1) My vehicle incurred catastrophic engine failure. The engine stopped running suddenly. It does not crank over. It is available for inspection. It does not run. 2) I am thankful that no one was injured and that the vehicle did not catch fire. 3) There is a safety-related defect in certain 2017 Kia Sorento vehicles. 4) My vehicle was towed to the house and has not been inspected. 5) There were no signs of leaking oil or oil burning. No dashboard lights came on to signal overheating or low oil level. No check engine light ever appeared.
2017 Kia Sorento: engine overheating
7 of the 811 complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento describe engine overheating.
- owner complaints
- 7
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 73 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Engine overheating by model year
What owners say
Coolant system not functioning properly replace thermostat and worked a day then back to overheating. Engine overheating with new oil and filter also shakes badly Car does not shut of when ignition is pressed the first time have start the car then shut it off again
Due to the engine block and heads being aluminum, the head bolt threads are stripping and pulling out of the block and creating a loose seal around the head gaskets. This does not allow the engine to cool properly resulting in overheating and damage to the engine and the radiator. This has been inspected by a dealer who confirmed this issue and inspected by an independent mechanic who has recommended resurfacing the heads and a fix for the threads of the bolts. There is significant cost to put a temporary fix on an engine that is failing significantly for many other owners as well. Most with the same issue. This is a known issue of the 3.3L V6 engines and Kia is not addressing the fix.
Car began to overheat. Took into mechanic. Diagnosed as a blown head gasket with head bolts that had stripped out.
Sudden Engine Failure: My car died in the middle of a highway on-ramp lane, so I had to call 911 to ask a police officer to come help. Our car came to a complete stop with no warning signs prior. My car was driving totally fine up until that point and then suddenly this happened on the highway. This put ourselves at risk (myself and my 2 children in the car), and it put everyone behind me at risk of rear-ending me, as traffic was moving. During the incident, the engine would not turn over at all. I waited about 10 minutes for a state trooper to pull up, while cars and big trucks whizzed past my stopped car on both sides. When the state trooper arrived, he called the highway department, and someone from the highway department came and pushed my car to the shoulder so that we could be safer. We had it towed to our Kia Service Center: Jones Kia, 2001 Belair Rd, Bel Air, MD 21014. They completed a diagnostic review. They contacted us and explained that: The cylinder head bolt failed. It became "threaded" (this was the term used by the Kia Service center who examined the car), causing the engine to overheat and seize. It happened so quickly that there were no warning signs. The service adviser at Jones Kia told us that we would need a whole new engine replacement.
First issue: Computer fails to throw codes for issues like low oil or engine overheating because of a cracked radiator that was bone dry when the mechanic looked at it. At the time of the incident with the cracked radiator, mechanic checked fuses and system but could not find any issues. However, they agreed that check engine light should have come on. But it did not. Second issue: Oil some how magically disappears out of the engine, and because of this, I'm now stuck, with a worthless car that I'm going to have to abandon about 900 miles from my home because it'll cost too much to replace an engine. Even the mechanic that looked at it said it wasn't worth spending the money on replacing the engine. Think about the level of absurdity because that's a big amount of labor for them and they recommended against spending money on the Sorento.. I'm now car less and fucked because of Kia's shitty defects.. I'm sorry for the profanity but I'm lost.. I'm lost.
When driving vehicle for more than 30 minutes, engine begins to overheat. Vehicle is fine while driving but when waiting at stop sign or red light engine begins to overheat rapidly. Also, when driving uphill same engine heating problem occurs. After engine starts over heating from issues mentioned above problems worsen, after wards issues extend to engine over heating while driving in constant speed or c cruising at same speed
Service bulletins that may apply
- Engine sub assembly inspection/replacement (WTY035)
- Engine sub assembly inspection/replacement (WTY035)
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: theta II 2.4L GDI emissions: ECM logic improvement (SC340 revision 5)
- Oil pressure switch (OPS) replacement (WTY026 revision 2)
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: theta II 2.4L GDI emission secm logic improvement (SC340 rev 4)
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: owner notification (SC340 flight 103 / um)
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: owner notification (SC340 flight 101 / um)
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: theta II 2.4L GDI emissions ECM logic improvement (SC340)
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V‑224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Recall number 18V907000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Sorento vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The engine crankshaft may have been improperly heat treated and may fail.
- Risk
- If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A failed crankshaft also increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the crankshaft, and, as necessary, replace the engine sub assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC153.
Recall number 17V586000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2017 Kia Sorento overheating
Is engine overheating a common problem on the 2017 Kia Sorento?
7 of 811 owner complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento (1%) mention engine overheating. The model year with the most reports is 2016.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Kia Sorento?
There are 2 recalls and 73 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2017 Kia Sorento
Engine failure 155Check engine light 119Headlights 118Oil consumption 118Stalling 84Knocking 72Loss of power 54Fire or smoke 35Jerking 23Misfire 20Won't start 20Won't shift 19Fuel pump 18Sunroof shattered 15Warning lights 15Adaptive cruise 14Power steering loss 14Fuel leak 9Fuel smell 9Steering lock-up 8ABS 7Hesitation 7Battery drain 6Door locks 6Shudder 6Airbag light 5Pulling 5
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