10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 48
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
71,527 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #222

Jan 042019

Sorento

  • 98,000 miles
Took 2012 Sorento in for engine/bearings recall at 92K miles (which included an oil change by dealership). Next oil change at 98K there was apprx 1 quart of oil left. Never burned oil prior to this recall check. Thought dealership made mistake. I usually change the oil every 5K miles. Oil was changed and checked again at 2,500 miles, it was 4 quarts low. No warning lights were ever displayed. Took to dealership, performed oil consumption tests (4), consuming about 1 quart every 500 miles. Kia dealership told me unless it displays the P1326 fault code, there is nothing that Kia will do - I can file a claim with Kia affairs, if I want. It is burning so much oil, that if oil was change every 7,500 miles as recommended maintenance -- there would be no oil left in engine. It is burning oil -- there is no oil leaking. Engine will fail, it's a matter of when - huge safety issue. A ticking time bomb. Hope it doesn't fail while driving on the interstate....or catch fire.

- Platte City, MO, USA

problem #221

Apr 292019

Sorento

  • 150,000 miles
Car was running fine, no warnings. Started engine and it would not start. Had car towed. Was told the engine was 'locked up'. it is 2012 Sorento however it is not part of the recall. The vehicle was parked.

- Cumming, GA, USA

problem #220

Jun 012018

Sorento

  • miles
Engine is consuming a large amount of oil this has occurred around the engine going over 90,000 miles. In speaking with the Kia dealership, they state it is common for an engine of this age to burn oil. The engine burns about a quart every 500-600 miles. This seems excessive.

- Dayville, CT, USA

problem #219

Apr 192019

Sorento

  • 125,000 miles
Engine is consuming a large amount of oil. We had taken the car into the dealer to correct a recall affecting the engine oil. The dealer serviced the vehicle, then the vehicle started burning oil. We took it to a different dealer who referred us to the Consumer Affairs department. Consumer Affairs sent it to the escalation department. The escalation department recommended that we go to a junk yard and get a used engine. They took no responsibility. We have kept this car serviced but we were told by the dealer that the car needs a new engine to the tune of $9,000.

- Shelbyville, KY, USA

problem #218

Apr 262019

Sorento

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle shut down and all the instrument panel indicators, including the check engine indicator, illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine blew up and needed to be replaced. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

- Logan, UT, USA

problem #217

Jul 012018

Sorento

  • 80,000 miles
Our 2012 Kia Sorento started having the exact same problems as all the other motors that were on recall for bad bearings. I never got a check engine light. It would die randomly on me. Once died on me on the freeway with me and my 5yr old. Luckily I was not around anyone or it could have been very tragic. I loved that car, and now it's just sitting at Kia dealership collecting dust and not being used with less than 100K miles on it. This is not a owner issue. This is a manufacturing defect. Even the dealership said it was bad bearing and it should be covered. Yet we can't get this issue fixed because they don't want to help us, and yet have all these bad reviews on not wanting to help out their customers. So it's just sitting at the dealership rotting away because we refuse to pay for a manufacturing defect.

- Thrall, TX, USA

problem #216

Apr 182019

Sorento

  • miles
My 2012 Kia Sorento keeps going though oil it's not burning it and it's not leaking so what happening to it ?

- Council Bluffs, IA, USA

problem #215

Oct 122018

Sorento

  • 88,861 miles
The engine seized up. We have made regular oil changes on the car. There was found to be metal shavings in the oil, which is a manufacturer defect. It is 2012 with 88,861 miles on it. It would not start so we had to towed to libertyville Kia dealer. The service center said that there should not be any metal shavings in the oil pan with the regular scheduled maintenance

- Grayslake, IL, USA

problem #214

Mar 262019

Sorento

  • 158,733 miles
I was driving for about 45 minutes on the highway when all of a sudden the car started to decelerate. I had just enough force to get it to the left side of the road safely. No warning lights or issues prior to this occurrence. The radio was still on but I couldn't get the engine to turn over to drive. Is there a recall for this issue"?" my mechanic couldn't find anything wrong with the car. It started right up and he drove it for awuite a bit to be sure.

- Middletown, CT, USA

problem #213

Mar 132019

Sorento

  • 121,000 miles
As I came off an exit from the highway, after driving for about 90 minutes, for no apparent reason the car just stopped running. The tach dropped to O, and I had to pull over to the side of the road to avoid getting hit by the vehicles behind me. I tried to start the car and the car would not even turn over. I called my insurance company, arranged for a tow to my mechanics garage, only to have him tell me that the motor just ceased. Again no warning from the vehicles warning lights or anything. It just died right there.

- Holden, MA, USA

problem #212

Mar 142019

Sorento

  • 89,730 miles
Engine recall. Lately I been heard a knocking noise under the hood of my vehicle also I heard knocking noice from the exhaust pipe when I start the car as well. It comes N goes I hear it once in a while mainly in the morning when I first start the car. I hear it any other time once in a while. N I see lately there leakage coming threw the exhaust pipe as well. I took it to my machanic N he advised me to report to the dealer since it can B a possible recall

- Elmwood Park, NJ, USA

problem #211

Jan 182019

Sorento

  • 107,000 miles
My Kia's engine seized up on the highway while driving I have not even owned it for a year. I still owe quite a bit on this and can not seem to get any help from my local Kia dealer where I purchased it. I lost my job because of this and cannot try to find another one with out my vehicle - it is causing great distress to my family. I cannot afford to by another vehicle or purchase an engine. I really need help and guidance with this issue. I was told Kia was the best with customer care and vehicle reliance. Soon I will not be able to make payments on my vehicle with out a job. Please help me with this problem I do not know where else to turn. Thank you

