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, Mar 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal flapping noise, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle lost motive power but was able to restart. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was then towed to Monroeville Kia (3721 William Penn Hwy, Monroeville, PA 15146) where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Engine, Feb 27, 2023
I was driving down the freeway and my engine seized and I lost power to the engine. My safety was put at risk because I was on a busy freeway and it happened on a bridge and I had nowhere to go. Someone could have rear ended me very easily. My car is available for inspection at the dealer now, who says it needs a complete engine replacement. Prior to the engine failing there were no lights on my dashboard. After the engine failed all the lights were on.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Feb 26, 2023
Engine seized while I was driving
Steering, Power train, Engine, Feb 21, 2023
I only had it 2 weeks and I was driving it and it mad a loud noise you couldn’t give it no gas and it shut off so we’re trying to start it. It sounded like a rod rattling in the engine. And I just had a new oil change, and when I reject all it was black as dirt. I don’t understand because I just got the car never made a first car payment yet that was very unsafe. I had to pay for 2 different tows that’s not right I was in New Jersey and I live in Kernersville nc and had to pay someone 900 to get back home
Engine, Feb 19, 2023
I went to have the recalled item fixed for the engine failure. However Kia informed me that an issue must be heard before they can fix the issue. Around 3 months went by and I had my oil changed. I went out of town and when I came back my car started to make a tapping noise. I had someone check my oil and it showed I needed over 3 quarts. I took my car back to the oil place and they said they didn't know what happened. Did another oil change and added more oil. The next day my engine was knocking. I took it to kia and they told me I needed to replace the engine. However now they will nor release the car due to an issue with it blowing up. I'm with out a vehicle and about to loose my job due to issues getting back and forth from work.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, he heard an abnormal rattling sound before the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact then depressed the accelerator pedal with much more force and the vehicle responded. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that nearly all the engine oil had been consumed. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the Failure to Kia Technical Service Bulletin Number: 222 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
Engine, Feb 13, 2023
Engine suddenly stalled while driving, causing unsafe conditions as we could not maneuver out of traffic safely. Car has approx 70,000 miles on the engine, and has had all regular oil changes on time. When the engine started to shake the oil/engine light flashed and we pulled over as quickly as possible. When I checked, there was zero oil in the car. We had never seen evidence of an oil leak and the previous oil change was approx 3,500 miles ago. I called Kia and they said my car was not covered by their warranty or recall. I had it towed to an independent mechanic who confirmed that the engine was blown and irreparable.
Engine, Feb 4, 2023
On Thanksgiving day, the vehicle loss POWER while driving on the highway to Anniston Alabama, endangering the lives of myself and my four children. NO WARNING LIGHTS. I was giving it gas and it would not go. I was able to get some good Samaritans to push it off the road into an empty parking lot. It would not restart, it started SMOKING, would not take a jump start. Left it over night, came back the next day, had to jump start it but it was now making a TICKING NOISE. STILL NO WARNING LIGHTS ever came on the day of the incident or after. Had it towed to a Repair Shop and was told the Engine NEEDED REPLACEMENT. Had it towed back to Georgia, had another mechanic look at it and was told it was the engine also. Finally had it towed to Kia Moters in Athens GA, and was unable to get recalls fixed because the engine is bad and was told it's not part of the recall. The car is available to be inspected.Had no warning of failing engine prior to this.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Jan 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she smelled a fuel odor throughout the vehicle. The check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over immediately. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone and diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine oil level was low. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a high-pressure fuel line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.
Engine, Dec 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contacted stated while driving 50 MPH, the accelerator pedal failed to function as needed and the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,000.
Engine, Dec 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, with the electric power steering (EPS) warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the VIN was included in an engine class action lawsuit. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at a storage lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.
Engine, Dec 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was confirmed that the engine had failed. The engine was replaced with an OEM engine. On another occasion, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the same independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided because the mileage had exceeded 100,000. The failure mileage was 106,000.
