Was driving car it lost power, pulled over and had tow truck bring car to dealership. Dealership states a new engine is needed due to a malfunction in the engine block, however warranty is out on car just by 9,000 miles and car is still financed! Maintenance has been kept up on car. Kia wants $10,000 to replace engine.
2018 Kia Sorento engine complaints
Page 3 of 5: complaints 41 to 70 of 112, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine before the vehicle lost motive power, with the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
I bought a used Kia sorento from a Kia Dealership. This engine makes oil evaporate completely. This engine must be a bad engine. I heard there was some recalls on Kia engines not sure if this one fits it. The dealership did a five hundred dollar job on it and it did not fix. I put oil in this car every month. No way to upgrade because of these issues.
I had an engine failure in my Kia. On [XXX], I was driving on [XXX] in Maine, and the "malfunction" light lit up, and I lost power in the vehicle. I was able to make it to the side of the highway and call a tow truck. Losing power on a busy interstate put myself and my partner at risk, as well as having to wait on the side of the interstate for a tow truck. I had the vehicle towed to a mechanic who said the engine needed to be replaced because a cylinder lost compression. Kia had me tow it to a Kia dealership, and they verified that the engine needed to be replaced. The matter is still open. My case with Kia is [XXX]. Kia has been completely unresponsive in the matter. They have told me repeatedly that the matter is being looked into by their tech team, but they have never reached out to the Kia dealership they told me to send it to. It could be related to a rod bearing issue, but they are not willing to follow up enough to even determine whether or not that is the issue. Prior to the engine failure, I had issues with oil loss. I replaced the PCV valve, but that did not turn out to be the problem. I had it inspected a few weeks before the engine failure, and they noted that the oil levels were low. I was not seeing warning lights for low oil, but I was maintaining oil levels while I waited for an appointment to look into that issue. I believe Kia knows this is an ongoing issue with their vehicles, and they are actively obstructing any inquiries as to why this engine problem persists. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and jerked and decelerated to 25 MPH. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a nearby parking lot and parked because the contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. The following day the contact’s husband took the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine might be faulty however, a diagnostic test was needed, and the engine needed to be taken apart to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Around 90,000 miles, the engine started leaking oil regularly, took it in for warranty. After repairs for gasket, then started burning oil and running of oil every week or two weeks, and I have to constantly refill oil. Took it again and Dealer told me I am out of warranty, then I called KIA USA and reported problems. They told me that they will get back to me and I am still waiting.
Cáthalitic converter conoromised
While driving on the highway, the engine suddenly stopped working without warning. I was unable to accelerate using the gas pedal. Fortunately, the highway was empty at the time, and I managed to safely pull over to the right side of the road. After waiting for approximately 30 minutes for the engine to cool down, I attempted to drive again. However, the car began shaking severely whenever I pressed the gas pedal or attempted to increase the speed beyond 2 RPM. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by a certified Kia service center, where the issue was diagnosed as a failure of the piston ring and cylinder 1, resulting in insufficient compression. The service center confirmed that the vehicle was well-maintained, with no external damage or user-related issues contributing to the failure. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms appeared prior to the failure. The engine issue was sudden and unexpected, posing a significant safety risk, especially as it occurred while driving at highway speeds. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact's husband discovered that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact's husband was consistently adding oil for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,940.
Previous Complaint# 11618337. Additional Information: Engine is full of oil yet Oil Light comes on due excessive crankshaft & connecting rod bearing wear and knocking loud. Yet the recalibrated knock sensor will not pick up the issue and put the vehicle into derate with a code P1326 as it did before the Kia Dealership performed this recalibration. This is consumer fraud by purposely hiding a known defect and preventing the warranty from replacing the engine with a redesigned new engine that corrects the issue with larger oil ports. It is also a safety issue!! Now that the oil light is coming on and the engine has a bad knock, it can fail at anytime while driving causing lose of power steering, brakes and the ability to safely pull the car over to a safe location. The original P1326 code automatically determined the engine developed wear from lack of oil volume based on the known defect of too small oil ports. This recalibration doesn't address the wear the engine already has and based on what the dealer stated, they will not replace the engine until that code comes back. Which now can't happen due to this parameter change and elimination of the knock sensors ability to perform it's job correctly. Please investigate and resolve, Thank you!!
