CarComplaints.com Notes: There are just too many engine stalls or shuts down while driving reports to feel good about the Sorento. Especially when those things happen, on average, at just over 32,000 miles. Hopefully things will change.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 31
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
72,437 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Kia Sorento engine problems

engine problem

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2013 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 4 of 23)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #400

Aug 202021

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Excessive oil consumption. Kia stated this is a known issue but is not "quite to the status of a recall." They said there is no fix to the issue and they cannot diagnose what is causing the excessive oil consumption but can confirm it is not leaking. Both the Kia dealership and general Kia phone support informed me there is nothing they can do and the best suggestion they can provide is to wait until the engine seizes up. They said at that point, I can have it towed to a local Kia dealership or "limp" it to a dealership and it would then be qualified for an engine replacement under a different recall. I asked if I should top it off with oil to prevent the engine from failing while we are driving, and they informed me not to do this "as that will only prolong the issue." I then confirmed with them that the only solution being provided was to continue driving the car and wait until the engine fails while I am driving down the road, potentially with my family in the car which is an extremely dangerous situation. Multiple different Kia reps confirmed that is the only and "best" solution they can provide. The dealership said they see this issue with this engine "all the time and it sucks" but they cannot help me until I bring them a seized-up engine. They also said there is nothing they can do to fix the issue before the engine goes bad. They tried to provide a glimmer of hope by saying, "the good news is there is a 99% chance you will get a new engine because we see major engine issues so often Kia just replaces the engine instead of having us tear it apart to diagnosis the issue because that takes less time and is cheaper." However, they confirmed again they will not and "cannot" fix the car until I bring them a seized engine and continue driving it until it fails. Kia is directly telling consumers to put themselves and their families in harm's way by not fixing a known issue and telling drivers to wait until their engine fails while in the act of driving.

- Clayton, NC, USA

problem #399

Aug 092021

Sorento

  • miles
Paint peeling and chipping off my car and my insurance stated they will not cover a Manufacture defect-€¦

- Naples , ME, USA

problem #398

Jul 292021

Sorento

  • miles
I was driving home from work on the I79 going to Pittsburgh, when I had to switch lanes because of construction my car struggled to increase in speed. As I pressed down on the gas petal all the warning lights on my dashboard came on and my car slowed down, so grateful I was able to pull my car off the highway barely. I turned my car off and waiting, then when I tried to turn it on, it wouldn-€™t turn over. I called my insurance and requested a jump, but when the roadside assistance arrived, he jumped my car but that didn-€™t help, he checked my oil and asked about my recent inspection. After all the information and attempts, he researched my VIN and found out it had all the systems of the Kia recall. I am just lucky I was driving the speed limit and made it off the highway lanes even thought I was stuck on the highway off ramp. I think what if I was speeding and had cars following me, then this happened? I would be severely injured, dead, and put others in risk of that danger too.

- Mckeesport , PA, USA

problem #397

Jul 052021

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I took my vehicle in to have the oil changed and have a inspection. During the inspection they found that the timing belt cover was just starting to leak. They would need to replace the gasket costing over $1700, then inspect the rest of the components. Thats not even what it is gonna cost if there is more to be done. Under 130000 miles.

- Eugene, OR, USA

problem #396

Mar 152021

Sorento

  • 235,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V750000 (Engine). The vehicle was then taken to the local dealer for the recall repair however, due to severe rust to the subframe, the dealer declined to provide the service. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle would be repurchased at wholesale value. The failure mileage was approximately 235,000.

- Hanover, IL, USA

problem #395

Aug 102020

Sorento

  • miles
While on the highway, the engine blew causing a sudden loss of speed and power steeting. The car/engine is currently available for inspection. This is a known issue with the 2013 Kia Sorentos as well as other models. From reviews online, it appears that there is an issue with the crankshaft and oil. For some reason other 2013 Sorentos (and other models) were recalled - this VIN was not. The car was inspected by two independent mechanics (two different companies) and both advised that this is the same problem that was recalled for the crankshaft/oil issue and that I should contact Kia. I contacted Kia and they said this VIN was not re-called. There were no warnings in regards to this issue. The car suddenly lost speed on the highway and I was fortunate enough to be able to glide to a safe area off the highway.

