2016 Kia Sorento fuel system problems

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · RI

Severe high-pressure fuel system failure and engine oil fuel dilution creating a fire hazard and engine seizure risk following a corporate engine replacement. On July 15, 2026, my 2016 Kia Sorento (2.4L GDI) received a corporate-covered engine block replacement due to rod bearing failure. On September 30, 2026 (2,332 miles later), the vehicle jerked violently while driving. Inspection revealed the engine oil was heavily diluted with gasoline due to an internal failure of the High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP), creating a fire hazard. The HPFP was replaced out-of-pocket. Kia Corporate Case #26456059 is open regarding this safety issue. A severe safety hazard currently persists. Within 20 days and 176 miles of this fuel pump repair (totaling 2,512 miles on the new block), the vehicle exhibits severe drivability issues and the oil dipstick again smells heavily of gasoline. This fuel dilution compromises oil viscosity, threatening catastrophic engine seizure and creating an active fire hazard. Due to the severity of this fire risk, the Kia Executive Director of Customer Care intervened, ordering an emergency flatbed tow to a different authorized facility. An invoice audit revealed the dealer violated Kia repair protocols, factory TSBs, and federal safety guidelines. Kia’s factory TSB mandates that the high-pressure fuel pipe is a strict, single-use component that must be replaced upon pump removal; however, this part was completely omitted from my invoice, confirming it was dangerously reused. Reusing it introduces a volatile engine-bay fuel leak risk, mirroring the hazardous pattern in the federal safety agency Recall 18V‑907 (Kia Campaign SC172) regarding fuel lines mishandled during engine swaps. Furthermore, the dealer illegally charged retail fees for Service Campaign SC340 materials and withheld all diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). I request a formal the federal safety agency investigation into unsafe recall compliance and systemic powertrain installation failures originating from the engine replacement.

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · TX · fire

Vehicle caught on fire when driving, putting my mother's life and her passenger at risk. My mother is an elderly Deaf woman, but was able to pull over in time for Fire Department to help contain fire. There were no warning lamps or messages of any problems with car, the car started smoking (smoke also entered cabin) and they pulled over where there was a fire under hood and bystander call emergency services. The car is currently at a tow lot and should be available for inspection upon request. We are waiting for car to be inspected by insurance.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Fuel system · 79,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a scheduled service, the contact requested that the dealer inspect the issue. The vehicle was diagnosed with a low-pressure fuel pump failure. The contact was informed that the low-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

Filed Jul 12, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · MI

I took my 2016 Kia Sorento to the dealership for an emissions service update as a result of a service bulliten (SC340) After recieving the car back, the transmission acts unpredictably and the throttle is erratic. This happens when started cold and continues until the engine reaches temperature. It did not do this previous to the update. It is a safetey hazard and almost caused a collision. The throttle response was sluggish, it hunted for gears and as a result I was unable to safely merge into traffic endangering myself and other drivers.

Filed Jul 7, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · RI

(Transmission and motor) I had taken my car to the dealership on XXX for recalls and all the signal were fine before going there. They took my car back to do the recalls and my son and I waited . Once they were done we left closer to closing time is noticed there was a burn mark on my dash board that wasn’t there before the recalls. Going forward on the way home. We were waved down by a man stating that my signal and brake light weren’t working . So that next day we took my car back to the dealership to see what happen, why all the sudden different alerts were coming up. They had the same mechanic relook at the car and a when finish 31/2 hour latter was told I needed a new transmission, costing $7384.94 which I don’t have . They charge me $179.00 just to confirm what they said about needing a new transmission. I was devastated and confused why I wasn’t told that the day before. So a few days later I took it to another machanic to see if the could see why the lights weren’t working and he ended up putting new bulbs in and got them working but also he put it in a diagnosis machine 2 of them and couldn’t get a reading at all and said I should take it back to find out why he couldn’t get a reading. I was so frustrated at that point I just was upset! I then had a friend of the family mechanic look at it and he said it wasn’t the transmission it was a knock sensor that I needed so I ordered it. When I called him to install the knock sensor he was too busy to do it and it had already been a whole month of waiting so I reached out to a place in Cumberland RI to see if he could install the knock sensor had it towed there and he kept it for three days and said it was a transmission computer and he tried two of them and neither of them worked and charged me $150 for that I was humiliated and crying , I went there to have my car towed home seen him while waiting for the tow truck to come he said I needed a new transmission and now a motor, crying again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)

Filed Jul 1, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · NC

Hello. I just started smelling gas fumes when my car has been running. I see no drips , etc. It happens everytime I drive it to the point where someone pointed it out to me. I had a new engine put in by KIA for my old engine "going to sleep" about 4 years ago. I have been told that this is a on going problem with the Model I have. I want to know what I should do at this point. Im [XXX] and [XXX] so I dont have the money to take it all over the place if this engine issue is covered. Could you please let me know and how to proceed? [XXX] [XXX] Cell [XXX] THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP ps....You should have record of KIA replacing the engine on file??? Is this a warranty issue since I do have a newer engine? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 30, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · CA