My kia Sorento is involved in an engine recall. When driving on the highway three times now my engine has stalled and car has gone from 65 to 30 mph, almost causing multiple accidents while driving with my [XXX] and [XXX] . The Kia customer service agency said this must occur three times before they will replace my engine. They are not replacing the engine. I fear for my life, my husband life and my children’s lives . I also fear for fellow drivers on the road . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was driving my 2018 Kia Sorento up a hill going about 40 mph. It suddenly lost power and I had to pull over. No lights showed up on the dash warning me anything was wrong. I was draining oil like crazy and it was all over the engine. I had it towed to a mechanic and then the dealership. A bolt from inside the engine blew and tore a hold in the valve and head gasket. That’s all I know now. I had purchased my vehicle pre owned certified, and Kia is not honoring the warranty even with extended warranties. This happened at 87,000 miles. I have seen other reports of Kia Sorentos having issues with their engines. Please help.
Engine was consuming large amounts of oil, attempted to conduct oil consumtion test per Kia request was unable to complete due to volume of oil consumption . Engine locked up after kia telling me they couldnt help me since the oil consumtion test couldnt be completed.
My 2018 Kia Sorento sticks and when pushing the gas and the RPM jumps up. The car also stalls out and then turns right back on. It shakes and makes a funny noise as well.
I have a 2018 Kia Sorento that I absolutely love. As of late, I have noticed that 1,000 to 1,200 miles after my oil changes- I am getting my engine oil light on, on the dash. Upon checking, again after only 1,200 miles after an oil change- my engine oil was completely gone. The dipstick was almost bone dry. I took my vehicle in to have an oil leak test, because I instantly thought I had a leak due to that being an excessive amount of oil missing. However, there is no leak. It passed the leak test, and there is also no oil in my driveway. Upon talking to the Kia dealership this is apparently a very known, and prominent issue with this vehicle. I am "out of warranty" with Kia- so I am unable to file a claim with them to have this repaired. This is unacceptable for them to know that this is an ongoing issue, and they are not standing behind their products. I have thankfully purchased an extended warranty with an outside agency, that I am filing a claim for. However they will only cover the issue at Kia if the "engine oil consumption test identifies the failure" From what the service man said to me, from Kia- the two "failures" that they have, are either needing to have a combustion chamber cleaning done, or an entire new engine dropped in. Both of which leave me without a vehicle for WEEKS. As a mother with young children, and also a mother that works and has a one vehicle home- this leaves me needing to rent a car for however long that may take. Looking into this further I have seen that Kia Sorentos with the GDI motor (like mine) from NEWER years, have a recall on their engines for a very similar case and very similar situations with them burning excessive oil in their vehicles. I strongly think that the lower year makes and models need to be investigated, as well. I absolutely think that my vehicle needs to be included in this recall as I have gotten and maintained every single oil change, and service needed to my vehicle since I have purchased it in 2020.
Engine had catastrophic failure without warning. No warning lights or performance issues. 110K miles on it. Well taken care of and taken in for oil changes at regular intervals 6K-8K.
Oil leak was diagnosed as bad oil pressure switch that is under extended warranty for certain Kia Sorento models with GDI system, but not my car.
The engine seized as we were driving onto the freeway. Everything just stopped. The car had to be pushed to the side of the road. It failed to restart. When we checked the dipstick, it was completely dry and starting to burn on the bottom. There was no visible signs of an oil leak. There were no lights or other notifications that the car was out of oil. We were lucky the car wasn't hit and someone seriously injured or killed. The car had to be towed to our home. Kia Corporate Office was closed. The Kia dealership said I could have it towed at my expense and have it looked at when they had time the following week. It was just under 100K miles A different Kia dealership offered to give me $5000 towards a trade-in on a new car. That was half the trade-in value, but I couldn't be without a car. When I inquired three weeks later about what the service department found out was wrong with the car, I was told they hadn't even looked at it and would probably just use it for spare parts.
Engine is burning oil. Engine only has 116,000 miles on all maintenance has been kept up to date - has never missed an oil change, only ever used full-synthetic. Should not be consuming this amount of oil. Also dash board lights pertaining to engine or oil never come on.
Car is burning 3/4 a quart of every 1,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 79 MPH, the oil warning light illuminated, and he observed a burning oil odor emanating from the engine compartment. The vehicle was pulled to the side of the road and inspected. The contact observed condensation under the front of the vehicle and no oil on the dipstick. Additionally, another vehicle pulled to the side of the road and reported that condensation from the vehicle sprayed onto the windshield and hood of their vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the turbo feed line assembly needed to be replaced due to corrosion and a hole. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
On May 1, 2024, I noticed my 2018 Kia Sorento making a knocking sound and smoking heavily from the back exhaust. I turned it off, thinking it might be overheating, and planned to check it the next day. On May 2, 2024, while taking my daughter to school, the vehicle was knocking but no indicator lights were displayed, the main display screen suddenly showed an engine control system issue, and the car spoke and said to take the vehicle to the closest service center I immediately headed to the Kia service center. About 2-3 miles into the drive, the car shut down completely on the interstate. I managed to coast to a stop on the access road but was still partially on the road, so I called for a tow. The police later helped me move the car further off the road because I was a hazard for Morning rush hour traffic. After waiting for three hours, the tow truck took me to the Kia dealership, where the mechanic found that the engine had seized. Kia refused to repair the damage, citing that I hadn't done a KSDS recall. The repairs are estimated to cost over $7000 needing long block replacement from hole in block (KSDS requirements not met). I was not aware of any issues with my car, as I had not been informed about a KSDS recall or any suggestions regarding it. I feel this situation put me in danger, first with the potential fire hazard and then being stranded on the highway and nearly struck in multiple occasions. . I currently have no working vehicle, and Kia is not taking responsibility for these engine issues but my make and model has no listed recall. I am not considered a part of the KSDS recall therefore I also get no claims to the millions awarded to others due to this recall.
