What 1,516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

CAR SHIFTER IS NOT ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO PLACE CAR IN PARK. THIS ISSUES WAS A RECALL BEFORE HOWEVER; THE FIX DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND KIA HAS NOT OFFERED A NEW FIX. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATING AFTER RECALL FIX. AGAIN KIA REFUSE TO FIX AND ISSUE COULD CAUSE AIR BAG NOT TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, BACK REAR PASSENGER DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY JUMPS FORWARDS AND I FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHILE ROLLING DOWN A HILL OR SLOWING DOWN WITH OR WITHOUT APPLYING THE BREAKS. IT FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO SHIFT AND SOMETHING IS HOLDING IT BACK FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND. ON SPORTS MODE, WHEN MANUALLY SHIFTING FROM 2 TO 3 I CAN EXPERIENCE THE SAME RESPONSE. ON GEAR 5 SPORTS MODE, YOU FEEL THE SUDDEN JERK. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE MORE SIGNIFICANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLDER. I NOTICED THE HESITATION LASTED LONGER BEFORE THE JERK IN THE WINTER. I HAVE BEEN TO MANY MECHANIC SHOPS AND THEY TELL ME THE CAR IS SHIFTING FINE AND THAT THEY AREN'T TO FULLY REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I HOPE THIS ADDS TO THE MILLIONS OF COMPLAINTS AND GETS KIA TO DO SOMETHING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERSISTENT FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

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I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE READ ABOUT WITH THE 2011 2.4 ENGINE. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, STALLING UPON ACCELERATION, JERKING MOTION AND A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK, HARD SHIFTS FROM 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, AND A CONSTANT WHIRRING NOISE IN THE MOTOR WHILE DRIVING, NOT WHILE IN PARK. I BELIEVE THE SAME DEFECT THAT AFFECTED THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 4 CYLINDER ENGINES NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED ON THE V6 ENGINES.

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WAS DRIVING MY KIA AND SUDDENLY COULD NO LONGER DRIVE PULLED OVER N TRAFFIC AND COULD ONLY PUT THE E BRAKE ON. NOTHING ELSE WOULD GO IN TO GEAR DRIVE REVERSE AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SO PUT THE E BRAKE ON AND CALLED TOW TRUCK..TOOK IT TO MADE IN AMERICA MADE IN JAPAN..AND THE SAY ITS THE INPUT SHAFT..EXACTLY DESCRIBED ON RECALL FOR MY VIN # [XXX] . MANUFACTURE CALL#SC124. NHTSA# 15V626 .THIS HAPPENED ON 225 PLACERVILLE RD FOLSOM ON FRIDAY 1/5/2017 .ITS CURRENTLY STILL AT MADE IN AMERICA MADE IN JAPAN..PLEASE CONTACT. ME A.S.A.P [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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THE CAR HAS A NO-STAR CONDITION, UNEVEN ENGAGEMENT WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. WHENEVER DRIVING AND IF I WANT TO SUDDENTLY SPEED TO AVOID AN OBJECT OR TO ADJUST TO TRAFFIC SPEEDS THE CAR HESITATES FOR A SECOND OR TWO. I ALMOST CRASH TODAY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, PUTTING AT RISK MY WHOLE FAMILY... I BELIEVE THERE A SOME RECALLS ON SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IS NOT ON THE LIST YET

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (ARCHER KIA, 11614 SOUTHWEST FWY, HOUSTON, TX, 77031), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE FOR THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V626000 (POWER TRAIN). WHILE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE GEARS, THE VEHICLE LUNGED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO A KIA DEALER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT LOSES POWER , I START TO SMELL BURNT TRANSMISSION FLUID SO I TAKE IT TO EAGLES TRANSMISSION HERE IN MCKINNEY TX. TO FIND OUT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACING. WHIS IS COSTING ME $2100 THAT INCLUDES NEW TRANSMISSION & PRICE OF LABOR. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM ON 2011 KIA TO SEE IF IT'S A RECALL BUT UNFORTUNATELY ITS NOT BUT IT WAS FOR THE 2011 KIA SORENTO 4 , CYLINDER. BUT IT'S A LOT OF TOPICS ON OUR 2011 KIA V6 ENGINE BUT NEVER BECAME A RECALL

