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.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving in the city at an unknown speed, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove home. The contact then drove the vehicle to a dealer where she was informed that the engine block had cracked which resulted in engine failure. The contact stated that prior to the failure, she had maintained pristine care of the vehicle. Additionally, a month prior to the failure, the same dealer informed her that the engine was in great shape after a routine oil change. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 144,688.
Snow pearl white paint is peeling rapidly all around vehicle.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal fuel odor detected coming from the vents. The contact pulled over and inspected under the hood of the vehicle and saw that there was a leak coming from the high-pressure fuel pump. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that there was a leak coming from the damaged high-pressure fuel line. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact had an engine replacement under warranty in May 2021. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine). The failure mileage was 60,800.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 40 - 50 MPH, the vehicle decelerated inadvertently and was shaking. The vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with an engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
The oil in my car is disappearing biweekly. I have to fill my car up with oil almost every two week or it will make a horrible grinding noise in the engine. The oil isn’t leaking any where and I don’t think it’s burning because I don’t smell it when the car is running. I took it to my dealership where I get my oil changed they said they don’t know what the problem is and if I wanted it to be checked they were gonna charge me $700+ just to look and see why it’s disappearing. They then proceeded to tell me to let all of the oil drain and run the car until it dies and then put oil in it before it gets towed. This is a huge safety hazard because I have done some research and people who unknowingly had the same problem, had their engine catch on fire or their car would seize on them. I travel a lot and that would be a major hazard for people around me if my car were to catch fire or seize on the highway. There are no warning labels that will pop up to notify me my oil is low the grinding noise I hear in my engine is the only thing that lets me know I need to fill my car back up with oil. The oil disappearing started in October 2021 I have gone to two different mechanics and they told me they don’t know what is wrong unless they take apart the whole engine. I feel with as many people as I have read online about having the same issue there should be a way to know what is wrong without having to take apart the whole engine. I would opt to get a new car, but I am a college student and am currently paying on student loans so a new car is not an option right now for me.
Car ran out of oil within 4,000 of oil change upon purchasing car. No indicator light came on ever for low or no oil. It cut off at 70 mph on highway. I got on shoulder, turned key off then restarted. Upon doing so every time the car gets to rpm level for gear shift it starts knocking. So if the cars engine is knocking the knock sensor should through service engine light which it did not. I have a) the dealer who rode with me to show him and it started to knock and shut off with him in the car with no check engine light on. Got back to their repair shop to which both mechanics witnessed the engine knocking with no check engine lights (MIL. Malfunction indicator light. Failure)
Chunks of my paint have begun rapidly peeling off of my vehicle. This can lead to structural integrity problems as moisture can penetrate and lead to rust and other damage. There hasn’t been any incidents to the vehicle to cause this.
After my engine was replaced, due to recall, the airbag light has been on causing check engine light to stay on. In addition to the air bag light, shortly after tlairbag light issue, all other dashboards lights came on and remain on. All buttons and horn on steering wheel don't work. Since they replaced my engine, my AC has never worked again. When I got it back to Houston, it started smelling like was bad so I took to a mechanic. He said gas was spraying everywhere under the hood and I was lucky to be alive. Since the engine replacement it's been a disaster. All worked fine before engine went out and no lights were on.
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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to coast off to the side of the highway and then noticed smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact did not open the hood and had the vehicle towed to an unknown dealer. The contact stated the dealer advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I received notice mid August 2021 about recall and warranty repairs that needed to be made to my car. Brought it to the dealer on 8/30/21. On 8/31/21 I was given the car back and told, yes, it needed the repairs but I needed to wait for parts and they'd be in touch. I have heard nothing from KIA, despite complaining to them several times.
Snow White Pearl is peeling after 7 years with only 33200 mileage after a -25 night 12-31-2021 the picture tells it all
While driving car at normal speeds under normal conditions, ball bearing and connecting rod blew through engine creating a large hole in bottom of engine block, thus,causing entire engine to be blown. There is only 139k miles on vehicle. There is a safety recall for this very reaon on CERTAIN 2014 Kia Sorrentos. That recall is 17V224000. Upon calling Kia customer service, they claimed my vehicle was exempt frim this recall, however, this very issue happened to my well-maintained vehicle.
