2016 Kia Sorento complaints

This is the second very similar incident with the engine of this vehicle. On Monday, May 29, 2023, the engine failed at a stop light in Fort Wayne Indiana. A few miles before it failed, it suddenly got very noisy and wouldn’t go over about 15 mph. It wouldn’t really react to the accelerator pedal. At the stop light it just quit at a major intersection leaving me stranded in the middle of the road. It has been towed to the Kia dealer in Fort Wayne. They have not diagnosed the problem yet but I have read many reports on line and my experience was similar: vehicular just quit, engine lost oil, accelerator pedal not responsive, and loud ticking sound. I’m afraid the repair will be thousands of dollars and I’m a senior citizen on Social Security. This is a second incident. On October 20, 2022, my daughter in law drove my car to IU Health Hospital in Indianapolis to visit me in the hospital (major surgery). In an hour and a half she used a full tank of gas and 3 quarts of oil — the car slowed to 40 mph, accelerator pedal didn’t work and she was on Route 69 a 4 lane major highway and was very scared. She pulled off at the next exit. The car had to be towed from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne. My mechanic worked on it, got it running ok but it had a major oil leak. I was recovering from my surgery so drove it little. I now find out that the engine in my car has major problems just like what I have experienced and that Kia is refusing to fix them unless people pay in excess of $6000. This

Rear control arm weld broke drivers side. 18 year old lost control on interstate at 70 miles per hour. Was spinning around and avoiding hitting a steal fence, steal beam and wall. I have pictures of the broken weld. If no recall yet their needs to be before it kills someone!! [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

My vehicle is still leaking oil bad after paying over $700 to get the oil pressure switch and gasket replaced on March 1, 2023. I was promised a reimbursement of my funds spent to fix the issue and have not heard back for over a month nor have they addressed the issue with the vehicle still leaking badly. As others are having the same issue it is not fair to us costumers we are left with a defective vehicle. I have small children and this is my only vehicle which is not safe to operate. I need help just like the others who are being ignored. I have included the estimate of the other issue as well.

It has 120,000 miles on it. No warning lights. No “low oil” light or anything. My ex-husband hooked up a code reader to it and no codes were being given. It’s currently sitting at dealership, I still owe $3500 on the car and I can’t drive it. Will cost more to put an engine in then to pay off of my car. The dealership can’t look at it for another week. I have no means of another car. And Kia says they can’t do anything.

The car lost power while driving and the engine caught fire.

I would like to confirm if the recall for 2016 Kia Sorento Transmission Shift Level Assembly also covers all of us who have reported complaints about having to use a screw driver to engage our vehicles out of park? This is a safety concerns just as well as the cars that are impacted by the shift lever slipping out of park while engine off. using a screw driver because Kia refuses to replace the part they have acknowledged is faulty, is something that customers should not be responsible for fixing. If there was an issue identified (and clearly there was) the exact same year, make and model and part (the shift lever itself) then the investigation either needs to be expanded or Kia needs to just own that these parts need replaced in a larger span than the recall currently covers. please let me know as I am getting no assistance with these issues from my dealership - Shawnee Mission Kia in Kansas. thanks

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) 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 had not been made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

MY 2016 KIE SORENTO USE OIL I CAN ONLY GO 2000 MILES AND HAVETO ADD OIL TOO IT DEALER DOES OILS CHAGES AND SAY IM GOOD FOR 600O MILES IS THERE A SOLITION TOO THIS ISSUE

Saw a news report that the Tow Hitch Harness electric may start on fire. Received a notice from Kia November 1, 2022 regarding the possible fire. Parked car outside as instructed in notice Called local Kia Dealer re: issue (January 16, 2023) NO remedy per [XXX] Asked [XXX] if car can be parked inside garage and if it was advisable to NOT drive the vehicle and he said that the fire issue is only if the hitch electric is used that there is a fire concern and it is ok to park in garage. So we started parking in garage and did not use hitch electric. I contacted. Kia and was put on hold so was unable to share my concerns with the Called again 2/16/2023 still no remedy Asked again if we needed to park outdoors and was there danger is we drove the car. Was told the fire concern is only if the hitch electric was being used and it's ok to park in garage. Called again 3/28/2023 still no remedy Asked again if we needed to park outdoors. Was told no as the fire concern was only if hitch electric was being used and its ok to park in garage. Received another Interim Notice Update today(5/17/2023) dated May 8, 2023 stating that there was an interim fuse fix for the fire issue. Called local Kia Dealer in Waukesha Wisconsin and was able to schedule an appointment for June 6, 2023. Again I asked if we needed to park outside and if it was safe to drive the Sorento. Did not know...follow the letter instructions. My concern is that the dealer is giving different information than what is outlined

