2021 Kia Sorento

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Sorento and the repeated lack of resolution from the dealership where the vehicle was purchased and serviced. I have taken my vehicle to the dealership multiple times to address ongoing and serious safety concerns. Despite having active warranties on the transmission and powertrain, I have continually been told that there is nothing they can do, and my concerns have not been properly addressed. The vehicle is experiencing persistent issues, including: The transmission jerking and jarring when shifting gears The dashboard and center display screen intermittently go completely black while driving These issues do not occur constantly, but they happen frequently enough to pose a significant safety risk. I regularly have my grandchildren in the vehicle, and their safety, as well as my own, is my highest priority. Each time I have contacted the dealership to report these problems, I have been met with excuses and resistance to even scheduling an appointment. Due to the lack of cooperation, I felt I had no choice but to drop off my vehicle on April 13, 2026, without an appointment in order to have it addressed. I am extremely disappointed in the level of service and treatment I have received. As a loyal customer—this being my third vehicle purchased from the same dealership—I have never experienced this type of disregard. I also feel that I have not been treated fairly and, at times, have been dismissed in a way that is concerning and unacceptable. I am requesting the following: A full and thorough diagnostic of my vehicle, specifically addressing the transmission and electrical issues Proper repair under warranty Clear communication regarding findings and next steps Immediate attention to these safety concerns I purchased this vehicle with the expectation of reliability and safety. At this time, I do not feel safe driving it, and I am requesting that Kia take this matter seriously

The system that failed is the high-pressure fuel pump and the intake fuel pump. The fuel system pressure is too low, and the cold start fuel pressure is too high. This is defective because I purchased the car used in November 2023. The car is a safety risk as it stalled immediately yesterday while I was driving with my children and it began smelling like gas fumes from exhaust. The vehicle has been diagnosed by a certified mechanic at Mike and Nick's Tires and Services in Canyon Country, California No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the failure. The engine light came on as soon as the car began to stall and shake/lose power.

Our 2021 Kia SORENTO has been to Elmhurst kia service numerous times . The chief complaint is the Kia Sorrento keeps losing power while in drive reverse middle traffic even on the highway but yeah every time we take it in, they say either it’s the battery .you can’t use it in the Eco mode .turn off the shut off while in drive mode when at stops ! always a different excuse, but yet no recall and it’s not showing up on their computer, but yeah it’s happening and Kia does not want to take ownership. The vehicle has been left there for numerous weeks at a time leaving us without a vehicle no loaner . But because cannot duplicate issue release vehicle back with no repairs or maintenance. Kia prefer you taking the car getting into a car accident before they decide to do anything or even a lawsuit because not enough people having same issue with the 2021 kia SORENTO s model ! If you also have these issues please report them here so they can be forced to open a recall !!! Before someone gets seriously hurt my SORENTO has loss power on highway and in the middle of train tracks with my little ones in SORENTO and we drove the vehicle from day one original owners not a used SORENTO

Car began going into limp mode not accelerating. Brought it in to be told it was the transmission which in my car some of them had recalls for the exact same things but mine was not included in this recall

The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of drive power and entered a 'fail-safe' mode with check engine light, warning chimes and service vehicle warning message. A diagnostic scan revealed fault codes P1C2D03 (High Pressure Electric Oil Pump Motor Position Sensor), P193B79 (High Pressure Electric Oil Pump Performance), and P086800 (Transmission Fluid Pressure Low). These three specific codes are cited in Kia Recall SC250 (NHTSA 22V760) and associated technical bulletins as evidence of an internal electric oil pump failure requiring full transmission replacement. The safety of occupants was compromised by the sudden loss of motive power on the interstate. I presented these codes to Value Kia 6915 Essington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19153 and dropped my car off on 4/7/2026. The dealer stated the safety recall was 'closed' and that the vehicle was 'out of warranty' due to its 95,000 miles and second-owner status. They would only agree to perform a diagnostic at my personal cost. The vehicle has been at the dealership for two days without an inspection report being provided to me. I have contacted Kia Corporate Consumer Assistance (Awaiting Response) and am filing this report because the vehicle is exhibiting the exact safety defect and 'triple-threat' fault codes of SC250 but is being denied a free safety remedy by the authorized dealer due to mileage and second ownership. As of 4/9/2026, the vehicle has been at the dealership for 2 days. Despite signing an authorization for a $190 diagnostic fee, the dealership has been completely silent and has not provided a status update or the diagnostic report. I am being left without transportation while the dealer fails to address a documented safety defect.

