2019 Kia Sorento: complete transmission failure

Filed May 11, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · WV

Had to replace transmission at 133k miles. It was jolting sometimes providing a hard jolt at times will driving. There are also times of what feels like a cylinder misfire. Oil is constantly leaking and have to replace oil every 1k Miles. Have had multiple shops look at it and not able to find anything. Now during acceleration there is a huge grey smoke cloud coming from the exhaust. Looking at this site and through online it seems to be a common issue with this car and engine. So there has been multiple issues with this car - oil consumption of the engine leading to smoke in the exhaust and the transmission which was replaced a week ago

Filed Sep 4, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · 71,682 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and waited for several minutes before the vehicle started working as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced, and that the transmission fluid was burnt. The contact had experienced the failure on several occasions. The transmission was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 71,682.

Filed Aug 8, 2025 · Driver assistance · IN

I bought this car back in January 2024. I had it for about a week and the check engine light came on. When I had it read it was a torque converter clutch solenoid. I took it to Kia they said it needed reprogrammed, it was fine. Then a few months go by and I take it back in and they told me I needed to spend $5,000 for a new Transmission at less than 100,000 miles. When doing research a lot of others have had this issue as well. They said there maybe a recall eventually but until then I had to pay for it. I paid for it there is still no recall. Also the rear cross traffic goes off as a car is behind you, there’s not really a warning before the car is behind you

Filed Jun 3, 2024 · Engine · FL

I bought this KIA used, one owner from a dealership 4 months ago. It had only 71000 miles on it. Since day one, we noticed it hesitates to get out of 1st gear into second. It also takes for ever to excel at speed on merge on a highway. We've had it inspected and even paid to have a FULL inspection done and all they said is this is a known KIA problem for this year and nothing they can do. I am now thinking the transmission is about to go out on this car I just bought, that the KIA dealership said is a known problem with no fix EXCEPT to replace the transmission. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Dec 29, 2023 · Fuel system · NY

There's something SERIOUSLY wrong with the Lambda Ii GDI engine similar to the theta ii. Like the SAME oil problems. I have a perfect service record at 89,600 miles and no accident and the oil light came on with solid oil, and even after the new oil, the new transmission flush and full injection service the oil light came on. They took it in numerous times and turned off the oil light and said nothing wrong but the ENGINE light went on once and I took it in 1 mile away and they cleared the light saying "no errors" and "no service problems they could see" and stated it might be the engine itself. It's acting JUST like the theta engine problems with kia sorentos. Like exactly the same. The blogs on the net are freaking out because a SLEW of people with 2019 sorentos were having the same problems. Not low on oil at ALL and the oil light keeps going off. They are helpless to fix it at Kia and said to trade in the car. There were six kia sorentos of the same make and in for repair recently and while I was in the lobby I was hearing customer ls call in complaining about oil lights going off. The blogs I'm reading have a slew of people this is happening to and I just read the California judges ruling and on the theta ii and I contacted the same lawfirm TODAY about the Lambda ii engine. I guess the feds are looking into it but it should be tied RIGHT away to the Lambda engines as well. There's something MAJOR wrong with the lambda.

Filed Nov 23, 2019 · Electrical, Lights · 7,000 miles · MA

[xxx] I have some records from (lev kia) I am going to share with you as soon as I get them together, in the meantime I am going to drive this 2019 kia sorento and hope on the highway it does not decide to down shift at 60 or 70 MPH like it was doing, especially if a large tractor trailer is behind me. I think it would be a mess when they find out that a (serious electric problem that the manager warren rios at lev kia told me that the vehicle has) caused the transmission to down shift, I will send those papers soon. Also if there was nothing wrong with the transmission, why did they replace the first one. They told me because of a moisture problem was the cause of the internal shifting modulator valve to act up, after the transmission was replaced I had the same problem I called and was told to bring it back and leave it they had to do a program update for the transmission to correct the modulator valve. How do you correct a moisture problem in an internal modulator valve with an update? We will see what your answer to this is, there were other problems with the #1 e-brake light coming on by itself #2 the right front head lamp lower lamp going out 2 times, they had it in the shop for three days and went through the wire harness cleaned all the connectors to the lamp. I told [xxx] that a lot of this happened after a heavy rain storm that something was getting wet and causing either a short or a surge or a bad ground connection, I have pictures of the e-brake light being on and the headlamp lower light out only on the right side. That's it for now I will sent the paper work soon. I am also sending a copy of this note to the attorney general's office and to kia corporate headquarters, and the better business bureau information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Nov 4, 2019 · Electrical, Transmission · 11,000 miles · MA

I sent this to [xxx] I have some records from (lev kia) I am going to share with you as soon as I get them together, in the meantime I am going to drive this 2019 kia sorento and hope on the highway it does not decide to down shift at 60 or 70 MPH like it was doing, especially if a large tractor trailer is behind me. I think it would be a mess when they find out that a (serious electric problem that the manager [xxx] at lev kia told me that the vehicle has) caused the transmission to down shift, I will send those papers soon. Also if there was nothing wrong with the transmission, why did they replace the first one. They told me because of a moisture problem was the cause of the internal shifting modulator valve to act up, after the transmission was replaced I had the same problem I called and was told to bring it back and leave it they had to do a program update for the transmission to correct the modulator valve. How do you correct a moisture problem in an internal modulator valve with an update? We will see what your answer to this is, there were other problems with the #1 e-brake light coming on by itself #2 the right front head lamp lower lamp going out 2 times, they had it in the shop for three days and went through the wire harness cleaned all the connectors to the lamp. I told warren rios that a lot of this happened after a heavy rain storm that something was getting wet and causing either a short or a surge or a bad ground connection, I have pictures of the e-brake light being on and the headlamp lower light out only on the right side. That's it for now I will sent the paper work soon. I am also sending a copy of this note to the attorney general's office and to kia corporate headquarters, and the better business bureau information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).