The headlights do not illuminate down the road. Visibility at night is greatly impaired. Taken to dealers twice. First dealer in NM said it was just the way they were. Second dealer in Texas did realign the lights. Better but still very poor. I have installed the brightest bulbs allowed by law,
2015 Kia Sorento complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2015 record →
Paint chipping on hood and on roof above windshield in huge flakes. Down to primer and possibly starting to rust.
Large amounts of paint falling off of vehicle.
10/2021 Drove to store (about 20 minutes). Shopped for about 1 hour. Started to leave parking area and enter ramp to highway when the engine stopped. Everything went off. No warning. No check engine light, no maintenance light, nothing. I was able to steer back into the parking area. Put car in park and waited about 4-5 minutes. Started the car (it started without a problem) and began driving in the parking lot. when it began hesitating and feeling as if it would stall again. there was a gas station next to the parking area. pulled in & filled tank (tank was 1/2 full) and just barely pulled into a parking spot in front of gas station convenience store. Got towed to our local garage. They changed the oil and checked external systems and thought it was working fine. When my husband picked the car up it was still hesitating and almost stalling on the way home. Next, took it to local Kia dealer. Same situation. Couldn't find anything, said it drove fine for them. Same thing happened to my husband on the way home. Stalling in traffic. Having to restart the car in an intersection. Very dangerous. Brought back to dealer and they said it would cost $600-1000 to diagnose. Then it might cost $5000 - $10,000 to fix (replace or rebuild the engine). I reached out to Kia Customer Service but they did not offer any solutions other than to talk to the dealership in question. We are at a stand-still and have not been able to drive the car since October 2021.
I was driving down the highway going about 75-80 MPH, and my car started acting funny. No lights came on or smoking or anything to indicate something was wrong other then it acting funny. Pulled off the highway and my car died, had it towed (after waiting for awhile) got it towed to a AAA service center where they told me my engine was blown. Towed it back to Kansas (I was traveling on vacation when this happened and was 2.5 hours from home) to a kia dealership where now my car will not "throw the code" for the engine to be covered by warranty
Paint is delaminating
Kia dealer confirmed that the engine is seized, like a bearing. Has been approved for engine replacement under warranty and previous class action settlements through Kia. We were traveling down the highway at 80MPH in the process of passing another vehicle when the engine suddenly seized. No warning before hand; no noise, no overheating, nothing. Car was running normally. No warning lights came on. We lost all acceleration power. We were able to navigate traffic to the side of the highway where the cars engine quit and would no longer start. 2 hours stuck on the highway with traffic zipping by at 80 MPH, $300 tow bill.
I have the white paint and abt 2 months ago it started chopping off in large chunks.
Compotent : Throttle position Sensor Risk\ High level to vehicle occupants Highest to pedestrians Unfortunately, after inspection was TOTALED inforrned us of an investigation currently ,by NHTSA regarding throttle components. The insurance adjuster was a forrner mechanic. there wear warning lights on to indicate a problem
Every time I'm driving at speeds over 25mph and place on my breaks to start slowing down I hear and feel a rattling noice in the middle of my steering wheel where my horn is it feels like what ever it is is going to rattle off it scares me cause if whatever it is comes off will I be able to steer still
This product continually needs oil. The engine smells all the time as though it may be burning. I have spent hundreds of dollars on oil. It is not able to have consistent oil changes due to there often times being no oil in the veh to change. The low oil indicator never shows. Also, The brake lights are constantly blowing out. On one occasion A bulb burned into its housing and had to be pried out in order to replace it. I have complained to Kia to no avail. It’s stopped twice. Yesterday most recently. It started shaking and making a clinking noise and shut off. It’s being towed to the dealership. Kia is aware of the fire potential and has sent written directives on where not to park.
On March 11, 2022 I was driving my 2015 Kia Sorento when the engine died. I was driving on a major road when all of a sudden my brakes locked up and all the warning lights and sounds went on and my car stopped. If it would have happened on the highway I could have been seriously injured. The problem has been confirmed by a dealer and an independent garage both saying that my vehicle needs a new engine. It has been meticulously maintained. Prior to the engine failing there were no warning lights indicating any low oil or service engine lights. The dealership stated that it was not my fault. I contacted the Kia manufacturer and they said there is nothing they can do because it is over the 100,000 mile warranty. It only has 110,000 miles on the car.
