NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Kia Sorento. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Car started overheating and was using excessive amounts of oil. When trying to run my heat the smell of the coolant was coming into the cabin in which myself and my children could have inhaled it. I took it to my local Kia dealership and was informed after diagnostics that it was leaking both oil and coolant from the same spot, the head gasket is leaking, and the cylinder head bolts are stripped. In all a whole engine replacement will need to be done on 3.3 V6 GDI Lambda Il
The contact’s girlfriend owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact pulled over and checked the vehicle. The coolant reservoir was low on coolant, the engine oil level was low, and there were metal shavings in the oil. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,842.
The kia Sorento has been very well serviced and maintained. On 3/8/24 while driving on the hwy the temperature began to rise. The vehicle was immediately pulled over and shut down. After letting the vehicle sit for approximately an hour to let engine cool my mechanic arrived and inspected it and found metal shavings in the oil and vehicle was started after inspection it is knocking. I've gone online to your website ran the VIN number and it says that this particular vehicle has no recall but this exact year model Sorento has had two different recalls on the same engine that I have in this vehicle for exactly what my vehicle just did. My vehicle only has 78,000 miles on it and I have all service records for it. I'm wanting to know why the other engines of the exact same year make model were recalled for exactly what my engine just did and this one wasn't the vehicle is long at a warranty and a used engine for this vehicle cost almost $4,000 I truly believe that this engine is defective just as the others were for there's no reason for this engine to do what it did with the service and maintenance that I maintain on the vehicle with only 78,000 miles. Any information or help you can give me for this inquiry would be greatly appreciated thank you for all you do.
This is regarding recall #23V652.The manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall since 09/25/2023 in a timely manner. This put myself and family member at risks everytime we operate the vehicle. KIA advised us to park it afar to avoid fire hazard. However, my car has already been broken in once so I am too traumatized to park it far away from my house. This is a serious safety concern that should be promptly addressed.
I purchased my 2014 kia sorrento 3.3 SX in February of 2016. I was not informed at all about any issues with the engine or that there were any recalls concerning my vehicle. I have email correspondence from the dealership where years following my purchase of any safety recall notices. I had regular oil changes and normal maintenance. In March of 2024 my engine was stalling out and it smelled like burning plastic and wasn't turning over appropriately. I took it to the kia dealership and was told that the recalls had expired and that my vehicle had no oil, the engine was going to seize and I needed a new engine. Again I wasn't told at that time of any safety recall information that could lead to engine failure and or fire. I then took it to another local mechanic and had it diagnosed. I was told that I needed a nee engine that my hand gasket had blown due to premature bearing wear and severe leaks. I brought it home and I was too afraid to drive it. Then in 2025 I received another recall notice. I contacted Kia customer care and was advised that I might ne eligible for a engine rebuild, that I should have it towed to the local dealership for diagnostics to be ran yet again. The kia adviser in the service department said she was filing a claim with kia engineers and that she needed my registration and drivers license. After a week she contacted me saying my claim was denied and that my choices were to pay $13, 000 for an engine replacement or accept a trade in of $500. Again information was withheld from me concerning this vehicles recalls. At this point I am completely dumbfounded as to what to do next. My sorrento was paid off and only had 118,000 miles on it and they refused to cover anything under the 10temr or 150,000 miles extended warranty.
My car shows that it is running hot but there is no leaks. I took my car to the mechanic and changed the radiator and the thermostat thinking that was the problem get my car back and my car is still running hot so I take it back to the mechanic and he inspects my engine again and that's when he tells me that the screws in my engine are not tight like they are supposed to be and that at some point there was a recall for my car due to the engine over heating I tried calling kia and they weren't any help
The contact owns a 2014 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. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel independently turned to the left. The brakes failed to operate as needed. The vehicle slowly stalled and rolled to the shoulder of the road. The message that no key fob was detected was displayed, and the engine seized. The contact replaced the battery in the key fob. The contact started the vehicle. However, when the contact shifted the gear shifter into drive, the steering wheel independently turned to the left again with unknown warning light illuminated. The engine seized again. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine lost power. Analysis indicates the catalytic converters failed and need replacement. The engine and catalytic converters were replaced June 2022. This power loss occurred on major interstate, which could have resulted in death or serious injury. Defective products still being used. Per the dealer, the replaced parts have a warranty of 12 months or 12,000 miles. They know these issues exist and persist, putting lives at risk. We did have an engine light come on a few moments before the engine failed.
My car was at Kia for a key fob issue. A day later the engine started ticking. I’m told I need a new engine. My car had no issues. I want to know if it can be related to this recall or if my car should’ve been recalled for the 2017 engine recall sc147. I am not convinced that they didn’t cause this when they had it as it started the next day it was driven. They will not take responsibility for it of course.
2014 Kia Sorento was very very slowly being driven into a residential garage. Suddenly the car accelerated although the car was being driven very slowly. Driver hit brake hard. Car rammed into the garage wall creating a very large hole. Objects in front of the wall prevented worse damage. The car itself had only dust from drywall and a few minor scratches.There were no warnings prior to the failure. The driver's safety was at risk. This is 2/10/2024. The local KIA dealer cannot inspect the vehicle until late this coming week. I am afraid to drive this car. We have had it services regularly by KIA thru out the warranty and beyond.