- Milford, CT, USA

problem #394

Jun 012020

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

for the past year my car has been losing a lot of oil and i've been replacing the oil not thinking much of it until a couple months ago 3 times right after an oil change I lost all all my oil where there was no oil left on the dipstick and no check engine or oil light has come on telling me that my oil is running out. Twice I had to stop on the side of the road and await for friends to bring me oil because i was afraid to ruin my engine. If I wasn't a person that checks oil a lot I'd have no car. Also on this car when I first got the car I had to replace the transmission and I want to check the transmission but this vehicle don;t have a dipstick. I've been checking all the recalls for this vehicle and called the dealership and all they want me to do is bring the vehicle in and charge me money I don't have. I've been reading that oil consumption is a major problem with this vehicle. I'm afraid I may have damaged my engine and Kia is at fault for not fixing this problem years ago and have warning lights for this problem. Monday I'm going to go to the dealership and speak to someone that may be able to help me. Today I replaced the PVC valve as I understand that may be the cause. No oil leaks from the engine and I don't know where the oil is going and I'm afraid the car will lock up and harm my passengers. It first started around 6/2020 but got worse 1/2021.

- Hagerstown, MD, USA

problem #393

Jun 012021

Sorento

  • 107,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at various speeds, the vehicle loss motive power without warning. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the roadway and would be able to restart the vehicle a few minutes after failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the Vin was not under recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was referred to a local dealer for further assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

- Spotsylvania, VA, USA

problem #392

Jun 042021

Sorento

  • miles
When I first bought my Kia Sorento my car died on me in 2013 in the middle of the freeway while I was pregnant. The car completely shutoff on the freeway. I was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. I took it to the dealer and they could not find anything wrong. Two years later, the engine shut off on me again, this time with my child, husband and mother in the car, I again was pregnant at this time. I took it to the dealership again, and they were unable to find any codes on it. 5 years later, my vehicle died on me three times in one weekend. Again, with my two children and husband in the car. It has now been at a shop for over a week, and they have not been able to find any codes. My safety and my families safety at all times was put at high risk due to majority of the instances of my Kia Sorento engine shutting off was on the free way. No warning lights appear on the dash before the vehicle shuts off and once the vehicle turns on, there are no warning lights that appear/stay on.

- Redding , CA, USA

problem #391

May 142021

Sorento

  • 0 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The contact stated that on one occasion while driving 55 mph, she heard an abnormal sound prior to the vehicle stalling. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was parked on the side of the road. The contact then towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #390

May 052021

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On May 5, 2021 our Sorento started smoking/steaming so we had it towed to our Kia service center who told us we needed a new engine due to bolts being stripped and warping the cylinder head. The vehicle is currently at our local mechanic and can be made available for inspections. I believe the engine could have done a lot more damage to us and others around if the engine had caused the vehicle to seize and cause an accident. The vehicle has only been seen by the Kia service center and my local mechanic. No other personnel has inspected the vehicle. The vehicle started to overheat about a week or two prior to the final incident. We took it to a mechanic (not my local mechanic) stating the vehicle was overheating, though they were unable to recreate the overheating. It is unknown why they couldn't replicate the issue.

- Golden, CO, USA

problem #389

Jan 012021

Sorento

  • miles
in 2019 our car's engine was replaced due to a engine recall. The recall pertained to engines seizing, locking up, catching fire all due to excessive oil consumption and connecting rod bearings. In the fall of 2020, early 2021, we noticed that the newly replaced engine was using excessive oil. On one instance, the dash oil light came on after having oil changed and drove 200 miles. Checking dipstick, no oil was registering. We put 5 qts oil in car. We then took the car to the dealership. The dealership informed us to perform a factory certified oil change, do a diagnostic testing for 1000 miles, bring back to dealership for further evaluation. we reluctantly did this test as we were concerned that the engine would lock up, catch fire, leave us stranded. Upon returning to dealership, further testing showed excessive oil consumption of this newly replaced engine and that it needed to be replaced yet again.