While driving alone at night a on dark two lane highway, both low beam headlights went out at the same time leaving me in the frightful and dangerous situation of not being able to see where I was headed. I was however able to safely stop on the side of the road and do some troubleshooting. All the other lights (high beam, turn, parking, fog, etc.) worked perfectly. The instrument panel showed that the low beams were still on. No warning of any type of malfunction was indicated or shown. I have not contacted KIA about the problem yet, but I am sure they are aware of the problem. I have read multiple blogs online and this appears to be a common problem, and has been for a long time, with multiple KIA models and generations. My suspicions are the problem may be in either the multi-position switch, airbag clock spring, or cable harness, or any combination of the three. It is my understanding the fuses and relays for the lights are side related ( all either on LH or RH). I checked fuses and relays even though I find it hard to believe both sides would go bad at the same time, and all were good. There is a long history of this electrical problem in these vehicles that needs to be found and fixed before someone needlessly loses their life. Who knows, maybe someone has already been killed. Lights go out, they go off the road and hit a tree. The instruments would show the headlights are on, but they were not. Now its hard to prove with the head lights totally destroyed.
Paint delamination occurring on body of vehicle.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated without warning. The contact added coolant. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer Nationwide KIA (1600 York Rd, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093, (410) 561-9000) where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact sent an email to the manufacturer however, they failed to respond. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated she received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V519000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the dealer inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle did not need a recall repair. The contact received a second recall notification from the manufacturer and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer and the recall repair was completed. The contact stated that the headlights failed to work after the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the headlights would work in low light conditions. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 73,918.
Engine seized on the PA turnpike leaving my daughter stranded. Dealer repair costs 19k to replace an engine. Apparently there is a defect that causes a bearing to fail causing major engine damage. There apparently was a class action lawsuit that was settled for the r act problem that I have but just not for my motor. My motor was last serviced by a Kia dealer.
When starting up the vehicle it has a cold start & the cold start can last longer then the vehicle warming up. You can hear the engine components inside while it’s warming up. After staring it up it seems like there is no oil in the vehicle, which it eats oil up which is uncommon
The headlights are so dim that it is extremely dangerous to drive at night. I went and bought the $50 bulbs and it still looked like I didn’t turn my lights on. It looks like I drive with candlelight. Also the bulbs burn out about 3-4 months.
Paint (Snow White Pearl) Delamination on right side A-pillar and center of hood near the grill. A-pillar peeling happened in January 2021. Hood peeling happened in July 2021 during a windy monsoon rainstorm. Both paint issues were fixed at owner's cost.
Recall notices have been sent to us regarding possible airbag deployment, electrical issues, and now HECU controls and the ABS system. Each time we get a notice, we contact the Kia dealerships in our area for repairs. Every time we have tried to bring in our vehicle for safety recall repairs, the dealership has made it impossible to do so. For example, when we called to make an appointment for one recall notice, we were told that no action was needed unless we heard a loud banging noise coming from the engine. We stated that we heard weird noises but not a loud banging. We were told that the dealership cannot do repairs unless we show evidence of the banging. Also, there have been electrical problems with the car since we bought it – the buttons malfunction, the airbag light is always on, etc. This was not regarded as evidence of need for repairs. For another recall notice, we were told that the repairs could not be completed because they didn't have the parts. We received the Safety Recall Number 21V331 on Friday July 17 and have tried repeatedly to contact Kia of Cerritos in order to make an appointment for repairs. The dealership does not answer their phones in the service department. At 2:30 July 19, I got through to someone in the service department. He said he would make an appointment to complete recall repairs but instead put us on hold and transferred us to a full voicemail box. We are very worried about the safety of our Kia Sorrento. This is our family car. Given the ongoing recalls and history of Kia failing to provide safety repairs, I think this may qualify for the Lemon Law. This recall notice indicates that an engine fire may occur. The airbag light is continuously on. I am concerned for the safety of my family. We do not feel safe. I have contacted KIA Consumer Assistance Center and opened a Case #14271977 but they have failed to reply.
The pearl white paint is peeling severely off the body. It is falling off in huge pieces.
Paint on the vehicle is delaminating. Starting on the hood an "A" pillars. It is the snow pearl color and is a wide spread problem.
