2014 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 987 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 23 involved a crash and 46 involved a fire. 24 people were injured and 1 person died.
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
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideMay 10, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Campaign 21V331000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideAug 27, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Campaign 20V519000 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, axle assembly, axle shaftAug 13, 2013
Kia Motors Corp. is recalling certain model year 2014 front wheel drive Sorento vehicles manufactured January 7, 2013, through March 12, 2013; and equipped with 2.4 liter engines. Due to a manufacturing issue, the right front axle shaft may fracture.
A fractured front axle may result in a loss of power to the wheels. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked without the parking brake applied, it may roll away. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2013. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542 . Kia's recall number is SC099.
Campaign 13V356000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
406 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 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 the check engine, the MIL, and the ABS warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine, Jan 11, 2024
The shop I took it to tested the compression and 3 cylinders were out. They said I need A new engine at 120k miles on it.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Jan 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 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 the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to coast off to the side of the highway and then noticed smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact did not open the hood and had the vehicle towed to an unknown dealer. The contact stated the dealer advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 19, 2023
Fuel pump/engine began failing before the engine locked up. I was driving down a country road and lost power. When I floored it the top speed was approx. 7 MPH. I did not have anywhere to pull over. It has been inspected by the manufacturer and they said it needs a new engine. There were no warning signs or anything. I don't know how to answer if the problem has been reproduced. Via Kia forums, this is a common issue that is usually handled with the extended warranty. I've contacted Kia and they admit I'm having issues. Quote from their email "We apologize about the issues you are having with your engine and fuel pump in your 2014 Kia Sorento."
Engine, Dec 11, 2023
The vehicle shows that it is running hot but when I check there is coolant in the reservoir but then when I check the radiator there is little to no coolant in it
Engine, Dec 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine oil light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with excessive oil consumption and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the engine would not be replaced until the rod bearings had failed unless she wanted to pay for the replacement of the engine. The contact stated that she had recently experienced an additional failure with the vehicle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service engine light, ABS, traction, and tire pressure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed rear wheel speed sensor. The contact was informed that the rear wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that soon after the repair the check engine warning light illuminated and had been illuminated for several weeks. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,530.
Engine, Nov 27, 2023
The engine randomly around 45,000 miles started using large amount of oil. The engine started ticking. It is available for inspection, upon request. The safety of myself and others is put at risk as the engine is a ticking time bomb to blow up. When it first starts happening, you do not notice, as you get regular oil changes at the dealership and they never once say that your oil was dangerously low when you brought it in. The problem has been expressed to me by independent service shops as a gdi issue. I called the dealership and they said the only thing they can do is an oil consumption test for $600. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. There are no warnings lamps that come up at all, not for low oil or anything.
Engine, Nov 16, 2023
Car timing failed on the 3.3 and stalled car in the road. This is a very common problem and these need to be fixed. These cars randomly jump timing with no warning what so ever. Kia knew these were an issue and should replace the engine in my car along with everyone else that has this issue. Car is at a shop now with a confirmed jumped timing.
Engine, Nov 10, 2023
I have a 2014 Kia Sorento with a 3.3l engine. There was a catastrophic blow of the head gasket that resulted in engine temperatures spiking while driving on the interstate. This led to excessive deceleration and stopping on the side of the interstate. After researching, this is an ongoing problem with this vehicle. It even has a nickname, "Soft Block", from KIA using substandard materials to build their engines. I submitted a complaint against Kia through the NHTSA website on November 10th. Since that time, I have come to realize that Kia has issued a warranty extension for 2016-2017 Kia Sorento's with the 3.3l Lambda engine for cooling leaking and head gasket issues. What would be the process for expanding your open investigation (NHTSA Action Number: PE23019) to include the 2014 and 2015 model years of the Kia Sorento with the 3.3l engine? This is the exact same engine, and these exact same issues are prevalent in these years as well.