Low bean headights are extremely dim. Can barely see road and obstacles at night and very difficult to see in rain. High beam headlights function normally. Low beam lights are significantly dimmer than when new. Headlamps are not fogged over. Have not been to dealer yet. Ther are no warning lights (MIL) on dash or codes. difficult to pinpoint when the condition started as it seems to have occured gradually.
CAR WAS SOUNDING FUNNY. HAD RECENTLY DID OIL CHANGE ABOUT A WEEK AGO. I TOOK CAR TO KIA AND THEY SAID I HAD RECALLS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. KIA DID ALL THE RECALLS ON MY CAR AND INSTALLED KNOCK SYSTEM. THEY CALLED ME TO PICK UP CAR AND THE CAR SHUT OFF OF THEM. CALLED KIA AND THEY FIRST APPROVED THE DEALER TO PURCHASE THE NEW ENGINE. THEY THEN SENT AN EMAIL DENYING THE PURCHASE OF A NEW ENGINE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THEY ARE SAYING ENGINE HAD FAILED WHEN CAR WENT TO DEALER BUT WHY WOULD THEY PERFORM WORK ON A CAR'S ENGINE THAT ALREADY FAILED. THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX CAR.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine, it is currently available How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Absolutely Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO Car began making very loud noises, passenger felt parts dropping, car quit, a piece of a control arm was found on the ground.
The motor is doing a clicking noice. And Kia will not cover the motor since it had another recall that wasnt done in a timely matter. The car stoped in the middle of the freeway and would not move.
My vehicle was stuck in park. I noted that module 2 fuse was blown. I replaced the fuse and smelled smoke. I took my Sorento in to the local KIA dealership for diagnosis. It was determined by a technician that the headlight level sensor and harness pigtail were both significantly melted. It was suggested by the tech to remove the level sensor and that has created a safety issue with the headlights pointing significantly low. The level sensor or headlight leveling system and harness connection are a potential fire hazard and if the component fails, this creates an additional unsafe driving condition with the headlights aiming low.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and oil warning lights illuminated. The vehicle then lost motive power. Upon inspection, the contact noticed there was no oil in the oil reservoir. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with camshaft position sensor failure. The mechanic replaced camshaft position sensor; however, the failure recurred with a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and diagnosed with engine damage and connecting rod failure. The dealer performed a Product Improvement Campaign: PI1802 (Knock Sensor Detection System - ECU Logic Improvement) software update. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and directed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The manufacturer declined the engine replacement since the contact did not have the product improvement campaign software update prior to the failure. The failure mileage was 99,702.
My kia sorento is 2015 I think that's the problem. I need to know if that is covered by the Kia factory warranty Steering Coupler Replacement for the MDPS. The vehicle does not have 59,000 miles. I have approximately 2 months of having bought in autonation. and when you buy replace tires brakes. why did it make noise I found that noise, I took it to my mechanic and he told me that noise was there, that piece because it is electronic and it is electrical that the Kia suffered from that problem. I want to know if the quia covers that in the recalls. because it is a manufacturing defect. please let me know what to do. it makes noise like cv join . also in engine when running. It is very difficult to know, I would have to check the Kia dealer, but with your authorization, the manufacturer does cover it. if not I will have to deliver and buy another vehicle. my name is [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] spanish. Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate. Consequence If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash. Solution Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167. INFORMATION
Snow white pearl paint is peeling off.
