10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 24,745 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
My vehicle's SNOW PEARL WHITE paint is flaking off in large chunks on the windshield pillars (both sides), as well as chipping all over the body. The chipping began in 2018 (2 years after purchase) and the large chunks began in 2022. Paint chunks have flown off my car while driving on the highway. Missing paint is now leading to the body of the car rusting. My car is available for inspection. The dealership has inspected the problem and informed me I am not the first person they have encountered with this same problem. It is specifically common with SNOW PEARL WHITE PAINT. Bubbles are forming under the paint in other spots now, and I am worried about the possibility of it coming off in larger chucks on the hood- which could possibly create a projectile/vision obstruction. I have provided photos to the manufacturer in 2022 and started a case number. I have not heard back since.
- Cleveland, OH, USA
I have a 2014 Pearl White Sorento SX. After washing my car recently, two area showed up that have started to delaminate. I talked with my insurance company who came out and told me there are known problems with especially the Pearl White on Kia Sorento so they wouldn't cover anything. Unfortunately those two areas are spreading and three new areas are cropping up. Based on what I've learned since the insurance company informed me of the problem, other Pearl White Sorento owners (2014 and other years) are experiencing continuing delamination. It seems highly likely the delamination will only continue to get worse which will severely impacts the value of the car. I spent several thousand getting an extended warranty that is still good through 125000 miles, with the thought that, in addition to providing protection from a significant problem with the car (e.g., engine, transmission, etc.) it would also increase the value when I decide to sell. The warranty does not cover paint (I don't believe any extended warranties do). I am sure that I've now lost 25-50% of the value of the car which is very, very upsetting. I haven't contacted the dealer I had been going to because they let me drive my car off the lot after servicing it and they forgot to put oil in. Thank god I had an inspection appointment the next with a local shop who showed me the problem. The paint problem is obviously a latent defect. I believe Kia should take responsibility for the problem, but I am fairly sure they won't unless there is a recall. So I am hoping that with enough complaints a recall will be issued. Thank you for your time taking my complaint.
- Phoenixville, PA, USA
The paint on the body of the car is chipping, and peeling away. There are large patches of paint missing. While driving down the road paint falls off. The paint comes off randomly; allowing the environment to be affected. There is rust forming on the locations the paint, and primer have peeled away at. The vehicle has not been inspected at this time. No symptoms until the paint, and primer started coming off in chunks. I have seen several other 2014, white, Kia Sorentos with paint and primer peeling up. As well as I have found several others online experiencing the same exact issue.
- Longview, WA, USA
pearl white paint peeling off with less than 100k miles.
- Frazier Park, CA, USA
I left my car outside in a light rainstorm while at work. When I arrived back at my car I noticed something off about my paint, I soon discovered it was a water bubble in my paint, this caused my paint to fall off leaving my vehicle with a large chunk of missing paint.
- Jacksboro , TX, USA
Paint falling off like paper. Kia used defective paint and knows it. Whole car needs to be repainted with different non defective paint!
- Oak Hills , CA, USA
Snow White Pearl paint bubbles and has peeled away from body of SUV around window shield. 2014 Kia Sorento with 60,000 miles on it.
- Frederick, MD, USA
White paint is peeling rapidly and exposing the primer
- Longview , WA, USA
paint is pealing on car this is third time kia gave $1,800 dollars to have previous pealing paint repaired then pealed again on rear of roof now on drivers side pillar about 1 ft strip blew off cant locate date kia reimbursed me 1st time 2nd time 2022 3rd time 11 5
- Kingston, NY, USA
It appears there are numerous people with the same issue with the pearl white paint on the 2014 Kia Sorento, paint bubbling and coming off in chunks. Kia should be ashamed of themselves for doing this to consumers. This is a DEFECT and needs to be rectified immediately. I received quotes for the car to be completely painted and it was from $9,000 to over $12,000. This is more than outrageous. I bought my car BRAND NEW. Cars are very expensive and now my resale value has diminished tremendously. Kia dealership could care less as well as corporate. If it was within the 36,000 miles you might get help, but anything over that, TOO BAD!!! I will NEVER purchase another vehicle from Kia. I wish someone would start a class action lawsuit against Kia because this is immoral to say the least. FINALLY: The car is even worse than the pictures I uploaded for this complaint, and I filed a complaint with Kia and they won't address the problem with the paint. I have all my e-mails with them. I was able to upload some current pictures as well.
- Clovis, CA, USA
I have a Kia 2014. Sorento, Snow White mother-of-pearl. In the summer of 2019, I first noticed paint peeling (or what bodyshops call delamination) on the windshield frame. My paint started peeling off in a tiny spot, it looked like a tiny chip of paint the size of a piece of rice, but quickly started flakes all over the body. The dealership says that this is not cover a warranty, since I am not the first owner
- Palm Coast, FL, USA
At first, I thought it was due to normal wear on the vehicle. And would need a touch of paint job. I started seeing other vehicle with the same areas of paint issues on the road as mines. 2014 Kia Sorento LX - Pearl White paint peeling around windshield and off hood. Bubbles started forming form under paint and paint blisters and peels away quickly in large chunks from vehicle. Went to dealership and they told me paint is only under warranty for 36k miles, but after seeing all the complaints online with white Sorento, I realized there is a problem with KIA paint. However, they suggested calling Kia directly. When calling them they have no recall for this paint issue that has been caused by a defect in the paint that for some reason happens after their 36k miles warranty.Kia neeed to fix this issue.
- U, NY, USA
Paint is peeling off of my Kia
- Mayslick, KY, USA
The body of vehicle has paint chipping away in large pieces for no apparent reason. The color is a pearl white
- Blythewood, SC, USA
My kia Sorento is severely peeling paint. it comes off in chunks. Since it has starting peeling above the passengers side door, it has not stopped. I saw that several other people have had this complaint and Kia has not fixed it yet. Kia will not agree to fix the paint job. My car has a SWP color on it and won-??t stop peeling.
- Flower Mound, TX, USA
The paint is peeling off of the car. My safety is not at risk but this is a serious manufacturer defect. The defect has been confirmed by the dealer but they are now refusing to repair the paint. The pint has been inspected by auto repair shops and it is called delamination where the paint peels off the primer in sheets. There were no warnings but the paint began peeling in 2018.
- Dixon, CA, USA
Paint is flaking off.
- Fort Pierce, FL, USA
The paint is chipping significantly in the area on both sides of my windshield and starting to continue down into the rest of the car. I have a snow white car and my research has shown this make, model, year and color has been reported of having the same problems. It really affects the look of the car. This paint chipping has been going on for the last 5 years or so. I purchased this vehicle used but in 2014 and it is a 2014 so I've owned it for 9 years and it continues to get worse and worse.
- Framingham, MA, USA
I have not had my car a year and the seatbelt light came on 2 days ago. I am keeping the services up and all of these things were supposedly passed during the inspection before I purchased my car. Also, the paint is peeling off the car. There are so many cars that has peeling paint when passing. Paint should not peel like that. I've never had this problem with any car I have purchased.
- Kathleen, GA, USA
- Medina , OH, USA