2015 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 750 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 20 involved a crash and 14 involved a fire. 24 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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
Representative owner complaints: engine
364 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Apr 3, 2020
SMELLED ANTIFREEZE AFTER DRIVING. TOOK TO KIA. DIAGNOSED THAT BOLTS THAT HOLD THE HEAD ON THE MOTOR HAD STRIPPED OUT FROM THE BLOCK. CAUSED ANTIFREEZE LEAK. BOUGHT CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED, DEALER REFUSES TO HELP US WITH THIS. $7,000 NEW MOTOR NEEDED. 2015, 102,000 MILES, $19,000 OWED ON CAR.
Engine, Mar 19, 2020
ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION AND AT INITIAL STARTUP. ENGINE HAS ONLY 53,000 MILES ON IT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME, PARKED IT AND IMMEDIATELY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (LESS THAN 5 MILES). AFTER MUCH RUNAROUND AND LITTLE EXPLANATION, KIA IS TELLING ME THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE (SOMETHING I HAVE VERIFIED WITH INDEPENDENT MECHANICS IS VERY UNLIKELY WITH A 5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE AND REASONABLY LOW MILEAGE). THE OIL AT TIME OF DROP OFF WAS VERIFIED TO BE CLEAN AND FULL PER THE KIA TECHNICIAN. I PROVIDED KIA WITH RECORDS PER THE WARRANTY AGREEMENT AND THEY ARE DENYING MY CLAIM FOR REPLACEMENT. EVERY EXCUSE FOR DENIAL HAS INCLUDED ADDITIONAL TERMS NOT OUTLINED IN THE WRITTEN WARRANTY AGREEMENT (RECEIPTS THAT INCLUDE MINUTE DETAILS OR THE EXCUSE THAT 'DATES DON'T MATCH' WHEN I HAVEN'T PROVIDED ANY DATES NOR IS ANY REQUIRED SERVICE BASED ON TIME (ONLY MILEAGE)). THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY (5 YEARS/60,000 MILE) AND POWERTRAIN WARRANTY (10 YEARS/100,000 MILE). MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES, YET KIA IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OR EXPAND PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THE SAME MODEL AND ISSUE.
Engine, Mar 11, 2020
I HAVE HAD MY SORENTO FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. IN FEBRUARY MY ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD I NEEDED THE ENGINE REPLACED FOR 8000. AFTER REVIEWING I SEEN THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THERE ARE RECALLS FOR ALOT OF THEIR ENGINES. SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR USED, THERE IS NO WARRANTY AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES. I WAS TOLD MY ENGINE HAD SLUDGE EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY OIL CHANGED IN NOVEMBER AND MY CAR IS STILL UNDER 79000 MILES.
Engine, Mar 11, 2020
ENGINE STOP AT RHE LIGTH ALMOST CAUSING AND ACCIDENT. THE ENGINE OF 2015 KIA SORENTO STOP GETTING CLOSED TO LIGTH FOR NO REASON. THE ENGINE IS LOCK AT 61,000 DEALERSHIP WATING TIME ON A DIAGNOSIS IS 4 TO 6 WEEKS
Engine, Mar 6, 2020
MY CAR WAS WORKING FINE, THE NEXT I HEAR A KNOCKING IN THE MOTOR, THE CAR STARTED TURNING OFF, I TOOK IT RIGHT ALWAY WHEN THEY TOLD I NEED A NEW ENGINE. THERE WAS NO ENGINE LIGHT ON OR NO NOTICE THAT CAR WAS GOING BREAK DOWN. I ONLY HAD CAR FOR ABOUT 1YEAR AND 3 MONTHS. I STILL OWN 25,000 AND I NEED GO GET A NEW ENGINE.. I WENT ONLINE SAW MORE COMPLAINING ABOUT SAME THING.. YOUR ENGINE SUCK DONT WORK.. THE DEALER SAID IF THEY WOULD A BEEN A 4 CYLINDER THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED IT RIGHT AWAY BUT BECAUSE MINES OF SUCCESS UNDER IT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED WELL I THINK YOU SHOULD RECALL IT BECAUSE I READ ABOUT 15 PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING NO NOTICED THAT THEIR CAR WAS GOING TO BREAK DOWN AND NOW THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR.. I NEED A CAR TO GET WORK AND TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL.. FIX MY CAR.. THIS NOT RIGHT THAT U SELL A CAR THAT ENGINE IS GOING GIVE IN LESS THEN 2 YEARS..
