10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 27
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
22,905 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #492

Jan 182024

Sorento

  • miles
Head bolts come lose causing head gaskets to leak. Vehicle is losing coolant internally. My safety is at risk for now I have no vehicle to drive to get me to and from work, in order to afford food and housing, causing me to have a poor mental state, of which may or may not have a negative effect on my well-being. Poor design and quality is to blame and a large corporation such as Kia needs to be held accountable. I have no idea what other domino effects this poor design may have on other engine parts/failures.

- West Manchester, OH, USA

problem #491

Dec 222023

Sorento

  • miles
There are many complaints about head gasket leaks. I have a head gasket leaks with 150,000 miles.

- Farmington, CT, USA

problem #490

Dec 092023

Sorento

  • miles
Complete engine failure. Palmen Kia of Kenosha mechanics say it is an ongoing issue with this type of engine that Kia is fully aware of and that it should be covered by the factory Powertrain warranty but the company refuses to fix it. I also own an additional extended warranty through Educator-??s Credit Union which won-??t fix it for me.

- Kenosha, WI, USA

problem #489

Jan 172024

Sorento

  • miles
On January 17 2024 as I am making my usual drive to work on a very busy interstate highway my 2016 Kia SORENTO EX V6 FWD AUTO 3.3 liter engine completely seizes up and so begins my nightmare. The same nightmare I am seeing time and time and time again reported on this site, and every site you do a simple search on 2016 KIA Sorento's for. As a result of the catastrophic engine failure, I (a female, original owner of the KIA, ) was left in a very dangerous position to try and maneuver through and not be killed by oncoming cars and further not get jumped in a very bad part of the metro. (this is not my personal assessment, this is the highest crime area in our city) Car was towed to dealership where I originally purchased it and today I received the diagnosis report indicating Alternator Replacement $1,283.94, Head Gasket $4,276.92, Body Control Module/ ECU $1,030.35 (an issue that I raised when the car was under the manufacturer warranty, and was ignored by the service team and results in me using a screw driver to even get the car out of park) I want answers as do all of the other impacted customers as to WHAT MORE IS NEEDED TO PROVE THAT KIA ENGINES ARE DANGEROUS AND NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE STREET!

- Raymore, MO, USA

problem #488

Jan 122024

Sorento

  • miles
Cruise control was set on 60, went up a non steep incline I drive everyday and vehicle suddenly stopped functioning properly. Took off the cruise, step on the accelerator, no power and no response. Also no warning lights are on, no dash lights came on until I was able to stop the vehicle and shift to park. Turned off the engine and it never turned over again. My safety was put at risk and others on the road due to there being no warning to this happening and lack of control I had over the vehicle. I have had it inspected by my mechanic and he is telling me it was a catastrophic failure and the engine blew. Cost of repair isn't much less than a new vehicle. I have no trade in value on a car I purchased brand new 7 years ago. I have to scrap a vehicle I should be able to trade in for 5K at least. According to an article I found from Nov 2023 this has recently been found to be an issue with these models. I took really good care of this vehicle, it still blew up on me, and put me in danger.

- Nashport , OH, USA

problem #487

Dec 152023

Sorento

  • miles
On 12/15/23 my wife was driving her father to a dental appointment and when trying to pass a slower moving vehicle on a rural stretch of our highway system. The car died after she accelerated to pass the slower vehicle. She was in the oncoming lane of traffic when she lost engine power, power steering, power brakes and electronics. The car she was passing slowed down to allow her to get over, as a semi truck had now appeared on the horizon. Without any power, she could not complete the pass and had to force the car back into the correct lane where the car came to a stop partially in the roadway. Two vehicles behind her witnessed the issue and could tell she was having vehicle problems and helped push her, her dad, and the car to the side of the road into an orchard for safety. There were no warning symptoms, no loud sounds, nothing, just the control panel flashing intermediately after the car died. The car was towed to a local shop that thought it was possibly an electrical issue and replaced the battery (as that somehow died during the incident) but they soon identified the motor had seized and we should have it taken to a Kia dealership for a known issue with the 2.4L engines. The Kia dealership advised that a "Product Improvement Campaign", not a Safety Recall, had not been performed on the vehicle and that Kia had a class action lawsuit for this exact issue. Kia claims that postal notifications were sent to the previous owner, but had our information on file and registered as an owner through the Kia Owner web portal. Kia is refusing to cover the repair costs because the original owner never had the work completed, and as a second owner, we were never notified of the Knock Sensor Software Update that needed to ensure the car would go into limp mode before a total engine seizure. We never took the Kia to an actual dealer, as we had all maintenance done at various oil change locations, and an independent auto repair shop do the milestone services as recommended.

