What 746 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

2014-2015 Kia Sorento 3.3L V6 Engines Coolant Leak Extension of Warranty and or Financial reimbursement of a repair done prior to receive this notice. engine develop coolant leak from cylinder head gasket area I have tried since 6-24-2024 to get a reimbursement from Kia for Case#[XXX] I have sent info through their website portal, last Dec 2024, they emailed, sent a requested paper, and still nothing. No reimbursement check, no notice that it isn't going to be paid, NOTHING. In a few days 24th it will have been 1 year since I contacted them. I would like my reimbursement check, I feel I have given them plenty of time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11667364

On [XXX] while driving at approximately 45 mph the check engine light came on and the car would not accelerate. It was towed to the Kia Dealership in Charleston South Carolina. A Code P1326 was diagnosed. They performed bearing clearance test and it passed. Also Performed software update. The car drove as normal until [XXX]. On [XXX] while on the interstate, going about 65 mph, the check engine light began flashing and car would not accelerate. The car was taken to the Kia dealership in Florence, South Carolina where we were told the knocking sensor needed to up updated. We told them it already had been updated in January by the Kia dealership in Charleston South Carolina. We were then told we had to take it back to Charleston and have that dealership work on the car. We called Kia Customer Care Center because the Florence Kia was refusing to work on the car. Kia Customer care also told us to have the car towed back to Charleston because the Florence Kia was backed up months before they could even look at it. We were told towing would be reimbursed. We had the car taken back to Charleston and have provided all the service records we had to the dealership. It has been over six weeks and still waiting for an answer about the engine. Kia Support says they haven't received any of our services records from the dealership and the dealership says they sent the records. We are not allowed to send the records straight to Kia support. We have asked the Kia Dealership what needs to be done to fix the car but they said they can't tell us until Kia support tells them. We do not know if any inspections have been done of the car yet. We are given very little information by the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11667035

My 2015 Kia Sorento was in complete engine failure need help of repairing and replacing engine

NHTSA ODI 11666019

On April 26, 2025, while driving, my car just stopped in the middle of the road. There were no warning signs, no engine indicator light on on the dash. It just stopped and would not crank.

NHTSA ODI 11660441

With little to no warning my check engine, steering, and oil lights turned on and the engine stalled after a loud noise as I was coming to a stop. This occurred on a major highway and could have been catastrophic and dangerous if it occurred at full speed by leaving my vehicle in the middle of the road open to potential collisions that could harm myself or others. Thank goodness i did not have any passengers. I was barely able to pull off to the median and had the vehicle towed to a mechanic who confirmed the engine had seized due to rapid oil loss and found metal debris in the engine oil. They are recommending a full engine replacement. I called the dealership to see if they would agree to inspect the vehicle or see if there had been any reports or recalls associated. I specifically asked them is there was a knock sensor update needed on my vehicle since the mechanic told me there are open complaints about this upgrade not being done and it causing engine failure. The dealership I spoke with stated there are no upgrades or recalls open for my vehicle and refused to inspect the vehicle stating "there is nothing in their system that would indicate an issue". The vehicle is available for inspection for now. I see there are many similar reports over the past year or so for this model. There apparently was a recall for this issue on the following year's model and the 2.4 engine, however I strongly believe the 2015 Sorento 3.3 engine should be thoroughly investigated.

NHTSA ODI 11658674

The entire car failed as it caught fire. I wasn't able to break or put the car into park and it rolled to a stop while smoke was coming through the vents. Because of this, my passenger and I exited the vehicle and crossed the expressway while a highway patroller was directing traffic away from the car. Within 2 minutes the car was engulfed in flames. The car is not available for inspection as it was towed away and disposed of. The safety of myself and the passenger were at risk because the entire car broke out in flames and soon exploded. If we stayed in the car for any longer than we did, we would have died. UNKOWN. I do not believe that the vehicle has been inspected. The warning lights all turned on at exactly the same time, about 3-5 seconds before the car completely stopped.

NHTSA ODI 11655958

Kia Sorento Limited 2015. Regular oil changes on engine using Valvoline synthetic oil. 118k miles on the 3.3L engine. Car is in mint condition. I have all records. At oil change, Valvoline tech mentioned it was low on oil. Never had a tech tell me that before. 24 hours after oil change, I started the engine and heard a pinging noise. I let the engine warm up and the sounds smoothed out. I drove it for less than 5 minutes on the highway at 60mph and warning lights came on and the car had no power from the engine. No loud sounds or knocking at the time. Kia South Dealer is telling me I have to buy a rebuilt engine for $5.5k and will cost $6K to install. That cost is more than the car is worth. With me research, there are two huge issues with the engine. Head bolts loosing and lack of oil distribution on one cylinder causing bearings to melt. I know there is not a recall on this but there is on the same engine for the Hyndai Sante Fe. I baby this car and I feel very betrayed that the engine gave it the way it did. My car looks brand new as I take great care of it but now I have an engine that should last twice as long that is now dead. Shouldn't this engine should be applicable for an extended warranty or for Kia to step up and help with the cost? What can I do? Really appreciate your help!!!!! Sincerely, [XXX] Original Owner since I bought it Dec 2014. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11652700