-Cylinder walls excessive engine oil consumption. My engine was replaced in June 2019 For my 2015 Kia Sorento. My vehicle presently and right before my 2019 engine replacement would drain oil, but no visible leaks. Smokey exhaust, and loud knocking sounds. Sludgy oil that regularly needs to be replaced. No horsepower or pick up to drive at normal speeds -Due to the oil depletion I was fearful of my vehicle catching fire. It recently stalled on the interstate. -Yes the problem was confirmed 2/24/2022. -Vehicle was inspected at Ed Voyles Kia dealership by a service technician -My vehicle was losing momentum. Multiple lights aluminated, as well as wacky battery issues. check engine light, oil light, battery light, ABS, Electronic Stability, Malfunction indicator, lights illuminated during vehicle failure. My oil light started in August 2021. It came off and on, even with regular oil changes. I took it to another Kia Dealership in October 2021. They did a diagnostic and said my engine was the culprit but that they could not warranty any repairs. I wasn't able to get an appointment with the original dealership that did my previous engine repairs, until February 10, 2022. I called the Kia corporate office several times for help.
I was commuting to work and without any warning, no lights at all, the whole front of the car starts violently vibrating and making all sorts of metallic banging noise. I had it taken to the local KIA dealership where they diagnosed it was the Crankshaft and Connecting Rod Bearings.
Snow Pearl White paint is chipping at various areas of the front portion of the vehicle. I was driving in heavy rain and then noticed a huge chunk just chipped off. Several owners with this paint color have complained of an issue this similar. Headlights are too dim at night. We have family who lives in the country with limited street light and we are forced to use our high beam lights to even see down the road. I turn on my fog lights to add extra light but it’s still hard to see further down the road.
Driving to Lexington KY motor began knocking and lost power. Towed home had mechanic look at it found metal in oil pan, towed to KIA dealer and informed it needs new motor. KIA denying warranty because product improved wasn’t done. Having to replace motor out of pocket.
At first, it wouldn't shift out of park. Now the driverside headlight intermittently flickers and goes out. There's a burnt electrical smell coming from the engine compartment.
My airbag came on in my 2015 KIA. It is a tension airbag, I believe. It won't go off. There are recalls in every other year but 2015. It is the same recall as the other years.
Purchased brand-new in 2015. Paint started chipping away in 2018. At first I thought it was normal wear and tear because it was tiny and only a few spots. It is rapidly bubbling and peeling off now. Most recently a foot of my side bar peeled off in one instance. I haves talked to a auto body repairman and he did not feel like this peeling started from rocks or debris.
There is a recall for part of my vehicle that says a fire could start. Need it fixed
I engine light keeps coming on after taking my car in to have a diagnostic to pin point the issue with Southern Kia in Chesapeake, Va, 1300 S Military Hwy Chesapeake, VA 23320 (757) 424-6380. The report came back with a code for engine tube that was preventing the evaporation of gas to/from the engine. Less than 4 hours later after the repair the engine light came back on. I took the care back to Southern Kia in Chesapeake, Va, 1300 S Military Hwy Chesapeake, VA 23320 (757) 424-6380 and now they are saying it's something else with the engine. My car has been with Southern Kia in Chesapeake, Va, 1300 S Military Hwy Chesapeake, VA 23320 for three weeks and they are saying they are waiting KIA to give them guidance on the issue.
The headlights are dangerously dim. Purchased this vehicle used. Only used in the daytime the first months. My son started working night shifts and that's when we noticed that it did not light up in front of the vehicle. It was very minimal. I drove the car on a rainy evening and was terrified. Could not see in front of me. Had to drive next to cars to make sure I was in my lane. We cleaned the headlights, it did not improve. We purchased new and brighter bulbs. It is still too dim. It only lights up immediately in front of the vehicle and it is a very dim light. Light barely reaches maybe three feet in front of the vehicle, maybe only two. It is VERY dangerous. I am an experienced driver and I found it frightening to drive at night. My son is recently licensed and it does not feel safe to have him operate that vehicle.
Engine shut off without warning while driving. My wife was driving and Was able to roll off road thankfully. She was on a very busy road and was in serious risk of injury along with the cars behind her. Did not start back up. Battery had power. Found out ENGINE FAILED! Verified by mechanic. Called Kia Corporate Customer Service number and was told the engine will not be repaired. 125,000 miles. No warning lights came on. This is absolutely wrong of Kia! Shame on them!
