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
987 reports, newest first.
Structure, Mar 6, 2026
My 2014 Kia Sorento EX was purchased brand new, one owner, and started losing paint in several areas on the outside of the car and is horrible. So many 2014 Kias have this issue. It is a BAD PAINT job. This should never happen and I’ll never buy another Kia. Kia should fix these issues immediately. My Kia is in great shape except for the horrible paint.
Engine, Feb 18, 2026
1. The engine consumed its own oil and a rod bearing failed and destroyed the engine 2. This happened while my wife was traveling on I20 at 70mph and almost resulted in a wreck when the engine died and she lost power to the wheels 3. Nalley Kia in Lithonia, GA has confirmed that the engine consumed its own oil which cause a rod bearing to fail and ultimately led to the engine failure 4. No warning lights prior to this happening, just a knocking sound as she merged onto I20
Electrical system, Engine, Feb 16, 2026
Re: Formal Complaint – Repeated Engine Failures and Unacceptable Service Delays Vehicle: Kia Sorento 2014 VIN: [XXX] Purchased: Fall of 2021 Current Issue: Vehicle in service at Kia of Lincolnwood since January 9, 2026 Dear Kia Consumer Affairs and Legal Department, I am writing to formally document my severe dissatisfaction with the repeated engine failures in my Kia vehicle and the complete lack of communication and urgency from both Kia of Lincolnwood (6750 N Lincoln Ave, Lincolnwood, IL 60712) and Kia's consumer support channels. This has caused significant financial hardship, disruption to my family and work, and eroded any trust in the brand. I purchased this vehicle approximately 5 years ago through CarMax. Within that time, the engine has died or stalled three times: The first failure occurred about one year after purchase, stranding me at 11:00 p.m. in rural Wisconsin during winter with my three young children in the vehicle. The second incident happened in downtown Chicago (River North), just one hour before I needed to depart for a work event in Champaign, IL, requiring a tow and last-minute rental arrangements. The most recent failure occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. after leaving my music studio, necessitating another tow and a $50 Uber ride home. Eleven months ago, Kia of Lincolnwood replaced the knock sensor under a one-year recall warranty. Despite this, the engine issues persisted. On January 9, 2026, I brought the vehicle to Kia of Lincolnwood for the third major engine-related failure. It has now been in the shop for nearly six weeks with no meaningful updates on diagnosis, repair timeline, or resolution. I have called the dealership at least ten times seeking callbacks from my assigned service advisor (Max) or any team member. In each instance, I was either hung up on, placed on hold for over an hour, or promised a return call that never came. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Feb 15, 2026
2014 Kia Sorento sxl Pearl White paint just peeling off the vehicle in large pieces. Seems to be a common issue that Kia does not want to fix. Paint is peeling from both left and right pillars, the hood and the top towards the fin. Started about a year ago and is getting progressively worse. The paint needs to be recalled and effected vehicles repainted.
Engine, Feb 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the engine had seized; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Engine, Jan 29, 2026
We do our oil changes routinely. We had one done not too long ago. We were driving to the store and all of a sudden the oil light came on, but the engine light never came on. And then about 30 seconds later, we heard almost like a thump sound like we had hit something but we didn’t. We pulled into the grocery store parking lot about a minute after that, and there was oil leaking out of my car. We tried to put more oil in, but it just kept coming out. We have tried to see what’s going on. We can’t tell. We plan to get it towed and looked at. I don’t know if it will turn back on because I didn’t want to risk it and my engine locking up, but this seems to be an issue as I have read some of the other complaints.
Power train, Engine, Jan 28, 2026
While driving at low speed and turning, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power accompanied by engine knocking. The engine stalled and would no longer operate normally. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic, who found metal fragments/shavings in the engine oil, indicating internal engine damage. The engine is now inoperable and has effectively failed. There were no warning signs prior to the failure other than the knocking noise immediately before the loss of power. This failure occurred suddenly and without driver input. The sudden engine failure caused a loss of propulsion while the vehicle was in use, creating a potential safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle required towing due to engine failure. Kia Consumer Assistance was contacted regarding the engine failure. I was informed that no recalls apply to this VIN and that the vehicle is out of warranty. Kia Consumer Assistance stated they would not inspect or document the engine failure unless I paid out of pocket.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Jan 27, 2026
My key fob doesn’t register even while in car, my battery drains daily has to recieve jump off every Otha day if not daily, door open indicator shows open on all doors even when closed, car locks won’t disengage automatically but your system shows no recalls something’s wrong with it
Other or unspecified, Jan 26, 2026
paint delamination and peeling on multiple panels
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 20, 2026
My car having gas leak under hood. Strong gas smell comes from ac vent.its a safety hazard
Structure, Jan 13, 2026
Paint peeled off
Power train, Engine, Nov 20, 2025
I got my car fixed and I’m still having the same issue. Seems like they just turned off the lights on my car and it’s still giving me issues..
