2019 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 428 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 10 involved a crash and 19 involved a fire. 16 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraSep 15, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add additional water proofing to the camera harness, or replace the camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC282.
Campaign 23V639000 on NHTSA.gov
Trailer hitchesPark outsideSep 19, 2022
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
A 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 inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Campaign 22V703000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
167 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, Sep 17, 2025
This has to do with your investigation into the oil pan caps cracking. I had my vehicle serviced 6 months ago and KIA of York PA required me to pay for replacement. Over $150 to correct this issue that seems to be a defect.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed because the engine oil level was extremely low. The contact stated that the vehicle was not due for an oil change at the time of the service. Despite the oil change, the failure worsened as the sound became increasingly louder. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic and was diagnosed it with engine failure, and the contact was provided an estimate for a new engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000. The VIN was not available.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 5, 2025
My car is consuming oil. I was two and a half quarts down when I checked it and the oil light never came on! I'm glad I checked it when I did! The car is consuming oil and has to be checked every day to every other day. I called the local KIA dealership and of course, NO RECALLS. What do I do now?
Engine, Sep 4, 2025
Excessively burn oil, have to put in a quart or more every 1,000 miles. Recently started sputtering like there was a miss in the engine when idling or barely pushing at acceleration pedal. Bad oil consumption started around 70k miles Engine sputtering started around 100k miles
Engine, Sep 4, 2025
Engine consumes oil. Have to add oil all the time. No leaks
Power train, Engine, Sep 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and waited for several minutes before the vehicle started working as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced, and that the transmission fluid was burnt. The contact had experienced the failure on several occasions. The transmission was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 71,682.
Engine, Aug 30, 2025
There is almost no engine oil in the engine room. This phenomenon does not happen once, but continuously.
Power train, Engine, Aug 22, 2025
Car suffered catastrophic internal engine failure due to rod bearings. Began having problems with engine stuttering then knocking July 2025. Car was taken to local mechanic stated that the engine failed. Followed up with local Kia dealer and they verified that the engine had indeed failed. Car is in my possession and available for inspection. My safety and the safety of other drivers was compromised in that all engine systems failed rendering me incapable of driving vehicle and needing to push the car manually. Dealer has reproduced and confirmed the engine failure. Car inspected by dealership only. No warning lights came on. The only lights that have EVER come on in my vehicle are the low tire pressure sensor and the scheduled maintenance light. NEITHER of these sensors came on during these events.
Power train, Engine, Aug 17, 2025
Purchased this vehicle in June 17 2025 from a used car dealer, as i was driving from time to time, i noticed that the vehecle would hesatate, and at times would stall, i had the spark plugs and coild replaced along with a new high pressure fuel pump, it still hesatates when pulling out into traffic, from a stop, this places the vehicle in a very dangerous position in that it can be broadsided, or another form of collision with on comming traffic, I looked on line on various sites and there are quite a number of kias with this issue, some contacted the mfg and were told that it is withing the 8 speed transmission, something about the servers inside it, this appears to be an issue with several year models, and the mfg does not repair or replace the defective part, so i am quite sure they are awar of it, i am not aware of any loss of life for this priblem, i have also seen that by placing the selective system out of eco, economy or comfort mode into ( sport ) mode that it does not do it as often, but at time does, this mode also has a determental effect on millage. i am sure that many KIS SORENTO owners have the same issue and shoudl be fixed under a nationwide recall, ASAP before anyone is hurt or killed like stalling out when pulling out into highway traffic.
Engine, Aug 14, 2025
Engine started to knock, had it towed to KIA dealership it's been there for 6 weeks. Dealership stated needs new engine, Warranty company refuses to honor coverage and replace engine. 2019 KIA Sorento known for engine failures. Have provided oil receipts which is not needed. (Nothing stated in our contract) If we continued to drive the car the engine would have seized or caught fire. There were no lights on the dash for oil change or engine lights on. There are reports on the internet/social media of many people having the same issue with this engine. There should be a recall on this engine. And it shouldn't be this hard to get KIA or the warranty company to step up and fix a known problem. We paid for the warranty and expect it to work for us. Right now the car is still at KIA of Huntington. We have made a complaint with the BBB and with KIA Headquarters in CA hopefully this will be resolved soon.
Engine, Jul 30, 2025
Excessive oil burning Burns an insane amount of oil every week, 2-3 quarts of oil has to be added every week. Started noticing slightly low oil a year ago wasn’t a lot but it has gotten worse.
Engine, Jul 28, 2025
Car burns oil excessively. It is an ongoing problem. I also had a kia soul before this that also burned oil excessively
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle abnormally shuddered, with the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to excessive oil consumption. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the diagnostic result was confirmed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 74,750.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 95 MPH. The check engine and hazard warning lights were illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes failed to respond as needed, and the steering wheel seized. The contact turned off the vehicle and was able to stop the vehicle on the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the throttle shaft was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred the following day, and while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 80 MPH. The contact pulled over to the side lane and turned off the vehicle, and the vehicle gradually slowed to a stop. The check engine warning light and hazard light were illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and slowly driven back to the same deale,r and the contact was informed that additional diagnostic tests were needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Engine, Jul 22, 2025
The oil was changed with no leak, and less than 1000 miles later, it all disappeared. Now, it has gone into limp mode and thrown a knock code due to no oil. Having it sent to a shop four times in a week is not okay. If there's no leak and no gasket problems, where did all the oil go? I have more posts about this daily. I have 96,000 miles on this engine with full synthetic changes every time. It was healthy, and now it's not because it's overeating oil. Make it make sense, please.
