2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid fuel system problems

Filed Nov 9, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · CA

FAILED COMPONENT: Fuel rail pressure sensor (DTC P019100), 2025 Kia Sorento. Dealer (Kia of Glendale) replaced it XXX; the original part should be with the dealer or Kia. I have both repair orders and videos of two incidents. SAFETY RISK: On XXX, climbing a hill on [XXX], the car would not exceed ~14 mph. 5-10 minutes later, entering the freeway, it would not exceed ~12 mph. On XXX recurred: the car lurched, dropped from ~20 mph, surged to ~33 mph, then lost speed to 0. My wife pulled over and it shut off once stopped. Shortly after, it lost power on a hill and regained it with a lurch. Both on video. No crash, fire or injury. REPRODUCED/CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Not at first. I brought it in XXX and was told XXX that a 50-mile test drive found nothing, but the repair order shows 26,319 in and 26,321 out: 2 miles. It failed again XXX and was towed in. The dealer then pulled P019100 and replaced the sensor. That repair order says a road test was done but gives no distance (26,594 in, 26,602 out: 8 miles total). OTHER INSPECTIONS: Kia America consumer affairs reviewed my complaint and paperwork. No police or insurance involvement. WARNING LAMPS: None. No lights or messages appeared before or during any failure. The first symptom was sudden loss of acceleration on XXX. I am filing so the federal safety agency has this on record, including the gap between the claimed 50-mile test and the documented 2 miles, whether or not the repair resolves the defect. I am concerned that the same fault could affect other Sorento owners, because the sensor failed without any dashboard warning and left the car unable to maintain highway speed. The first dealer visit also failed to catch it, which suggests the problem may be hard to reproduce in a short test. I am asking the federal safety agency to review this report alongside any other complaints about fuel rail pressure sensor failures on this model. My wife stopped driving our son in it after the incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 6, 2026 · Acceleration, Fuel system · TN

I purchased the vehicle on XXX. The day I purchased the vehicle, it lost power and went into a limp mode approx 1-2 miles from the dealership. I called the dealership and they picked me up and drove the car back to their lot. They kept the vehicle for approx. 5 days. The dealership said the car did not show any error codes. I got the car back & drove it without problems until the evening of XXX I was on the interstate at 11:45 pm and the car decelerated without warning going into limp mode again. VERY SCARY and unsafe being on the interstate and the car decelerating without warning. I had the car towed to a Kia dealership. They said it was the high pressure fuel pump & they replaced it. I received the car back on XXX. On XXX while I was driving home from work, the car had the same symptoms & decelerated without warning on the Hwy and went into a limp mode. The car had to be towed again back to the dealership. The service center called me on XXX and said the car had a bad high pressure rail sensor. I told the dealership, I do not want the car back as I feel it is unsafe. I found a contact number for the previous owner of this vehicle. She also verified the car decelerated on her while driving on [XXX] (dangerous road) and went into limp mode without warning. The previous owner said the dealership said the car had a manufacturer defect in 4 fuel injectors which they replaced, but it took weeks. The previous owner said she is older and did not feel safe after that so she traded the vehicle in. So, this vehicle has been towed 3 times (would've been a fourth had I not been so close to the dealership the first time). The only dashboard warning showing is "park with engine on to charge battery". Three of the four times, a different issue has been found with fuel system failures. I am not taking the car back, but I want to have this documented in case someone else takes control of the car and has continued problems. The car is not safe! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U

Filed Oct 31, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · PA

October 27, 2026 while accelerating onto a major highway my hybrid SUV would not accelerate beyond 25-30 mph. Several trucks came up on me very quickly!! I pulled over and shut down the vehicle. I started it again and proceeded back on the highway, but still could not accelerate beyond 25-30. Once again, I felt I was at risk. I managed to get home (approx 3 miles) by driving at 30 mph with my 4 way flashers on. No check engine light came on, but I thought I heard a thumping or knocking under the hood. I had the vehicle towed to Fred Beans Kia Mechanicsburg, PA. They could not find anything wrong and are returning the vehicle as is. I have a complaint in with the service manager and am quite concerned.

Filed Oct 13, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · IN

XXX - 9:35am EST: Lost acceleration power while driving on interstate, hybrid battery rapidly depleted forcing gas engine to engage at high RPMs in effort to maintain speed and charge hybrid battery. Decelerated from 65mph to roughly 40 mph within 1 mile of traveling distance, resulting in maneuvering of car over to right hand shoulder to park in the middle of [XXX] between [XXX] and [XXX]. Called [XXX] dispatch to request unit to park behind vehicle with emergency lights on to make other drivers aware while tow truck was called. While having the engine on and awaiting tow truck, vehicle dashboard displayed 'Check Hybrid System' warning message and began idling at lower RPMs than usual while gas engine was running. Vehicle towed XXX at 10:40am to local Kia dealership for serving, as vehicle was under full warranty. As of XXX, dealership has yet to conduct diagnostics, noting during drop off of keys that only (1) technician certified to work on BEVs and HEVs was employed full-time by the dealership service department. Dealership has yet to reach out for additional information, option of courtesy vehicle, or to offer assistance with submission of claim for rental car reimbursement to Kia Motors America. Fortunately, I was the only passenger in the car at the time. However, as a seasoned driver who has experienced other significant incidents while driving (e.g., failure of power booster for power steering and power brakes, tire blowout on interstate), navigating four lanes of 65mph+ traffic to safety park vehicle on heavily trafficked bridge was one of the more anxiety and stress inducing experiences to date. Contingent upon dealership service diagnostics and potential corrective service, I am incredibly hesitant (and may refuse) to drive the vehicle again at this point. Such a failure of the drivetrain is, unquestionably, a safety hazard warranting reporting to the federal safety agency for further review. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 13, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · NV