- Willows, CA, USA

problem #486

Jan 042024

Sorento

  • miles
My car was overheating and no coolant was leaking. Took it to a Kia dealership and they said that it was due to failed head bolts warping the heads and damaging the block. They said they need to replace the engine and that this is an issue with 2016-2017 Kia Sorento.

- Blaine, MN, USA

problem #485

Jan 152024

Sorento

  • miles
Engine replacement needed due to faulty engine. Dealer confirmed faulty bolts in head gasket causing leaks. No signs of critical issue. The vehicle was taken in for a regularly scheduled oil change when the dealership discovered the leak and subsequent issue with the head gasket threads being striped requiring a full engine replacement. The manufacturer(KIA/Hyundai) should in good faith provide restitution for this issue as it has devalued the vehicle in the public market and is a public safety issue to have the potential for engines to fail without warning. The manufacturer, should also extend and fully cover future engine issues, not just the boilerplate 12k mile warranty on "new" engine replacements. Replacing one faulty engine with another does not negate the root issue and does not provide a good faith solution.

- Blythewood, SC, USA

problem #484

Jan 122024

Sorento

  • miles
My engine blew with no light to indicate there was even a problem with the engine.

- Salem, CT, USA

problem #483

Jan 082024

Sorento

  • miles
The car continues to have burning smell last few days and temperature Gauge past the H. Kia will not diagnose or look at for over 2 weeks and asks me to drive it with my young children. There are no rentals or loaner available while I wait to get my vehicle looked at. I do not want to be the next statistic with my vehicle burning on the side of the road. Please help.

- Montgomery, AL, USA

problem #482

Nov 062023

Sorento

  • miles
When taking 2016 Kia Sorento in for oil changes, I'm being told vehicle is low on oil. On Nov 6, check engine light came on, with code P0010 Camshaft position Sensor, so my mechanic replaced both Camshaft position sensors. December 3, check engine light came back on, same code, when mechanic did a further diagnostic he said it is the variable valve timing actuator which happens to be causing the oil consumption. Indicated to take to Kia dealer because they are well aware of the issues with the Gamma motors. I haven't taken it yet to the dealership, I have done some research and seen where there are thousands of Kias and Hyundais with the same issues and it seems the corporations are not doing anything about this.I am really scared to drive now not knowing if I am going to be in the middle of the interstate and my vehicle just quits and then I am in an accident. I am waiting for all documentation of all oil changes and repairs from the shop.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #481

Jun 212023

Sorento

  • miles
Engine stalled while driving on highway. Took it to a Kia dealer and had it diagnosed as an engine block/head gasket failure. I have documentation of service. Service document reads -??owner states vehicle runs rough when first started and a/c doesnt cool properly, started vehicle, a/c is currently working normally, upon inspection, found coolant about 3/4 gallon low and has bubbles coming up in reservoir tank, topped coolant, performed engine block test, photo of yellow fluid in tester indicates combustion gases are getting into cooling system and not going out exhaust as it is supposed to, took video of bubbles coming up into tank, advise more than likely due to overheating of engine either has crack in block or warped heads or a combination of the 2, advised recommended long block replacement as tear down is not cost effective, gave estimate, owner declined repairs at this time-??. I have been made aware of other customers and people experiencing exact same issue with their Kia sorento models. We have only had this car for over a year from a reputable dealer.

- Wood River, NE, USA

problem #480

Aug 182022

Sorento

  • miles
To whom it may concern, I recently came across an article stating the NHTSA is investigating KIA about the faulty engine. I personally found out the hard way when my family vehicle, a 2016 KIA Sorento EX V6 3.3L V6 lost power on I75 while driving back from a trip to Disney World Orlando. I was able to pull aside but almost got hit by a speeding car. I looked in the engine bay and the coolant was overflowing from the reservoir and was very hot. I towed it back home and then followed up with my mechanic who said the head gasket was blown and that it needed to be replaced. The car is only shy of 50,000 miles and I got it with 4000 miles. I tried to get the engine replaced but KIA doesn-??t have any engines for replacement. I have been looking to buy a car to get the engine from a newer KIA because I-??m 100% sure this is a factory defect that they won-??t fix on their own. I just received a letter stating to take the car to the dealer for a diagnostic on this exact issue and that they would fix it if they found the fault. Well, they said the issue was not about the head gasket and that the motor of the cooling fan was at fault. Yet I talked in person to the tech that diagnosed the car and only VERBALLY they would acknowledge the issue is the head gasket but not only that, they even said the entire engine needed replacing. Are they trying to get away from taking responsibility" Why they wouldn't state it in the paperwork" But if I send you the diagnostic they produced it would only say yellowing tires and wiper replacement to be necessary. This confirms there is a -??cat in the bag.-?? But what they don-??t know is that there was a prior inspection at another dealer that stated the head gasket was indeed blown. You are welcome to contact me at any time. My name is Marco A. Espinosa. The vehicle is under my wife-??s name Yisel Espinosa. My direct number is 3057942317. Thank you for your help and I hope you make KIA accountable for this really bad experience.

