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.
My car has repeatedly completely run out of oil after going 2500 of 5000 miles and the oil leaked into different parts of the car. The car is not drivable and shakes and the engine rattles. None of the dashboard indicators illuminated to indicate an issue, until after the car shut off as I placed it in drive and was trying to accelerate, on 9/24/22. I have only owned the car since 10/2021. This car-??s repairs should be covered under NHTSA Recall #20V750.
While I was driving on the interstate my head lights and dashboard lights went out. My lights were in auto mode. The next morning my park lights were on with the light switch in auto mode.
There is an electrical problem with the Kia Sorento. I had the battery and Alternator replaced when the vehicle shut down and locked up on me. This is the second time in a few months it just shut down while I was driving.
While in Auto Lights mode, the headlights will randomly turn off while driving. Also, while in auto mode, while the car is parked the lights will randomly turn on- causing the battery to die within a few days of the car not being used. It appears to be the Auto lights mode that causes the problem. This is extremely dangerous to this car and other cars on the road, for obvious reasons. Issue has been noted to Kia dealer 2-3 times over the last 2 years. They are not able to replicate the issue. No errors in the computer.
Headlights go off without warning while in auto driving at night. Has occurred 2 in the month of August 2022. Can be turned back on by twisting the control nob to on. Poses a dangerous situation on the dark county roads that we drive if not quick enough to manually turn back on.
- Seymour, TN, USA
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The "auto" headlight function keeps malfunctioning. It will randomly shut off the headlights and not turn back on. Numerous forums have reported the issue. This is extremely dangerous when driving at night.
When driving down the the interstate at night, my headlights just turn off while driving. They are on Auto. This has happened multiple times while driving. I have not took it to be looked at yet. There is no warning light or anything else that lets you know that there is a malfunction. The lights just go off. For them to come back on, I have to manually turn it off and back on again, and they will come back on.
My car started running badly with a knocking noise at the start. The knocking noise got worse, I so pulled over and checked the oil and there was virtually no oil in the engine. I filled it with oil and the knocking continued and got worse as I drove it to the dealer for service. The engine failed before I could make it to the dealer. It now needs a new engine. The Car was serviced regularly. NO LOW OIL ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TO NOTIFY ME OF LOW OIL. NO LEAK WAS DETECTED.
When -??auto-?? for headlights the lights won-??t turn on at night time unless I manually switch it or the lifts will be on and then go off on their own during the night.
Passenger seat belt not on warning no longer works when car is running or not running. Passenger can forget to put on seatbelt and no reminder chime. Problem is continuous. No warning lamps. Has been inspected but not repaired. Headlights come on and go off intermittently. Headlights come on when vehicle is off and not running Draining the battery down. Hard to duplicate. Has not been duplicated or repaired as it's intermittent without warning.
4/18/22 While making a right turn in a residential neighborhood, the car abruptly stopped and engine shut down. The stop was so abrupt that it threw my body forward and now have shoulder and neck pains. No warning lights were illuminated prior to this incident, however, after the engine shut down, the airbag light was lit. I drove it home slowly, called the Kia dealership in Manteca, CA. Making arrangements to have the vehicle towed and have it examined. Two days prior, the ! light came on. I noticed that the passenger side headlight was out. That same evening when I started the vehicle up, the ! light was gone and the headlight worked. I addition, when having the light control kept on Auto, the headlights remain on all the time. If this had happened in traffic or on the freeway, it may have had a different outcome.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed that the exterior of the driver's side mirror housing had melted. The contact stated that shortly after she could no longer lock or unlock the doors of the vehicle using the driver's side power door lock switch and the key fob. The contact was also unable to roll down the windows using the window switches. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had also failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an electrical fire had occurred in the driver's side mirror housing. The independent mechanic disconnected the electrical wiring system of the driver's side mirror housing. The contact stated that she could no longer adjust the driver's side mirror as needed and it could no longer turn in when the vehicle was parked. The contact stated that she was still experiencing electrical failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering assist and seized without warning. The contact was able to safely guide the vehicle off the roadway. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was a mechanical defect in the steering assembly and had to be addressed by a dealer. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the battery and a faulty ball joint replaced. The dealer stated that the failure was not due to the steering. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Left low beam bulb went out. The right side was rendered inoperable. Had no operational low beam, just parking and high beam lights. Safety issue, generated a dangerous and lot of irate drivers in on coming vehicle-??s, with inability to lower the high beams. Once the left low beam bulb was replaced right side became operable full low beam was operating. Don-??t know if this a fluke with this vehicle or engineering problem. Created a high stress situation!
I was leaving my cousins apartment complex when the vehicle stalled. I attempted to try to start the vehicle again but it would not turn over. All the lights in the vehicle were on and the radio was still playing so it did not appear to be the battery. I attempted to try and start the vehicle again and noticed gray smoke coming from under the hood. I then began to smell something burning, so I exited the vehicle and popped the hood. I then noticed a fire coming from the engine behind the air filter componet. About 10 seconds later I heard a pop and took off running to a safer location and called 911. The fire then began to grow bigger and the whole front of the vehicle was in flames. The fire department responded and put the fire out. There were no warning lights that came on. If I had not exited the vehicle when I did I probably would have been severly burnt as the whole front windshield shattered and the dash was melted and front seats were burnt.
While driving with the headlights in the "Auto" position, when a turn blinker is used the headlights will randomly turn off for about 10-15 seconds. Not much of an issue during the daytime but certainly a major safety concern at night. This problem can be replicated during the daytime by watch the dash lights switch from "Auto" to "Off" on the driver's dash. Moving the switch from the Auto to On has no effect on the lights. This problem occurs about 30% of the time when using the turn signal.
I have complained since 2020 about the noise in the rear area, this started when the right rear light was rewired. I can't pinpoint what triggers the noise to start, sometimes it happens when the SUV is off, and idling and driving but not consistently. I left with an unresolved issue. I went to the dealership today( 05/14/2021) @ 11:00 @ Greenway Kia West 3407 West Colonial Drive Orlando Florida 32808, to complain that my oil is running completely out of the engine and I was told all the fees I will have to pay in order to check this problem, I didn't say I had a leak or noise but disappearing. This is a manufacturers issues, and the warranty should cover. I told them my windshield is bubbling at the top and maybe separating, and still again all I heard was fees, I purchased a Kia Sorrento based on the good warranty and the place I felt very safe. I am very very disappointed in the dealership and my safety is at risk and I hope nothing happens before something happens.
When pressing on the brake pedal, the transmission will not shift out of park. The only way to shift out of park is to depress the transmission shift override. A new brake light switch did not correct the issue. To date, the vehicle has not been repaired, inspected by dealer, manufacturer, police or insurance representative. No warning lamps, message or other symptoms of the problem occurred prior to the failure.
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- Parkville , MD, USA