I am submitting this complaint to report two separate incidents involving a sudden and significant loss of acceleration in my vehicle while merging onto the freeway. These incidents created dangerous driving conditions and placed both myself and my children at risk. First Incident – July 2026 In July 2026, my vehicle experienced a sudden loss of acceleration while I was merging onto the freeway. I was traveling uphill in a single-lane merge area with no shoulder available to pull over safely. During this incident, the vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 40 mph, and I was forced to maintain that speed for several miles. I had both of my children in the vehicle at the time. After merging onto the far-left lane of the freeway, I needed to cross four lanes of traffic to reach my exit. The vehicle's inability to accelerate normally created a significant safety hazard, as I had limited ability to keep pace with surrounding traffic or maneuver safely. Second Incident – October 2026 In October 2026, the issue occurred again while I was merging onto the freeway. I was unable to accelerate beyond approximately 69 mph. When I released the gas pedal, the vehicle rapidly decelerated to a dangerously low speed, forcing me to pull onto the freeway shoulder. After waiting approximately 10 minutes, I attempted to drive again. The vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 40 mph, and a dashboard message appeared stating, "Park with engine On to charge battery." I was forced to travel along the freeway shoulder for several miles until I could reach the next exit. I then parked in an empty parking lot and waited approximately 20 minutes before attempting to drive again. When I tried to accelerate to merge back into traffic, the vehicle continued to feel sluggish and unresponsive. Unfortunately the dealership were unable to duplicate the issue after the first occurrence and no repairs were done. The car is at the same dealership and I am waiting to hear back.

Filed Sep 11, 2026 · Fuel system, Transmission · WA

While driving in a 55mph highway, I lost all accelerative power in my KIA Sorento Hybrid, driving my speed down to 25mph with vehicles behind me and no shoulder to pull onto. When I put my foot on the accelerator, the rmps on the dash would go all the way up 3000-4000 rpms, but there wasn't even a revving sound, and the car would not accelerate. Luckily I had just left my house was able to turn around and drive slowly home with my hazard lights on, the two miles back home. The first moment it happened the car behind me had to break, and luckily did so in time. From looking up the symptoms, it seems it may have been a malfunction with the HPCU. At no time did any diagnostic lights come on to alert of an issue. I shut the car off after returning home, tried to drive up my street, the same thing happened even when I tried to accelerate to 25mph. I am making an appointment to take it to a kia dealership.

Filed Aug 30, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

My 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid SX-Prestige has repeated issues with the engine and drive train. On December 30th, 2025 it was diagnosed with a blocked breather hose sensor, causing the check engine light to come on. On July 1, 2026, the car rapidly decelerated while driving on the highway (limp mode), creating an unsafe condition, with an alert to charge the battery. The car also seemed to struggle getting up to speed, and shifted gears less smoothly, and at higher engine RPMs than it had previously. The deceleration behavior was confirmed by the Kia Technician. On July 21st, 2026, the car again rapidly decelerated while driving on the highway (limp mode), creating another unsafe condition, but no alert to charge the battery was received. This time the fuel rail pressure sensor was replaced. The car is now sitting in my driveway, completely dead. I drove it 2 days ago, and nothing appeared amiss. Yesterday morning, the doors would not unlock using either key fob, so I used the physical key to enter the car. It would not start. My husband measured the voltage from the battery terminal (inside the fuse box under the hood) to the bolt on the wheel strut at ~3 Volts. No settings were changed in the car and I verified the headlights remain in "Auto" mode. As it is Sunday, I will contact the Kia dealer tomorrow for directions. Due to the repetitive nature of issues with this car, I would like help from the federal safety agency to ensure this is promptly and permanently fixed.

Filed Jul 4, 2026 · Fuel system · MD

I purchased a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid from Dulles Kia. Since I've owned it, I've had the same problem three times — my car randomly goes into limp mode while I'm driving. It doesn't matter what speed I'm going. The car just starts slowing down on its own, won't let me accelerate, and the RPMs start surging up and down. It's terrifying. The first time it happened, it was towed to Fayetteville Kia. They couldn't even recreate the problem. They redownloaded some software and sent me on my way. The second time it happened, it was taken to Herson's Kia in Rockville. This time they were able to recreate it. They told me it was the fuel pump and replaced it under warranty. Now it's happened again — this time while I was on vacation in Ocean City, Maryland. I was stranded with my two dogs, one of which is my service animal. I had to arrange a tow and find a last-minute hotel out of pocket. The car is currently at Pohanka Kia in Salisbury. They first told me it was a fuel injector, then changed their diagnosis to a valve seal issue — and apparently it's a known issue with this type of vehicle. It has now been sitting at the dealership for over a week. This is the third time the same problem has occurred. It has ruined multiple vacations and left me stranded, stressed, and without my car for extended periods. I just want a car that works.

Filed Jun 25, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · MO

For an unknown reason when driving on the highway in heavy traffic the engine started to shake violently causing us to immediately pull over and when we opened the hood the engine was shaking violently. This was a dangerous situation because during this time the engine was not very responsive to input. No warning lights came on at all.

Filed Jun 17, 2026 · Fuel system · GA

My 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid, with approximately 20,000 miles, has experienced a sudden loss of power and entered a limp-mode condition twice within two days. During both incidents, the vehicle would not accelerate normally and was unable to maintain expected traffic speed, creating a significant safety hazard. No warning lights, warning messages, or check-engine light appeared before or during either event. After the incidents, no OBD-II diagnostic trouble codes were present. Stopping and starting the vehicle restored normal operation temporarily, but the problem reoccurred. The sudden and unexplained loss of propulsion without any warning or stored fault codes increases the risk of a crash, particularly when merging, passing, or driving in traffic.