- Lehigh Acres, FL, USA

problem #479

Nov 272023

Sorento

  • miles
The engine failed and stopped while driving on the highway going about 50 mph. Fortunately was able to pull off to side of the road without crashing. Took the vehicle to the kia dealer it was determined that the engine failed due to rod bearing failure. It stopped without any warning. It also appears that there is a current recall and class action lawsuit on v4 2.4 engines identifying the same problem. This needs to be checked into

- Franklinton, NC, USA

problem #478

Aug 072023

Sorento

  • miles
I purchased this car in august of this year 2023. Since purchasing it has spent about half of the time I-??ve had it at the dealership being repaired (all listed in carfax) Things that have been fixed are thermostat, car has been pressure tested multiple times due to hidden coolant leaks, Oring replaced, thermal module where coolant pipe connects & now it is having oil consumption issues & im in the process of testing. This car only has 60k miles and I-??ve only put about 3500 of them on it. It has a good carfax showing it has been maintained properly. The dealership has told me that they are unsure if approval would be given for oil consumption. However this hadn-??t been happening before all the coolant issues occured which leads me to believe this is somehow related. & now it is a huge concern to me as the idea that my engine could blow or catch on fire with two little kids in the car is extremely scary. Also there was no engine light on when car started having oil loss, luckily I was just checking fluids regularly and noticed & when we started this process the dealership had to put 3 qts of oil in.

- Shelby, OH, USA

problem #477

Oct 012023

Sorento

  • miles
Oil Consumption issue in which the oil is burning in in the engine. It's a known issue KIA acknowledges however; will not recall to replace the engine. My car has gone through the oil consumption test which they acknowledged it is consuming oil but would cost 1600 to correct a 92% success rate. I don't have the money to fix. Solution from the service dealer was to wait for the engine to go so it can be replaced in its entirety. I am having to check my oil every 1000 miles to top the oil off-quart low and change the oil every 3k. So unsafe to say wait for the engine to go. I am scared to drive my car any further than in the city limits. Is there anything that can be done. Where is the accountability on their end?

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #476

Nov 092023

Sorento

  • miles
Daughter was traveling at highway speeds (60 mph) when engine loss all power and hard to merge over in lanes due to loss of speed and other traffic. Once to side of road found coolant blowing out of reservoir under hood. Towed to service station where they said head gasket blown on back cylinder bank. Replacement motor needed to make repairs as 7 of 8 head bolts found loose and 3 threads striped from aluminum block which they said is common issue with Kia engines.

- Felicity, OH, USA

problem #475

Oct 312023

Sorento

  • miles
On the morning of October 31st, 2022 I used my remote starter to warm the engine in my driveway for approximately 10 minutes, when I got into the car I noticed the air blowing was ice cold and when looked at the temperature gauge the needle was in the red. I allowed the engine to cool down for about an hour, checked the coolant level and found it empty. I looked all around and under the engine for signs of leaks, none were found. I purchased a gallon of coolant, topped off the system and brought the car to my local garage to check the problem. They replaced the thermostat and bled the cooling system. About a week later it started overheating again so I topped off the coolant again and took the car to the nearest Kia dealer. After keeping my car for a week they concluded that the head gaskets were leaking and the repairs would be more than the value of the car and they'd be happy to trade what's left of my car for a new Kia. I had my car towed to a reputable independent shop and ended up paying a total of $12, $274.84 for a re-manufactured engine and for labor involved in stripping down the old engine for the extended warranty who inspected the engine and denied the claim. I purchased this vehicle on 1/9/2021 with extended warranty from and authorized Kia Dealer for $20,522.78. I have since found out that this is an ongoing issue with the Kia/Huyndai V6 engines from 2016-2019. As a Mercedes-Benz employee for 30 plus years I am appalled at Kia for their unwillingness to stand by their products.

- Hempstead, NY, USA

problem #474

Nov 062023

Sorento

  • miles
Car when into a low power mode, could not keep it running, took 5 times to go thru a very busy intersection and motor was making a knocking noise, smells like burnt oil-motor, misses out..The car was towed into a KIA dealership,3 weeks later they said it was fixed, drove off and didn-??t even make it a mile until it started knocking and having the same smell like burnt motor, went into a reduce power.now it-??s been 3 more weeks or more and still nothing is getting resolved. Yes the dealership knows about this issue. Yes warning messages came on when it went into low power mode. This is motor number two as the motor was replaced less than 12 months ago.

- Moore, OK, USA

problem #473

Nov 142023

Sorento

  • 145,000 miles
Been dealing with oil issues for over a year. With a closely monitored oil level the car engine blew a hole and is now not drivable. There was never a low oil light or any warning.

- Macungie, PA, USA

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