December 28, 2021 On Hwy 85 right next to Auburn, Alabama, on my way to Houston, Texas, I began to notice that as I accelerated with my 2015 KIA Sorento there was a sound as if my muffler had a hole in it. Within just a couple of minutes, the car wouldn’t accelerate well. I then pulled off the highway onto a ramp and at the intersection the oil indicator light lit up and then the engine light and then there was a rattling noise and then the car quit. I checked the oil and it was a little bit low….not much though. A passerby took me in his car to an auto parts store where I purchased two quarts of oil. I put in the oil and started the car. The oil indicator light was now no longer on but there was a little bit of a rattling sound or knocking sound. The passerby said he knew a mechanic that was just a quarter mile down the road at a full auto service shop and that he would follow me if I wanted to take the car there. It was very close so I drove there. As I got closer the rattling/knocking sound got a little louder and then as I was about ready to pull in to the shop the car shut off and wouldn’t turn on. I had the car pushed the rest of the way into the auto shop. The mechanics looked at it and said it was “locked up” and would need a whole new engine. One mechanic said that KIA engines sometimes do this with little to no warning. I was shocked. I had never had any problems with my 2015 Kia Sorento before. It had now 96,000 miles on it and I only really had to do the oil chang
I have the Sorrento with the white pearl paint for last couple years I’ve had small flakes come off and I’ve tried to cover them up with the ink pen. But the spots are just getting bigger. So Disappointed. This is my second Kia I did not have a problem on the black when I had before this
Both low beam headlights no longer work although all fuses and bulbs have been verified to work. The high beam headlights do work. This appears to be the identical issue that 2011-2013 owners were dealing with. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10159259-0001.pdf. In this instance, the headlight connectors required replacement and Kia extended the warranty to cover that work. Kia will not extend the warranty to 2015 model owners who are having the same problem and the dealership quotes a price of $1880 for just the parts alone.
Kia is refusing to replace my engine related to a product improvement issued in 2018. I never received a notice about the required product improvement. The vehicle simply failed while I was driving. I was luckily able to get to safety. There were no warning lamps or messages or symptoms. The vehicle has been inspected by Kia and a Kia dealer.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, he heard knocking sounds coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving at 50 MPH and the vehicle stalled. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine seized and that the rod bearing might have failed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in any recalls related to the failure. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact stated that he was able to start the vehicle, but he would still hear abnormal sounds coming from the engine. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer also referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,062.
HELLO, THIS PROBLEM STARTED SICE 2020 WITH THE PEELING ON TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL. THEN THE OTHER BIG ONES JUST STARTED LAST WEEK AND I WAS VERY SURPRISED BECAUSE THEYRE LIKE A FEET LONG. I WOULD LIKE TO GET IT FIX BECAUSE MY TRUCK LOOKS LIKE NEW FROM THE INSIDE BECAUSE I TAKE REALLY GOOD CARE OF IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOWIFYOU CAN HELP. ATTEN: [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The contact veered to the side of the road but was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair because the vehicle was out of warranty. Additionally, the VIN was not under recall. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Car continually trying to over-heat. Had to keep pulling to shoulder every 1/4 mile or so, and letting car cool down again. Mechanic diagnosed as a head gasket problem, but upon further research it looks like it may have actually warped the engine block itself. When mechanic calls around to multiple junkyards, found many 2015 kia sorentos, but no engines available due to the same problem. Vehicle is at approx 133,000 miles, and Kia is stating that the vehicle is not in the extended engine warranties effected by this problem (apparently happens more so in another model of kia, I believe they said Optima, but I didn't pay that close of attention since my car is a Sorento.)