Engine died in the middle of the right of way suddenly and would not restart. Knocking sound ensued when restart was attempted. Within the previous 48 hours, the engine had been topped off with 2 quarts of oil. The dealership it was towed to to assess the issue confirmed they added an additional 3 quarts of oil during the assessment. They confirmed the engine would need to be replaced. Mileage at the time of incident was 68K. Kia corporate confirmed they would not replace the engine since there are 4 owners on the vehicle history, and the warranty expired at 60K miles as a result.

NHTSA ODI 11652193

Just purchased Sorento and within a week a p1326 code came up. Kia refused to look at car saying they are booked out for months hung up phone on me.got the same response from every Kia dealer. Had a mechanic replace knock sensor and the problem still exists and car not drivable. I'm a single mom with two infants and spent all my money buying this car. I did a Google search on this car about it's dependability and it came back very dependable with engines lasting upwards of 300,000 miles. Mechanic told me Kia needs to replace engine as it falls under class action and lifetime warranty. Kia will not schedule an appointment for me to bring car in. Why are they not pulling these cars off road knowing they are damaged and continue stealing people's money ? This is destroying me and my family I may lose my job over this and I'll lose my apartment. Again I'm a single mom and can't afford to be defrauded like this. These vehicles should have their titles branded if Kia not going to repair them.

NHTSA ODI 11651042

I was driving normally in the Garden State Parkway when suddenly The “Check Engine Light”, The “Check Engine Oil”, and Battery light lighted up causing me to almost losing control and the car shutting down.

NHTSA ODI 11650558

The problem started when our car died while driving it. After a few different replacements, Kia decided to replace the entire engine under a recall. After driving the car for a short period of time, the check engine light came on. I went to check the oil and it smelled overwhelmingly like gasoline. I took it to my mechanic who said the check engine light was coming on because of the catalytic converter needing replaced. And the high pressure fuel pump was leaking gas into the oil tank. He said that both of these reasons were because the engine was replaced and they should have all been replaced simultaneously under the recall. I did look it up and there was a second recall for 2015 Kia Sorentos who had there engine replaced, that the high pressure fuel pump should be replaced because it was leaking gas into the oil tank. However, Kia told us we do not qualify for the recall because it was a different type of engine. But this is the exact same car and exact same issue, therefore I feel this should be included under the recall 17V-224.

NHTSA ODI 11649576

UNKNOWN. My engine light comes on often. When I had my oil changed the professional indicated that my car is burning oil. When reviewing online, it appears that this is a common issue for Kia Sorento and specifically the engine that is installed in my 2015.

NHTSA ODI 11647886

The oil pump quit and Kia had a service bulletin that indicated that the oil pumps were defective and 10 years or 180k they would repair. Not may case.

NHTSA ODI 11646743

My car started shaking and making knocking sounds, pulled over and turned it off, tried to turn it back on and it shut off, had it towed to a family/friend mechanic he says my engine needs to be replaced. I’ve never had issues up until now.

NHTSA ODI 11646196

Kia had a class action lawsuit for rod bearing failure. The settlement appears to require a KSDS (knock sensor) software update. This was a 'Product improvement campaign', which would extend the warranty to 15yr 150k miles. Kia mailed the letter to a previous address, failing to notify the owner. This should have been a recall. Engine has seized, warranty claim denied. Estimated repair over $9,000. Kia failed to notify owner of the defect, only sending one letter, to a bad address. Kia is dodging it's responsibility, the warranty claim is denied. This reeks. Looking up on their website for recall information, it says 0 incomplete campaigns for vin number.