Approximately 8 months ago noticed while driving that the headlights didn’t appear to be on while driving with normal low beam lights. High beams worked fine. Replaced both low beam light bulbs with Sylvania standard Kia recommended replacement. 1-2 months later after driving at night, lights still dim. Replaced with $90 Halogen set, still not illuminating road. Took to Kia dealership (where purchased) to have them check lights, said that entire headlight assembly for both lights need replacement for $2,489.00. Aftermarket priced at $335/ea!!! Service manager confirmed apparent problems with burned out headlight assemblies.
Engine locked up while driving on expressway. Car would not accelerate and became very difficult to control. One of the recalls stated that "bearings could slip and cause engine to seize up." Driver was able to safely get the car back, but car is disabled. Airport Kia, in Naples, FL where the car was purchased, was notified of the problem and the recall for this specific problem, but have been unwilling to help. If she was unable to control the car, could have killed herself or other drivers. Car has not been inspected because Kia dealership said she must have the car towed to dealership. On a recall problem, dealership should be responsible for the tow, but I feel they are bullying her because she is a 16 year old girl. This happened with no warning.
Low beam head lights stop working . Bulb needs replacement every few months.
Was driving down the road and my car started to make a weird nise then just shut off. Was ot able to get it to run after.
Upon driving home from a family road trip, I was flagged down on the highway by a fellow driver saying my car was on fire from under the passenger backseat. There were no warning lights or alarms from the inside of the car, or on the dash. I pulled over and the fire engulfed the engine and soon the whole car. It burnt down to the frame, with absolutely nothing left inside but twisted metal. It was deemed a total loss. The fire inspector and police on the scene believe there was an issue with the electrical system that caused the fire. There is a report available with the Florida Highway Patrol. There are NO active recalls for the vehicle, but I was told by Kia there have been several fires in their 2014 models, including some when the vehicles weren't even on. The car was deemed a total loss and has been released to the insurance inspector and has over $14000 in damages to repair. It will not be repaired. My mother was in the front passenger seat, and my 6 year old son was in the passenger backseat, above where the fire began. Thankfully, we are all uninjured, but there is lasting mental trauma on all three of us.
Paint is flaking off.
THE PAINT IS COMING OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE PAINT PEELS OFF IS NOT BONDING TO THE METAL AT ALL.. COMES OFF IN SHEETS . RESULTING IN BARE METAL THAT CAN RUST AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO DETERIOATE. VEHICLE IS PEARL WHITE IN COLOR AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ON GOING ISSUE WITH THIS COLOR AND THIS MANUFACTUER OF VEHICLES
After recall repairs their were no warning lights showing and diagnostics always came back clear. Car overheated in RED Hot with no engine alarms or anything. Mechanic stated it’s blown head gaskets
A few months ago I noticed a chip in the white pearl paint of my 2014 KIA Sorrento. Since then, the paint has continued to chip and there is now a big spot on my drivers side panel by the windshield that does not have paint. In addition, I have noticed chips on my hood that will probably do the same thing. I tool my car into a body shop to see if they can repaint it and I was told that this has happened to many KIA's that have the white pearl paint. In addition, I called my local KIA dealer's shop and was told the same thing. He even guessed the color before I could tell him.
Engine continues to leak oil. Cannot be driven. 2014 Kia Sorento SUV which is under recall for engine fires yet they state her particular vin is not under the recall.
2014 Kia Sorento. Consumer writes seeking reimbursement for vehicles repairs made related to an open recall. *LD
Approx. 38000 miles on vehicle. Approx. 25 miles ago the ABS and the “anti skid” lights came up on the dashboard. Approx. 15 miles ago the TPMS light came on, flashed then steady. (Checked tires at a repair shop, no low tire pressure). I checked my owners manual, not an “urgent” or “immediate” situation, but contact the dealer. Through NHTSA website saw a recall and TSBs for these issues. Kia dealership saying recall isn’t for my vehicle, and the TSBs are not covered under my extended warranty. If these issues are a safety issue, should they not be covered? I just want to document these issues, the Kia dealership (Gettel in Bradenton, Fl) and KIA customer service, if something happens, damages my vehicle or causes, creates an incident I want a record to exist. Am I in danger, are other motorists?
My brake lights won’t go off unless I press the brakes and emergency blinking lights. My vehicle is stalling when I’m driving. It will just start decreasing speed like it’s trying to stop and I can only be doing 40mph. I can’t put in in gear from park if the car is still running. I have to cut it off and turn it back on to change gears and I don’t have to press the brake for it to come back on.
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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. Parts distribution disconnect.