On October 6, 2021, I was driving my 2015 Kia Sorento to deliver work. I was driving through a mountain region when I heard a slight "ticking" noise coming from the engine. There was no safe place to pull over on the busy highway. There were mountains on each side of the highway no pull offs. There were lots of Semi trucks and Coal trucks driving fast on this highway. I kept driving looking for safe place to pull over. The ticking noise kept getting louder. There were no warning lights on the dashboard indicating any problem. Suddenly, the engine stopped. There was no power and no lights. It was all I could do to hold the steering wheel and coast the vehicle to a safe place. Finally, I found a safe pulloff. I coasted into it and called AAA. I waited three hours for AAA to show up. The AAA mechanic tried the start the engine with no success. He towed the vehicle to my home. I contacted a mechanic. The Ki would start and make loud knocking noises and then shut down again. The mechanic gave me an estimate for a new engine for $6,900 and told me he has seen this problem with this engine in this model Kia before. He said the manufacturer failed to debur the engines when they put the vehicles together causing metal fragments to filter through the engine causing engine failure. The mileage was approximately 151,000. I never received any recalls for the (KSDS) Knock Sensor Detection System.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle at night, the low-beam headlights were extremely dim, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who examined the vehicle but found no issues with the vehicle. The low-beam headlights were replaced however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000.
Severe paint chipping on the hood of car and roof. Causing rust to build by windshield. Kia refuses to fix the issue
I just got my car back from overtuf which had it for a month due to after the recalls where done my engine failed and had to be replaced that day I got it back I drove it home and on the way home the check engine light came on and my smelled of gas really bad so I pulled over looked under vehicle to see if there was anything leaking under car and no leaks so i checked the oil and it was filled over filled with gas which could of damaged my engine again or worse caught fire with me and my kids in it or hurt someone else
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated, and the front passenger's side air bag was turned off. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
My vehicle had two safety recalls regarding the possibility of a sudden engine fire due to a defective Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU). Additionally, in Milwaukee, theft of Kias has increased exponentially. The number of Kia models stolen increased 25 times higher in the first six months of 2020 by a gang calling themselves the "Kia Boys." The thefts have risen because Kia models 2011 or newer do not have an immobilizer which could prevent thefts. As a senior, my safety is placed at risk because of a combustible engine fire that could start without warning. Moreover, my vehicle is at risk of being stolen at any time because it lacks an immobilizer to prevent easy access. I want KIA or CarMax to buy back and refund me for these two latent defects that I could not have been aware of upon purchasing. Even though I had the CarFax report, I could not have been aware that the HECU recalls could cause an engine fire until I read articles about the recall from car experts. Further, as a layperson and unwary consumer, I could not have been aware of the latent defect of the steering column defect that could make theft of the vehicle easier.
Three days after getting my regular oil change , my engine started getting this loud knocking noise and I was not able to speed , I was coming into the freeway when my car suddenly got a loss of power , I checked my vehicle diagnostics and it wasn’t showing anything about the engine no warning or anything when I took it to get seen by a mechanic they told me I had to get my engine replaced
Since the beginning of November, 2021, without incidence or prior warning, the airbag warning light came on when the vehicle is started and stays on the entire time the vehicle is on. The vehicle was brought to a KIA dealership on November 18th to diagnose the issue under extended 15 year warranty for two airbag recalls (one for clock spring and the other for ODS sensor). The diagnosis determined that the clock spring and ODS sensor were not causing the warning light to remain on, and the cause was a airbag code B1473, Driver Curtain Airbag Circuit Resistance High, and the dealership stated that it needed a driver side curtain airbag, estimated at $1,800.00, and not covered by warranty. Since this condition results in the airbag warning light to remain lit while the car is on and running, this causes a safety issue in that the driver does not know if the airbag will deploy if needed. Further, there is no way the driver would know if another airbag fault, for example, a front airbag issue, occurs, because the airbag light is already on. This condition poses a serious safety concern and should be addressed by the manufacturer.
Vehicle was being driven when the engine blew-up and became inoperable. After taking it to a mechanic, they said that the oil had stopped flowing through the engine and caused it to malfunction. There were no lights that appeared on the dashboard warning us of a problem.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The failure occurred on three separate occasions. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with engine failure. The engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they had sent out a manufacturer's recall notification for the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update; however, the contact had not received the recall notification. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
The running lights on the front and rear drivers side work half of the time, the plate light seems to turn off when they do. They'll come on for a split second and then go out, or on a good day they'll stay on. Seems like a short in the wiring. It could be a safety issue at night!!!
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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