NHTSA ODI 11640873

September 2024, the engine cooling fan began staying on after shutting off the vehicle, and October 2024, we began to hear unusual engine noises and a bubbling sound from behind the dashboard. November 2024, we began to see intermittent poor performance with the HVAC system, and then on [XXX], the temperature gauge climbed to H. We called Matthews Kia of Greece, 4321 W Ridge Rd, Rochester, NY 14626, and brought the vehicle in on 11/15/2024. Matthews Kia had the vehicle from 11/15 to 11/29/2024. They reported performing a coolant pressure test and block test but found no signs of a coolant leak. They opened a tech line case under warranty extension WTY039, and they were told to release the vehicle. Matthews Kia informed us that the coolant reservoir appeared to have “an odor of alcohol” and some contamination, so we paid for a coolant flush at 140,438 miles (previous coolant flush was completed at 127,057 miles). We drove the vehicle for two more weeks. During that time, the check engine light turned on, and the temperature gauge would rise to H and then slowly descend back to standard operating position. We returned the vehicle to Matthews Kia on 12/13/2024, with 141,266 miles. They reported not being able to identify the source of overheating, and they indicated that the vehicle did not meet qualifications for the extended warranty under TSB #254. Matthews Kia suggested replacing the thermostat. This was replaced, and motor oil and coolant were topped off on 1/3/2025 with 141,280 miles. Within ten miles of leaving Matthews Kia on 1/3/2025, the check engine light came back on. During the following week, HVAC system also stopped blowing hot air and would frequently only blow cold air. The temperature gauge began rising to the H mark repeatedly on short trips (7-10 miles). We spoke with Matthews Kia on 1/16/2025, and returned the vehicle to them for further evaluation. The service dept at the dealer said they have no explanation and cannot diagnose the problem. FORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11638639

Coolant and oil are mixing. Coolant was over flowing from the reservoir. High oil consumption. Oil was just topped off about 1000 miles ago and is very low on the dipstick now. Coolant mixing with oil seems like the issue the 2016-17 3.3 V6s are experiencing with the stripped head bolts. HEAD GASKET/ENGINE FAILURE is imminent. Extend the warranty to all 3.3 liters not just 2016 and 2017 (15 years/180,000).

NHTSA ODI 11637622

I don’t know why, but I keep losing oil somewhere. I do my oil changes on time regularly and they said it’s burning oil fast and that that’s an issue with all Kia.

NHTSA ODI 11635196

Engine seized up. Apparently it is common with Kia engines

NHTSA ODI 11632622

Was driving on the freeway and vehicle shut off doing 70 miles per hour. Had to pull over in the dark on the side of the freeway and car would not start. Has never had any problems with this before. I drive it to work and back everyday and no issues. It was very scary to sit on the side of the freeway for over two hours and 50 miles from home in the dark. I had to car the car towed to our home cost me almost 200.00. Mechanic looked at it and believes it is an engine failure. There are metal shavings in the oil. I can not drive my car it is in my driveway and will not stay on. Never had anything like this happen before. It is a 2015 with 106,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11627244

March of 2022 the engine stalled out and found out due to coolant leaking from head gasget area. Put new engine in and July 2024 the new engine started stalling and knocking. No warning lights. In middle of busy traffic and died. Rod bearings failed and metal shavings appeared in engine. Need another engine but can't afford it. Dealership said its manufacturer problem. I know other kia engines were covered under the problem with rod bearing but ours wasn't. This should be included

NHTSA ODI 11625135

My engine is using excessive amounts of oil. I am having to fill the engine with oil in between my 3000-mile oil changes. No oil is leaking in my driveway. I just started an oil consumption test with a dealer and after driving it 1000 miles I brought it back to them as they asked, and the engine oil level had dropped by almost 4 qt. But after making some calls with KIA regional they said they my car wouldn't have the engine replaced due to it not being in the recall. KIA knows there is a problem with their engines and will not fix the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11623351

While driving my 2015 Kia Sedona, was at a stop sign and began making a left turn. Half way thru the intersecion the vehicle just stopped running. I managed to get half off the 2-lane road, blocking half off the road with traffic coming both ways. I was there approximately 45 before the tow truck came to tow the car to the mechanic's shop where he confirmed the problem was a common problem with the 2015 Kia Sedona. There was absolutely no warning that the vehicle was going to become incapacitated, no warning lights or messages prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI 11621361

I was driving and it started to make a knocking noise thays when i saw the engine light come on then my car turned off. I took it to autozone and 2 sensors are bad. I went to pep boys and they said that it needs a engine replacement and it falls under the tsd dates. I called my Kia dealership and they said that they don't see any recalls on my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11620805

What component or system failed or malfunctioned? The engine began leaking hot air bubbles into the cooling system, causing hot coolant to leak into the harness and parts of the car. Is it available for inspection upon request? No, the manufacturer has responded that it does not cover the warranty because it is in another country, although the brand is present there. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? When heating the system there is a risk of burst hoses or catastrophic damage to the systems when driving and therefore risk of explosion or fire. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by an independent dealer or service center? Yes, through an independent service center in the country where the vehicle is currently located. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Mechanical technicians state that it is a factory defect. Were there warning lights, messages or other symptoms of the problem before the failure and when did they first appear? No warnings, just hot coolant splashing onto the engine. Kia Sorento is a family vehicle, which we could not enjoy due to engine failures. Considering the timely maintenance, the brand must respond for the risk we ran by driving a vehicle with a catastrophic engine failure.

NHTSA ODI 11619767