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WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND TURNING A CORNER THE CAR MADE A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND THEN STOPPED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS BUT ENGINE JUST REVED UP BUT WOULD GO. HAD TO PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON TO KEEP IT FROM ROLLING. FINALLY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED OFF THE STREET. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE AS THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 11V258000 AND GROUP SERVICE CAMPAIGN NUMBER SC 082 [REV 5] SO HE CALLED THE LOCAL KIA DEALER TO CONFIRM. DESPITE MY CAR FITTING MAKE/MODEL/YEAR/MANUFACTURE DATE THEY SAID THIS VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. HE SUGGESTED THAT I DO FURTHER RESEARCH.

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CAR JOLTS/SHUDDERS/ SLIGHTLY JERK WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL FOR MORE POWER. CAR SUDDENLY JERKS FORWARD WHEN GOING FROM 60 TO 65 MPH.

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I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ON FLAT ROADS AND THE CAR WENT TO SHIFT TO A HIGHER GEAR AND CLUNK THE TRANSMISSION FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO BREAK. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAVE ALSO HAD TROUBLE WITH THE CLUNKING NOISE WHEN I AM GOING 40 AND GETTING READY TO SPEED UP. PLEASE HELP FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE SAFTEY OF OTHERS.

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MY NEIGHBOR BUMPED THE BACK OF THE KIA WITH HIS BUICK NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO EITHER CARS BUMPERS THE KIA WAS IN PARK NO ONE WAS IN IT THE KIA IT THEN STARTED MOVING DOWN THE STREET IT ROLLED ABOUT 400 YARDS WENT THRU SOME HEDGES AND THEN STOPPED IN A NEIGHBORS YARD NO INJURYS BUT THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK THE WHOLE TIME ,I TOOK THE KIA TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALER THEY HAD THE VEHICLE 4 DAYS AND COULDN'T REPLICATE WHAT HAPPENED I TOLD THEM I HAD READ ABOUT A RECALL WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM THEY SAID MY VIN # WASN'T PART OF IT I FEEL KIA SHOULD ADRESS THIS IT WASN'T IMAGINED THERE WERE 3 OR 4 NEGHBORS THAT SAW THE EMPTY VEHICLE JUST ROLLING DOWN THE STREET A RESPONCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED THANK YOU

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WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE ABOVE 35 MPH UPON SLOWING DOWN AND THE CAR DOWNSHIFTING THE CAR JOLTS A LOUD BANG/POP IS HEARD THE CAR LUNGES YOU FORWARD IT'S QUITE VIOLENT I'VE TAKEN TO THE DEALER OVER 10 TIMES AND THEY JUST SAY THEY NOTICE THE POPPING BUT NOTHING IS WRONG THEY ALSO SAID THEY TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE TO TEST THE UNBELIEVABLY HARD DOWN SHIFT . I WATCHED THEM THEIR TEST DRIVE WAS FROM THE FRONT OF THE PARKING LOT TO THE REAR . THEY NEVER WENT ABOVE 25 MPH SO THEY NEVER TESTED THE DOWN SHIFT IT'S HAPPENED FOR A VERY LONG TIME NOW AND THEY JUST KEEP DENYING IT I ALSO HAD THE TOP END OF THE MOTOR GO OUT AT 5000 MILES AND FEEL LIKE THEY ARE JUST AVOIDING IT BEING A LEMON.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, IT ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V626000 (POWER TRAIN). THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING, AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS UNDECIDED IF THE EXACT PART WAS THE PISTON AND THE LOWER RACKET ARM THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,388. UPDATED 06/22/17*LJ

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FOR OVER A YEAR NOW AND HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY, ALMOST EVERY DAY, WHEN ACCELERATING AT 35-40 MPH THERE IS A HESITATION AND THEN A JERK IN THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, WHEN FOOT IS TAKEN OFF THE ACCELERATOR IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS GOING TO DIE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING IN THE CITY AND THE HIGHWAYS. I TOLD THE DEALER EVERY TIME I WENT IN FOR A OIL CHANGE. INFORMED DEALER LAST WEEK AND I WAS TOLD I STILL HAD TIME (WARRANTY).