On 3/26/2026, I was driving at 45mph when the vehicle started slowing down and the auto stop light on the dash was blinking yellow. Every time it blinked, the car slowed even more. I tried to speed up, but it slowed down more. This could have caused an accident. I pulled off on the side of the road and shut the car off. I waited a few minutes and started the car. It ran alright and the light did not blink. It has been alright so far. If it occurs again, I will call the dealer to have it checked out.

During my recent oil change, I was informed that the oil pan gasket appears to be leaking. I understand that this issue has been subject to prior investigations, and I am reporting it..

My check engine light came on and went to dealer ship jn Oct of 2025 they stated the Egr needed to be replaced and would cost 1300 to repair but inform me they didn't have the piece to replace at that time to reschedule app. Also reservoir coolant light keeps coming on . I called several times to Lumberton Kia at one time they stated that they didn't have but 1 mechanic that worked on hybrids and he was behind. I finally have a appointmentthis weekto see what is exactlygoing on with my suv cause now i have a hesitation when pressing the gas and my transmission jerks.

Referencing report [XXX] We are having issues getting the fuel filling door to open. We have unlocked the car, several times, but it will not open. We had to pry it open so we could fill the tank and have left it open since as to not have the issue again. Part number in question - 81560R5000 There are other recalls on the car that we need to get taken care of. Is this another one in addition? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The issue appears to involve the electric oil pump and related components. My 2021 Kia Sorento had a recall for the electric oil pump that was marked “completed” in January 2023; however, the dealership only performed a software update and did not replace any mechanical components because no fault code was present at that time. Beginning around October 2025, the vehicle started experiencing drivability issues including hesitation and bogging down when accelerating from a stop. A dealership representative later stated the electric oil pump and housing likely need replacement and that the transmission may also be affected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle frequently hesitates or bogs down when attempting to accelerate, especially when pulling into highway traffic. When pressing the accelerator, the vehicle sometimes struggles to engage and move forward, which increases the risk of a collision. I brought the vehicle to Kia of RBC and spoke with Service Advisor Justin Hawkins. At the time of inspection, the check engine light had turned off and I was told they could not diagnose or repair the issue unless the warning light was active. I was instructed to continue driving the vehicle until the light returns. During a later conversation, dealership staff indicated the electric oil pump and housing likely need replacement and that the transmission may also require replacement, but they could not confirm this without the warning light being present.

This has been occurring intermittently since my 2021 Kia Sorento reached approx. 15k miles and now has 26,600 miles. There are no lights or indicators on the dash letting me know anything is wrong. When the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or stopped in heavy traffic, the vehicle will start idling high and shaking and the engine will seize up. I am not able to steer, the brakes lock up, I cannot accelerate, all functionality is lost. The only thing I can do is put the vehicle in park (in heavy traffic) and shut the car off and wait a minute and turn it back on and it seems to reset itself. This is EXTREMELY dangerous for myself and my passengers (some of which are children) and can cause a serious accident. At no point should I ever need to be concerned with my vehicle seizing up in the middle of the road and having to park and restart my car. This has happened on several occasions already. I have taken my car to 2 separate Kia dealerships to address this problem I have been experiencing. The first dealership failed to attempt to duplicate the problem and instead informed me the firmware update the performed from a previous recall should remedy the problem. It did not. Then I recently took it to another Kia dealer in another state and explained the situation. I specifically asked them to take the vehicle for a test drive and they argued with me that my battery was low and needed to be replaced and it would not be covered under the warranty. I have been driving this vehicle for a while and it has been having this issue around 15k miles so I know it is not the battery. They totally disregarded the safely of myself and my family and only focused on making money for themselves. This is a serious safety issue with this vehicle and has continuously been swept under the rug by Kia. Even the customer service is rude and I have reported this to them and asked for an escalation to their consumer affairs dept and have received no response.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and occasionally jerked while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed. The message to "Pull Over and Shut off Vehicle" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,846.

The car has completely shutdown and nothing works while parked and has not started until the next day. This has happened 3 times in 5 months.

The contact owned a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side taillight became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the wiring harness for the passenger’s side taillight had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was related to the tow hitch recall repair. The dealer also informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired because it had an aftermarket tow hitch part. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,178.