- Springfield, SC, USA

problem #388

Jan 182021

Sorento

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owned a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while the vehicle was stopped at a red light, she saw smoke emerging from the hood and the dashboard. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact stated that the engine had caught on fire. There were no crash or injuries due to the fire. The air bags did not deploy. The fire department was contacted and was able to extinguish the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle towed to a impound lot. The contact had not notified a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20V750000 (Engine). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and the contact filed a complaint with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 150,000.

- Humble, TX, USA

problem #387

Apr 242021

Sorento

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V750000 (engine). The contact stated that her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, when the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired and remained at the dealer, awaiting approval from the manufacturer to authorize the recall repair. The failure mileage was 130,000.

- Conyers, GA, USA

problem #386

Feb 122021

Sorento

  • miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V750000 (engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Jenkins Kia of ocala (2305 sw college rd, ocala, fl 34471, (352) 414-4553) and the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Saltspring, FL, USA

problem #385

Nov 012020

Sorento

  • 122,000 miles
In approximately November 2020, my 2013 Kia Sorento started using large amounts of oil in excess of 1 qt per week, when driving approximately 150- 200 miles' per week. Shortly after, I began smelling burning oil under the hood. I have taken the vehicle to a repair shop to find a leak, but none was found. One technician felt it could be a bad gasket, allowing excessive oil to enter the intake and burn there.

- Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA

problem #384

Dec 182020

Sorento

  • miles
On December 18, 2020 while driving on the freeway (in motion), without warning, an engine fire erupted in the vehicle. The flames were so pronounced that onlookers called the fire department. The vehicle had been regularly serviced and had no known mechanical problems at that point in time.

- Reno, NV, USA

problem #383

Apr 082021

Sorento

  • 92,000 miles
There is some kind of fluid leak, possibly oil, in the engine compartment. I did have vehicle checked in 2020 for a recall but they did nothing about the leak. Now the leak is causing engine to smoke after being driven. I know there is an engine recall on my vehicle but my local dealership chose not to address it on my last visit. I now have left a message to get vehicle checked again and no one has called back. I called Kia customer service and spoke with ryan in California and he said there are no recalls on my vehicle. Should my vehicle be checked under SC200? my vehicle has all the symptoms that fall under that recall. I am greatly concerned about engine fire/failure.

- Jacksonville, AL, USA

problem #382

Feb 242021

Sorento

  • 91,228 miles
My 2013 Sorento stalls randomly for no reason for about half second like engine skipping power for a micro moment and than keeps running. This happens at least 3-4 time a week but there is no open recall on my VIN. Last time it happened when I was driving on highway with 60 miles/hour and it stalled and RPM needle went to 0 but car keeps running. I took it to dealer and they started investingating. There is not check engine light or error code. Dealer duplicated problem once but then nothing. They opened technical case with Kia with no result. There is a PCM recall on stalling for PCM update from Kia back in 2014 but my VIN doesn't fall under it so they are not ready to perform any recall process on it. No help from Kia at all. Finally after almost 3 weeks I brought my Sorento back from dealer saying "if it happens again bring it back and we will check again". dealer keeps charging diagnostic fee every time I go. I think Kia doesn't for customer safety and don;T think what happens if vehicle stalls and stops on highway what happens to the people. They are playing with people's lives. I see thousands of people complaining on various forum for the same issue but again same thing their VIN doesn't fall under recall though it is a same problem.

- Milford, CT, USA

problem #381

Mar 142021

Sorento

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact attempted to start the vehicle when an abnormal noise appeared and without warning the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred. The vehicle was left undriveable. Century Kia of tampa (4340 w. hillsborough ave, tampa, fl 33614 (844) 757-2536) was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact mentioned NHTSA campaign number: 17V224000 (engine and engine cooling) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

- Tampa, FL, USA

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