2012 Kia Sorento: jerking or lurching

Filed Aug 19, 2025 · Brakes, Engine · 11,877 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle jerked with an abnormal rattling coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that there were metal shavings found inside the engine. The dealer requested that the contact provide the history of maintenance on the vehicle. The contact provided documents; however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair due to a lack of maintenance on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The failure persisted, and the vehicle remained at the residence unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,877.

Filed Apr 21, 2021 · Engine, Fuel system · CA

I had taken my vehicle into kia on 02/22/21 to have the engine looked at because it is knocking, and I am experiencing loss of power, burning smells, jerking, stalling, having to add oil in my SUV weekly. We already replaced the valve cover gasket twice, and also the high fuel rail sensor, spark plugs prior to taking it back to them. We had a certified mechanic do the repairs for us. My SUV was at kia a total of 45 days though and I got maybe four phone calls, one they just told me I need a new engine and the issues are related to issues pertaining to the recall. The others were about the airbag recalls that needed to be done, and are not even fully complete. I was told by a gentleman named david to drive it when I get it back until it seizes or starts knocking, whatever comes first. I told them everything else that's been happening when I took it in so they know. I was told under kia guidelines that kia would not put a new engine in my vehicle under the recall even though my engine is part of the recall until something actually happens. That is not safe! I have children and I don't want to get hurt or my children to get hurt if it seizes while driving it, and then there is the fire risk with it also that I received a letter for. I am really concerned and frustrated. It wont even pass smog right now until it has a new engine and I cannot even get my tags and registration which I paid for until it passes smog. Here I am also paying a car payment monthly on this thing when clearly the engine is failing because it is a bad engine. All I did was drive it around town taking my kids to school and back and forth to work. I filed two complaints to kia regarding these issues and have not gotten any responses, they have treated me like crap. When I picked up my SUV it was completely out of gas, it has no oil in it, it was dirty and my brand new battery was dead.

Filed Mar 24, 2021 · Engine, Lights · 280,000 miles · AL

Car stalls out while driving then I have to pull over and restart it and it has a jerking to it when this happens

Filed Jul 14, 2020 · Engine · 129,000 miles · MN

Vehicle unexpectedly will intensely jerk and immediately locks up the driving controls as the engine stalls and starts to seize causing the vehicle to stop while driving on highways, and restraining from any acceleration, steering, or power use.

Filed Jun 23, 2020 · Acceleration, Electrical · 100 miles · NY

Driving on the thru-way going 65 MPH when my vehicle jerked forward suddenly. I was able to pull over, vehicle lost control of steering and brakes and completely just 'shut off' on me with no fore-warning. Called aaa, tech. Could visibly see a belt which had ripped out of engine and was dangling under vehicle. I then had vehicle repaired- a new belt was installed , a brand new alternator, new brakes, oil change. 3 weeks after this event, I was again driving on the thru- way in almost the same exact location and this happened again. . My vehicle just went dead, this time slowing down and dying. Called aaa , they serviced me off the thru-way (thru-way division) and upon having vehicle looked at my choice shop.. I was told that my vehicle had completely seized (was now totally dead) and was non- repairable without a new engine. Also told that my vehicle had little oil even though I had only 3 weeks prior gotten an oil change and car repairman could not report any physical issues with oil connections, ie. Gasket leak, drain plug, seal issues. Due to the amount of monies I have spent from day 1 on this vehicle, my experiences and the lemon the vehicle has proven to be, I find this incredibly unsettling and know that there were issues going on with this vehicle prior to it going onto the road that should have been repaired and were not due to no fault of my own. Aside from these issues, in past there were several other problems related to the locks and windows locking on there own while vehicle in motion and fuses related to this as well as the vehicle shocking me when opening drivers side door handle which is incredibly unsafe! I request that someone please look into the recall withholding which has come to light with kia and my vehicle qualifying for these recalls as kia has told me that they are unwilling to assist me financially as well as west herr.

