What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL ON I-15 JUST 3 MILES SOUTH OF SCIPIO, UT, I BEGAN TO NOTICE ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR. I GOT INTO THE FAR RIGHT LINE OF THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. AS I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THICK BLACK SMOKE CAME THROUGH THE AIR VENT. AS WE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, I BREATHED IN A LITTLE BIT OF THE THICK SMOKE THAT CAME THROUGH THE AIR VENT, BUT MY WIFE DID NOT BREATHE ANY OF THE SMOKE. THE HOOD AREA WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AFTER WE ESCAPED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THIS INCIDENT STARTED. EVERYTHING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO ABOUT HALF OF THE TRUNK AREA WAS DESTROYED.

NHTSA ODI 11012531

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS EMITTING UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. A PASSERBY STAYED WITH THE DRIVER UNTIL A STATE TROOPER WAS PRESENT AS THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND THE FLAMES WENT OUT OVER TIME. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO DIAGNOSE HOW THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. ..UPDATED 06/27/17 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10984187

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER, ATTEMPTED TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD, AND FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10938549

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH DOWN 269 HIGHWAY WHEN ALL AT ONCE I HEARD A LOUD POP LIKE SOUND AND THEN SMOKE STARTED GOING OUT THE TAIL PIPE AND THEN UNDER THE HOOD THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND STOPPED. I GOT OUT AND RASISED THE HOOD AND IT WAS ON FIRE . LUCKELY SOMEONE ONE WAS BEHIND ME AND HAD A FIRE EXSTINQUER AND PUT IT OUT. CALLED POLICE THEY WOULD NOT COME OUT CALLED INSURANCE AND THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN 2011 AND ALWAYS KELPT IT SERVICED, THEY TOOK IT TO THE KIA LOT WE BOUGHT IT FROM AND SAID IT WAS A FIRE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE AND IT WOULD COST $10,000 TO FIX IT WE WERE STILL PAYING ON IT. SO THE INSURANCE CALLED IT A LOSS. NOW WE ARE OUT CAR AND NO MONEY TO BOOT. I HAD JUST TOOK MY GRANDBABY HOME IT COULD OF BEEN REALLY BAD. I GOT ON THE ENTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER 2012 KIA SORENTOS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 10850516

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, A LOUD BANGING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND LIFTING UP THE HOOD, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED SMOKE, OIL AND A SMALL FLAME COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FLAME SELF EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURED WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 02/02/16*LJ *JS

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