Car completely stalled while on the freeway with no warning, no engine lights, nothing….luckily we were going downhill and were able to pull over to the side safely. Still owe 6k to the finance company but mechanic claimed I needed a new waterpump…after being changed and charged the car still wouldn’t turn on despite the new waterpump….and a bunch of new obd codes showed up & now I need a new engine. After a lot of research I’ve learned this car is notoriously known for many recalls and overall complains…..I wish I had done research before buying it, now I’m in debt for a car I can’t even drive

Filed Dec 24, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · MN

The vehicle is a 2016 Kia Sorento equipped with a 2.0L Turbo Theta II engine subject to the KSDS (Knock Sensor Detection System) safety recall. The original engine was replaced at approximately 70,000 miles under Kia’s engine service program. The replacement engine currently has approximately 32,000 miles. The vehicle developed internal engine damage diagnosed by a Kia dealership as a burnt exhaust valve. A burnt exhaust valve indicates abnormal combustion conditions such as lean operation, pre-ignition, detonation, timing deviation, injector malfunction, or lubrication failure. These are conditions the KSDS recall was intended to detect and mitigate. Kia Consumer Affairs denied warranty coverage, stating that the extended warranty applies only to rod bearing failure and that no further escalation would be pursued. Kia Consumer Affairs declined to escalate the matter for District Parts & Service Manager review and directed the owner back to the dealership. During the prior engine replacement, the dipstick was observed to be glued in place, raising concerns regarding oil level accuracy and lubrication integrity on the replacement engine. This complaint is submitted due to concern that a KSDS safety recall-related engine failure involving abnormal combustion was not properly reviewed or escalated, and that recall procedures were not administered in accordance with their intent.

Filed Dec 8, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · MN

The safety hazard began with a pattern of ignored warnings by the authorized dealer network. On Aug 15, 2025, I brought the vehicle to Luther Kia of Bloomington for a Check Engine Light. The dealer simply cleared the code without diagnosis, failing to catch early signs of engine trouble. On Sept 22, 2025, the engine failed again. I drove the vehicle in unsafe "limp mode" to Luther Nissan Kia [XXX] ). They found the engine was "4 quarts low on oil" (severe starvation just 37 days after a dealer oil change). Despite this catastrophic finding, they failed to diagnose the root cause and released the unsafe vehicle to me after selling only a spark plug replacement. On Sept 26, when I attempted to pick up the vehicle, the Check Engine Light was flashing immediately at handover. I refused to take the unsafe vehicle. The dealer then replaced an Oil Control Valve (OCV) and released the vehicle to me again later that day. After this second "repair," I drove the vehicle for only a few miles before the engine failed again with a Check Engine Light. The dealer has since admitted in writing (BBB complaint #XXX) that the engine was "deprived of lubrication" due to the initial low oil condition. By ignoring early warnings and releasing a vehicle with a dying engine twice, the dealer put me and other motorists at risk of a sudden loss of power at highway speeds. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Dec 8, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · NC · fire

Vehicle: 2016 Kia Sorento, VIN [XXX] Incident Date: November 13, 2025 Incident Location: Durham, NC (3828 Guess Rd) Cause of Loss: Engine Fire, confirmed by Durham Fire Department Report (Incident #253663) as "originated from under the hood." TECHNICAL NARRATIVE & SYMPTOMS (CRITICAL FOR LIABILITY): I am filing this complaint to report a catastrophic vehicle fire that I believe is directly linked to multiple acknowledged manufacturing defects that create a fire risk in Kia vehicles. ABS/Traction Control Light Warning (Direct Fire Risk Symptom): Immediately prior to the loss, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights were constantly illuminated. This is a known precursor symptom for the defective Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) or ABS Module short-circuit, which has been cited in numerous Kia fire recalls (e.g., the federal safety agency 20V019, 20V519). The fire's origin under the hood is consistent with this component failure. Prior Engine Failures (Systemic Defect History): This vehicle has a history of catastrophic manufacturing defects: The engine assembly was replaced in 2023 due to the known Theta II Rod Bearing Failure. The knock sensor was replaced in September 2025 as part of the KSDS Product Improvement Campaign, demonstrating the vehicle was still under active service for critical engine monitoring defects just weeks before the fire. Potential Tow Hitch Wiring Fire Risk: The vehicle was fully engulfed, but the fire may also be linked to the defect cited in the federal safety agency Recall 22V703 (tow hitch wiring harness short circuit, which also poses a fire risk). I require a full investigation into this defect leading to compensation for the total loss of the vehicle and consequential damages. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)