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
750 reports, newest first.
Structure, Aug 4, 2023
right rear passenger door handle. It is made of plastic and crumbled in my hand as i attempted to open the door to remove my 3 yr old great grandson. I had the child safety lock engaged, so when I tried to crawl across back seat to open that door from the inside I was unable to. I undid car seat buckles and pulled him across back seat, out opposite door. This occurred Mid June 2023. I ordered new handle, had installed by neighbor end of June 2023 and the new one has now started to come apart August 2 2023. I didn't have inspected as a neighbor shared she's had to replace her handles 3 times, it seems to be a common issue. Concerned for safety, have to keep child safety lock on for great grandson and if he or anyone needing to make emergency/quick exit unable to so. I don't want anyone to get trapped in car in our extreme Phoenix heat. My opposite rear door is not fully functionable as the window requlator has broken and the window is inoperable and I don't want to disassemble till the new one is available/affordable so I wouldn't be without the airbag plug attached.
Engine, Aug 1, 2023
Driving 45mph on busy street and engine stopped working- locked up. No codes, no warning lights, etc… Coasted to an advanced auto parts store, hooked up scanner- no codes. My Mechanic and Kia both said there is oil in the engine, but it’s locked up. No help from Kia on this issue even though there are similar issues/complaints on this engine problem.
Engine, Jul 31, 2023
RE: Kia Engine Failure I have a 2015 Kia Sorento that has approximately 86,600 miles. My engine failed on July 5, 2023. I did receive the Recall No. 18V907000 and tried to contact Kia numerous times when I received the notice to get my software updated; however, I was unable to speak with anybody from the service department and had left numerous messages to no avail. Shortly after the recall, I had a heart attack and needed time to recuperate. Then Covid hit, my doctor advised me to quit my part-time job and stay quarantined due to my high risk of contacting Covid due to being a diabetic, having a recent heart attack and other medical ailments. I have been disabled for 12 years and have other medical issues that I'm dealing with. Recently on July 4, 2023, when I was driving my car, my engine started making a knocking sound. It made a loud noise and felt like it was stuck in gear. I took it into my mechanic the next day who confirmed that my engine was going out. The check engine light never went on. The next day when I drove it to the market, the car completely went out. I have been trying to get in touch with Car Pros Kia in Huntington Beach, CA. and Kia of Irvine, as well as contacting a lot of phone numbers regarding the Kia lawsuit, but nobody answers the calls or returns your messages. You can be on hold for hours. I had an appointment this morning to get recall updates on my car, which I scheduled several weeks ago before my engine failure. I called the service department of Kia of Irvine in CA., and explained to the service advisor, Cody Brown about my engine failure if I should take in my car for the scheduled recall updates. He advised me not to take it in, because in order to complete the recalls, the engine needs to be in working condition. I inquired about my engine failure to see if it was covered under the lawsuit. He advised me that it was not and that I had to contact the Kia manufacturer, which I did, but have been on hold for hours.
Structure, Jul 31, 2023
Snow white pearl paint is chipping on the front end. Started on driver side front quarter panel now its on hood and front bumper. This is so irritating!!!! I can't even wash my car without something chipping!!! The cost to repaint those areas is around $5500.00. Kia really needs to get this issue fixed. They are about to loose a cash paying customer if not.
Structure, Jul 30, 2023
The paint peeling on my PEARL WHITE Kia sorento
Engine, Jul 21, 2023
My engine went into limp mode on the road wile my daughter was in traffic. After she was finally able to get the car to the side of the road. I had the Sorrento towed to my local mechanic. The mechanic informed me the engine had an internal engine failure.The car had 125,000 miles I have always done my oil changes at 5000 miles with synthetic oil. Spoke with Kia they said I would have to a Kia Dealership mechanic diagnostic. The Kia dealership said the engine had an internal engine failure. They said it is some type internal failure but have not said what is failed.
Other or unspecified, Jul 20, 2023
I own a 2015 Kia Sorento that the peeling is rapidly peeling off ( or what the body shops call Delamination ) . My paint began peeling in a tiny spot I thought was a chip from a rock but rapidly began peeling all over .
Engine, Jul 17, 2023
The car completely stalled out. Engine Light on.
Engine, Jul 13, 2023
After hearing a knocking or rubbing sound when turning left or right, I made an appointment to have my 2015 Kia Sorento checked and also to have it inspected. The auto repair shop was in the middle of road-testing the vehicle when it suddenly began running poorly and the SES light turned on. The vehicle started to misfire and was unable to accelerate past 30 - 35 MPH. Upon inspection the car was found to be very low on oil, although there had been no prior alert nor was it time for the routine oil change. Vehicle also shut down unexpectedly on road, putting driver and other vehicles in danger.
Engine, Jul 8, 2023
Going on vacation with elderly disabled mother and family. Exited off highway stopped and car just shut off with lots of traffic behind me and coming. After several attempts to start vehicle it started and was really loud. Pulled out and coasted to a place I could safely pull over. Checked the oil, belts, and for leaks and no check engine light or other warnings. With no other real options, I drove with flashers on and coasted to our hotel with minimal power and the engine compartment sounding like it was coming apart. Grinding popping and knocking. Still no check engine light. Once stopped at the hotel, the car cut off in the parking lot and had a weird fumes/burning smell. With it being a holiday I had to find a shop and wait until they were back open to see if they would take my car. There were no KIA dealerships in my area. I called and had the vehicle towed to the shop. They say it needs a new engine. The car is still out of state which is going to cost hundreds just to get the car back home and not to mention the 8000-10000 in engine repair. Also we were lucky it didn't catch fire with the fumes/burning smell or be involved in a wreck due to the car just shutting off with no warnings at all.