Steering, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 10, 2025, fire
The car engine started on fire while I was driving after all the recalls were fixed and new engine installed. The car was completely destroyed the whole engine compartment was completely burned. Kia says it was an oil leak but that’s not true the car oil change was done regularly and was serviced within 3 months of the engine fire. I also had this vehicle parked inside my garage for 5 years and not a single drop of oil in the garage floor. Kia is also refusing to send me a full report of their findings from the fire inspection. Kia adjuster is acting in bad faith by not providing the fire report. The car engine was replaced new due to an earlier recall and within 10,000 miles the new engine caught fire. They don’t want to be liable for this engine fire but cars don’t just burn without any reason. The refusal of KIA adjuster to release the findings in the fire inspection is very concerning to other people driving this vehicle in the public. Where engine fire can cause their deaths and their families deaths. This is a safety problem
Engine, Nov 8, 2025
When start up there’s a clacking sound then it goes away, while the vehicle is warm you hear the clacking while driving vehicle
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Nov 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated there was condensation coming out of the exhaust pipes. The contact was stopped by another driver and was informed that the condensation coming out of the exhaust smelled like a bakery. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not inspected. The contact was informed that a diagnostic test was needed and was provided with the cost of the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that a diagnostic test needed to be performed and that there was a cost for the diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Nov 5, 2025
We financed this 2014 Kia Sorento LX AWD from a used car dealer, and there has been nothing but problems with this vehicle. From the water pump, to insanely high oil consumption. I have verified that it is not leaking. Gaskets have been replaced, filters have been replaced, O2 sensors have been replaced, the water pump housing unit, impeller and pulley have been replaced, Spark plugs have been replaced and their boots, fuses have been replaced and renewed, even the brake light switch has been replaced. The coolant thermostat has been checked and it is functional, the MAP sensor is functional, the catalytic/exhaust manifold has been replaced, the in tank fuel pump/fuel sending unit has been replaced and the HPFP has been replaced and this vehicle still wants to consume oil like crazy and is flirting with deaths door step. It goes through fits of loss of power during acceleration in times when it really matters most, like trying to pass a vehicle. So most of the time I dont, because its not safe to try to pass vehicles and suddenly lose power and end up in a collision. I have checked all 6 recalls that have been opened and closed on my vehicle and part of me wonders if they were falsely closed. One of them indicates I should have had a partial, if not whole engine replacement at some point and I still have a VIN original engine in my vehicle. I have had this vehicle in my possession since August of 2025, and have done nothing but pour money into repairs on it, and i STILL feel like its going to leave me stranded on the side of the road. KIA needs to make good on their own warranty with as many issues as this year and model of vehicle that it has, and reinvestigate this vehicle. I believe the recalls on this vehicle were closed by a shady mechanic. Mind you, before it bought this vehicle, I had a mechanic look over it with an OBDII and no codes popped, none were stored and to this day, there still are none, but this engine is not behaving the way it should.
Electrical system, Oct 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the Push to Start button failed to function as intended, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact called the Lien holder and was informed that the key was not connecting. The Lien holder replaced the key. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the key fob failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer swapped the key fobs with another set of key fobs to diagnose the failure. However, no cause for the failure was found. The contact was informed that two unknown fuse boxes needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the LED lights under the door and dashboard failed to function as intended. In addition, an abnormal sound was coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and remained with the dealer for months. The contact was informed that the fuse box had been replaced. The vehicle failed to restart when the contact picked up the vehicle from the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since. The tow truck driver tried to jumpstart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. There was no power in the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000. The VIN was not available.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power, and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that there was oil leaking out of the exhaust, accompanied by an abnormal sound and odor. The contact stated that the front driver’s side air bag was intermittently inoperative. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the engine, power train control module, brakes, and several other unknown electrical parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Oct 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH with his son seated in the second-row middle seat, there was an abnormal sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local storage facility. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with seized bearings in the engine. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Back over prevention, Oct 15, 2025, crash
Backup camera doesn’t work properly it gives a blank screen
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that on several occasions while making left and right turns, the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after each failure by wiggling the battery terminals and other engine components. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Engine, Sep 22, 2025
Crankshaft position sensors, codes P0018. Car does not get up to speed, knocking and rattling sounds heard. Oil is correct fullness, was changed less than 1,000 miles ago, O2 sensor changed 2 weeks ago, but car continues to have new codes and more issues.
Engine, Sep 9, 2025
Engine light was on about a week prior to taking it to the dealer for inspection. Was not time yet for an oil change. Had another 1000 miles before next oil change was due. After oil change they found metal shavings in new filter and oil. Told us we need to replace the engine. So we have a defective engine.
Structure, Sep 7, 2025
paint is falling off in large sheets could be a safety issue, been reported to the dealership, and no warning. I feel this is a real safety issue because it comes off in large sheets could cause and issue on the highways for flying debris
Other or unspecified, Aug 29, 2025
Car rolled after it was put in park. Car would not start after that and gear shift locked. Engaged emergency brake and put bricks behind wheels. Vehicle now in driveway.