- Chittenango, NY, USA

problem #210

Nov 232018

Sorento 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 114,276 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While driving various speeds, a knocking noise occurred coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to napleton's mid rivers Kia (located at 4955 veterans memorial pkwy, St peters, mo 63376, (636) 206-4284) for diagnostic testing, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where an oil consumption test was performed. The dealer stated that if the engine consumed oil, it needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided case number: [xxx]. the approximate failure mileage was 114,276. The consumer stated the manufacturer would not assist with the repairs until the engine seized. Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- O'fallon, MO, USA

problem #209

Feb 082019

Sorento

  • 150,000 miles
Losing oil..no indicator lights come on. They tell me I have drop oil pan and and get new seal. Why doesntindicator come on?.have appointment March 4th at dealer to have this fixed. Sounld not have to ay for it. Indicator light do not work.now my engine knocks

- Oakwood, GA, USA

problem #208

Jul 262018

Sorento

  • 125,054 miles
The vehicle was being driven down the highway and it began knocking. It was pulled over almost immediately (within a mile). Oil was checked and although it had regular service, it registered low. After about a half a quart of oil was added, the oil registered at proper level. When trying to re-start the engine it failed to start. The vehicle was towed to dealership where it was determined that the vehicle had catastrophic engine failure and would need a complete engine replacement. Price quoted was $15,000! they claimed this was due to the engine needing to be replaced with a smaller block (they don't make the 3.5 L anymore) and the modifications that it needed. The car was purchased used, had 125,054 miles on it and had no warning prior to the initial knocking that occurred on that day.

- Eure, NC, USA

problem #207

Oct 312018

Sorento

  • 155,000 miles
I was driving down the highway when my cars engine seized up. I lost all control of the breaks and power stearing and it was smoking as I coasted to the shoulder. I was able to get the car seats out of the back and let it cool down some but the electric in it was not working so it wouldnt turn over. It left me stranded a little over an hour from my house with 2 infants. I had it towed home and changed the battery in it to see if it would turn over and it did. When I was able to get the car running again there was a knocking in the engine and the car would stall if I put the car in gear and press the gas. When I called Kia they told me my VIN wasnt covered in the engine recall so im filing a complaint.

- Mogadore, OH, USA

problem #206

Feb 152019

Sorento

  • 138,000 miles
Shortly after the analytic converter light came on, the engine started surging and then died when I slowed for a turn. I put the care in park, restarted the engine, put it in drive and it died again. I tried again with park, restart and then drove into a parking lot. I found recall SC106 on line but the dealer can't find this for my vehicle.

- Everett, WA, USA

problem #205

Feb 122019

Sorento

  • 106,000 miles
My wife and I have been driving this vehicle for over 2 years now. About two years ago, this banging noise started which felt like we hit something or an object the road (just one big bang noise). The second time it happened we took it the aaa and they serviced it and made some repairs to it and replaced some parts. The noise went away and now (Feb 2019), I am driving on the highway at 60 miles per hour and it came back and happened three times already. Upon researching the cause of this issue, I am here on this site trying to find answers for these issues. Now, I do not want our car to catch fire since I've read a few people were experiencing this horrifying predicament. What are we to do" will Kia take care of this issue before something worse happened" it seems to be case with these recalls, something terrible has to happen.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #204

Feb 072019

Sorento

  • 86,000 miles
My 20 year old son was driving his 2012 Kia Sorento on the highway at approximately 60 mph when the engine started to make a knocking noise and lost acceleration (he was pressing the gas pedal, but it felt like it wasn't doing anything.) the knocking noise continued and grew louder. We took the car to a nearby garage, and the mechanic who looked at it said the crank bearing was bad and the engine was shot. He said replacing it would $5,000 or more. He said repairing likely wouldn't be an option because he has seen other Kia with the same problem, and the engines were full of metal pieces. After researching, I learned of the recall for 2012 Kia Sorentos for this very reason, but my son's VIN isn't listed, and it obviously should be. This vehicle only has 86,000 miles and has been serviced regularly. It was my husband's vehicle before, so we know it has had regular maintenance since the beginning. Even though the vehicle has stayed in the same household, it is now in my son's name so the warranty doesn't apply. Please add this vehicle to the recall! I don't have anything in writing from the mechanic, but the vehicle is still there and I can get that if needed.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #203

Dec 252018

Sorento

  • 115,000 miles
All this happened on christmas day, 2018. My family and I were driving on the interstate to visit family for the holiday, when the engine out of no where made a squeaking noise and then started knocking. It was like I immediately lost a lot of power of the engine and it was hard to steer off the road. It died and when restarted it was knocking and barely wanted to go. We drove it 4 miles to the exit and parked it at a bk for the night. We got it towed back to our house 40 miles away. Initially had thought the timing chain but later found out it that the whole engine needed to be replaced. It had metal flakes and shavings along with problems with the camshaft. We were told by Kia that ours was not included and that the warranty extension was only for original owners. I am the second owner and purchased the car in 2012. The vehicle is just over 100K miles.I still owe about $8000 left on the car. Engine replacement quotes about $3000 but I fear putting in a new motor the same problem could eventually happen again.

- Belle Rive, IL, USA

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