Engine, Nov 10, 2023
Engine seized again after the last recall and engine replacement leaving me stranded in an intersection and $416 in towing expenses transported to the mechanic and back home when told engine is seized
Service brakes, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 5, 2023, crash
Replaced engine 1/31/23 had open recall per 21v331was not repaired even though they wasn’t suppose to return vehicle according to recall. They said It would be safe to drive.Said they had no remedy to fix they would call me. Few days car stalls alternator was hanging had to replace. They didn’t replace properly. With in a month cars brakes were acting weird took in for diagnostic back brakes no remedy. Call Kia still no parts for recall. Sept 11,23 was pulling off expressway during 5 o'clock traffic my brakes locked up I had no control. Towed to Kia they wanted 75. to look at it then 2700. to fix the brakes. And stated I had no brake fluid. Which was just checked. They said recall did not cover the repairs Neither the engine recall nor the brake, hecu, abs, stability control recall. I contacted Kia they told me they would get back to me. As of Oct.31,23 they had not done any repairs or response from Kia. So I traded my car back to Kia so I would have a vehicle for school and work. I’ve tried to get reimbursement from Kia. For rental car etc. And keep getting the run around. I have towing, rental, and repairs that they are refusing to reimburse me. I drove the recalled vehicle for 9 months and could have been killed myself, my daughter, as well as others. Kia could care less! I traded vehicle 10/31 the recall was cleared on my 2014 Sorento on 11/4 according to Nhtsa.gov 3 days they clear it so they could sell it. I m really disgusted with Kia. I’m out thousands of dollars for their neglect. They couldn’t repair the recall for longer than 9 months for me . But as soon as I trade it to them it’s repaired or they are lying just so they can sell it. Just like when they sold it to me with 2 open recalls without telling me it had them. What do I need to do? Suggestions? I do have more receipts and documents
Engine, Oct 12, 2023, fire
ENGINE FIRE, NO WARNING, VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND OFF WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE
Engine, Oct 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH and making a turn, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an internal engine failure, connecting rod damage, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Engine, Sep 28, 2023
Engine continues to leak oil. Cannot be driven. 2014 Kia Sorento SUV which is under recall for engine fires yet they state her particular vin is not under the recall.
Engine, Sep 27, 2023
The engine on my 2014 Kia Sorento has failed. I brought the vehicle in to Bob Sight Kia to have them diagnose the problem. They claimed that when they drained the oil, they only found 3/4 of a quart of oil and for that reason, Kia was denying the claim for a new engine. I find it hard to believe that there was only 3/4 of a quart of oil in the car as we conducted regular maintenance on the vehicle and provided all service records. When I contacted Kia, they stated that they had not received any documentation from Bob Sight Kia, and specifically no technical details why the engine had failed, or provide an estimate for repair costs. In the last three weeks that our Sorento has been at Bob Sight Kia (brought to dealer on 9-9-23), when I call to speak with the service center point of contact, I get his voicemail or someone says he is away from his desk or on leave and nobody responds to my voicemails or emails, even though I have volunteered to provide more information if necessary. There is a Facebook page with 976 followers stating why Kia has denied their claims for replacement of failed defective engines. Fortunately, in my case, I was able to drive the car to the dealership before the engine stopped working but in many cases the engines failed while people were in busy traffic, exposing them to dangerous situations. In my case specifically the engine light started flashing and the vehicle was being very sluggish, struggled to make it up hills and would occasionally stall.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 23, 2023
Car was traveling from Atlanta and the speed odometer on the car showed it was dropping then knock noise pull over then I made to exit and check oil Guage the sensor lights never showed when I had picked up the person house I took to said it was crank sensor and started it heard knocking sound and I call NHTSA reported incident and was giving a claim number haven't heard anything since I no its recall on engine cause I had received paperwork that it was and also saw report on news
Engine, Sep 12, 2023
Engine was replaced in 2021 due to oil consumption issues. After copays and having a rental car for 2 months while waiting for repairs I shelled out about 7k. Now catalytic converter has failed, about one week after last oil change. Extended coverage is just over by mileage according to dealership and unsure if Kia will cover, awaiting response. After researching this issue with my vehicle, I found other owners who had the same issue and suggested it should have been replaced with engine as there was a past recall for this. Others stated that Kia is not covering even though there was a recall. Even if they covered the parts that would help substantially. Car currently at service center at Kia dealership awaiting to see if Kia will assist at good will or cover under the recall.
Seat belts, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 18, 2023
We bought the car 6 months ago from a dealership and since then the breaks are bad the engine makes this strange noise it always smells like oil is burning. The seat belts don't stay latch and I hr suspension is all over the place.
