The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the rod bearings were knocking, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 15V626000 (Power Train), 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and 20V750000 (Engine). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact called the warranty company which declined the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
2012 Kia Sorento transmission problems
55 complaints (6% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 31,000. 6 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 55
- of this car's complaints
- 6%
- typical mileage
- 31,000
- crashes
- 6
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Driveline1
- Clutch assembly: linkage: clutch cable/rod/arm1
- Automatic transmission1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Kia Sorento transmission problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 Kia Sorento transmission
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
- Risk
- Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Recall number 15V626000 · Recall details
What 2012 Kia Sorento owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the traction control and ABS warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact used a portable diagnostic machine and retrieved DTC: C1613,C1205, C1206, C1207, C1208, C1210 and C1211. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 204,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: [XXX] (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: [XXX] (Power Train) however, when the contact attempted to set up a recall appointment the contact was told that the recalls only applied to vehicle in the United States and not Puerto Rico. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse(R) and parking the vehicle, the vehicle was then shifted into neutral; however, the vehicle reversed instead. The driver quickly shifted the vehicle into a drive; however, the vehicle stalled. The contact then shifted the vehicle into the park(P) then turned off the vehicle. The contact was able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 75,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, there was an abnormal knocking noise detected. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that there was plenty of fluids in the vehicle however, the rod bearings needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Car stalls out while driving then I have to pull over and restart it and it has a jerking to it when this happens
While driving the vehicle under normal operating conditions the tachometer will drop to zero and the car will start to sputter and stall. This occurs intermittently sometimes while on the highway sometimes at stop lights or stop signs. This vehicle only has 142k miles and has had the cam sensors replaced by the dealership but is still having issues that they don't want to track down.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia sorento. The contact stated that vehicle continued to roll forward when the gear shifter was placed in the park position, without warning. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v626000 (power train). The vehicle was taken to gunther kia (1900 s state rd 7, fort lauderdale, fl 33317) to be repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The same dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the recall repair was a one-time free repair. No assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer however, the phone number provided was for roadside assistance. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Had two motors replaced. The catalytic converter crumbled when mechanics replaced motor now want to charge me 3000 why would this crumble and should be replaced as engine probabaly damaged it may have even caught fire and didn't know
Last july my husband had changed my brakes and then went for a test drive just to make sure everything was working properly. Well, the engine shut off in the middle of driving. Called kia and had it towed there(unreimbursed) replaced engine told them that sometimes the transmission would hesitate to shift into gear. Kia said nothing was wrong. Now, a year later still trans problem. Took to master mechanic that has a trans shop and that has been in business for over 40 years. He said it needed a software update from kia for a hard transmissikn shift. Called kia they said they had to "research problem", but had never heard of this happening. Also, my car shuts off if I have to do a hard brake even after my engine being replaced. Also, my gas lid wont open, my mirrors had stopped moving and my windows all stopped working. Having major electrical problem with fuse box. Apparently something is not grounded correctly kia and is shorting out all my fuses. But I have to pay all this money to have a car that is barely that old have so many problems. If I could sue them for damages under lemon law I would. Very upset and scared to drive car and I have a ten year that is always in the car with me. Please investigate
Questions about the 2012 Kia Sorento transmission
Does the 2012 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Owners have filed 55 complaints about the transmission of the 2012 Kia Sorento, 6% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2012 Kia Sorento transmission problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 31,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Kia Sorento transmission?
Yes, 1 recall: 15V626000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Kia Sorento have bad transmission?
The Kia Sorento model years with the most transmission complaints are 2011 (265 complaints), 2021 (146 complaints) and 2016 (126 complaints).
Other 2012 Kia Sorento problems
Engine 475Electrical 127Brakes 103Airbags 81Lights 60Fuel system 39Body 35Acceleration 29Visibility 28Suspension 22Steering 20Driver assistance 18Seats 15Wheels 5Seat belts 4Locks 1Tires 1
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