2011 KIA SORENTO Complaints

INCIDENT #1 WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH CAR LURCHED, AND GAS PEDAL WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. ENGINE WAS RUNNING, BUT NO RESPONSE. ONLY FORWARD MOTION WAS "IDLE" SPEED WHICH WAS NOT ENOUGH POWER TO MAKE IT UP HILL. STOPPED CAR IN MEDIAN. TOWED CAR BACK O DEALER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. DEALERSHIP REPLACED A RECALL BRAKE SWITCH, AND SAID AS THERE WAS NO COMPUTER CODE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE TO FIX. RESET THE COMPUTER TO CLEAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. INCIDENT #2 LESS THAN 50 MILES (24 HOURS) AFTER TAKING THE CAR - AT 60MPH SAME ISSUE OCCURRED. SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED & DROVE BACK TO DEALER. AFTER STARTING/STOPPING ABOUT 4 TIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. CAR SEEMED TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN WHILE MERGING, ON A BRIDGE, OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WOULD OCCUR. *TR

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, LAST TIME WAS ALMOST IN ACCIDENT 1/23/12 @40 MPH, 3/06/12 @ 50 MPH, 5/24/12 @35 MPH, 9/4/12 @55 MPH. HAVE DEALERSHIP SERVICE RECORDS FOR FIRST THREE INCIDENTS. NEW THROTTLE BODY INSTALLED 3/06/1 IN FLORIDA AT SUNSET KIA IN VENICE. PER MATT JARVIS BALD HILL KIA IN WARWICK RI, THE REPLACEMENT THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE (KIA GOT A BAD LOT OF THROTTLE BODIES FOR A WHILE.] REPLACED AGAIN 9/6/12. DEALERSHIP HAD KNOWLEDGE OF POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE PART BEFORE LAST STALLING. I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON RT 24 IN MIDDLETOWN RI IN THE PASSING LANE WHEN THE CAR STALLED, GAS PEDDLE UNRESPONSIVE. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED AND HAD TO WEAVE THOUGH TRAFFIC TO GET THROUGH THE DRIVING LANE THEN ON TO THE GRASS. IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT I MADE IT TO SAFETY. WHY DID DEALERSHIP NOT RECALL DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODIES. *TR

ON SEVERAL OCCASION DURING THE LAST TWO (2) WEEKS, I HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY SHIFTING GEARS (E.G. INTO DRIVE, INTO NEUTRAL, INTO REVERSE, ETC); GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK. ONLY AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES WAS I ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AGAIN. *TR

THE OTHER DAY,I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH IN MY 2011 KIA SORENTO WHEN I HEARD A HORRIBLE SOUND AND FELT A TERRIBLE JERK. IT FELT LIKE I HAD HIT SOMETHING OR HAD BEEN HIT, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD. MY RPMS WENT UP TO ABOUT 4,000 AND STAYED THERE. I COULD HEAR AN UNUSUAL SOUND BUT COULDN'T PUT MY FINGER ON WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, THEN REVERSE, THEN DRIVE. EACH TIME, THE CAR JERKED AND I HEARD A SORT OF CLUNKING SOUND. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER, WHICH IS WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT. WE WERE TOLD THE FOLLOWING DAY THAT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AND WAS NOT GOING TO PICK IT UP UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AND FIXED. WE DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED INVOLVING THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE CARS. WE CALLED KIA OF AMERICA 2 DAYS AGO AND WERE TOLD THAT OUR VIN NUMBER DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. WE WERE GIVEN A CASE NUMBER AND TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY THE REGIONAL OFFICE WITHIN 2 BUSINESS DAYS. WE ALSO SPOKE TO THE MANAGER OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT TO SEE IF THEY CAN RECREATE THE PROBLEM. WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM EITHER PLACE. *TR

ON 9/19/2012 AT 12:17 PM I TOOK A FRANTIC CALL FROM MY WIFE. SHE HAD JUST STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS, GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE AND SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AT AROUND 75 MPH. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE FRONT END STARTED SHAKING AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. SHE SHUT OFF THE CRUISE AND WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PULL OVER WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. IT WAS ALREADY GOING OVER 80 MPH WHEN SHE CALLED. I TOLD HER TO STAND ON THE BRAKES-NO EFFECT. I TOLD HER TO PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND TO PUSH AND HOLD THE START BUTTON FOR 10 SECONDS-NOTHING (THAT IS THE OVERRIDE TO GET THE CAR STARTED WHEN THE BRAKE SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS-WE HAD JUST HAD IT REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP 2 WEEKS PRIOR). I TOLD HER TO SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL-THE SHIFTER IS LOCKED IN DRIVE. I TOLD HER TO SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR-IT WON'T MOVE. AFTER 4 MINUTES THE CAR WAS GOING OVER 85 MPH-I TOLD HER TO HANG UP & CALL 911 AS SHE COULD TELL THEM WHERE SHE WAS MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD. A FEW MINUTES LATER I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE HIGHWAY PATROL-THEY HAD 2 CRUISERS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH HER TRYING TO CLEAR TRAFFIC AHEAD OF HER. I ASKED IF THEY COULD GET A CRUISER AHEAD OF HER AND LET HER NOSE UP BEHIND IT AND THEN USE THE CRUISER TO STOP HER. EVIDENTLY THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT IDEA OR IT IS AGAINST POLICY BECAUSE THEY NEVER DID TRY THAT. THE DISPATCHER HAD TO HANG UP TO CONCENTRATE ON THE SITUATION AT HAND. I NOW HAD THE DISPATCHER'S NUMBER SO I COULD CALL HER BACK. AT ONE POINT I CALLED BACK AND SUGGESTED THAT SHE ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND TRY TO SLOW THE CAR WITH IT. MY WIFE DOES NOT REMEMBER EVER TRYING THIS. THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AT SPEEDS UP TO 119 MPH. AT THE END ONE OF THE OFFICERS TOLD HER TO PUT HER LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PULL UP ON THE ACCELERATOR WITH HER RIGHT FOOT AT THE SAME TIME. SHE WENT FROM OVER 100 MPH TO UNDER 50 MPH INSTANTLY, LET GO OF THE PEDALS. *TR