Engine, Aug 17, 2023
After work, a severe dust storm hit. I drove to the grocery store and then home (30 miles) in the dust storm. The next morning, as I was driving to work, I heard a weird knocking noise, but no engine lights came on. My car would not start during my lunch break, nor when I got off work. My boyfriend tried to jump it off. When that didn’t work, we traded the battery out since it was still under warranty. That did not work. We went back the next day and checked my oil levels and other fluids - all were good. My boyfriend then hooked up his small code reader which didn’t read any problems. The next day my mom started the car by putting the spare key up to the start button. She took it to Gene Messer Kia about 5 miles away. She said no engine lights came on, but the engine was knocking. Once she turned it off the mechanics were not able to start the car again. They looked over it and said they could not find any reason for my engine to have died. I asked them if it could have been the dust storm. They said no; the engine was well sealed, block was not cracked, oil levels were good, etc. They quoted me $11,521 for a new engine. However, I did not want to pay that because my car was only worth $5,500-7,000 (trade-in verse private sale) according to Kelly Blue Book. I called my insurance and had an inspector come look at it hoping he would be able to say the storm caused the issue and total my car so I could pay off my loan. However, they also could not find a cause for what happened to my engine. We sold it to Peddle.com.
Engine, Aug 1, 2023
Car recently hit 103,000 miles and was taken in for its scheduled oil change. Mechanic discovered that only a single quart of oil was left in the engine during the oil change despite regular maintenance. Metal flakes were found in the oil that was removed which points to a similar recall with the engine bearings identified in 2017. However, the VIN of this vehicle is not showing up in the recall list. Mechanic is recommending the engine be replaced in the vehicle.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 20, 2023
In May of 2021 my 2014 Kia Sorrento had major engine problems. I brought it to Myrtle Beach Kia immediately and after 5 months of back and forth and paying for rental vehicles, I was told that they would not cover any repairs due to the Recall! I then paid $8, 663.63 for a repair that was never fully completed. Immediately after receiving vehicle back, check engine light was on. Numerous call to the dealership and I was told dont worry it just needs to cycle through. My vehicle has NEVER been properly serviced by them. I have kept up will all oil changes and maintenance in the meantime. I was told the check engine light codes were PO335 & PO 0018. I have had the Camshaft Bank Sensor and Crankshaft sensor replaced on [XXX] and this vehicle STILL has same check engine light on and is not receiving proper power while driving. I looked up recalls and found that currently recall 21 V331000 is in effect, this recall is a major safety issue especially being that I have 3 children that I drive around in and there may be a fire! I called Myrtle Beach Kia and the earliest they can get me in to service is a month from now, on [XXX]!! I feel that especially after everything I have been put through with this vehicle and the amount of money I have put out, that a loaner car would be offered to me to drive while waiting for them to fix the safety recall. Please contact me at [XXX] or [XXX] and please contact kia to allow a loaner vehicle to be used while waiting almost 1 month for the service. Thank You in advance for hopefully your concern and remedy to this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Jul 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after an oil change and driving approximately 1,200 miles, there was no oil in the engine. The contact stated that there was no visible oil leak. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
Engine, Jul 13, 2023
iT APPEARS MY CAR IS BURNING OIL, THERE IS NO LEAKAGE. I KEEP OIL CHANGES ON A REGULAR BASIS AND NOW CHECKING OIL LEVELS DAILY. IT IS USING 1-1.5 QTS EVERY 2 WEEKS. THIS PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH LAST OIL CHANGE. MY CAR NOW SEEMS TO SEIZE WHEN TAKING OFF INCONSISTENTLY. I DON'T KNOW IF TWO PROBLEMS ARE CONNECTED. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. I CONTACTED CARTOWN KIA ABOUT 3 TIMES BY PHONE, LEAVING MESSAGES, AND ONLINE BUT NO RESPONSE.
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, stalled, and shut off. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to safely pull over on the side of roadway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle restarted rough, but then started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis, but no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 41,000. The contact went to the dealer who was going to charge 1hr out of 3hrs, if they found anything wrong with the vehicle. They didn't find anything and released the vehicle to the contact stating they would not take off immobilizer, now and go do what u have to do. The contact stated because of this the vehicle was traded in.
Engine, Jul 9, 2023
My son was driving the vehicle and was luckily stopped in traffic at a stop light. All of a sudden the RPM's dropped and the engine shut off. The car would not start and had to be pushed to the side of the road in heavy traffic. While waiting for a tow truck, we noticed the engine oil was completely dry. There had been no warning such as oil lights, engine lights, burning oil smells or leaking oil. The oil had just disappeared without warning. After the vehicle was towed to the local KIA dealer, we were told that the engine had seized. This vehicle has been maintained consistently since the day it was bought brand new. We have records from all maintenance that has been done on this vehicle. The local dealer told us it would cost $11,000 to replace the engine. Unfortunately, that was an expense that we could not afford so the car sits in non working order.