2013 Kia Sorento Complaint Log

Like many Kia owners my engine had catastrophic failure. Without warning it overheated. The dealership said it was a cracked engine block. There are hundreds of stories like mine on a Kia owners Facebook page. One family had the engine catch for on the side of the road. This is a known issue for Kia. There needs to be a recall and not just extended warranty band aids.

engine stopped. will not turn over. checked oil control valve and full of metal shavings. oil pan full of metal shavings. call kia. not on list. repair yourself. they are not reparing any cars. said they were but denying everyone. check the records. all talk and no action. pleasing the judge with their layer statements. what can i do. i have no help. no kia, no court, no gov. never again will i and my court be debutted.

I took my Sorento to an automotive center because the paint is peeling off on 2 areas and I wanted to have it painted. I was told there’s a problem with the primer that was used by Kia. They said the same problem is happening with other manufacturers such as Toyota and possibly Hyundai and those companies have a recall on their vehicles. He told me to check for a recall but I see there isn’t one yet. I checked some Kia Sorento reviews and there are several Kia owners who are having the same issue. So I wanted to make you aware of the problem and hopefully with enough vehicles with the same problem a recall will be issued. I attached photos. Thank you!

Yesterday, when I went to start my car, it barely turned over. Today it started fine but while I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection during rush hour, my car shook violently for about 3 seconds and then stalled. It didn’t lose battery power but was completely off. I attempted to restart it 5 times. First, it wanted to turn over but didn’t. Second, the engine just clicked a couple times. Third through fifth, it didn’t even attempt to start. There was absolutely no warning that this was going to happen and no check engine lights. After waiting a couple more minutes, it finally turned over, still with no check engine light, and I was able to get myself home safely. We weren’t able to replicate the issue. We Checked the fuel pump, battery power, the starter and checked for any codes even though there isn’t a check engine light on. All of which were fine. I bought this car used and it was apart of the engine recall a few years back. I’ve looked up other peoples description of what happened to them before they had there engines replaced and more than 10 of them were similar to what happened to me today. I have a one year old and am now terrified to even drive my car with her in it because I don’t know if or when this is going to happen again or if it is going to happen while driving next time.

When driving my 2013 Kia Sorrento with 68,000 miles on a highway at 65 mph, the engine seized coming to a complete stop. The brakes were also completely frozen. I was lucky to maneuver the car to the shoulder of the road where it eventually rolled to safety. The Kia dealer informed me that was a recall on my vehicle for this exact problem. And a Kia certified mechanic deemed the problem of my car the exact issue as to why a recall was placed on the vehicle. Kia Corporate is refusing to honor the repairs that need to made according to the recall. Kia is denying the repairs because they claim they mailed me postcard in 2018 notifying me of the recall. I did not receive the postcard or any other form of communication from Kia regarding this recall. Kia cannot prove they mailed the postcard to me. In this age of technology, a consumer such be able to trust that an important notification from a car manufacturer about an recall that is potentially very dangerous to the life of the driver and passengers of the car, would warrant an email, text message, or phone call. A simple postcard without a follow up is unacceptable and in this case ineffective because I never received it. I would like Kia to honor the recall and repair my vehicle.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 147,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

My engine stopped without warning while traveling on the highway at 60 miles per hour. If there had been any cars coming, it would have been a diaaster.

Paint is bubbling / peeling off causing rust on this 2013 White Kia Sorento.

Rear passenger seat belt exploded

The contact’s wife owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact’s wife was able to restart the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated; however, after the vehicle was retrieved, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin Number: SC106. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,178.

The paint started peeling from the hood in my field of vision.

Engine keeps shutting off at 50 miles per hr no warning lights or engine codes, this keeps happening every two or 6 days. Mechanic replicated the issue but no engine codes were presented, so no solution. This vehicle is no save to drive. When vehicles shuts off you lose control of the steering wheel. And you can’t start the vehicle back up until you get to a full stop.

My airbag light has been on for a while and I didn’t know until today that technically I shouldn’t be driving it. I learned that, if the light is on, there is a possibility that in the event of a collision the airbags may night deploy. I am financing this car from car shop and had to have a recall for the airbags be repaired. Is there any way to have this issue corrected without paying? I’d rather not die going food shopping.

