2021 Kia Sorento complaints

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while at a red light, the vehicle stalled. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that intermittently, the transmission was slipping. Additionally, the vehicle failed to go into Standard Mode. While driving, the vehicle lost motive power while driving at 15 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. There was an “S” symbol displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the system needed to be reset. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the sensor or wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Was driving and car lost all power then violently shifted to the next gear and almost caused an accident

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop and while driving at various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond while the engine revved. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle made a dinging sound. The contact stated that the RPMs fluctuated while idling. Additionally, the contact stated that upon manually shifting to Sport Mode, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly Auto Parts, where DTC: P193B and P193B79 were retrieved. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a fee would be charged for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

When pressing the accelerator pedal after a near stop (rolling stop, California stop, stop to u der 3mpg and then resume acceleration) or very brief stop (<1 second) there is a significant delay in acceleration or a very brief acceleration then dead pedal and no acceleration for ~ 1 second. No accelerator pedal input variations changes this, i.e. I can release the accelerator pedal, hold the accelerator pedal pr push the accelerator pedal to the floor and it’s still a “dead pedal” scenario until the car decides it’s time to go. Owned car since new (~20 miles) and now has ~64k miles, been a persistent issue for entire ownership.

Engine stumbled and suddenly lost power, the engine turned off while on roadway in traffic. Car wouldn’t restart. When it did restart, an extreme smell of gasoline and tail pipe emissions was observed. Car was discharging gasoline from the tail pipe, at alarming rate, on to the ground. Car was unsafe to drive.

The check engine light has come on. The vehicle has stalled or loss power while driving 3 times with the last week. Once at 70 mph and the other 2 at 35 mph. Still very concerning on how to control when this occurs!!

Our Kia lost power on the highway in a construction site and we had to coast until we finally were able to pull over in a safe place. This has happened a few times before but Kia says they can't do anything unless it can be duplicated.

I was driving on the highway, and all of the sudden the car started losing power, it would not respond to the accelerator pedal. It slowed down to 10-15 mph and would not go faster. I was lucky that the drivers behind me were able to slow their cars without hitting me.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost drive power temporarily. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with loss of transmission oil pump pressure. The dealer updated the transmission control unit software under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was not related to the recall. The contact stated that the recall remedy also involved the transmission replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

I experienced a loss of drive power while on a busy street. Often while shifting into gear, the transmission will not engage. Luckily, this hasn't happened on a freeway. I have brought the vehicle into my dealership, however they can't replicate the issue, therefore, I feel unsafe continuing to drive. There was a recall on this issue, but I've been told my VIN is not effected by this recall. I understand that, however I am experiencing the issue of losing drive power, which can cause a serious incident.

I unable to accelerate to merge on to the highway. This is the second time that my car was unable to accelerate and kick into gear. The first time was in 2021/2022 a few months after getting the car.

Subject: Urgent Safety Concern with Kia Sorento Transmission Recall (SC250) Dear NHTSA, On [XXX], my 2021 Kia Sorento began exhibiting multiple mechanical issues detailed in Kia’s SC250 campaign [XXX] ). While driving, the check engine light came on with a “low transmission fluid pressure” warning, followed by power loss and gear disengagement. Kia (Russ Darrow Kia Waukesha, WI) advised a software update for the transmission’s electric oil pump as a likely fix, but even after the update, I continued experiencing power loss and disengagement. I brought up the similarities between my vehicle’s issues and the SC250 campaign, but Kia said my warranty was void due to the car’s rebuilt title (which I knew), despite it being only three years old with 30,000 miles. I informed Kia that federal law under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act requires car manufacturers to repair safety-related recalls at no charge to the owner. Kia stated the recall had been “closed” by a 2022 software update, releasing them from further responsibility. I then asked if Kia would have covered repairs if I hadn’t installed the software update in 2022 when the recall was issued. Kia suggested it might have, but since the recall is now closed, I would need to cover the repairs myself. This stance feels misleading, as it suggests no real incentive to comply with recalls until a problem physically manifests. I also took the vehicle to a transmission shop, where they confirmed that the issues match

Spark plug housing- causes vehicle to misfire. Which caused me to be stranded on side of the interstate. A valve burning the oil out of the engine that has caused issues numerous times. The dealership has tried repairing the vehicle numerous times but the issue persists.

Pearl white paint is peeling on vehicle. Had no idea this a very large issue until I started looking more into as it has began to peel in large chunks.

