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2019 Kia Sorento: stuck in gear or won't shift

5 of the 437 complaints about the 2019 Kia Sorento describe stuck in gear or won't shift.

owner complaints
5
of this car's complaints
1%
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 9 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Stuck in gear or won't shift by model year

What owners say

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · MD

The gear was stuck in park and I can’t move it to other gears like drive, reverse. I contacted Jones Kia in Belair and was informed this is a normal wear and tear that costs over $1000.00 and the extended warranty won’t cover this repair. I purchased this SUV in 2023, which this year I needed a catalytic converter due to oil consumptions and now the SUV won’t come out of park. Waiting to be seen next week for final cost of repair.

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Engine · FL

I was driving to work on the interstate and my car went into limp mode almost causing me to get hit at those speeds. I sent it to my mechanic but was told about the theta2 lawsuit so I had it towed to Kia. Was charged $300 and it wasn’t even diagnosed or looked at due to missing oil change receipts. I have since contacted bbb and Kia headquarters to just be told it’s not covered due to missing receipts of oil changes. Even though it’s a known issue with the gdi engine. Was faulty due to metal left in the drive train after assembly. I have a car that I still owe $4,000 for still making payments and I can’t use the car. I just want it fixed?

Filed May 20, 2026 · Engine · AZ

My 2019 Kia Sorento equipped with a Theta II engine entered limp mode and displayed a flashing check engine light along with an active P1326 diagnostic trouble code. The P1326 code is a proprietary Kia/Hyundai specific code that can only be generated when the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update is present on the vehicle. This software was developed and distributed by Kia specifically to detect Theta II engine bearing failure and rod bearing wear before catastrophic engine damage occurs. The presence of the P1326 code is confirmation by Kia's own proprietary detection system that this engine is experiencing the exact failure pattern associated with the Theta II engine defect. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Kia dealership. The dealership refused to perform a BTC test or enter the vehicle into Techline, citing that the VIN does not appear in the Theta II settlement database. Kia America customer care has also denied coverage. The vehicle remains inoperable. Safety risk is significant. The Theta II engine defect has been directly linked to engine fires in Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Limp mode and sudden loss of power while driving creates serious risk of accidents, injury, or death to the driver and other motorists. The 2012-2019 Kia Sorento is a model year range specifically identified in Theta II multidistrict litigation. Kia's own KSDS software flagging a P1326 code on this vehicle while Kia simultaneously denies any defect-related coverage is contradictory and raises serious safety concerns for owners whose VINs were excluded from settlement but whose vehicles are exhibiting identical failure symptoms.

Filed Feb 17, 2026 · TX

Shifter stuck in park

Filed Jul 22, 2025 · Engine · TN

The oil was changed with no leak, and less than 1000 miles later, it all disappeared. Now, it has gone into limp mode and thrown a knock code due to no oil. Having it sent to a shop four times in a week is not okay. If there's no leak and no gasket problems, where did all the oil go? I have more posts about this daily. I have 96,000 miles on this engine with full synthetic changes every time. It was healthy, and now it's not because it's overeating oil. Make it make sense, please.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the 2019 Kia Sorento won't shift

Is stuck in gear or won't shift a common problem on the 2019 Kia Sorento?

5 of 437 owner complaints about the 2019 Kia Sorento (1%) mention stuck in gear or won't shift. The model year with the most reports is 2011.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2019 Kia Sorento?

There are 0 recalls and 9 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2019 Kia Sorento

Oil consumption 49Engine failure 46Check engine light 39Hesitation 27Knocking 25Fire or smoke 24Headlights 23Stalling 23Backup camera 17Fuel pump 17Jerking 15Screen failure 14Loss of power 12ABS 11Fuel smell 8Misfire 8Overheating 7Sunroof shattered 7Transmission failure 7Adaptive cruise 6Collision warning 6Warning lights 6Fuel leak 5Shudder 5

All model years of the Kia Sorento

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