What 977 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that when starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

NHTSA ODI 11669259

While driving down the road the car just went dead. No warning. It was the oil pump that had gone out and froze the engine causing complete loss of control of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11667259

Back up camera on Kia Sorento screens go black out of nowhere. After research online I have seen that this is a very common problem with Kia vehicles, and they haven't issued a recall on them. It isn't safe to be operating without one of the vehicles safety features because the vehicle owner doesn't want to pay to repair something they didn't damage.

NHTSA ODI 11665356

Code p0014 indicates that the Bank 1 exhaust camshaft position timing was advanced beyond limits for a pre determined period of time.

NHTSA ODI 11664027

This vehicle has a oil consumption problem that causes engine damage and Kia will not take responsibility for especially after the car being maintained. On top of it even with substantial evidence that this was a manufacturing defect that Kia is refusing to take accountability for and completely dismisses any claims or complaints and not even bothered to speak with you unless the car has warranty which is absurd because this was a again a manufacturing defect of the vehicle not from not sustaining the vehicle from the driver that owns it. It also did not give off any warning signs or any indication that there was a problem until the problem completely left me without a car. Without a warning or indication this was a hazard and luckily I did not have my children in the car when the oil brought broke and pierced an immense hole causing my engine damage. Kia sorentos are known for this defect it has had a lawsuit for this with other Kia sorento's they need to put this model also as I dug deeper I am not the only one that has this problem I'm currently trying to pursue a lawsuit with Kia corporation for this however as you know this is not an easy process This was definitely a safety issue that could have became extremely severe and risked my life and my children

NHTSA ODI 11662704

my vehicle falls under the 2013 Kia Sorrento engine replacement and fuel pump. Recall these have not been done to my vehicle. I even double checked with the previous owner and Kia did not service the engine or replace it although it has a recall under mine, and all the symptoms stated in the recall with the engine and fuel pump are happening with my vehicle now how do I get this service covered under the recall also a very strong fuel odor

NHTSA ODI 11660758

The car just completely stalled while driving on a busy street with myself and my children in the car. I first was alerted that it may just be the starter by a local mechanic. I fixed that and it still would not start. I then went and got a new battery and that did not work either. At that point I had the car towed to the Kia dealership. The mechanic told me that the car engine was a part of a recall for Kia. He told me that he would put the claim in and that Kia would fix it. He told me to send in my registration and drivers license. A couple of weeks later he informed me that they would not fix my engine because the registration was expired. The expired registration has nothing to do with their faulty recalled engine. I had this issue escalated and still was told they would not fix it.

NHTSA ODI 11660205

premature bearing wear within the engine

NHTSA ODI 11653792

Kia failed to take accountability for rods related to oil pan and engine damage defect on this vehicle. Did not offer other safety options and did not give any warning signs. I have ALL my receipts and maintenance on vehicle that I DID Maintain my vehicle responsible and this was a Kia vehicle safety issue on manufacturing. I did not receive any warning or lights on my dashboard and I have all my oil change receipts. Please see all attached documents for my complaint. All Kia customer service was concerned with was warranty when this is a manufacturing product defect of this car not being put together properly and my vehicle has been serviced over years at a Kia dealership and no one has ever told me my vehicle was not maintained. Kia corporation won't even investigate or even move forward in any direction even with all my receipts reports and evidence to submit my claims are true.

NHTSA ODI 11652979

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on an interstate, the vehicle abruptly decelerated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that upon picking up the vehicle from the dealer, the vehicle made an abnormally loud clunking, metal-on-metal sound; however, the dealer confirmed that there was no failure found. The vehicle was taken to a tire shop, where it was determined that the motor mounts had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The manufacturer confirmed the warranty coverage. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000.

NHTSA ODI 11652229

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. An unknown repair was performed. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. An unknown repair was performed. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11649041

While driving the car will stall, making maneuvering the car to safety difficult. There was no warning that this was happening. I did take the car to a mechanic, he said because the engine light was not on, he could not track the problem. I had this happen at least 6 times in the past few months

NHTSA ODI 11648544

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was a puddle of oil underneath the vehicle whenever the vehicle was parked. There was a burning fuel odor coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that there was oil and anti-freeze between the cylinder head and engine block, causing the head bolts to be stripped. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the VIN was not under an engine recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed the result of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11647834