Vehicle was parked at a store in accessory mode while I ran inside to grab drinks on the way to a birthday party. My children were inside and noticed smoking from the hood and got out before the vehicle was consumed by flames. Luckily the engine was not running and we were not driving/accelerating at the time of fire. I had several issues with headlight and taillights blowing, the last time the headlight harness was completely melted and had to be changed out. The fire department speculates the fire started near the battery, which would make sense considering the headlight in question was the one closest to the battery, and accessory mode was on. My 5 year old now believes every car we have will eventually catch fire. Please advise.

After a routine oil change my air bag sensor light illuminated after turning the car on. Tried the reset, still on. I took it to a mechanic who told me this is a common problem with KIA Sorentos. He also said that it is likely some sensor or the airbag itself and it being on it is very unsafe to drive because it won’t deploy if there is an accident. There has never been a collision or any other reason for this to occur other than faulty manufacturing. After researching I’ve found many posts of other Sorento owners with the same issue. All of them being required to pay a heavy amount for a fix that should be a safety recall. We all have paid a large amount for a “safe” vehicle. Common sense would say that it is KIA’s responsibility to fix the issue, regardless of warranty. It isn’t a wear and tear, its lives and financial burden. I cannot afford to have it fixed, but it is my only vehicle. What am I supposed to do? Please, get this recalled.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph a knocking noise was present coming from the engine and the vehicle began to violently shake and vibrate causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a ditch. During the crash both the driver and passenger side and curtain air bags deployed. The driver sustained a concussion that required medical attention. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 153,000. The contact stated that the vehicle's engine seized up due to leftover metal particles in the engine cylinders. The contact has since sold the vehicle.

My vehicle was having trouble starting so I scanned it and found out it might be part of a recall. I called Kia recall department and they confirmed that there was a safety recall for my engine and to make an appointment with the dealership. I called the Longmont Kia Fowler dealership in November but they refuse to service the recall for mr in a timely manner. They said it would take 2 months to even do the diagnostic that was a safety concern. They said all Kia dealerships are busy with the recalls and I would just have to wait. I called Kia management back and told him my concerns and documented every call because I didn't know what to do and needed help but didn't have another vehicle. Kia just said keep on them and didn't tell me not to drive the vehicle or that my life could be in danger like it was. The engine caught on fire in December and I was put in considerable danger. It was towed to Kia Fowler Longmont and they have refused to service it or give me a rental car. First they never did the diagnostic and filed the wrong request for the incorrect recall and then tried to lie about it. Now they're on their third reason of why I don't qualify for the recall that kia already confirmed I am part of throuhout this ordeal sayin I didn't ask for it to be serviced before the damage was done, which was not true and I've records of them refusing to service it in a timely manner and make me wait 2 months which was dangerous. Now they're saying since I'm not the original owner I don't get the service and get it fixed as it is now $9,000 to fix the engine that caught on fire because they wouldn't do the safety recall in a timely manner when I asked. So now I'm out of a car,no rental car and $9,000 they are saying I owe for the the damage they caused. They put my life was in danger. I've done everything to comply with this recall and more. I kept in touch with Kia the whole time and beg them for help and they're being impossible and breaking the law

When driving on the highway, paint unexpectedly peels off in large (hand size or larger) sections mainly from the roof. Although it doesn't hurt cars behind you, the shock of being hit and/or the obstruction of view for drivers behind you can lead to a pile up if the driver swerves or freaks out. (Similar risk to a sheet of paper suddenly covering the wind shield on the driver's side)

Yesterday I drove home from work and this morning when leaving I notice paint missing from my car near the passenger side of the windshield. There is no reason this should be happening. My car is kept in a garage. This is a paint defect and I would like this taken care of. I will be calling Kia in the morning and will be getting a lawyer.

Currently The KIA described above has a right rear seat that is not safely usable. The seat back does not smoothly unlatch from the upright position. When jiggling succeeds in unlatching the seat back allowing the seat back to go to the fold down position the latch jambs in that position. This jamming prevents rear seat passengers from safely riding in this seat or making use of the seat back to secure a child care seat. A Technical Service Bulletin issued by KIA describes the safety issue. I quote the bulletin. "The bulletin provides information related to some 2011-2013MY Sorento (XMa) vehicles, produced from October 26, 2009 to November 5, 2012, which may exhibit a concern related to the second row seats being inoperative or difficult to release. It is important to note that some amount effort is required to fold the 2nd row seats. To correct this condition, follow the service procedures outlined in this TSB 093( Rev 1, 08/22/2013). I refer to the table below for detailed information on each concern and the associated service procedure". To date I have approached my area Kia dealership and contacted Kia's Customer service 800 number but my concerns have fallen on deaf ears. It appears to me that lives and health could best be protected by considering this unsafe and common condition for a recall.

