2013 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 981 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 23 involved a crash and 44 involved a fire. 33 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 25, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Campaign 23V652000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineDec 2, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Campaign 20V750000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsDec 19, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Campaign 18V907000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineMar 31, 2017
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Campaign 17V224000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 6, 2015
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Campaign 15V626000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
512 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Nov 22, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle was running rough. The contact thought she had bad fuel. The contact stated after restarting the vehicle, it seized. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V750000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who confirmed that parts were not available. The dealer diagnosed there was a loss of compression in cylinders #1 and #2. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and determined that the failure was due to the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, Nov 9, 2021, fire
The contact owned a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 74 MPH, an abnormal knocking noise began to emit from the engine as the check engine and ABS warning lights appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle suddenly lost power as the contact began to smell smoke in his cabin. The contact immediately pulled over and once the engine was turned off, the engine became engulfed in flames. The contact exited the vehicle and called the authorities to his location. The fire was extinguished by the fire department; a police report was not filed. The contact did not sustain any injuries as a result of the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was destroyed. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Engine, Oct 27, 2021, fire
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contacts husband stated while driving approximately 45mph when smoke came from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing an engine replaced. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (ENGINE) however was refused recall repair. The manufacturer was informed of failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Engine, Oct 25, 2021
While exiting the interstate highway the electrical system and engine stopped working as I approached the intersection. After getting the engine started again we learned that the piston rods were shot and the engine was no good. The vehicle had 120,000 miles.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 29, 2021, fire
Vehicle caught on fire, beginning in the engine compartment. No warning indications showed on the instrument panel. Driver and two children were able to exit the vehicle and notify the fire department. The fire investigator believes the fire started in proximity of the alternator. The engine has been replaced under warranty by Kia twice.
Engine, Aug 29, 2021
The vehicle was driving smoothly than all of a sudden the engine steamed and died on the side of the high way. It make a knocking sound before it died out. Brought it to a dealership and they told me the engine, started and spark plugs are toast. Being 2nd owner it no longer covered under powertrain warranty.
Engine, Aug 23, 2021
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.
Exterior lighting, Structure, Engine, Aug 9, 2021
Paint peeling and chipping off my car and my insurance stated they will not cover a Manufacture defect…
Engine, Aug 2, 2021
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.
Engine, Aug 2, 2021
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.
Engine, Jul 6, 2021
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.
Engine, Jul 1, 2021
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.
Engine, Jun 26, 2021
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.
Engine, Jun 15, 2021
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.
Engine, Jun 15, 2021
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.
Engine, Jun 3, 2021
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.
Engine, May 28, 2021
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.
Engine, May 26, 2021
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.
Engine, May 21, 2021, fire
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.
Engine, May 14, 2021
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.
Engine, May 13, 2021
TL* 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.
Engine, Apr 15, 2021
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.
Engine, Apr 10, 2021, fire
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.
Engine, Apr 9, 2021
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.
Engine, Mar 16, 2021
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.