kia had never informed us of: SC250. Kia is mandated to inform clients of recalls that may endanger them, yet Kia chose not to do so.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who mentioned a recall on the transmission. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed there was no recall or warranty coverage on the VIN. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 66,550.

I had reported a momentary loss of power when driving the first time I took my vehicle for an oil change. Dealer said the car was just getting accustomed to my driving habits. I said I was in an intersection and the car lost power for a moment and I was almost rear-ended. It has happened many more times and it seemed as though it usually happened between 25-30 mph. Recently it has become more frequent. It’s happening at all speeds. Yesterday it seemed like it was choking like when you’re out of gas (it had 3/4 tank of gas). Today I was making a turn at a heavily traveled intersection, when rounding the corner vehicle lost power then banged into gear. I’ve never heard it bang like that before. Seems to be getting progressively worse and I’m now concerned for myself and others safety. I work 45 miles from home and depend on this vehicle. This is my 3rd Sorento and have always liked and recommended them. I’m making an appointment for a diagnostic service soon but can’t afford to be without my car. I saw there was a recall for “loss of power” but my VIN isn’t included. Please help.

This is 2nd time that my Kia Sorento shuts off while we’re stopped at a red light. When we release the brake the engine didn’t start.

Engine has turned off on road at stop and not started up again. Starts to shake then powers off. I have had to push break shut off engine completely and turn on again in middle of road. Carson of Kia states there is nothing wrong with it but this is a HUGE safety concern.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The RPM was fluctuating, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

My 2021 Kia Sorento is waiting on a new transmission with no ETA. Thank goodness after it started driving rough and rocking back and forth while in park we took it to a Kia dealership. Dealership said we. needed a new transmission. I’m just glad we caught it before we had total engine failure going down the road like the recall states.

I would like to report that the 2021 Kia Sorento SX X-Line Prestige I own has a chronic oil leak from the oil pan. The dealer has attempted to reseal the pan two times and has replaced the pan and gasket once as well. The vehicle has leaked oil since it was practically new and poses an environmental hazard.