Upon searching for recalls it seems as though I’m experiencing a significant issue with the fuel/propulsion system. Engine sputters frequently and has turned off while driving multiple times at different speeds (including most recently at a stoplight) , and will not turn on after driving on several occasions. Vehicle will only start again when put in neutral after a couple attempts, followed by the check engine light illuminating and the RPM gauge not functioning until the next time it is turned off and restarted. The vehicle shows no signs of the issue until out of nowhere it turns off or will not restart after being driven. The vehicle is not driven more than 20 miles at a time, and is currently not taken on highways due to fear of the engine going out while driving. 60 mph is the most this vehicle has hit in the past 6 months because of this ongoing issue. Vehicle has been taken to an independent service center for this issue and the mechanics were unable to find an issue as the problem was not occurring while in their shop.

I was driving along the Baltimore beltway when the Engine died and I coasted to an exit towards an apartment parking. I restarted the SUV to go to a nearby auto repair shop then it died again along the way then wouldn't start. A resident of the area helped me diagnose the problem and we found out that it was out of oil. There had been no indication of a leak and just had an oil change a few months earlier. Also, the low oil indicator did not lit up anytime before and during the time the engine died. The resident then provided oil and we filled up the oil tank. The car wouldn't start and so he hooked up his SUV's battery to mine to see if it would start and it wouldn't. I had the SUV towed to Pep Boys Auto repair and was told after the diagnostics the engine needs replaced as it was damaged due to the empty oil chamber.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, a clicking noise was heard coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer where it remained awaiting diagnosis and repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Car shuts down in the middle of driving and cannot idle. Had transmission 1x lat year and battery replaced 2x. Even after repairs car randomly does this. I have taken it to shops several times but no one knows what the problem is.... When it randomly chooses to do it, I cannot accelerate, and the car power will go out in the middle of driving decreasing the speed dramatically. Right after it does it the car will stop and turn off like it has a dead battery, except it turns right back on. All of the check engine lights on the inside start to going on.... check engine, battery, oil, tire traction etc....

I typically work from home. Started driving on the highway more frequently and one night came out to complete sheets of paint completely delaminated from the roof of my car. It's very clear that there was a process mistake and the paint never bonded to the metal of my vehicle. I also am afraid to wash the roof of my car, in fear of more paint coming off. This spot will likely be an issue during winter as well. Car paint should never do this from the factory, it's setting the vehicle up to fail. This would be considered a latent defect and has affected many vehicles, specifically in the Pearl White paint color such as my own.

the door Handel broke off and the backup camera, radio system stop working no viewing for rear camera

The snow white pearl paint on my 2013 Kia Sorento is chipping and peeling off due to a latent effect .. starting at the front bumper .. grill assembly..a pillars .. hood ..roof and is now starting to chip on back latch.

Drove approximately 6 miles from home to grocery store, parked car, did shopping and on way home 3 lights lite up on dash, ABS - ESC-TPMS. Just had serviced on 8/1/2022 with 111279 miles, currently has 111,378 miles on it. Vehicle is garage kept and I'm retired. I have had the car serviced at the dealership where vehicle was purchased.

My 2013 pearl white Kia’s paint is chipping all over it started about two years ago with a little spot and now it’s all over. Seems like every time I drive move comes off.

Driving on the highway, the engine began “knocking” then the engine seized up without a check engine light or any other warnings. Steering and brakes did not work. We were lucky to get off the highway without an accident. Regarding the recall, it was over a month’s wait at three different dealerships at three Ohio locations. The first available appointment was October 7th. The engine failure was September 17 before the recall repair appointment. Per a local mechanic, the engine threw a rod and the engine was not repairable. Kia charged $6500 for a replacement engine because they would not honor the engine recall replacement. The engine they sent to the local mechanic was the incorrect engine. Further investigation revealed the correct engine was discontinued. Kia failed to remedy the recall because of their scheduling problems, put our lives in danger by losing steering and brakes at a high rate of speed when the engine unexpectedly seized up. The Kia Sorento is still sitting at the mechanic with no working engine while we are paying car and engine loans.

