I was accelerating from a stoplight, and the transmission did not engage, and vehicle seized to accelerate. There was a loud gear grinding noise when gear was engaged, both forward and reverse. Car started fine afterward, but same gear grinding occurred when placed in gear, with no vehicle motion.

- St Paul, MN, USA

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that two children were able to shift the vehicle into neutral when it was parked and shut off. As a result, the vehicle rolled forward until crashing into bushes. Both children suffered minor injuries. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle operated to its specifications. The contact was also informed that all vehicles made by this manufacturer could be shifted out of park in the same manner. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Fairfield, OH, USA

Placing the car in reverse resulted in a loud "clunk" felt in the transmission area. However, the vehicle drove normally for a short period of time (about 4 minutes). After entering a highway and beginning to accelerate to merge with traffic, there was a much larger "clunk" form the transmission area, followed by a metallic whining/whirring noise form the same area, and loss of speed. The engine remained running, but the vehicle would not accelerate. I pulled the car off the main road, and had a difficult time getting the car into the "park" gear so I could turn the vehicle off. Kia roadside assistance came and towed the vehicle to a Kia dealership for replacement of the transmission.

- Newhall, CA, USA

Ever since bought new (Sorento sx 6cyl.) in April 2011, there has been a intermittant issue with no engine response from stop for 2-3 seconds. RPM's stay at idle speed, then it suddenly takes hold and runs fine. Only happens from stop, and only about once or twice every 2-3 days. Dealer cannot duplicate problem, no codes. Dangerous situation when pulling out into traffic from a stop. I cannot duplicate it under any driving circumstances. Also, if I apply brake during this "hesitation" there is no engine acceleration while I hold the brake. I feel sure it is in the "fly by wire" system, but dealer has no clue. I have to "feather" the accelerator from stop whenever I am concerned about oncoming traffic.

- Lisle, IL, USA

Delay in acceleration after applying brakes. This happens from a dead start and also while moving. Especially bad when trying to back up a grade. (ex.) while backing up a grade such as a driveway to the garage I back up and then hit my brake to stop. I then realize I need to back up a little farther. I take my foot off of the brake and push the accelerator. Instead of going backwards I drift forward. In my mind I am thinking I don't have the accelerator pushed down so I push harder and about that time the accelerator kicks in and I go flying backwards toward the garage door. (ex.2) I am trying to back a boat into the river. I back up and hold my foot on the brake. I need to pull back out of the water some so I quickly release my foot from the brake and push the accelerator. Now instead of going forward there is a delay in acceleration and I drift further into the river. (someone is going to have a very bad accident) multiply this occurrence at every stop sign. Especially where there is a grade involved. In my opinion I believe this is a design in the computer for what ever reason and it is a very dangerous one.

- New Martinsville, WV, USA

Vehicle suddenly down shifts usually at approx. 65 mph. Tires squeal sending me lurching forward. Whiplash! RPM shoots up to 6000 and stays there until I exit the highway and slow down below 40mph. This has happened 5 times in the 4 months I've owned the vehicle. Once I was pulling into traffic and the car would not move! I had rush hour traffic coming at me from both directions. Dealer keeps saying they can't replicate the problem. My family is going to be very wealthy when I die in this death trap.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

Automatic transmission slips on show upshifts, intermittently. Began @ 3500 miles. Check engine light came on. Code initially read as "transmission temp light fluid". dealer reset code, could not duplicate problem. Check engine light recurred with same code for "transmission fluid temperature sensor". continued intermittent problems with sluggish upstarts at low speeds and hard shifts into gear. Intermittent problems with check engine light displaying for 24 hours and then disappearing without storing code. Dealer replacing transmission @ 4800 miles

- Southport, IN, USA

While driving on highway approximately 75 mph, car suddenly jolted like I hit something. It jerked very hard and decelarated. The rpms also went up much higher like it shifted to a lower gear. Pulled onto shoulder of road and turned car off. Same thing happened 2 days prior while cruise control was set at 71 mph. First time, was able to restart car and continue the 20 mile drive to work. Today, car would not restart and had to have towed. When arrived at dealership, car started without issues. Service manager said they hooked up the diagnostic computer and there were no problems with car. The technician drove the car about 30 miles and was unable to replicate problem.

