2014 Kia Sorento: battery drain or dead battery

Filed Jul 23, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · GA

This is a follow up of the federal safety agency case# 1840444. Complaint Description: Vehicle exhibited active CAN-bus communication timeout code DTC C1642 targeting the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU). Following the official technical safety guidelines established under the federal safety agency Campaign 20V519000 (Kia SC197), an isolated parasitic current draw test was performed between the engine junction box positive power post and the ABS2 circuit terminal. Testing across three independent iterations utilizing a digital multimeter confirmed a continuous localized parasitic draw of 218.6 uA. This dramatically exceeds the manufacturer's maximum safety engineering threshold of 70.0 uA by over 312%. This quantified excessive amperage draw conclusively isolates an internal circuit board short-circuit condition caused by a failure of the internal HECU brake fluid seals. The vehicle presents an immediate network communication failure, brake malfunction, and thermal/fire risk. Kia Corporate must be compelled to immediately authorize an expedited, zero-cost component replacement under the active safety recall mandate.

Filed Jan 27, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · GA

My key fob doesn’t register even while in car, my battery drains daily has to recieve jump off every Otha day if not daily, door open indicator shows open on all doors even when closed, car locks won’t disengage automatically but your system shows no recalls something’s wrong with it

Filed Apr 20, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · ME

While driving car it suddenly lost acceleration. RMP's wouldn't go above 1.5. Speed wouldn't go above 20MPH. Check engine light came on. Was going up a hill with lots of cars behind me and suddenly could barely move. Made it to an Advance Auto and they ran diagnosis on the check engine light and it came up with 2 different codes, relating to fuel system and crankshaft. When I got the vehicle to my local mechanic they saw the codes also, and that the car had gone through 4 quarts of oil. I wasn't at the mileage for an oil change yet, so not sure why oil was almost gone. Mechanic did and oil change and issue was still not fixed. Stating engine needs to be replaced. I have several other people with Kia's who have also recently expirenced massive oil consumption and engine dying. Car was running fine prior to just going into "limp" mode randomly. However I have had a battery issue with this vehicle since day one of purchase. I have been to several mechanics including a Kia dealership with no one being able to pinpoint what is draining the battery. I have had to replace the battery 6 times in 3 years, with my vehicle being dead every other day and sometime every day from Oct-Mar.

Filed May 8, 2020 · Electrical · 3,000 miles · KY

Something is draining the battery. If the car isn't driven for a few days, it will not start.

Filed May 24, 2019 · Engine · PA

While driving home from baltimore, all of the warning lights on my car turned on and the car started decelerating. I pulled over to the side of the highway to park the car and it would not move at all after that. I charged my phone and the car battery died as I waited for a tow truck. I got it towed to my mechanic who said it was the engine and would be covered under the recall kia currently has. I got it towed again to kia on the boulevard on march 20th. They lied to me and said they were working on my car only to find out march 29th they never looked at my car and had lost my key. I had to wait for them to order a new key and then send pictures to get the warranty approved. They advised me they would not give me a loaner or help with a rental but I could be reimbursed after all repairs are made. I received a voicemail april 1st saying my car was done when the warranty was not approved yet. They have repeatedly told me different lies and advised they rushed the order of my engine and it would be there by may 10th. A new engine has still not arrived for me, I called the number they gave me for kia's "corporate office" and was advised a rush was not placed until may 15th and they still do not know when the engine will be delivered. I am in the process of buying a house and I fear I'll be spending thousands of dollars in rentals without reimbursement for who knows how long. I've already spent over $500 as a result of this. I have tried to be patient but the blatant lies and irresponsibility is baffling.

Filed Feb 19, 2019 · Electrical · TN

This vehicle has a parasitic drain issue that kia is aware of on this model. The issue was addressed for all lx, ex, limited, and sx of this vehicle except for the sxl. I have the sxl version and was told by kia it did not meet the VIN requirements even though it meets the born on date and has the same issues as the others. I have had my vehicle tested by a kia master tech and it does have a parasitic drain (battery dead after vehicle sits for 48 hours) from the same drivers door switch addressed in tsb ele-069. I believe that kia has overlooked the sxl models in their recalls as my vehicle is a 2014 and has only had the sa-163a update performed (also the only one listed for my VIN) and my vehicle has many of the same issues as the others have. Kia addressed the issue at hand on all the others, lx, limited, ex, and sx, with the federal safety agency id 10109757 and kia tsb ele-069, ele-057, and sa-163. I would like to have the sxl vehicles looked into as I believe they are not getting the required tsb's addressed properly.

Filed Mar 15, 2015 · Electrical · 7,000 miles · TX · 1 injury

Left 2014 sorento sxl at airport parking and flew to another city for one week. Came back to find vehicle will not start. Battery was dead. I sprained my back trying to open the SUV trunk from inside as there was no power available to release the trunk lock. Five (5) similar events have happened to me, one of them at the kia dealership and they have not been able to find the cause of the problem. In researching the web, it seems to be a common problem that kia has not resolved and many people are affected with battery drain within 3 to 5 days of leaving the car in the garage.