The contact owns a 2014 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 while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and smoke was coming from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to move the vehicle to the shoulder and had the vehicle towed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 133,000.
While driving at night, the instrument panel gauges and lights behind it faded away and all gauges went to 0, RPM, Gas, speedometer, temp, mileage all stopped working all at once. The headlights dimmed to almost nothing. After stopping, it was discovered that a rear sensor was basically melted off after being on fire from the inside. It put a hole right through the sensor and exposed the wire. It basically turned the sensor to ash and you can see the melted wires inside slightly poking out of the hole it melted. The radio and clock still work, so it didnt affect everything. The lights that come on when opening and closing the door were basically stuck on unless turned off manually when the car is off. (Turned off door light feature) Took me a few to figure that out. After checking fuses, the Module 3 was blown. Tried to replace the fuse but it keeps blowing because I cant currently do anything with the damaged sensor. A Kia repair guy wanted to change all the wiring, sensors, and instrument panel, costing thousands of dollars I don't have. After checking the Kia forums, this same exact issue has happened to multiple people with the 2014 Kia Sorento. If this has happened to multiple of the same vehicle, Kia should be responsible to fix it or replace the vehicle! Its dangerous! It was raining, but my car could have stayed on fire. I almost drove off the road when everything was shutting off and my headlights dimmed to nothing. The car still drives fine, so I got home, but it was hard to see and I had no idea of the speed of the vehicle. And the Kia guy said it could still catch fire again so I will have to fix it before driving it much more. I dont have the money for this or for a new car and my job is literally in my car! Check the Kia forums about the other issues and complaints, as again, this happened to multiple people and its all the same issue. Kia needs to fix this since it costs so much to fix and before someone burns up in a fire!
Engine died with no sign. Was told engine had no oil
Door Locks/Hatch Lock won’t unlock 95% off the time, using fob OR interior switch. Also won’t unlock automatically when vehicle is put into park. Mechanic looked it and after research, determined there’s a probable faulty/stuck Relay on the BCM. Not replaceable without removing the BCM and desoldering components or replacing the whole BCM. It’s unsafe as I’m unable to unlock the doors should I need to remove/evacuate someone or my pet, from the vehicle, in an emergency. Also unable to access back hatch area to retrieve anything for roadside concern (flares/cones, spare, tire iron, etc), leaving me potentially stranded on the dangerous roadside. I first noticed this concern about 2 months ago and there were no warning lights.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, she became aware that the headlamps were extremely dim, severely compromising nighttime visibility. The ABS warning and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was unknown.
No lights went on the dash. N warning that the engine was damaged. Now 2 mechanics have agreed that the engine is bad Just got the car used from dealer in March and no one knew anything about it. I’m devastated
The Kia one morning were I were at stop just turned off power completely disconnected/dead . I turn the key before I moved the stick to park and turn off the car than waited 3seconds and started the car. It turned on were I pulled to the side to park five foot to the left side and turn off the car to check what happ. It would’nt click or turn on dead car than help arrived and the battery I charged immediately underneath the lot started burning and smoke fire let dead that out.
The contact's husband owns a 2014 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 local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the malfunction indicator light (MIL) was illuminated. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the wheels locked up. There was an abnormal plastic burning odor. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 226,983.
The component that malfunctioned was the dashboard. The dashboard began flashing and caused the wheels on the KIA Sorento to lock while on the highway. The car also had a burn smell. The car was turned off and then I was able to drive normally. A couple of weeks later the Malfunction Indicator Light has turned of intermittently. The electrical issues are causing the cars blind spot warning system to not work properly and as well as seats to stop moving in the car. I have reached out to KIA Customer care line so that they could tow the vehicle once the MIL came on and they said they I would have to pay out of pocket since the recall is in the "interim" phase. I called Southern KIA in Chesapeake, VA and they stated the car would have to be evaluated but that they do not have appointments any time soon.
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.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that his wife was not aware of any warning lights being illuminated. The driver was able to coast the vehicle off the highway. The driver attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and stated that there was no oil in the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
Kia smelled of electrical burning/fire after driving. burning smell permeated into dwelling. Notified KIA Customer Care Center at 1 (800) 333 4542. Case [XXX] initiated day of engine burning/fire [XXX]. No response from Kia. Called to inquire on update January 16th, 2024. Spoke with Mary. Mary had no update. Asked to speak with her manager, She transferred me and call dropped. Unprofessional conduct with life-threatening Kia engine bomb sitting in my driveway. Initiated complaint on Kia's website and another case number was generated - [XXX]. Tried calling back to no avail. Call dropped five times. Initiated this NHTSA complaint immediately after last call dropped by Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Airbag System is not functioning. KIA Motors America has extended the warranty coverage for the front passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) Sensor Pad to 15 years with unlimited milage. My local KIA dealership, Prestige KIA in Eau Claire, WI, has refused to repair it. When called they informed me, that I am no longer welcome at the dealership. When asked why, I was told a note was on the manager’s desk. I have called and emailed the manager to obtain an explanation, however have not heard back. A KIA Motors representative called the dealership on my behalf and was told the same, that I was no longer welcome. KIA Motors advises to not drive the vehicle, yet will not provide towing to the next nearest dealership. The next closest dealership is 64 miles away. Attached please find the KIA letter regarding the Airbag system warranty extension, as well as the information obtained at Hanson KIA. Information found regarding this issue at Hanson KIA website: It's Not Safe To Drive If the SRS or airbag light turns on, the best thing you can do is to call for a tow truck. Sure, you can probably keep driving and not notice anything different. However, it only takes one distracted driver and an airbag that doesn't deploy when it should to change your life forever. For this reason, we recommend contacting your local Kia dealership to get the cause of the airbag light addressed properly.