My 2021 Kia Sorento has been losing drive power, shuddering when we accelerate, hesitate when starting from a stop or parked position, and having issues accelerating at different and random speed intervals. This is a safety concern because it can cause an accident or for us and others or cause us to lose the ability to control the vehicle Everyone is also at risk if my car stops responding to me pushing the gas and it will not let me continue, increase, decrease or become entirely unresponsive could cause my entire family to die. It has been reproduced by a local service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. No warning lamps, messages have appeared at any time. The first symptoms started with short shuddering for a quick second or two every now and then. It has become progressively worse and is becoming unsafe for us to operate.

When driving in traffic at a stop, or even just slowing down when needing to make a turn, the accelerator does not respond to the pressure being applied and the vehicle barely moves, even with pedal nearly to the floor. This is a serious problem and can be a very dangerous thing when trying to cross or pull out onto a street when there’s oncoming traffic, so I'm nervous now to pull out when any cars are coming. I took the car into the dealership, who said that "Their technician could not replicate the problem" and nothing was done. I found many others with this same problem on a Kia forum online. I am going to also report this to Kia.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at various speeds the vehicle suddenly lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated and would not accelerate above 30 MPH. During the failure, the Idle Stop light continued to flash off and on. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced but the failure reoccurred within a month of the repair being performed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced a second time. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 20,000.

Kuat notified me of a recall on this bike rack. I submitted a claim immediately after being notified, and they mailed me a part that arrived 2 weeks later. The part arrived with incomplete instructions, but I figured out how to remove the old part and install the new part. The new part is loose and rattling, making it look and sound less stable than the old part they claim was unstable. I am not confident using the rack with this new, inferior part. I have tried tightening it as much as possible with the included tools, but I am a [XXX] and hand-tightening the part is extremely difficult. I have asked them for a refund since i only bought the rack 4 months ago (denied because i bought it from a licensed retailer instead of directly from them). I have now asked them to send me a new rack with the part correctly installed, and I have not heard back on this request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Pearl white paint suddenly peeling off in several places on fender. Car is less than 3 1/2 years old.

Was driving the car on the interstate with no issues. I took an exit to stop at a gas station and was stopped at a traffic light. When I went to accelerate the car was sluggish and barely got me into the gas station parking lot. There were no warning lights on. When I got back in the car the car reversed but it would not accelerate, and the engine light was on. I had to have the car towed 70 miles to the dealership closest to home. Once the car was at the dealership and off the tow truck I got in and tried to drive it. When I put the car in drive it would not move forward, the emergency brake came on, and a warning light displayed telling me to put the car in park. The car was towed on June 30. I got a call the morning of July 1 to inform me that the dealership would take 10-15 days to even diagnose the problem.

Windows and door locks will intermittently stop operating. When doors will not unlock the rear doors will not open. Turning vehicle off and restarting 1-6 times will usually make the problem stop for a short time.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wiring harness for the remote starting system had malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The wiring harness was replaced; however, the contact stated that after driving for an undisclosed period and parking the vehicle, the contact was unable to shift the gear shifter. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the State Attorney General who then referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 34,256.

Forward safety system error on dashboard. Forward safety system not working.

Intermittent issues with windows not operating and doors will not unlock, which means the rear doors will not open.

HDH warning ⚠️ light come on while driving. Stop working for minutes than is fine again. This problem is continuous.

While in the process of pulling into marked stall in parking lot car accelerated unexpectedly jumping over a concrete stop and crashing into the wall of a building. Car sustained eleven thousand dollars worth of damage and the wall that was hit was caved in. Cost of wall repair is unknown at this time. After the collision an attempt to dislodge the car was attempted by putting the car in reverse. The engine RPM was still racing and the car jerked backwards uncontrollably requiring the engine to be shut off to stop the car. Nobody was injured only property damage.

The vehicle loss power pulling out on to a 2 lane county road. I was a quarter of the way across and vehicle simply lost power. I let off the gas and then pressed down again and car moved forward. An Amazon truck was coming around the corner at the same time...he had to put his brakes on to avoid hitting me. I proceeded on after the initial incident thinking maybe it was bad gas...vehicle started to beep at me repeatedly but no check engine light. I went about a mile down the road to nearest gas station during which time vehicle lost power a couple of times. Filled up with gas, put the car in reverse and car initially rolled forward and then engaged. I drove the car back home a couple of miles. In that time frame, the vehicle again lost power and started beeping at me. The check engine light came on at some point heading back home. Vehicle was towed to the dealership. The dealership has confirmed the issue exactly as I described. Becca at the dealership confirmed the car losing power driving it from the front of the dealership lot to the service department after locating the vehicle after the tow driver dropped it. The dealership tech said the transmission fluid pressures were low...did not specify if it was the control or transmission fluid . They are continuing to work with KIA's "tech line" on repairing....they did a "relearn" on the software controlling the transmission but it did not resolve the issue. I'm waiting on KIA's "techline" response on next steps....with all th

I am unable to open the gas tank door. The gas tank door is open and closed by pushing in the gas tank door on the right side. I have not had a problem with this until recently. The information in the owner's manual indicates to check that doors are unlocked. I have completed that step. I am almost out of gas now. I consider this a safety issue because there is no emergency release for the gas tanks and thus someone may be confronted with this issue during a long trip from home. This does not appear to be an isolated incident. At the very least, Kia should publish a service bulletin that this is a common problem and how to fix it so all of its owners do not need to navigate on their own. I am in the process of getting an appointment with dealer but there is no guarantee they will have the part and they told me the first available appointment is one week away.