I called Kia to replace fuse per their safety recall information. They are really uninterested in fixing these recalls or allowing me to speak to a manager to fix the issue. What's the point?

On my way home from work I heard a knocking sound coming from the engine while on the highway the vehicle slowed down at 40 miles per hour then the from end dipped then return in an upright position. The vehicle suddenly lost power the engine would not turn over. There were no warning engine lights or anything before hand to indicate there was a problem before the engine power loss. I had to pay the highway tow truck to get me off he highway and then my insurance tow transported my vehicle to Queens. Galaxy Auto completed diagnostic test and informed me the engine is no good, basically the engine seized. I reached out to KIA headquarters via email no response to the situation at hand. On 05/12/2023 received notice from KIA recall for tow hinge on vehicle. KIA did not address the engine failure on the 2016 KIA Sorentia GDI which I just finish paying off. My vehicle is parked up no monetary funds to purchase an engine or to pay for labor cost. Not having a vehicle is causing undue hardship for me and my children. Getting to work and my doctors appointment for chemo treatments is financially difficulty. It is a shame that KIA is allowed to duped consumers and put our lives at risk for profit without any consequences. I would never purchase another KIA vehicle and I warned my friends and family to stay away from KIA brands. Shame on you KIA. Shame on you KIA.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact heard a loud popping sound. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, it was discovered that the glass sunroof had shattered upward. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted and notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.

Engine failed with less than 92000 miles on it. Apparently had been running hot but no warnings lights came to indicate rise in engine temperature.

Paint peeliing and car rust has stated as soon as warranty ran out.

While driving on Souther State Parkway on 04/23/2023 I heard a knocking sound coming from the engine. The Vehicle suddenly slowed down while in motion front end dipped then returned to original position. The knocking sound got louder I signaled exit the highway vehicle loss power on the ramp. Tow truck called to tow vehicle. Mechanic shop informed me vehicle engine is no good the engine seized up and malfunctioned. This vehicle almost killed me on the highway. It's very sad that KIA is not being held responsible for these defective vehicles. I need KIA to pay for engine replacement and labor cost. As a healthcare worker I cannot afford to purchase another vehicle. I just finish paying off the car note on this vehicle. 2016 Kia Sorento.

Literally overnight large pieces of paint began peeling off of my hood and roof. Within days I took it to a body shop and they immediately identified it as a factory defect. The pearl white paint is separating in sheets. If not repaired it will rust the metal underneath.

Engine locks up (blown) with no check engine light warning lights of any kid while driving down the highway I have read this over 1,000 time on the internet from different sorento owners this needs to be recalled I could have been hit by a semi this is a manufacturer defect

Started Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Went to head out to take kids to school and go to work but wouldn’t accelerate much over 20mph. No indicators came on or anything. I turned around and went back home. Friday, we got a dealership to look at it and they said it was burning oil and smoking a little. Didn’t drive it any where outside of those times. Monday called the dealer that looked at it on Friday and they told us to bring it up there and they would look at it to try and figure out the problem. Drove about 10 minutes and everything shut off. Pulled over, tried to crank, and indicators came on-battery/flashing engine/car with key, and heard rattling then quickly shut it off. Dealer said motor is done.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while pulling the gear shift lever to shift the vehicle into reverse, the lever then would not shift into drive or any other gear. The check engine warning light illuminated but turned off after a couple minutes. The contact noticed that the gear shift lever was locked and placed a screwdriver into the shifter lever lock and the contact was able to shift the lever to reverse and drive. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 190,000.

While driving with my family of 4 on the interstate the cars engine stopped running without warning. All the dashboard lights illuminated and the car quit running. This almost caused me to lose control of the car and cause a major accident with injury and possible loss of life. This was a traumatic event for me and my family. The car was towed to the shop and we were told that the motor blew and it’s $15K to replace it. I also just found out that KIA issued a service bulletin to modify the computer so that the engine goes to limp mode and does not just blow up. Had there been something on a carfax or a notification to other shops this traumatic event would not have happened. There should be a safety recall and not just a bulletin only known to KIA dealers on all of these motors. This car was serviced regularly outside of KIA dealership and oil was just changed about 1 weak ago. KIA has refused to cover the repairs. We never got notification of the bulletin.

111k mile car engine has had oil changed how it's suppose to going down the road an engine just lost power an now knocking from rod bairings almost causing a wreck on the highway

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was later restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software was not installed. The contact stated that she had not received notification for the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). The failure mileage was 100,575.

I was backing up a residential driveway. My backup camera showed my wheels were in line. My steering wheel turned and my car had a sudden unintended acceleration. My car destroyed a double steel garage door. Pushed a parked vehicle forward approximately 10-12”. The vehicle crushed a riding lawn mower, pushing the mower through a sheet rock wall. If anyone had been in this area of the garage, they could have possibly suffered serious injury or even fatality. I am trying to arrange to have my vehicle taken to local Kia dealership for diagnostic testing. At this time, the vehicle has not been inspected. There were no warning signs that appeared and I did not hear my backup camera alert.

Steering column resistance measure at 5.3 NM indication an internal issue of the column which needed to be replaced. Power Steering sticking and stiff while driving causing clear and present danger to driver passengers and possibly other property. Kia Dealer was apologetic that this was not covered by warranty or recall. However there were other reports of this issue in the KIA System.

This 2016 Kia Sorento is burning a LOT of oil. Every month we are adding 4 quarts of oil. The oil light is not coming on to indicate that the oil is low. Because of the oil burning, it's causing things to get dirty and clogged. We've had to replace plugs and coils twice already and we are experiencing the same problem again now. The car is having (and previously had) trouble accelerating and runs rough (happened in both prior incidents as well). The problem accelerating can be put us in danger, potentially other vehicles hitting us, in heavy traffic situations, when making turns etc.

Car is overheating, mechanic stated head gasket bolts are stripped and it's a defect in these Kia Sorento 3.3L V6 engines. I am the 2nd owner even though it was purchased in the same year it became available (2016). On November 14th, 2023 it will be 7 years old, with 110,000 miles. It's regularly serviced with no issues until the overheating which started on April 22, 2023. My portfolio warranty ended on 100,000 miles. There are hundreds of complaints on various websites with this exact issue. Please help me as I'm a disabled retiree on a fixed income pension and cannot afford 7,000.00 to replace the engine.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and overheated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the head bolts had a gap between the head gasket and the engine block. The mechanic recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was an abnormal knocking sound from the engine while the vehicle was idling and upon depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil, resulting in engine damage. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

Engine Failure - 3.3L Head Bolts Backed Out of Block Emissions Seeping In to Cooling System (coolant blowing out of reservoir tank) Dealer Verified Issue and Know this to Be an Issue (with various 3.3L cars) Overheating Claimed to Be the Cause - Car Maintenance By Dealer Only on Routine Basis Vehicle Driven Around Town - Not Pushed Beyond Local Driving Internet Search Shows Others with Same Problem Reports from Mechanics of Blocks with Poor Castings and Material/Quality Issues 119,000K miles with no prior mechanical issues Dangerous Issue Repair Estimate $10000 - Unethical, Unsafe, Predadatory for those who Still paying off vehicles

I was driving the car when I suddenly smelled coolant. No warning lights came on and the temperature gauge was in the normal range when I first smelled coolant. Then, steam began to come through my vents. This is when the temperature gauge began to rise. I drove the car to get it to a safe place before shutting it off. I had it towed to a service center to get the problems diagnosed. The service center told me the engine and cooling system would need to be replaced. I can provide the diagnostic assessment. This could have been extremely dangerous if the problem occurred on the highway, as I fear the engine could have caught fire. I was blessed that this happened on a city street. There was a very sudden loss of coolant, and the inspection revealed metal shavings in the oil. I have had this vehicle regularly maintained and checked the oil myself to keep it at the proper level. None of my prior service visits noted any presence of metal in the oil.

In 2020 Kia replaced the engine on our 2016 Sorento. The new engine is doing the same thing with regards to oil consumption and causing us to repeatedly have to put oil in the vehicle at almost every fuel stop. There are no obvious oil leaks observed by us or Kia, we are also experiencing error code 0420 on the vehicle as often as 2-3 times a week. The dealership states that the engine replaced in 2020 only had a 1 year, 12000 mile warranty on it and it is no longer covered. The check engine light was unable to be diagnosed by the dealership despite being illuminated when taken to the dealer. We believe the engine oil leak and 0420 code are related as there are no other codes being shown on the vehicle.

My 2016 Kia Sorento was parked in my garage. When I went out in the morning to start the car, I turned on the ignition and the red warning light indicating a power steering failure went on and the power steering wasn't functioning. It was much harder to turn the wheel in either direction than it had been previously. I backed out of my driveway and with some difficulty drove another 2-3 blocks. At that point the power steering started functioning again and I was able to continue driving it to a nearby automotive repair place. When I dropped the Kia off they suggested that I leave it there overnight to give them as much time as possible to see if they could replicate the problem I just had. The problem didn't repeat while the car was in the shop, but I was told the power steering could go out again at any time. This is a major safety concern since I don't know if I'd be able to maintain control of the vehicle if this happened unexpectedly - particularly if I was traveling at a high rate of speed. Since then I've read reports of similar incidents with other 2016 Kia Sorentos. I've also learned that Kia has extended the warranty for the steering mechanism on my vehicle to 150,000 miles, but that is of no help if the problem doesn't present itself when it's in for repair at the dealership because if it doesn't service will be denied. To the best of my knowledge there is currently no recall for this issue. I've tried contacting the Kia Consumer Assistance Center about this, but fin

Rod bearings failed while driving down busy road had to immediately pull over. Car was just recently serviced. Even after engine failed the check engine light never came on which is highly unsafe!

While driving on i95 the car suddenly stopped without warning. After getting the car towed twice, to find out the engine seized up after a mechanic took a look at it.

The engine was built with a known defect. The bolts securing the head to block were all fine thread bolts. Fine thread bolts will strip out under torque and compression. The antifreeze will flood the compartment.

1.Kia installed Trailer hitch. 2. Fire hazard. 3.Dealer says they do not have a repair for it. 4. No warnings, or symptoms, NO FIRE YET. I parked my car outside ALL WINTER.

Car will not drive, sputters and will not accelerate at all. Car shakes and then loses power.

Most recently the engine burned up the oil prior to my next service date. After oil was added and the engine drove fine. The next day the engine ran fine and after driving through an intersection 1/2 mile from my house the car died. It lost complete power, putting myself and my family in danger. (Thank God we were able to get off to the side of the busy roadway safely). At that moment, a battery light came on first, then an oil and engine light illuminated at the same time. The car wouldn’t start and had to be towed off the side of the road. The mechanic that looked at it said it needed an engine. Due to lack of maintenance records, the extended warranty company chose to deny my claim. The dealer has my car and will do a diagnostic test. About a year ago I had the transmission looked at for hard shifting into first and the dealer said it needed a flush. The problem continued not too long after they flushed it. It only happens if you release the brake and push to start too quickly and put in gear too quickly. No recalls I’m being told for that issue as well. ZERO indicators on dash prior to any issues happening that would have given me the opportunity to maintenance/service my vehicle before resulting in engine failure and potentially costing my thousands I don’t have. I love my Kia and want my baby back in great working order but I’m afraid I won’t be able to have her back if the repairs are more expensive than the cars worth. I’m still financing this vehicle as well. Please

The engine was going through over 5 quarts of oil about once a month. There were no visible leaks. For months, there was no check engine light illuminated so the dealership couldn't help determine and fix the problem without charging over $10,000 to open the engine, which I couldn't afford. A Service Advisor, in their words, told me to, "Run it until it dies," so that they can start using the warranty. This to me was very unsafe, especially for my infant who was there when she said this. Months later, the car started shaking intensely and the check engine light finally came on. The car stopped working in the middle of the freeway but I was able to exit and take it to the nearest dealership. They were able to run a diagnosis and said it was an engine misfire and they replaced it (I was able to use my warranty for some of the repairs but still had to pay about $4000). It didn't take long for the car to stop working again. They then said there was a problem with the fuel pump so I had them replace it. I had barely just left the dealership when the car stopped working again. They replaced the catalytic converter, which was a part of a voluntary recall. For months after, they've been trying to figure out the issue with no success. It has been sitting at their service center since November 2022 with no solution.