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.
The headlights go out without any warning. The fog lights work fine. I have had signal bulbs replaced many times but the worst complaint is the headlights.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal ticking sound. The contact was able to pull over safely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined there was a hole in the engine block. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repairs were not covered under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle then lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway; however, the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000.
My oil keeps running out. Had this problem for over six months. Took to the dealership but keep getting the run around. They said, it wasn’t a recall for that but it’s been reported that certain vehicles was having this problem.
Steering column vibrates when on uneven surfaces. Also makes noise when turning wheel. Shakes when braking. I believe it is a problem with the steering column coupling. The MDPS Steering Coupling is probably worn. This is an ongoing problem with kia vehicles such as this.
The shop I took it to tested the compression and 3 cylinders were out. They said I need A new engine at 120k miles on it.
The engine light keeps coming on and off. I had a recall notice but an took the kia to kia dealership but they said they don't have the repair parts. Since recall was issued no repairs yet an it's posing a threat to me an my family using it. If I park the car without using it as kia instructed how I my going to go to job since that's the only car I have? Please can issue recall be fix immediately to avoid further harm to users? When should I take the kia to dealership for the recall to be fixed?
The vehicle shows that it is running hot but when I check there is coolant in the reservoir but then when I check the radiator there is little to no coolant in it
White paint is peeling rapidly and exposing the primer
Paint falling off like paper. Kia used defective paint and knows it. Whole car needs to be repainted with different non defective paint!
Engine seized while driving. Had to be completely replaced.
We are concerned that a recall notice was filed on this vehicle over two months ago for a severe issue, and there are no parts available or any other remedy available. This poses a huge safety risk for the manufacturer to allow these vehicles to be operated with this knowledge and no timeframe for repair
Concerned about interim notice. Would like to get issue fixed immediately to keep passengers and others safe. HECU replaced
The contact owns a 2014 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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2014 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 local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2014 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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Informed Nov 19 of HECU leak resulting in fire even when parked and to park vehicle away from structures. KIA DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY YET. Spoke with Lupient dealer and they have no idea when available. While I appreciate the notice I find it very disappointing and disturbing that a remedy is not in place especially with holiday traveling in this vehicle.
The contact owns a 2014 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 local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
This recall poses a risk either driving or when vehicle is parked. I have contacted Kia several times to ask about the remedy part. As recent as today (12/14/23), they have no estimated time when the part will be available. I have not driven my vehicle since receiving the interim notice from Kia. I feel the manufacturer does not care about its the safety of its customers. I do not feel that I should put my family or me in a potentially unsafe vehicle and hope that nothing happens. We should not have to wait for who knows how long for a remedy. Something needs to be done to speed up this process and keep customers safe.
I received a recall notice from Kia dated 11/14/2023. The notice said that the HECU hydraulic electronic control unit could short circuit and catch the car on fire whether driving or parked. They suggest parking away from anything that could catch fire. There is currently no remedy for this serious safety issue. It has been 3 months already and there is no time line for a remedy. They offer no options such as a loaner car to help mitigate the risk to personal safety while driving this car. I would like to have some interim solution until there can be a remedy of this serious safety risk. This is an unacceptable safety risk. Thank you for your time and attention. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine oil light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with excessive oil consumption and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the engine would not be replaced until the rod bearings had failed unless she wanted to pay for the replacement of the engine. The contact stated that she had recently experienced an additional failure with the vehicle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service engine light, ABS, traction, and tire pressure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed rear wheel speed sensor. The contact was informed that the rear wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that soon after the repair the check engine warning light illuminated and had been illuminated for several weeks. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,530.
Engine seized again after the last recall and engine replacement leaving me stranded in an intersection and $416 in towing expenses transported to the mechanic and back home when told engine is seized
paint is pealing on car this is third time kia gave 1,800.00 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 23
The contact's wife owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The HECU fuse in my Kia has the risk of starting an engine fire. It is currently part of a recall. I have checked this with your organization using my VIN number. I am unable to drive my vehicle due to the potential risk for me and passengers. This has made life extremely inconvenient. Even going to work has been difficult because I've had to rely on other modes of transportation. Kia has been unable to provide a replacement part, even though the recall was first announced over 6 months ago. I am unable to sell my vehicle because of this recall as well. We are expected to not use our vehicles but Kia is not providing a replacement part in any sort of a timely manner. They need to move their focus from the new vehicles to fixing these before someone is seriously injured.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026