VEHICLE STUCK IN DRIVE WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE BUT ENGINE KEPT RUNNING. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I MANAGED TO FORCE IT INTO NEUTRAL AND THE CURB MAINTAINED MY CAR STATIONARY SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO PUT IT IN PARK. BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK, IT IDLED IN NEUTRAL UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED (20 MIN LATER) BY WHICH TIME IT HAD BEGUN TO OVERHEAT. THE INCLINE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT I WAS NOT ON AN INCLINE. THE TRACTION LIGHT WAS ON AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHY SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION. I ALSO CALLED THE KIA DEALER AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE IN THE MAINTENANCE DEPT. WHO DIRECTED ME TO REPEATEDLY PUMP ON MY BRAKES AND AT THE SAME TIME TO KEEP TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT INTO PARK BUT THE TRACTION LIGHT AND THE INCLINE LIGHTS REMAINED ON AND THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING. I ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER INCIDENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WHEN I WAS ON A ROAD TRIP. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 35,000. I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON HWY 281 S HEADING TO SAN ANTONIO WHEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA. THEY WORKED ON IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF BUT SINCE THEN I'VE EXPERIENCE ODD THINGS SUCH AS THE CAR JUMPING OR POPPING WHEN IT CHANGES GEARS. ALSO, IT TENDS TO OVERHEAT WHEN THE CAR IDLES FOR MORE THAN 10 MIN. AS WELL AS CRUISE CONTROL ISSUES. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED MY KIA SORENTO AND I TRULY FEEL IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

WAS DRIVING ALONG AT ABOUT 35MPH AND NOTICED A VEHICLE TURNING IN FRONT OF ME. I BRAKE TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN AT LEAST. THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY, NO BRAKES, DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. IT WAS LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM WAS TRYING TO WORK, BUT WORKED FAULTY, ALMOST IN A REVERSE FASHION. I PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL TO NO AVAIL, LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING, BUT NOTHING TO SLIP ON. LONG STORY SHORT I ENDED UP GOING IN THE DITCH TO AVOID RUNNING INTO THE VEHICLE. PREVIOUS TO THIS ABOUT 2MONTHS THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO INTO THE PARK POSITION, NO MATTER WHAT I TRIED, THANKFULLY I WAS NEAR THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE CONTROLLER AND IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL NOW. FURTHERMORE, WHEN I GO AROUND A CORNER AT A REASONABLE SPEED THE ENGINE KILLS POWER FOR A SPLIT SECOND, AND THE ANTI-SWAY LIGHTS KICK ON. THIS SEEMS TO BE MORE OF A SAFETY CONCERN THAN A SAFETY FIX. I FEEL HAVING 3 SERIOUS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS MERITS FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MODEL OF KIA, BEFORE IT LITERALLY IS KILLED IN ACTION, KIA. I RECENTLY WATCH THE NEWS AND SAW A STUCK ACCELERATOR PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL AS WELL, HOPE YOU WILL TAKE ACTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER WHICH WAS WORKING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,800.

MY HUSBAND WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. HE GOT IN THE CAR, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND BACKED UP. HE HEARD A LOUD POP. HE PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, AND HIS FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE UNTIL THE VEHICLE GOT UP TO 60 MILES PER HOUR. TRYING NOT TO HIT THE HOUSE, OR THE PERSON OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY HE MANEUVERED THE CAR INTO THE BACK YARD. THE CAR WAS STEADILY PICKING UP SPEED AND HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME. HE COULD NOT GET THE GEAR TO SHIFT OR THE BRAKES TO WORK. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE AND THAT IMPEDED THE MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. HE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT OF IT. *TR

THIS CAR SOMETIMES AFTER THE KEY IS INSERT IN THE IGNITION AND TURN WITH THE INTENTION OF OF STARTING THE CAR IT DOES NOT START. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD COME ON BUT IT DOES NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL TRAYS BY STEPING IN THE BRAKE PEDAL TURN THE WHEEL AND MOVE THE SPEED SHIFT IT STARTS. *TR