Engine, Mar 1, 2020
CAR ONLY HAS 100,000 MILES AND HAS BLOWN A HEAD GASKET. OIL IS CHANGED ON REGULAR AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF
Engine, Feb 17, 2020
WE PURCHASED THIS 2015 KIA SORENTO USED WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES BUT HAD 62,000 ON THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A LOAD TICKING AND THEN A VIOLENT SHAKING AND A BANG AS THE DASH PANEL LITE UP AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. I THEN LOOKED UNDER THE CAR ONLY TO SEE OIL POURING OUT OF THE OIL PAN. I WAS LATER TOLD THAT THE PISTON ROD HAD GONE THROUGH THE OIL PAN AND THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE OIL PAN. WHEN WE CONTACTED KIA WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT WE WERE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THE COULD NOT HELP US. CONSEQUENTLY, TO SAVE MONEY WE PURCHASED A USED REPLACEMENT ENGINE AND PAID FOR OUR LOCAL MECHANIC TO INSTALL IT. THE TOTAL COST WAS OVER $6,000. SINCE THIS TIME, WE HAVE BECOME AWARE OF RECALLS ON OTHER KIA SORENTO ENGINES, BUT WE ARE CONCERNED THAT OUR BLOWN ENGINE WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE/FUEL SYSTEM, MUCH LIKE THE OTHERS.
Steering, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 3, 2020
EGINE STALLS AND AC ON STALLS AND HAS DIED 3TIMES
Engine, Jan 29, 2020
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70 MPH. THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE CAR LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. I TRIED GETTING TO THE NEXT EXIT BUT EVEN DOING 15MPH I COULD HEAR A NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND CALLED FOR A TOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT THE CAR. HE CALLED TO TELL ME I HAD ENGINE FAILURE. HE CALLED KIA AND GAVE THEM MY VIN. HE SAID THEY CONFIRMED MY CAR WAS INCLUDED IN THE ENGINE FAILURE GROUP. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP. A DAY LATER THEY CONFIRMED THAT MY CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THEY SUBMITTED THINGS TO KIA. TOLD ME IT WOULD TAKE 3 BUSINESS DAYS FOR AN ANSWER.
Engine, Jan 29, 2020
DESPITE MAINTAINING OIL LEVELS (WELL-DOCUMENTED), ENGINE SLUDGE OCCURS. ENGINE SHAKES WHEN GOING UPHILL. ON JANUARY 2, 2020 4 QTS OF OIL WAS GIVEN. ON JANUARY 20, 2020...THE ENGINE HAD USED UP 3 QUARTS OF OIL. THE PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 9, 2019 AND THE ONE BEFORE THAT WAS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER 2019.
Engine, Jan 10, 2020
ENGINE STALL ON FREEWAY AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND NOW MAKES ROD TAP NOISE. TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED ENGINE FAILURE. STATED THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY ON THIS VEHICLE MAINTAINS THAT PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE REMAINS IN THIS YEAR VEHICLE AS WELL AS PRIOR YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED.
Engine, Jan 6, 2020
ENGINE MAKE NOISE AND NOT RUNNING WELL
Engine, Jan 5, 2020
TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WHEN HEARD ENGINE NOISE AND THEN IMMEDIATELY ENGINE SEIZED, CAR STOPPED RUNNING ALTOGETHER AND WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD. TOWED TO CLOSEST KIA DEALER WHO SAYS ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $16 THOUSAND!!! KELLY BLUEBOOK WORTH OF VEHICLE IS APPROX. $8,000. RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM DOESN'T SEEM TO EXTEND BEYOND 2014 ENGINES ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF SAME PROBLEM IN LATER YEAR KIA'S. HELP!
Air bags, Engine, Dec 15, 2019
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE MY SUV LOOSE EXCELARATE AND ENGINES LIGHT AND OIL PAN LIGHT CAME ON I PULLED OVER AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN TRY TURNING SUV OVER AND IT DID NOT TURN OVER I HAD IT TOWED AND MACHANIC SAID THE ENGINE IS FREEZE UP.
Engine, Dec 14, 2019
AFTER LAST OIL CHANGE APROX. 3 MONTHS AGO. NO ISSUES UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN SUV WOULD SOUND LIKE IT'S ACCELERATING REALLY FAST BUT NOT GOING VERY FAST. ON STARTUP I KEPT HEARING A SQUEALING AND GRINDING SOUND. ONE DAY OUT DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING MY CAR SEEMS TO LOOSE POWER IF I TOOK MY FOOT OFF GAS. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC WHO SAID THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHEN USING THE MACHINE TO READ CODES IT READ P0014 AND P0024 (CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSORS) WAS TOLD TO CHECK WIRES AND SENSORS DIDN'T SEEM TO BE THE ULTIMATE PROBLEM. DURING IT'S LAST VISIT TO THE MECHANIC IT DRAINED OUT 2 QUARTS OF OIL BUT NO OIL HAD BEEN LEAKING ANYWHERE. CRUDE WAS INSIDE THE OIL CHECK TUBE.
Engine, Dec 6, 2019
HEADING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT SHUT DOWN AND I COASTED IT OFF THE ROAD. WE DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO OIL IN IT BUT HAD NO OIL LIGHT WARNING OR ANY OTHER SIGNS IT WAS LOW ON OIL. THE OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED A FEW MONTHS BEFORE AND WAS DUE TO BE CHANGED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. NOW MY KIA NEEDS AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT THAT I CAN'T AFFORD AND SINCE I PURCHASED IT USED IT IS NO LONGER UNDER THE KIA WARRANTY. I'M MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE THAT I CAN'T DRIVE AND I SEE NO REASON THAT THE OIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN EMPTY ESPECIALLY WITH NO WARNING LIGHT.