My vehicle is consuming a lot of oil. At my previous oil change I mentioned this to the dealer as I had to put in 5 quarts of oil. The oil canister light came on which I believed was just warning me to my upcoming oil change but my dipstick indicated otherwise when I checked. The light would only come on when I made turns in the road. It did not stay on consistently. As I was driving my engine sounded bad and I was worried something more was wrong which is why I checked the oil. When I brought it in for the oil change, the service advisor said they would check for leaks which was not located. I asked them to set my oil change for 3k miles instead of the 5k miles they have been setting it as I was worried about engine damage. The oil canister light came on recently once again (still only when I take turns on the road) with still 1100 miles left in the current oil change and when I checked there was no oil in the engine reflected on the dipstick. I gradually added oil and had to add 5 quarts of oil once again. I set up an appointment for further investigation but I fear that by the time they run their tests my vehicle will surpass any warranty. I’m currently at 77700 miles. This much oil consumption is not normal and I shouldn’t have to keep a constant stock of oil available to fill up every 2k miles. I understand a little bit of oil but having to add 5 quarts of oil at a given time is way too much.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle lost all power while depressing the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact also stated that white smoke began to emit from underneath the hood of the vehicle. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact saw flames coming from underneath the vehicle as oil began to leak from the vehicle. The flames eventually dissipated and authorities were not called to the scene. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed initially to the contact's home and later to the dealer. Once in the dealer's possession, the contact was informed that there was a hole in the engine block which had led to engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but had yet to offer any assistance. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer and had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Vehicle seems to be stalling when you stop and then try to pull out. It takes minutes to accelerate after stopping.
The vehicle started knocking. We took it to Kia and they share saying we needed an upgrade part that is on a safety”notice” and not a recall. It’s to prevent engine failure. They refuse to put in the part because they said the engine is already failing. They said we need to pay 6k. The best part is that we took the vehicle in last year (2023) for the hitch and the anti theft upgrade and KIA didn’t tell us about this feel part. Why wouldn’t we get the free upgrade on the engine???? They are not telling consumers and it doesn’t come up when you search by VIN.
Me and my wife were traveling north on [XXX], left lane, 18 wheeler in right lane, cars directly behind us, 70 mph, when there was an abrupt thud, and slight skid, then lost all power from the engine. There were no warning indicators at the time. When the engine failed, we almost hit the tractor next to us. Looking in the mirror to try to determine what to do, as steering was hard to perform, there was a large cloud of black and blue smoke, the car behind us being covered in smoke and most likely oil too. The car behind us aggressively braked and ducked in behind the 18 wheeler just before a rear impact would have occurred. We finally got to safety on the side of the road as the traffic stacked up behind us was able to reduce speed in time. I had my car towed to the KIA dealership in Springfield, MO. One interesting point, the wrecker operator said that unfortunately a big part of his business was hauling KIAs. We almost died. Upon review of social media, I see there are literally thousands of KIAs placing families in danger. Why hasn’t Mr. Budegedge acted on it. After experiencing this, it’s likely there will be deaths. My car had 120,000 miles on the engine. KIA said it was my problem as they met their warranty obligation at 100,000 miles. There are so many incidents, even with 6 cyl engines. Customers need to be warned. At least they can be prepared for the failure when it happens. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine failure
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while accelerating, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The mechanic completed a road test and indicated that the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering, shaking, and then lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a code reader and retrieved DTC code: P1326 (Permanent go Relay Stuck On). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who cleared the codes but informed the contact that the failure would continue and recommended an engine replacement. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. There was a thumping noise detected from the engine. The contact reduced the speed to 40 MPH. The vehicle began to hesitate, sputtered, and failed to accelerate. The contact used a code reader and retrieved DTC code: P0302 (Cylinder Misfire). The manufacturer was contacted, and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Excessive oil consumption, burning oil
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