Engine, Jul 6, 2023
Car turned off while stopped at red light. Would not restart. Had to be towed. Diagnostic report engine seized. Confirmed by Rick Case Kia service center. There was no warning or or warning lights. We were stopped due to a red light, but if no red light, car would have stopped while driving in rush hour traffic on a busy road. Even stopped, could have been rear-ended.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Visibility, Jul 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the brakes and the steering wheel seized inadvertently, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that she attempted to roll up the windows, but the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The check engine warning light, ABS warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and then to a Triple A certified mechanic, where the battery and the alternator were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was related to the electrical system; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. Additionally, the contact stated that the sunroof failed to open or close unless the sunroof switch was depressed several times. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 6, 2023
Unknown
Steering, Jul 3, 2023
Steering wheel locks up while driving almost causing collisions with other vehicles. This has been a major issue in the sorento, especially since the horn doesn’t work either. Everything in the steering wheel doesn’t function.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 29, 2023
As I was driving my grandchildren I heard a banging sound in the engine. I checked for warning lights, and none were showing. I drove the car to a reputable mechanic who after listening to the sound told me that driving the car was not safe. I had the car towed to the KIA Service Department in Anderson, SC. to have a KIA mechanic assess the engine. My biggest concern is that NO warning lights came on. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had been in the middle lane of an Interstate with my grandchildren when the engine failed. KIA said the engine is not under warranty; which is true. However, with the warning lights NOT coming on I believe replacement of an engine should be considered. We have been loyal KIA patrons but at this point I am not comfortable purchasing another KIA. Currently the dealership says it will 8 -9 week before the engine could be replaced. According to the mechanic we spoke to they only replace two engines a day which means we are without a car and having to rent one on our own.
Power train, Engine, Jun 27, 2023
The drive train or engine suddenly locked up while driving down the road at 35mph causing the vehicle to violently decelerate and the wheels to lose traction and skid. The failure only lasted maybe a second before car resumed driving as usual. I was not accelerating or breaking at the time and had been driving as normal for 10min prior. The vehicle only has 86,000 miles and all service was completed as scheduled. Prior to the incident, there had been some engine knocking when starting up and a few days earlier, the check engine light had come on. We immediately contacted the dealership when the engine light activated and made an appointment to have it checked out. We were advised that as long as the check engine light was not blinking, we could safely use the vehicle for short trips. Prior to the above incident, we had made two trips with the engine light activated, both under 5mi. We dropped the car at the dealership on Monday for evaluation the first available time slot they had. Today we were advised that we needed a new engine and were fully responsible for the costs. The issue has not been diagnosed as they claim they have to tear down the engine to determine the cause, a cost we are responsible for and cannot afford. Our 7 year old son was in the car at the time and our safety was certainly put at risk. We were fortunate this happened in town and not at highway speeds where I could have lost control of the vehicle or been rear ended by another driver.
Engine, Jun 27, 2023
The contact's stepson owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his stepson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired free of charge because the vehicle was not covered under warranty nor recall. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine, Jun 23, 2023
I had an oil change and then went on a road trip, The trip consisted of two days driving and 1300 miles driven. the engine sounded different so I checked the oil and it did not register on the dipstick. Since then I have been checking the oil once a week and have noticed is will be low. The oil can be a quart to a quart and a half low after just 500 miles.
Power train, Engine, Jun 22, 2023
Purchased it 7 months ago, haven't put many miles on it and the motor is completely bad, sitting at a kia shop. It broke down on me in the middle of the road and wouldn't shift into gear.
Engine, Jun 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a stop, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle could not be restarted and was undriveable. The contact stated she was almost rear-ended twice before Police arrived on the scene to help. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that upon speaking with the dealer, she was advised to have the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the manufacturer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be disassembled to determine if the failure was due to a manufacturing failure. The contact was informed that if the failure was not due to a manufacturing failure, there would be an out-of-pocket cost for repair and reassembly. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 20, 2023
My engine for this 2015 Kia sorento failed on 6/1/2023. This can put others at risk because Kia continues to know that their Theta ii engines can fail and have not done enough to prevent this problem. Additionally, there are not enough kia technicians available to diagnose engine failures in a timely manner. I have been waiting 3 weeks and my car has yet to be diagnosed. Kia should not be allowed to continue selling any models that have the Theta ii engines until they properly support individuals that have been affected by this problem.
Engine, Jun 19, 2023
I was driving down the road and a loud knocking started and now the car won’t move. I was told that something might be wrong with the computer protecting the engine.
Engine, Jun 8, 2023
Engine failure , car stopped running , me and my family could’ve gotten a very bad accident , I had to pay 8,400$ out of my own pocket to replace the engine failure
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it remained awaiting diagnostic test and repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.
Engine, May 12, 2023, fire
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50-55 MPH, he heard an abnormal popping sound and the vehicle spontaneously caught on fire. The contact was able to pull off the highway. The contact stated that he could see flames under the hood. The contact called 9-1-1 however, by the time the Emergency Services arrived on the scene, the fire was independently extinguished. The contact stated that the fire started in the engine compartment. The engine was previously replaced at 85,000 miles. The check engine warning light was occasionally illuminated and then disappeared on the vehicle. A Police report was filed. The Fire Department also arrived on the scene. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 155,565.