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The paint all over the car had begun to delaminate and its only a 2013. The entire front of the hood, the side bar of the windshield on both the passenger and driver sides, and the roof along the windshield are flaking off manufacturers paint in large sheets. The back side has begun to develop small chips that will eventually match the front. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Because the loss of the protective paint on my car can and has been leading to rust issues on the metal underneath the paint. This is known to weaken the vehicle's body structure. This is especially problematic in potential areas of the car that are prone to collision, thereby compromising the vehicles safety over time, if allowed to continue to delaminate. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? All across the internet people are posting their pictures of their white Kia Sorento having the exact issue mine has. Also in the small town I live in there are at least 10 people who drive a white Kia Sorento like mine and each one is losing their paint to peeling and delamination. Just driving across California you can see that this is a manufacturing issue that has effected most all their customers who bought a white Kia from 2013 - 2018. After reading this question I am making an appointment to go into an Official Kia dealership to address this issue and get their feedback and hopefully a resolution on their end. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? I have not had anyone inspect it to date, but intend on getting an appointment with Kia at their next available opening. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no precursors. Car was perfect when I purchased.

NHTSA ODI 11645681

I called quirk Kia in Manchester NH to have the recall done on my vehicle..my vehicle has had a hard time starting and staying started sometimes...the vehicle would shut down while driving all dash lights come on and loose s all power to gas pedal and steering..had hard time starting for couple weeks before it stopped starting ..I believe there is electrical problem ..but when I called quirk to get the recall done the service guy told me he can not do the recall unless the vehicle runs ..I told him I believe it's not running because of the part that is being recalled .he said I doubt it .I then asked for a supervisor and he told me he doesn't have one ..then I asked him his name he again told me he doesn't have one .so I said are you really gonna refuse to do this recall ..it has to be done he then hung up on me ..I tried calling back and got to the sales department..spoke to the GM in sales and explained what just happened with the service department and he told me I would get a call back and still haven't heard from them ..this recall has to be done ..and I don't know what else to do

NHTSA ODI 11644826

Oil leak from under vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11644904

I had contacted earlier with regard to getting clarity on the tread wear rate, and whether a faster tread wear would make the tire defective. As a replacement to that tire which got replaced, I purchased a totally new tire on Sunday, and today, this is how it looked. Is this normal?

NHTSA ODI 11643704

235 r 17 104H I had a flat out tire, which led to a replacement of a relatively new tire that was bought in the middle of 2024. During the replacement process, it was found that the the tread depth dropped to 7 in 7 months or so as registered by local auto service personnel. I have been a long time driver with this type of instance happening for the first time during all these years where I had to replace the tire completely well within a year. Can a drop of 30% or more in tread depth within 7 months or so make the tire defective? Assuming that the tread depth wears out evenly, which I believe should be other way with older tires wearing out faster as tread depth decreases, a 30% drop within 7 months after driving around 4000 miles or so for a tire with 50000 miles warranty place it under the defective tire section? Please clarify.

NHTSA ODI 11643224

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving the vehicle with her boyfriend seated in the passenger’s seat, while approaching a stop sign at 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was stopped safely on the side of the road, and then the vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine had seized. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 71,935.

NHTSA ODI 11642165

I have a 2013 Kia Sorento with severe paint delamination. The paint is chipping across multiple areas of the vehicle, and I need assistance resolving this issue with Kia to secure coverage for a complete repaint.

NHTSA ODI 11633492

Delamination of paint

NHTSA ODI 11628425

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was knocking before the engine seized. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle side-swiped a concrete mailbox. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. In addition, the contact was informed that the engine rod had fractured the oil pan. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that in June 2018, the engine was replaced; however, in April 2019 the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed of an unknown expired recall repair however, the VIN was not included. The contact was informed that the recall repair might have prevented the failure; however, the contact stated that the recall notification was not received. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

NHTSA ODI 11625192

Engine failed to start and made loud knocking noises. Knocking noises continued and vehicle towed to dealer. Oil level was full and all routine maintenance performed up to this point. Oil level full at time of failure. Dealer confirmed knocking, stated the knocking went away after running for a period of time. Dealer requested 3 hours of labor and we are currently determining our next step. The vehicle is available for inspection at Kings Kia in Northern Cincinnati. 137,000 miles. Also have video of engine knock. Recently had HECU recall and it potentially caused ABS light, independent repair shop recommended new HECU after recall performed due to low voltage from yellow wire, dealer claimed replacing wheel speed sensor, we still suspected other electrical issues may have been caused.

NHTSA ODI 11623226

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the engine oil was abnormally low and added engine oil to the vehicle. The contact stated that a month later while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the head gasket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 231,000.

NHTSA ODI 11621755

The snow white pearl paint on my 2013 Kia Sorento is chipping and peeling off due to a latent effect .. starting at the front bumper .. grill assembly..a pillars .. hood ..roof and is now starting to chip on back latch.

NHTSA ODI 11621617