Filed Dec 26, 2019 · Brakes, Engine · 106,000 miles · VA

Driving to work this past tuesday 12/24/2019, while driving my car did this jerk move and then all the electrical signs popped up I couldn't brake or steer my stirring wheel .its as if my car locked up on me. Luckily I was able to turn off a side road avoiding on coming traffic. And but the car in park. I was stuck for 2 hours. My check engine light was the only light that stayed on. I couldn't start the car at all. Luckily I called my cousin to see if she could try and give me a jump too see if it worked. In which it did I then took my vehicle up to auto zone where they out it on the diagnostic machine. Where my battery and alternator were fine. It was very scary for this vehicle to have shut off on me like this I am just glad I was not on the highway or it could have been a really bad outcome for me. The upload option isn't allowing me to upload the video or my picture from the say it occured.

Filed Sep 9, 2019 · Engine · 105,286 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia sorento. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lunged, jerked, and lost power. The vehicle was taken to hawkinson kia (5501 miller cir dr, matteson, il 60443, (708) 720-8999) to have the recall repair performed. While at the dealer, the engine software was updated. After the repairs, the failures occurred multiple times. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 105,286.

Filed Aug 5, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 165,000 miles · GA

Driving on the interstate or in town, I lose all power with no warning other than a jerk that feels like I have been hit in the rear. Then it goes dead. I crank it back up and it runs for a while then repeats. I took to kia dealership and left it today, but they are saying it is not part of a recall, after kia corp. Told my father last week that it was a recall on the power train control module. It is there now to be checked 1st thing in the morning.

Filed Jan 25, 2018 · 120,000 miles · NY

1. A few months ago I lost power while entering the highway was nearly rear ended 2. A few months ago while driving the car on a highway or basic street it will jerk the RPM drops to 0 and won't allow you to accelerate, shut the car off turn back on its fine then randomly happens again. This is still happening. 3. About a month agowhile sitting idle in traffic the car stalled, turned the ignition off then back on and it started back up 4. Yesterday I put the car in drive it does not engage right away and when it does it jerks. Now the engine light is on. I have had my car to the dealer regarding the issues and every time they say they can't diagnose it because the engine light went out and that they test drove it and nothing was wrong. This vehicle is dangerous to myself and others to drive and I'm about to contact the better business bureau if this does not get resolved. There is a recall out on the year make and model of my vehicle but not on my "specific" motor. Well in telling you there's a problem and I've read about other kia's having the same issue.

Filed Aug 4, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 850 miles · TX

While in regular traffic when gas is applied, car will start to move forward then act as though the motor had been turned off. If you add more pressure to gas pedal nothing happens, than all of a sudden the car will lurch forward at a high rate of speed as if you had pushed the gas pedal to the floor. This condition has happened as least 40 or more times in 14k miles. This condition happened at least 6 times while on vacation in nv. While making a right turn from a dead stop, the car lurched forward, almost causing me to have a head-on collusion with another driver. I reported this condition to kia when it first happened during service, and they said they could find nothing wrong. The last time I reported it when car was in for service, kia, kept my car. That was about three weeks ago and since then I have had two calls from the kia factory, telling me they were looking into this issue and if I have any questions I was to give them a call. The phone number I was given was 1‑800‑333‑4542 ext. [xxx] and my case # is [xxx]. As today aug 4, 2014, kia still has my sorento and I'm driving their loaner car. " also" my wife will not drive our car until this problem is corrected in fear it might happen to her. She was a passenger in a bad rollover accident and has become fearful of any condition that's out of the ordinary with a car. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Sep 5, 2012 · Acceleration · 2,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia sorento. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact continued to apply pressure to the accelerator pedal when the vehicle suddenly lurched forward and accelerated. The contact mentioned that he had to engage the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000. Updated 10/03/12*lj updated 10/05/2012

Filed Jul 13, 2012 · Acceleration · 14,000 miles · MN

Driving on freeway at approx. 75mph , car jerked, engine light came on, vehicle decelerated and when gas pedal was depressed it did not work at all. Happened 5 other times previous to this at various speeds. Dealer did a reflash of some computer chip. That did not fix problem, 6th time I had problem on 7/12/12 I was then told by dealer that the throttle body and housing needed to be replaced.