Engine, Oct 19, 2022
My 2015 Kia Sorento has had issues on and off for years and I have poured so much money into it. I have taken it to the mechanic so many times. It has had the check engine light on for awhile and the mechanic suggested it may just be faulty. He checked it constantly. On Monday my fiancé was taking my son to kindergarten and the car died. This could have been very dangerous. My two sons (6 and 4) were inside. Luckily my fiancé was able to be parked in a safe place. Once we got the car started back up again it began making a Klanking sound and so we decided to park it at home. I looked up the car and after doing some research I found that certain Kia’s in that time frame had recalls for the SAME ISSUES. I looked my specific Kia up and it said I did have a recall. So I called the Kia dealership and we took it in today. The mechanic there said the issues related to the recall on my Kia looked fine (relating to fuel leakage or the spontaneous fires). He said that there was rod bearing failure in the engine and we could take it back because it is not covered under our warranty. We do not have the recall for the engine issues on our specific Kia. I believe we should. We have not been negligent in the issues. This is the same thing many Kia owners are facing right now under that recall. We need help to place that recall and warranty on our Kia as well. I have contacted Kia costumer service and started a claim tonight with them as well. But I want to cover all my bases. We need this car. We have two kids and we don’t have the finances to fix this on our own. This is obviously a Kia issue. This needs to be rectified by Kia. We have had nothing but problems. And spend thousands already. We can’t afford anymore money or time. This Kia is faulty just like the others of it’s time. I’m not sure why ours never had the recall. Please help!!
Exterior lighting, Engine, Sep 28, 2022
Two things- 1) Headlights replaced in March and dim again, cannot see 50’ in front of the car. 2) Driving on interstate the car sputtered and skipped and missed beats, would not go 55 mph. I left the interstate because it was night and cats were flying up on me. I was 140 miles from home and had to take a regular road at 10pm until 2am.
Engine, Sep 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while her husband was driving 40 MPH, the engine started sputtering and failed to accelerate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel during the failure. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle home and later had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a blown head gasket which resulted in engine failure. The manufacturer was notified about the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Sep 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle overheated with the temperature gauge indicating that the engine was hot. The contact also stated that smoke was coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure; the vehicle was no longer operable. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) which she linked to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the issue and the contact was informed that the recall was not related to the engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Engine, Sep 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made knocking sounds and a burning odor was detected. The contact pulled over before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who advised her to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to the dealer for the diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 173,023.
Exterior lighting, Engine, Sep 1, 2022, crash
SC197 completed 11/06/2020, SC212 completed 07/272021. recently found brake fluid leak results on my garage floor several times, but not after each use of vehicle? Also having to replace brake light bulbs often ,because apparently one will fail and all remaining stay on as if one was riding the brake pedal?
Engine, Aug 30, 2022, fire
Engine caught fire while driving out of state with family on highway. Recall notice said to repair only if ABS light turns on. Light never appeared. Kia refusing to repair/replace engine.
Engine, Aug 22, 2022
I was driving when the car did a complete stop and the tires was smoking
Engine, Aug 22, 2022
2105 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO NUMEROUS SAFETY RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER DECLINED TO HONOR THE RECALL. THE DEALER CHARGED THE CONSUMER A FEE FOR THE REPAIRS. *JS
Other or unspecified, Engine, Visibility/wiper, Aug 19, 2022
The vehicle is leaking water inside the car cabin. The front passenger and driver side are soaked with water. If the air conditioner comes on, it sounds like I’m boiling water. It also fogs the windows from the inside.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 1, 2022
The vehicle has stalled 3 separate times in the rain.
Engine, Jul 24, 2022
The engine on my well-maintained 2015 Kia Sorento went into limp mode a few weeks ago in the desert of SW Utah. I was fortunately near a small town with a gas station, where I limped in and checked the oil. I had recently been in for routine oil change so I was surprised to find it was completely out of oil. I added oil and it seemed to operate normal again, and I made it back home to Des Moines where a week later the engine began knocking upon startup and acceleration. I didn’t even have the opportunity to bring it in to a mechanic because it died on the road (no injuries or traffic incidents, fortunately). I made some calls and learned that this was an issue for many Sorento models. My Sorento didn’t qualify for the new engine, but the local Kia dealership did offer me $200 for a trade-in.
Engine, Jul 14, 2022
2015 Kia Sorento w/ 69k miles- All routine maintenance records. Engine started acting sluggish & making a loud knocking with no indication light displayed on dashboard. Thankfully was not on major highway or outcome would have be dangerous. Took it in to independent mechanics was told needs new engine, decided to take to local Kia dealership where new engine diagnosis confirmed. Was informed engine was not covered due to lack of code and quoted $8,500 for complete manufactured long block replacement, would take 4+ weeks & rental car at own expense. I own two other kia vehicles (2015 forte & 2021 kia soul GT- which I will be forced to trade in for safer vehicle.) I am outraged to find all 3 are being recalled for the similar issues and that Kia is not taking responsibly for these issues and sticking previously loyal customers to pay for their mistake. Please do not risk yourself, your children and other drivers getting one of these dangerous vehicles which are designed to fail.