I was driving on I-85N on Apr 19 and yesterday, Apr 23, when my 2021 Kia Sorento stopped and would not move in heavy traffic without warning for a period of time. It did not shutoff, but literally stopped in the middle of the interstate. I was blessed that there was traffic, which made me drive slower than regular traffic. Initially, I thought it was a spark plug issue, but they were changed on Apr 20. Because the issue happened again on Apr 23, any problem with the spark plug has been ruled out. The service engine light DID NOT come on either time. The car jerks twice and stops. It's like the car believes that it's in PARK. In both instants, I had to shut the car off, sit approximately 30 minutes to an hour before it will recognize that I've shifted the gear into DRIVE to move. When I spoke with a Rick Case Kia (Duluth, GA) dealership, I was told that because the Check Engine or Service Light doesn't come on, they cannot fix it. When I got the spark plugs changed on Apr 20, I was told that they could not duplicate the problem, so there was nothing that they could do to fix it. I called them again on Apr 23 and was told the same information. Driving this car places me (and/or my family) at risk of being killed because someone can run into me if they were driving at a high rate of speed after I have stopped in the middle of the road. I need assistance since I've been turned away from a Kia sponsored dealership not once, but twice. I've read that a similar issue occurred which

See attached document for complaint

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while having the front windshield replaced at the glass center, the contact was informed that the sensor did not fit in the bracket. The local dealer was contacted, and an OEM windshield was ordered, but the sensor failed to fit in the bracket. The dealer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

Sometimes the vehicle will stall and not want to move. I have to try and coast off the road to kill the car and restart it. Also sometimes the radio goes completely black and doesnt come back on even if you kill the car.

Winshield lamination cracked/seperation. No rock chips or anything that hit the winshield. It just started to seperate by itself

Pearl white paint completely peeling off.

My 2021 KIA Sorento, has literally cut off on me several times in the last 3 three months, when I am at a stop ight/sign the vehicle will just shut off, it will not turn back on, after 3-4 attempts of trying to get the vehicle to start it would, but later on the same day it would do the same thing. On the third incident I took the vehicle to the Kia dealership in Victorville, Ca. After keeping the vehicle for several days, they said they could not find anything wrong and that i should replace the battery because it had a low cell. So I bought the battery and paid for the diagnostic. the same day I picked of the vehicle drove to Las Vegas , Nevada, the vehicle did the same thing it would not start, we had to get a jump to get it started, was terrified to drive the vehicle back to California. Call the dealership about the issue but never received a call back. Now here it [XXX], the vehicle cuts off at a 4 way stop light, we were in the turning lane!!!! the vehicle would not start, there virtually no power, had to move the vehicle to a parking lot around the corner, called a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to the Kia dealership. They are saying it will take 3-5 days before they can get a diagnosis done. There is something going on with this vehicle, and I do not feel safe driving it even a short distance. This problem needs to be investigated before some get hurt/accident. I have not a seen a recall on my VIN number but there is something on wrong very similar to the transmi

Transmission shifting 3 levels with start of driving

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that she restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact stated that the last time the failure occurred, the vehicle restarted but failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could only assist after the dealer diagnosed and determined if the failure was related to the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

Today, our vehicle began making a chiming noise and displaying the words "Stop Safely Immediately." We were nearly in a car accident as our car stopped working in the middle of the road. We had to abandon the vehicle because it would not move. Upon coming home, we searched our VIN and found that there was a recall on the vehicle that Kia had never informed us of: SC250. Kia is mandated to inform clients of recalls that may endanger them, yet Kia chose not to do so.

I was driving my car on Friday, September 29 at approximately 12:30 pm. As i was driving the vehicle ot started to feel as though it was jerking and stalling while driving in driving on a busy road. I reached a parking lot and pulled over and shut the car off when i restarted it a warning came up on my infotainment system that there was a promblem with the transmission and i needed to contact my dealer immediately. The check engine light also came on. I own a 2021 Kia Sorento with 11,712 miles. I was afraid to drive vehicle after this incident as I feared for my safety.