- Bowling Green, OH, USA

While coming to a stop, the vehicle down-shifted hard and the engine started to sputter like it was going to cut off. Took to dealer and they found P0748- pressure control solenoid "a" electrical fault. They performed a reprogram of tsm per tsb# tra038. Drove off lot and it shifted hard three times on way home. Dealer said it would take 100 miles for the computer to re-learn my driving for best fuel mileage. Drove to work (shifted hard 5 times) and drove to run errands. While on errands the vehicle shifted down hard and engine sputtered while slowing down in traffic. Then, when releasing the brake and pressing the accelerator, the vehicle RPM/ tach went up but the vehicle wouldn't go. After stepping back on the brake and waiting 2-3 seconds I tried to move again and it did. I took the car back to dealer directly and while stopping to turn into dealer it shifted hard, engine sputtered and it again would not move ( only engine RPM's turned up). It did finally move and I was able to pull into the parking lot. Now the manufacturer is replacing the transmission because to their admission they do not know what is wrong with the vehicle. Nearly stranded on a five lane 35 mph road could be physically dangerous but a highway could be fatal. An evasive maneuver with this vehicle, requiring stopping and starting quickly is not an option if you can't drive during normal conditions stopping and starting.

- Winston Salem, NC, USA

Bought my Kia approximately 1 year ago on 05/31/2010 it is a 2011 4cyl. While driving (speed doesn't matter) (this has happened several times)the vehicle will loose power and all gauges will go unfunctional, pushing on the accelerator will not provide response, vehicle will not drive but engine is running. Took to dealership on 05/12/2011 and dealership said they fixed it. Had vehicle home for less than 1 week when we were driving down the highway at approximately 75 (on 05/22/2011) and vehicle again lost power and all controls. Had to fight vehicle with no power and controls and rolled to a stop.....engine was still running but no controls or power working....had my 3 kids and my wife....very scary....vehicle has a problem that needs to be seriously addressed....Kia doesn't know what they are doing.

- Mission, TX, USA

Driving approx 35 mph, there was a loud pop and noise then the car started grinding and transmission locked up. No gears, car locked up and came to a halt. Could not go backward or forward when put into gear, just had a loud grinding sound. Sound was so loud I thought the transmission had fallen out. Before this happened I noticed that when the car had been turned off for a while then started and put into reverse there was a loud clunking sound, almost as if you had tried to put the car into gear without putting your foot on the brake first and it would leap into gear.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

While traveling down the road the axle and transmission suddenly went out. This caused vehicle to come to a sudden abrupt stop. This could have caused a fatal accident if traveling at a higher rate of speed or on an interstate. When the problem occurred, you had no power to the vehicle and it could not even coast to the side of the road. Dealer stated it was due to a manufacturers defect caused by a bolt from the axle hitting the transmission and said they forwarded photos to Kia corporate. I contacted Kia corporate and asked for a written explanation and assurance that this particular problem would not happen to us again and they declined to provide anything in writing. Our problem was fixed, at least for now, but I want to know that my family or someone else's does not have this problem with a tractor trailer behind them at 70 mph on an interstate.

- Greenwood, SC, USA

I have a 2011 Kia Sorento purchased new. On Saturday, February 19, 2011 with 20,000 miles on the vehicle, the car completely shut down. The dealership still has the vehicle and is replacing the entire transmission. I am concerned as this is a new vehicle and they cannot give me the actual reason why a transmission in a new vehicle could fail. I had with me my 3 year old child and am concerned regarding the overall safety of this vehicle.