Having to replace the headlight bulbs weekly. They go out without any warning until I cannot see while driving. Taillights need replacement about 30-60 days. Again without any warnings. Safety issue in my opinion. Definitely a defect from Kia. Unsafe and replacing bulbs weekly is not practical. [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking and made an abnormally loud noise. The vehicle then lost motive power with several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a friend's residence where an independent mechanic diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine And Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.

Paint is delaminating from the vehicle

throttle. I was pulling into a parking space my vehicle started to reved up and took off. I had to slam on the brakes to get stopped. I almost hit a building. this was very frightening for me. i had it towed to a dealership. they stated they could not find anything wrong with it. I am not happy with them not finding anything. I am afraid to drive it that i may happen again If i hit the building i would of been seriously injured or killed as well as the people in the building. thank God no one was walking in front of me. they would of been killed.

A week ago my fiancée and I were driving down the highway when I noticed the vehicle overheating…the thermostat was at H and fluctuating. We pulled over let the engine cool and read that if you turn the heat on this will pull heat away from the engine to allow you to get somewhere safe. No warning lights were illuminated and no reason to know that my engine had overheated…I only noticed by happenstance when I was checking my speed. As we were headed to the nearest exit driving approximately 60-65 mph the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. All warning lights were on and a ticking/knocking noise could be heard. I lost my brake and power steering and rapidly began to decelerate. We were lucky I was able to cost to the nearest exit and pull into a gas station. The car stopped on its own barely hitting a fence. I check underneath the car and it was pissing fluid of some sort. I checked the oil and it was completely bone dry. It should be noted I still had 2000 miles before my next oil change. I never received any indication I was low on oil or that anything else was wrong. This is a 2013 with 100,000 miles on it. If my understanding is correct the engine is seized and will need to be towed to a dealership to have it looked at. I am baffled that I had no indication something was wrong. No engine light illuminated to notify me of an issue.

The car engine locked down and i need assistance with Change /repair

I was driving 75MPH on I85 in charlotte, NC, middle lane and my car went dead, all warning lights came on but I lost all function of vehicle, no ability to accelerate power steering went. I was rapidly decelerating and boxed in my semi trucks. I eventually get off the road but almost hit back end of trucker to be able to get between vehicles and to the side. I turned off the car. Then turned car back on. I was a 2 miles from my destination and my exit was in sight. I decided to continue to destination to get off dangerous road. I made it to destination , then went to an autozone (after finding the mechanic was closed) to check battery/alternator. The battery was dead and so I replaced it. I got back on the road. Drove 5 miles and started to hear a flapping type noise (like a playing card in a bike spoke) I thought maybe something wasn't tightened after battery change or something fell into engine area. I pulled off at next exit to a gas station. I was apparently in a really bad part of town so 2 men in utility work trucks stopped to help me. Nothing was loose or in visually in the engine, the visible belts seemed fine, oil level good, but the engine was shaking pretty good and when I reeved the engine there was a bad rattling sound. But it was not a safe location for me to stay so they suggested I go up a couple exits. I did get back on the highway went about 40MPH and the noises continued and increased in intensity , it sounded like something was coming loose and about to fall off and then a noise that sounds like metal scraping started. I was about to pull off to side of road but before I could the same thing happened from before. Vehicle stopped running, all indicator lights turned on but everything else turned off, no power to vehicle little control. I pulled off and car would not restart this time. Mechanic diagnosed next morning and said complete engine failure and metal shavings in the oil. I had an oil change 5 days prior synthetic high mileag. (123,000m)

My car is painted pearl white and has peeled and exposed the metal for a few years. We have patched it the best we can but it happens at another spot. I have included a picture. There has been a recall on Toyota and I believe 2014 Kia with the same issue regarding white paint problems.