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A WHIRRING/WHINING NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION/DRIVE SHAFT AREA WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 20 M.P.H., GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD' ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM A KIA DEALER AND A SEARCH DOES NOT SHOW THAT NHTSA ACTION # PE11010 WAS EVER DONE. CAMPAIGN ID# IS11V258000. PLEASE ADVISE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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THE TRANSMISSION IS BANGING EVEN WHEN NOT SHIFTING. I WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A BANG AND A JOLT, I THOUGHT I HIT SOMETHING, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND ME. IT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND A BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME THING. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WHEN IT APPEARS IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE LOCK FAILED TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 156260000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 13V114000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

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TRANSMISSION IS STUCK IN 4TH GEAR WHILE DRIVING I CAN GO IN REVERSE AND FORWARD BUT WHEN I GO FORWARD IT IS STUCK IN 4TH. *TR

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I WAS INFORMED BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. ELECTRIC STABILITY CONTROL IDIOT LIGHT SHOWED UP ON DASHBOARD RIGHT BEFORE BEING INFORMED. CAR IS ALSO NOT SHIFTING INTO PARK OR REVERSE. DRIVE GEAR SEEMS OK.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO ANY GEAR, A LOUD POPPING NOISE COULD BE HEARD FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD AND ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V258000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

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VEHICLE STARTED GRINDING WITH NO PRIOR ISSUES AT A STOP SIGN. WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. TOWED TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAD BROKEN. FOUND PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON OTHER 2011 KIA SORENTO 2 WHEEL DRIVE 4 CYLINDER MODELS, THE EXACT SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR AS OUR OWN. CALLED KIA AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT IN EFFECT FOR MY VIN. THE SAME MODEL, YEAR, EVERYTHING. JUST NOT MY VIN. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT WILL LIKELY REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. KIA IS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THESE INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS AND IS NOT PROPERLY REPAIRING THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. *TR

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VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE TURNING OUT OF CHURCH PARKING LOT. APPLYING ACCEL PEDAL BARELY POWERED THE VEHICLE BUT MADE METALLIC GRINDING NOISE. PULLED OVER AND PUT VEHICLE IN PARK, BUT PARK DID NOT STOP VEHICLE FROM ROLLING DOWNHILL. PARKING BRAKE WAS APPLIED UNTIL VEHICLE COULD BE TOWED HOME. ON INSPECTION, RIGHT DRIVE SHAFT AND TRANSMISSION OUTPUT GEAR WERE BOTH FOUND TO HAVE WORN. THERE WAS A RECALL AND SERVICE HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT THIS FAILURE (RC079-SORENTO (XM) INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPAIR (2WD VEHICLES).

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HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM BULBS ARE BURNING OUT AT THE RATE OF ONE (1) TO TWO (2) WEEKS. THE LEFT BULB BURNED OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AGO BOTH OF THE LOW BEAM BULBS BURNED OUT AT NIGHT WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM CHURCH. SHE ALMOST WRECKED BEFORE SHE TURNED THE LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM. SINCE THEN THE LEFT SIDE BULB HAD BURNED OUT TWICE. I HAVE REPLACE THESE BULBS AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $15.00 EACH. I AM AFRAID THAT THE LIGHTS ARE GOING TO GO OUT WHEN DRIVING WHEN IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE TO HIGH BEAM. THE LAST BULB BURNED OUT JUST LAST NIGHT WHEN IT WAS DARK.

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