- Folly Beach, SC, USA

2011 Kia Sorento. Consumer writes regarding problems with vehicle within the first 2 months of purchase the consumer stated the stalled while driving on the highway. It would down shift unexpectedly and then jerk and jolt. There were times when the consumer applied the accelerator and the vehicle would not respond for a short period before the vehicle revved up and accelerated. The vehicle also pulled to the right and there was a bad grinding/rubbing sound coming from the front drivers side of the vehicle, along with spongy brakes which was a problem from the start. The consumer stated when she started the vehicle, there was a knocking noise coming from the engine. The interior lights went out, the drivers side window switch was faulty and the back-up camera stopped working.

- Washington, DC, USA

After completeing the second NHTSA complaint #10377110 last evening on our 2011 Kia Sorento, my spouse came home from driving the 2011 Kia Sorento (with two previous transmission complaints) and informed myself the vehicle now accelerates on its own!!! my spouse stated "the engine started reving all by itself" so I hit the brakes. She stated the vehicle's brakes did in fact stop the vehicle and she was able to drive home safely with no further incidence. Please do something about the Kia Sorento before someone is hurt. We will no longer drive the vehicle for any reason.

- Tennessee Colony, TX, USA

Front strut failure at 3K miles. Car randomly has a loud metallic clunk sound when starting, sometimes the car will surge/jump forward when starting (while the car is in park, parking brake on and foot on brake). The transmission shifter gets stuck in park and does not release, with great effort releasing from park(car made loud metallic clank sound and surged/jumped in reverse). I'm afraid to park too close to another car because starting car can cause collision. When the transmission is stuck the brakes depress to floor of car. Since day one the car has pulled to the right, after strut replacement the problem is worse (the faster the speed the harder it is to steer straight).

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

Bought a 2011 Sorento LX V6. Wife drove it home that night. I did not drive till two day's later with only 105 miles on it, and immediately felt the call pulling right at all times, even the steering wheels is off center. Also like other owners; the car has the constant noisy front/right wheel, and the transmission thud/jerk about every 5 starts. I called the dealership and asked to speak to the sales mgr. And explained the situation, he told me he had heard of no such issues about any cars at any time. He told me to come in and talk to the sales person who sold me the car. He made no attempt to reassure me and clearly lied. I will be taking the car in a the end of the week and see where this hopefully short road will take us. Also for any other person who comes upon these complaints, please do you homework on your states lemon laws. They are designed to protect you and the seller, so be sure you do your part, it can be easy to screw yourself over.

- Houston, TX, USA

I bought a brand new Kia Sorento 2011 in February this year. I have 20 000 miles on it and 2 days ago while I tried to drive off from intersection I heard a noise like something broke coming from driver's front side of the vehicle and right after that starts to make a sound like is keep braking metal. The vehicle went completely undrivable. I called road help assistance and they tow the car to the dealership. Next day they called me back and on my question what is going on they told me that " cv shaft is broken" and they will need to replace that part and that will take more than a week, but they did not showed me the broken part. So I'm not sure if the broken part is available, but should be still in the service center on the Kia dealership.

- Savannah, GA, USA

Bought a 2011 Kia Sorento 4cyl standard package. Noticed at around 200 miles the front right tire was making some clunking noises and felt very wobbly. The car also pulls to the right on the highway. Called the local Kia dealership and they looked at it and said it was a suspension problem and they had another car with the same problem so they knew what it was. It's been 3 weeks, Kia said they would call but they never did so I have called the dealer over 4 times to hear the words "we don't have your part" they told me one other time that one of the guys tried to order too many parts and they got rejected! lies! the RPM's also reeve up for no apparent reason. They make the car sound like the motor is going to blow up and last, the car pulls to the right while driving on the highway. Very unsafe!I don't feel safe driving this car and it feels like I am driving a pile of junk. I am waiting to break down on the freeway!

- Sioux City, IA, USA