Pearl white paint is chipping off in large sizes for over 2 years. Just found out this is a common problem with Kia certain years and this exact paint color
THE CAR STARTED TO SMOKE AND STOPPED RUNNING. THE ENGINE HAS A WHOLE IN IT. THE 2014 4 CYCLINDERS HAVE A RECALL. MINE IS A V6. SURPRISINGLY, A SIMILAR SITUATION JUST OCCURRED WITH MY CO-WORKER'S 2014 V6 SORENTO AS WELL.
ONE DAY I HEARD A CLICKING WHILE DRIVING 65 ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I PULLED INTO TOWN AND SLOWED DOWN IT STOPPED. I HAD TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I STARTED TO GO I HEARD THE CLICKING AGAIN. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN GOING 65, MY ENGINE REDUCED POWER AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS BLINKING. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AT THE STOP SIGN AND STARTED TO GO SO I COULD PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC IT HAD A HARD TIME GETTING POWER TO GO. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEN TO FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE, BUT FROM WHAT I AM READING ONLINE, IT SEEMS KIA HAS ALOT OF ENGINE ISSUES. FINGERS CROSSED ITS UNDER WARRANTY AND IT CAN BE FIXED AS I JUST SPENT $3000.00 6 MONTHS AGO FOR A NEW STRUT AND AN ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I ONLY HAVE $129,000 ON THIS VEHICLE. VERY DISAPPOINTING.
2.4L ENGINE STARTED USING OIL AT 100,000MILES AND REPLACED PCV VALVE AND NO CHANGE. ENGINE NOW AT 120,000 MILES USES MORE OIL. THIS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT NOW USES 3 QUARTS BETWEEN OIL CHANGES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PRICE KIA (1390 RICHMOND RD, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22911) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE ROD BEARINGS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RELATED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 146,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SHIFTED TO PARK AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
I WAS DRIVING GOING ABOUT 45 TO 48 MPH ON A MAIN ROAD WITH TRAFFICE FLOWING FASTER THAN ME AND MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS ALL LID UP. IT WAS A SCARY MOMENT FOR ME AS WHEN I NOTICED AND TRIED TO BREAK A LITTLE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED AND I COULDN'T BREAK. I HAD TO LET THE CAR ROLL UNTIL IT CAME TO COMPLETE STOP. WHEN IT CAME TO COMPLETE STOP I TURNED THE KEY AND THEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART IT JUST DID A CLICKING NOISE. THE ENGINE SOUNDED HORRIBLE AS IT SMELLED BURNING AND GRINDING METAL PIECES WERE HEARD. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR SEVERAL TIMES TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP BECUASE MY ENGINE LIGHT WOULD TURN ON AND OFF OR SOMETIMES JUST FLASH AND WOULDN'T COME BACK ON. ALL KIA SAID THAT IT WAS THE MAP SENSOR THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THAT WAS JUNE 18, 2019, AND NOW MY CAR JUST WON'T START.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRAG AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA CHULA VISTA (540 AUTO PARK DR, CHULA VISTA, CA 91911) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED DURING THE INITIAL INSPECTION THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE POWERTRAIN.
MY KIA SORENTO WAS PURCHASED FROM KIA IN 2018 - 1ST - I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO CHECK THE REAR BREAKS DUE TO A SHAKING OF THE CAR THAT HAPPENS WHEN GOING OVER 50MPH. THE DRIVER SIDE HEAD LIGHT GOES OUT EVERY COUPLE MONTHS. RECENTLY THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ONE, AFTER THE BATTERY WAS SWAPPED (THE CAR STILL WOULDN'T POWER ON)- THEY RAN A FEW TESTS AND DISCOVERED AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. I HAVE TAN MY VIN FOR THE RECALL BUT MY CAR DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY RECALLS THAT MENTION AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE KIA
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and a loud knocking sound was coming from the engine. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and the vehicle loss motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed that there was rod bearing wear and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was 123,000.
VEHICLE HAS LARGE CHUNKS OF PAINT THAT FALL OFF AND MAY CAUSE A DRIVING HAZARD FOR OTHERS. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF PAINT FALLING OFF PEARL WHITE SORENTO VEHICLES. WHILE THIS IS MAINLY A COSMETIC ISSUE, DEBRIS CAN BE AN ISSUE AS PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED LARGE PAINT CHUNKS BECOMING AIRBORNE FROM THE HOOD AREA.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026