My gear shift locks in place unless the shift lock release is pressed. Multiple other vehicles of this same Make and Model have a recall for this same issue but my car isn't on the list for it's vin number so the dealer wants to charge $950 for the BCM to be replaced first before then moving to the shifter and components which will total almost another $600. My sister's 2016 Kia Sorento is also experiencing the same issue. I don't understand how my vehicle has the same issue but they want to charge me to correct an issue that manufacturing causes in so many of this Make and Model. Side note: after recall for anti theft system was "fixed" my steering wheel controls for menu settings and stereo no longer work.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle overheated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer and was informed that there was no failure with the engine. The contact stated that the failure was ongoing. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the thermostat needed to be replaced. The water pump and engine were pressure tested. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

Rapid Delamination and paint peeling.

In March of 2023, my 2016 Kia Sorento was stolen in Shorewood, Wisconsin as several teenagers broke the window and ripped open the ignition system. Due to a design flaw in the ignition system and no immobilizer in Kia vehicles that were created from 2011-2022, theft became very easy and a widespread problem ensued in the Milwaukee area as well as other cities in the Midwest. The vehicle was stolen by these teenagers and ultimately crashed and totaled. Law enforcement officials in Milwaukee, WI were able to apprehend the teenagers but this was after they had crashed and totaled the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was 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. Parts distribution disconnect.

At an intersection, the vehicle’s engine died unexpectedly without warning. No lights or alarms. The vehicle would not start. Once towed to the repair shop, I was told that the engine had seized and that the engine would need to be replaced at a huge cost. The vehicle had only been driven 1500 miles since last oil change. No oil light or check engine light ever went on.

Excessive oil consumption. Less than 3,000 miles between changes, consuming roughly 2 quarts less than 3,000 miles. Up on reading others having same engine experiencing same problems. My car serviced religiously. Still runs, now going to dealer.

I was driving down the road and heard a grinding noise from engine. I pulled over to check under the hood for fluid leaks or check engine lights which everything checked out good temp gauges and everything giving normal readings. I then proceeded to keep traveling my route and about 5 minutes in I was loosing power and my car wasn't accelerating any more. I contacted the dealership I received my car from letting them know of these problems and informed them of a recall that was in affect a couple years back and also about the recent one I then asked if they fixed this problem or had any Knowledge of these defects which they stated it's not on them I have to take it up with the manufacturer even though I wasn't informed of these problems before my vehicle purchase. I then contacted the manufacturer and let them know of the troubles and got them in contact with the mechanic that was in charge of my diagnostic at the time and they did an investigation and turned out the recall caused this problem but since the problem already occurred they can't help me with repairs. This shouldn't be on me when they sold me a faulty vehicle without disclosing the recalls that needed attention which in return could've cost me or someone's life that day.

While daughter driving home on interstate, Sorento started losing power and slowing down, no warning lights turned on. She pulled off interstate when she noticed it was missing and cut the car off. When trying to start the vehicle again, engine light came on, but the car was missing so bad, we had it towed home. Next day had it towed to auto repair, was told it was losing compression in one and two cylinder and coming out tailpipe. The oil was checked and good and the vehicle did not have any warning lamps, even when it failed her on interstate. The vehicle never register or run hot. No lights came on until after pulled over and turned off and then on again. Had the knock sensor installed for recall when received in mail and it was updated. Vehicle has not been repaired because I can't find anyone that will work on a Kia! Making payments & Insurance on a car that cannot drive.

Sticky Steering It can be felt at any speed but especially on the highway when turning left. I can feel the steering sticks briefly then the wheel jumps. So I have to make constant unnecessary corrections.

My engine stalled while Driving, There was no warning it just cut off. The car would not turn over to start only a click. I held the key in the start position it started, the engine shook and it cut off immediately. What is wrong with my car ???? The oil is good, the coolant is good etc.