My 2021 Sorento randomly gets stuck in between gears, slipping into neutral and rev'ing up to 4000-5000 rpms. This is at lower speed usually within a mile or so of leaving my house. It's very frightening and has happened to me dozens of times, but I live in a rural area over an hour from a Kia dealership, and they do not offer loaners. This issue first arose for me after the transmission oil pump recall was already addressed. I am the 2d owner, and suspect this could be why the previous owners sold the car, which I bought through Autotrader from the Heiser dealership in Wisconsin. After the latest episode, I finally arranged alternate transportation and took it in to the Serra Kia dealership in Jackson, TN. They have had it over a week and not been able to replicate the issue so far. No computer codes show up on it either. They say there's no technical advisory on the issue, and have no idea what's going on with the transmission. Serra Kia is saying that Kia corporate will not approve replacing the transmission without an error code. From reviewing other owner reviews in Kia forums, the Kia 2021 Sorento slipping into neutral while driving appears to be an issue for others as well. It is dangerous, as I could be rear-ended. Quite honestly, it’s terrifying, and I am afraid to drive the car again without this issue being addressed.

My 2021 Kia Sorento X-Line Prestige comes with Driver Assist features. One is for steering. Without warning it will disengage, particularly on a 2-lane highway, or when entering a curve in the road. This is dangerous. It needs to come with a warning that Driver Assist can flake out on 2-lanes and on curves, and is fairly useless unless you are on a straightaway on an interstate. This has happened to me multiple times since I bought the car from the Heiser dealership in Wisconsin.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who mentioned a recall on the transmission. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed there was no recall or warranty coverage on the VIN. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 66,550.

The automatic start/stop function (ISG) stopped functioning. The light turned from green to amber and flashes intermittently. When the light is flashing the vehicle has a loss of power. On 8/28/23 I was accelerating to get on the interstate. Suddenly the speedometer dropped from 40 mph to 24 mph. I had to quickly exit the on ramp as to avoid being hit from behind by a huge white pickup truck. I drove the side streets, staying under 40 mph, to the dealership.You cannot disable the ISG at this time. There is no warning of when this may happen. I've had it in the dealership 3 times, 8/10/23, 8/24/23, and 8/28-9/16/23. The first two times they could not replicate the problem, so nothing was done. On the third visit a high pressure sensor was ordered and replaced. The ISG is still malfunctioning. Now the ISG kicks itself back on after it has been disabled. The light is still amber, not green, indicating there is still a problem. Loss of power has happened twice 6/25/23 and 8/28/23. I have service reports and videos of flashing lights. Unfortunately, I was not able to load at this time.

My Kia Sorento has the Nightfall trim package on it and currently has 13K miles. The paint on the trim around the windows has started to come off, sort of looking like acid rain effect. The dealership said this is not covered as it is an environmental and wash problem. We live in Hawaii. However, this is a widespread issue with Nightfall trim packages on Kia vehicles all around. I believe it is a manufacturing defect. Even if it is a wash or environmental problem, there was no warning when buying it could happen

I had reported a momentary loss of power when driving the first time I took my vehicle for an oil change. Dealer said the car was just getting accustomed to my driving habits. I said I was in an intersection and the car lost power for a moment and I was almost rear-ended. It has happened many more times and it seemed as though it usually happened between 25-30 mph. Recently it has become more frequent. It’s happening at all speeds. Yesterday it seemed like it was choking like when you’re out of gas (it had 3/4 tank of gas). Today I was making a turn at a heavily traveled intersection, when rounding the corner vehicle lost power then banged into gear. I’ve never heard it bang like that before. Seems to be getting progressively worse and I’m now concerned for myself and others safety. I work 45 miles from home and depend on this vehicle. This is my 3rd Sorento and have always liked and recommended them. I’m making an appointment for a diagnostic service soon but can’t afford to be without my car. I saw there was a recall for “loss of power” but my VIN isn’t included. Please help.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. 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.

Engine has turned off on road at stop and not started up again. Starts to shake then powers off. I have had to push break shut off engine completely and turn on again in middle of road. Carson of Kia states there is nothing wrong with it but this is a HUGE safety concern.

My 2021 Kia Sorrento has shut down and died while on a Highway drive 2 days in a row. The engine light comes on, the oil light comes on, and and the phrase “Engine Off. Shift to N then start engine” comes on. Prior to this, other issues were happening. Originally, my automatic start wasn’t working properly, and a Kia service advisor told me to “turn that feature off”. After that, while driving down the road last month, all symbols on my dash began flashing and the phrase “Check forward safety system” appeared.

This is 2nd time that my Kia Sorento shuts off while we’re stopped at a red light. When we release the brake the engine didn’t start.