2013 Kia Sorento: won't start

Filed Dec 3, 2025 · Engine · CA

While driving, my vehicle developed engine knocking, lost power, overheated, and produced smoke from the engine compartment. Shortly after, the engine seized and the vehicle will not start. An authorized dealership diagnosed the failure and recommended a complete engine (long-block) replacement, indicating catastrophic internal engine damage. This failure appears consistent with known Theta II engine bearing defects. The manufacturer is refusing coverage by stating the owner did not bring in the car for the recalls. The recall was preventive monitoring software (KSDS) and did not repair or prevent the underlying mechanical defect that caused the failure. This is a safety concern, as the failure caused loss of power and overheating, creating risk of fire or accident.

Filed May 10, 2025 · Engine · MO

The car just completely stalled while driving on a busy street with myself and my children in the car. I first was alerted that it may just be the starter by a local mechanic. I fixed that and it still would not start. I then went and got a new battery and that did not work either. At that point I had the car towed to the Kia dealership. The mechanic told me that the car engine was a part of a recall for Kia. He told me that he would put the claim in and that Kia would fix it. He told me to send in my registration and drivers license. A couple of weeks later he informed me that they would not fix my engine because the registration was expired. The expired registration has nothing to do with their faulty recalled engine. I had this issue escalated and still was told they would not fix it.

Filed Aug 21, 2023 · Engine · FL

When driving to work the engine made a noise then quit running. It will not turn over.

Filed Jun 23, 2023 · Engine · NC

engine stopped. will not turn over. checked oil control valve and full of metal shavings. oil pan full of metal shavings. call kia. not on list. repair yourself. they are not reparing any cars. said they were but denying everyone. check the records. all talk and no action. pleasing the judge with their layer statements. what can i do. i have no help. no kia, no court, no gov. never again will i and my court be debutted.

Filed Oct 28, 2022 · Engine · MD

I was driving along the Baltimore beltway when the Engine died and I coasted to an exit towards an apartment parking. I restarted the SUV to go to a nearby auto repair shop then it died again along the way then wouldn't start. A resident of the area helped me diagnose the problem and we found out that it was out of oil. There had been no indication of a leak and just had an oil change a few months earlier. Also, the low oil indicator did not lit up anytime before and during the time the engine died. The resident then provided oil and we filled up the oil tank. The car wouldn't start and so he hooked up his SUV's battery to mine to see if it would start and it wouldn't. I had the SUV towed to Pep Boys Auto repair and was told after the diagnostics the engine needs replaced as it was damaged due to the empty oil chamber.

Filed Jul 26, 2022 · Engine · NY

I was never notified about the theta II recall and I always service my car when it needs to be done. I had my routine oil change done before I left for vacation. I came home and when I was driving my vehicle on the highway the engine just stopped. Now the engine will not start. Brought it to the mechanic and was told the engine seized. How can this happen the vehicle is only 9 years old. Shouldn't this have been replaced from the theta II recall? I Shouldn't have to pay for this repair. I feel like this should be covered under that recall. Please help me with a response ASAP.

Filed Mar 6, 2021 · Airbags, Electrical · 140,000 miles · CA

Over a period of a month on multiple occasions during normal driving on highway and city streets, the engine lost power while driving, only allowing enough drive ability at significantly reduced power and speed to pull over. In each of those instances, the power was restored to normal after a small period of rest. An overlapping condition existed during that same period, in which all power was lost to the engine and power steering, as the engine completely shut down while driving under normal circumstances. In each of those cases, the engine would not turn over until after a period of rest of at least 20 minutes. There was never an engine warning to indicate an issue. The car was serviced and assessed by certified mechanics, but no problem was detected. During one such inspection with aamco of redlands, california, the car lost power during their final test drive following a rigorous inspection in which no issue was identified, and never regained power again. It was determined that the engine had ceased with 141,335 miles on the odometer. Another issue revolved around an electrical issue with the driver side headlamp and turn signal. It ceased to work while within the 100,000 mile warranty and was fixed without cost. However, it continued to fail afterwards and was fixed multiple times at personal expense. The airbag light has also been on for half the life of the car, and is still on at this time, but the dealer refused to acknowledge it was a warranty issue despite a recall on that light. They claimed that the light was tripped due to some empty soda cans they discovered under the chair and which were probably rolling around according to their opinion. They stated that the tripped airbag light had nothing to do with the recall.

Filed Jan 26, 2021 · Engine · 136,000 miles · NJ

While driving, my truck stalled while turning into a parking lot. Immediately after the stall, the engine light came on and started blinking, shortly after the battery light came on as well. I parked the car in a safe location to check the vehicle. The vehicle would not turn over. I needed to jump the car several times in order for it to turn back on. The engine light still appears blinking as I drove it to get a diagnostic reading . While driving the car , leaving idle the car would jerk and have a hard time moving back into motion. The code read p1236 knock sensor fault/sensor bad. My car had just come out of kia two weeks prior in full health. This issue came out of no where.

Filed Nov 28, 2020 · Engine · 114,000 miles · NC

On september 19, 2020 my husband and I were driving our 2013 kia sorrento to get my windshield replaced as it had a crack in it. We had driven down the mountain from where we live to hickory, nc where it was cheaper to get it replaced. We had driven about an hour and the car was driving fine and we had not been having any issues with it starting, running or making any kind of noises in the time leading up to this day. We came to a red light and the vehicle just stopped and would not start up again, my husband said the car was not running hot and there was no warning lights on the dashboard. There was no evidence of oil or antifreeze in the road. I got out of the car and pushed the car off the road, while my husband stirred the car because we lost all steering for the car. We continued to try to start it, but were unsuccessful. We ended up having it towed to the kia dealership in hickory, nc (paramount kia). It was on a saturday so they were short staffed, but were able to look at my vehicle. I was shocked by what they said the problem was. We were informed that the v6 engine had seized and it needed a starter and a new battery. We were told that it was going to cost over $6,000.00 to get it fixed. How could an engine with around 114,000.00 miles just stop running at a red light with no warning and how does the battery and starter also go out at the same time? We were informed that the engine they were going to put in the car already had 88,000 miles on it (I have attached the quote and diagnosis sheet)I have all oil change receipts. It was going to cost this much and this was not even a new engine and who knows how long this engine would last if it already has this many miles on it? I have never heard of an engine just stopping like that. I know kia has recalls for 4 cylinders, but I wanted to make you aware that there are issues with the v6 as well.*dt

Filed Nov 19, 2020 · Engine · 136,000 miles · MI

Was driving on the freeway and heard a sound as if I had ran over a piece of plastic. All of the lights on the dashboard came on and the car just shut off. I was able to get off the freeway safely before the car shut down again, after that the car wouldn't start anymore.

Filed Oct 5, 2020 · Engine · 169,000 miles · FL

I was driving on the highway i95 south in south carolina almost to the georgia border doing 70 MPH in the middle lane when my engine shut down without a warning while passing another vehicle on the right. I had no warning from my instrument panel and there was no indication of lack of power on accelerating prior to the engine shutting down. I was barely was able to get my car to the side of the highway without getting into an accident. The engine would not turn over at all and I had towed my car to the nearest repair shop and I found out that the engine seized up. The engine oil was replaced three weeks ago and the car was driving great without a problem until now.

Filed Aug 6, 2020 · Engine · 148,000 miles · TN

Driving on interstate the car suddenly lost power and slowed down then stopped. I was able to move over and get off on the exit and roll down hill off the road. This was very dangerous. The vehicle would not start, had to be towed 80 miles home. Motor seems to be seized. Have had no problems with it until now, no warning at all.