I have a 2013 Kia Sorento, I am the only owner and purchased the vehicle new from the dealership. I Have kept this vehicle part and housed in a covered garage for the entire duration of owning the vehicle keeping it from being exposed to extreme elements any kind of horrible storms it's always been protected in the garage. Even though I've taken good care of the vehicle and housed it in a covered and closed garage for all the years I've owned it I still have the entire paint job starting to peel off in sheets of paint on the side front panels next to the windshield the roof and the hood in large sheet light pieces are coming straight off of my car it's as if it was never adhered to the metal of the vehicle very well or I guess detailing chops are calling it delamination but what it is is ridiculous that my car now looks like it's 10 years older than it is because the paint is peeling off like it's not been taking care of and that's a load of c***Even though I've taken good care of the vehicle and housed it in a covered and closed garage for all the years I've owned it I still have the entire paint job starting to peel off in sheets of paint on the side front panels next to the windshield the roof and the hood in large sheet light pieces are coming straight off of my car it's as if it was never adhered to the metal of the vehicle very well or I guess detailing chops are calling it delamination but what it is is ridiculous that my car now looks like it's 10 years older than it is because the paint is peeling off like it's not been taken care of when that is clearly not the case. I have seen so many other Kia Sorentos that are Pearl White like mine, same year, with the same issue. They are having sheets of paint peeling right off the vehicle so there's obviously an issue Kia's paint jobs on that year make and model because there is nothing more I could have done on my end to prevent this from happening, so KIA needs to recognize their faulty work and get it handled.

Passenger Headlight connector has melted - dealership refuses to repair without replacing entire headlight fitting.

Transmission doesn’t shift like it should. I have replaced the drive belt, crank sensor, accelerator pedal sensor, tune up, valve cover gasket and still having problems with this car. An recall came up on the engine but Kia dealership only advised me that the issues I paid for above would solve the issue. I just got this vehicle in February and feel like I’m paying for a lemon. Seats no longer want to fold down.

The Kia Sorento (engine) stalled while driving. It happened moments after being stopped at a red light. Both the air conditioner and Eco Mode were ON at the time. I was able to coast/steer to a parking lot to shut the car off. After about five minutes I was able to start the car and drive home (AC and Eco Mode OFF).

Paint peeling on roof and right front pillar.

My car is white pearl and my paint is pilling really bad

Breaks Squeak a lot when braking on a stop sign and fills like it has air in the system

I have several areas around my windshield and hood that the paint is coming off.

I was never notified about the theta II recall and I always service my car when it needs to be done. I had my routine oil change done before I left for vacation. I came home and when I was driving my vehicle on the highway the engine just stopped. Now the engine will not start. Brought it to the mechanic and was told the engine seized. How can this happen the vehicle is only 9 years old. Shouldn't this have been replaced from the theta II recall? I Shouldn't have to pay for this repair. I feel like this should be covered under that recall. Please help me with a response ASAP.

Hello. The gugua started turning on the lights on the panel about 7 months ago. The lights on are the engine, the brakes, the “ABS”, and other lights that cannot be explained. Those lights have never gone out and since then the gugua has turned itself off, many times it does not turn on, a battery inflated me (I had to buy a new battery), the foot brake also causes a lot of problems. When trying to stop the gugua with the foot brake, the gugua shakes, the foot brake blows like air, the pedal shakes, among others. Also the handbrake (emergency brake) does not work well, on a sloping road the gugua does not stop with the handbrake when I put it on. The gugua has electrical problems in general. There are also other things that I don't know how to explain. The gugua is a danger as it is, please I need you to do something about this matter. Thanks a lot.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the front driver's side headlight was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000.

On 4/29/22 @ 215 pm whilst deselorating for an off ramp from I-57 in Mattoon IL to enter onto RTE 16. The car made a huge search and a loud knocking near could be heard from the engine compartment. The cabin began to have smoke enter from the air vents. No warning lights where illuminated on the driver's control panel. The noise stopped and the car resumed it regular forward motion. Yet large amounts of smoke could be seen coming from the rear of the car. A min or two later the car smoke got more intense and the cabin and all the drivers warning light illuminated. The car stalled and engine and steering and breaks failed to function. The car coasted to a bit and then had to be pushed off the the busy highway. A security guard from the hospital has seen the smoke coming from the car and when I opened the lock on the hood a huge cloud of smoke rose up he yelled for me to get out of the car as it was going to catch fire. I exited the car and stepped way back from it as he told me to do. He got the smoke to stop. And then looked at the cars engine compartment and said this smells very bad. He pulled the oil dip stick to check it and it smelled of gasoline. He said not to stay in the car but to await the tow truck on a lawn many feet away as he was worried it might catch fire again. The car was towed at my expence ($282.00) to a mechanic who looked at it an said we got very lucky had it not been for that officer the whole car would have caught fire. He stated the engine is seized up and needs a total long block replacement. Total cost to fix it about $5000.00 rough estimate.