Engine, Jul 17, 2025
Oil Consumption: flickering intermittent oil light at various times. Occurred after routine maintenance and oil changes. Various reasons were given when serviced including leak at the cap or via a screw. Multiple trips to the dealer for service. Engine has no oil and light did not remain illuminated, only flickering occasionally. Performed combustions clean out 4 weeks ago with top off of oil. Light came on, notified that the vehicle is very low on oil since that time again with light flickering.
Engine, Jul 12, 2025
The engine consumes alot of oil. There are no oil leaks. I have to refill the engine with 1 quart of oil weekly. The vehicle is available for inspection. If this is not checked week, the engine could lock-up for low to no oil. The service representative at Kia in Wendell, NC, verbally stated to me the engines do burn alot of oil and to monitor it regularly. He confirmed there are no recalls on the engine though. No official inspection has been performed. But the vehicle is available for inspection by an official. There have been no warning lamps or messages. The symptom here is constant checking of the oil levels with the dip stick and refilling the engine with oil weekly.
Engine, Jun 25, 2025
I'm writing to formally report a serious and potentially dangerous issue with my 2019 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX] ), which is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption. This problem began around 55,000 miles and has progressively worsened to the point where I must either frequently top off oil between scheduled changes or get oil changes well ahead of schedule. Despite having two documented dealership oil changes within approximately 2,000 miles and three months, I have received no support from Kia or my extended warranty provider (JM&A). Kia Customer Care has acknowledged the issue, but refuses to inspect, test, or address it unless the KSDS sensor is triggered or the engine seizes — essentially requiring catastrophic engine failure before they will consider any action. JM&A has similarly denied coverage, stating that oil consumption is excluded under their warranty plan. This approach is not only unreasonable — it is dangerous. Running low on oil can lead to sudden engine failure while driving, posing a real risk to both my safety and that of others on the road. I have not been offered any proactive oil consumption test or preventive service by Kia, despite repeated concerns. I am aware that excessive oil consumption is the subject of class action litigation involving Kia vehicles, and that this may reflect a broader pattern of engine-related defects. I believe this situation deserves formal investigation and review, potentially qualifying for recall consideration or an expanded service campaign. I drive daily in the Chicago suburbs with my [XXX] and [XXX] children, which makes the risk of sudden engine failure especially concerning. I am more than willing to provide documentation, including oil consumption logs, service records, and communications with both Kia and JM&A. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter for possible investigation into its safety implications and potential systemic nature. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 18, 2025
Upon starting my vehicle after going to the grocery store, the ABS, ESC, Check Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist System, and Auto Hold warning lights illuminated. The cruise control was then inadvertently deactivated. When vehicle is started the Check Forward Collision error comes on. After a few months when entering the freeway and accelerating I received an error regarding unknown engine issue. Took vehicle to Kia dealership and was who diagnosed that the hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU) needed to be replaced. Manufacturer being notified, vehicle not repaired at dealer due to cost.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had overheated and fractured. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 97,000.
Engine, Apr 24, 2025
Kia is well known for their engine problems. I had my engine light come on and was flashing so I pulled over and shut the car off. After a few minutes I turned it back on and the light was still on, but no longer flashing. I was able to get it to my local mechanic who told me it needed a new engine. I had it towed to the Kia dealer where I purchased it. They were able to replace it was a refurbished motor, but Kia indicated it was not part of the current recall. I feel it should be part of the current engine recall, but if it truly is not then I felt you should be made aware of the issue.
Engine, Apr 17, 2025
We have noticed a great amount of oil consumption in the engine. We first thought we needed an oil change. We keep up on maintenance of our vehicles. When we took it in to get the oil changed, they said we had almost no oil in the vehicle. So once we had an oil change, we took it to Kia of Alcoa and they said there was nothing wrong with it. We drove it a while and again low on oil. We take it back to Kia of Alcoa and they do an oil consumption test. We drove it 1,000 miles like they said to do and we came back. They checked the oil level and they said the oil consumption was normal. So again we drive it and still having issues with oil consumption. We always have to put anywhere from 1 to 5 quarts of oil in the vehicle on a regular basis. We should not have to add oil in between oil changes. Now we have a rattling going on and we are taking it back to Kia Alcoa soon to get looked at. We believe that rattling is from the high oil consumption. Nobody seems to have a solution and everyone thinks there is nothing wrong with the vehicle.
Engine, Apr 15, 2025
I own a 2019 Kia Sorento SX V6 that I purchase in January 2024 that now has 73k miles. I recently started encountering a problem where the oil light would come on and stay on while my car is an idle position. I went to City Kia of Greater Orlando to get an oil change because I assumed that was the problem. Sometime after the oil change the light continued to go on when my car was in idle position and my engine oil that was just replaced had been severely depleted so I returned to Kia to have a diagnostic done and was advised that the oil filter housing gasket, oil pressure regulator valve needed to be replaced along with some other repairs for leaks so I approved the repairs but after the repairs were completed and I retrieved my vehicle the same problem of the oil light coming own when idle continued. I returned one again to Kia and had another diagnostic done and they found that now the oil pressure switch with harness needed to be replaced which I questioned because why wasn’t this issue found with the first diagnostic. Why so many issues with parts related to my engine and is not covered under warranty or as part of a recall. I’ve done some research and found numerous complaints of the 2019 kia sorento having the same engine issues and having the same parts replaced. I strongly believe that this is a defect on this car and should be addressed immediately and these issues scrutinized.
Engine, Mar 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a local AutoZone, where a representative inspected the vehicle and advised the contact that the engine oil was extremely low. The contact added engine oil, and within two weeks, the engine oil was extremely low again. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several local dealers were contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced a settlement under Kia Engine Litigation: Case [XXX] as possibly related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Mar 24, 2025
Oil consumption