My vehicle started to shift irregularly. From a stop, I would accelerate and before shifting to the next gear the vehicle would lose power, pause, and then shift to the next gear. Doing this until the vehicle reached the desired speed. At first, I could turn the vehicle off then on again and it would be fixed. Eventually, the check engine light came on and stopping and restarting no longer fixed the problem. If this would have occurred while I was pulling into busy traffic, expecting my vehicle to accelerate normally, an accident would have happened. The vehicle is now experiencing a loss of power even at highway speeds. Upon taking the vehicle to the dealership, I had to climb a hill and the vehicle speed dropped down to 30mph from the 75mph I was doing before making it to the top of the hill. There is currently a recall for this issue, NHTSA ID: 22V760000, and it matches everything in relation to my vehicle, however my VIN doesn't show as part of the recall. And the dealership is refusing to fix it under this recall. Please advise on what can be done. Thanks

The engine pump went in my vehicle (21 Kia Sorrento) and is giving a code of P193B79. There was a recall that the dealership said they completed in 2023 to fix this. When I asked the dealership what they did to fix this in 2023, they said they checked for the code and it didn't have the code. Since they closed the recall, because it didn't currently have the code, they marked it complete and won't fix the issue with the transmission now. This was the information I got from the dealership. Then they proceded to tell me that SC250 is for code P1C2D03 and my car is giving code P193B79. I explained when I search online the two issues are very closely related and the kmsister company of Hyundai includes both coves in their recall. I have loss of power, as stated in the recall. I explained to the dealership that when I pulled out of my road, I tried to cross and I pressed the gas. The car would not got above 15 mph and the rpms went very high. The dealership called it a "limp motor" when I described it to them. After calling Kia customer service they told me that the dealership makes the call if it is under warranty. I called the dealership back and they told me again that because it was marked completed in 2023, it can't be under that recall. I easked because I didn't have the code in 2023, what was done to prevent this issue from happening on my car. They explained again they closed the ticket in 2023, so it can't be under that recall. I am having the loss of power, explained in SC250 and the dealership told me it is the engine pump fail. They explained it is the same part but a different code. I explained again how those 2 codes are very similar issues and their sister company agrees. I also explained an article I found online for Kia, where those 2 codes are very related. The article explained if the dealership did not cover it, call Kia. If still not resolved, file a complaint with NHTSA. That brings me here. Thank you!

I was driving my car on [XXX] and my car suddenly lost power and when I pressed the gas pedal the RPM quickly increased but the car was hesitating between gears and not engaging. Shortly thereafter a malfunction code showed up on my car screen along with an engine warning indicator. The code was DCT P193B79. That code indicates a High Pressure Electric Oil Pump Performance issue pointing to problems with the 8WDCT; the same issue and symptoms associated with the recall bulletin for the 2021 Kia Sorento Transmission. When I brought it to Ken Gariff Kia in Phoenix Arizona they stated there is no such recall for my vehicle with this problem and that since I have 76000 miles on the car it is not covered. I feel that this repair falls squarely within the scope of the recall for the Kia transmission and would like it replaced at the manufacturers expense. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am submitting a complaint regarding a 2021 Kia Sorento SX that experienced a premature and catastrophic transmission failure at approximately 76,000 miles. The vehicle developed loss of power, hesitation, and erratic shifting at low speeds (0–30 mph), creating a potentially dangerous condition when attempting to accelerate into traffic or cross intersections. A Kia dealership diagnosed the issue as TCM code P193B79 and determined that the failure involved an internal high-pressure oil pump within the transmission, requiring full transmission replacement. This failure occurred despite proper maintenance and completion of Kia’s SC250 software update, which appears to address transmission-related drivability concerns. My maintenance records confirm compliance with manufacturer recommendations. The symptoms and failure mode closely align with the type of transmission issues addressed in Kia service campaigns and recalls (including SCN-520), yet Kia has refused to provide coverage or reimbursement, stating that my specific diagnostic code does not exactly match the recall criteria. As a result, I was forced to pay approximately $5,300 out of pocket for a full transmission replacement on a vehicle with relatively low mileage. This raises serious concerns that: * The underlying transmission issue may extend beyond the narrow criteria defined in the recall * Software updates may not fully address an underlying mechanical defect * Consumers may be experiencing similar failures without coverage Additionally, the loss of power and hesitation at low speeds presents a clear safety risk, particularly in normal driving conditions. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether transmission failures in the 2021 Kia Sorento are broader than currently recognized and whether affected consumers should receive expanded coverage or reimbursement.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light or a stop sign, the vehicle rolled backwards and stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The ignition key was cycled several times before the vehicle restarted. The failure was intermittent, with the check engine light illuminating intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The failure persisted. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,500.

While driving on an interstate highway, our sunroof exploded with a loud boom and glass fragments fell into the passenger compartment. 2021 Kia Sorento SUV with only 65,000 miles on it.