Engine, Dec 3, 2019
MY SORENTO HAS LESS THAN 65,000 MILES ON IT & IS KEPT WELL MAINTAINED. I WAS DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE (60MPH) AND HEARD A CLICKING SOUND AND COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND THE OIL, CHECK ENGINE, AND ANOTHER LIGHT GAME ON AND I COULD NOT RESTART MY CAR. I HAD TO GET TOWED OFF THE VERY BUSY HIGHWAY. THE SHOP SAID MY MOTOR HAD COMPLETELY FAILED AND I WOULD NEED A NEW ONE WITH A QUOTE AROUND $6,000 AFTER INSTALLATION FEES. A WELL MAINTAINED 2015 CAR SHOULD NOT BE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. IT IS VERY DISHEARTENING FOR A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE ON A CAR THAT IS NOT EVEN 4 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES.
Engine, Nov 30, 2019
2015 KIA SORENTO AWD ENGINE SEIZED. I WAS DRIVING AND WITHOUT AND WARNING THE CAR SHUT DOWN AND WONT START. I FOUND OUT THIS IS NOT NEW. NOW I HAVE TO FIND OUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF MY WIFE AND KIDS WITHOUT A CAR. I'VE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ENGINE I HAVE AND THERE HAS BEEN NO INVESTIGATION AND THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION RECALLS FOR THE SAME THING HAVE BEEN SENT OUT BUT NOT FOR THE 2015 KIA SORENTO. I REALLY HOPE SOME ONE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED LIGHT AND CAR SHUT OFF ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AGAIN NO WARNINGS. I ALSO SMELLED SMOKE LIKE WIRES BURNING.
Engine, Nov 22, 2019
VEHICLE HAS 85,940 MILES ON IT AND HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I BOUGHT IT IN APRIL AND IT HAS RUN FINE. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK BY THE CONNECTION POINT WITH THE HEAD GASKET COVER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS IS NOT EXPECTED FROM A ~4 YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH < 100,000 MILES THAT'S ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 10 MILES A DAY M-F ON ROADS WITH SPEED LIMITS BELOW 45 AND VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC.
Engine, Nov 17, 2019
BOUGHT MY KIA SORENTO ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. IT HAD ABOUT 64,000 MILES ON IT. IT NOW HAS 87,000. WE NOTICED HEAVY OIL CONSUMPTION WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF OWNING IT. NO OIL LEAKS EXIST. AT FIRST IT WOULD NEED ABOUT A QUART OR SO BETWEEN OIL CHANGES, BUT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE BECAUSE NOW WE NEED ALMOST 3 BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. OIL LIGHT BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY ON THE HIGHWAY HEADING HOME FOLLOWED SHORTLY AFTER BY A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I STOPPED AND CHECKED THE STICK TO FIND THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY DRY. I BUY THE RECOMMENDED OIL AT THE GAS STATION I'M AT AND ADD IT. JUST BEFORE FINALLY ARRIVING HOME THE ENGINE BACK TO SPUTTER AND LOSE POWER ACCOMPANIED BY A TAPPING NOISE. ANOTHER CRAPPY KIA ENGINE THAT DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO 100,000. THEY BETTER FIX THIS.
Engine, Nov 14, 2019
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND BEGAN TO MAKE A STRANGE NOISE AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT DECELERATED AND I EXITED CLOSEST EXIT. IT THEN DIED AT STOP LIGHT. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED.
Engine, Nov 7, 2019
BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. WE NOTICED A SMELL OF BURNING ANTIFREEZE WHEN WE PARKED AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Exterior lighting, Engine, Oct 8, 2019
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THEN IT SLOWED DOWN TO 40 MPH AND CUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. I CRANKED IT BACK UP AND IT MADE A WEIRD NOISE. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. THERE IS NO WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE HAVING MOTOR ISSUES. THE OIL HAS ALWAYS BEEN CHANGED ON TIME. ALSO I HAVE TO CHANGE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT
Engine, Sep 29, 2019
THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR TURNED OFF WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. WE WERE ON THE HWY. WHEN IT DID START IT WOULD ACCELERATE AND THEN DECREASE IN SPEED ON ITS OWN. WE TRIED TO FIND THE CODE BUT IT DIDN'T REGISTER ANY THING WRONG.
Engine, Sep 26, 2019
2015 SORENTO ENGINE DIED ON ME TWICE IN ONE DAY, ONCE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES AFTER THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME WAS BREAKING AND THE OTHER TIME AFTER I TURNED ONTO MY STREET. I HAD TO PULL OVER BOTH TIMES AND RESTART THE CAR. IT'S NEVER DONE THIS UNTIL TODAY 9-26-19. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DUE TO THE ENGINE DYING ON ME WHILE DRIVING. APPARENTLY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE.