2021 KIA SORENTO Complaints

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly jerked and then lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the low-pressure and high-pressure fuel injectors and gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,779.

The contact owns a 2021 KIA Sorento. The contact stated while driving the vehicle on a hill he states the vehicle stutters very hard and moves back and forth with hesitation to accelerate. The vehicle was seen by a dealer 3 months before and was made aware of a transmission failure starting, the contact moved to an area that has much more hills and is now experiencing hard transmission failure symptoms. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage 136,577.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving rotating noise coming from and louder when accelerating. The was taken to local mechanic transmission. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission needed to the be replaced. A transmission software update was performed but the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously service under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000(POWER TRAIN). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 80,000.

COMPONENT: 2.5L T-GDI engine failed completely at 102,971 miles, requiring full replacement (~$8,000). Vehicle available for inspection at [XXX] Kia, [XXX] . SAFETY RISK: Engine lost power during normal operation. Sudden, uncontrolled loss of engine power creates a direct collision risk at highway speeds for the driver, passengers, and surrounding vehicles. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Mark Kia performed a borescope inspection on April 10, 2026 confirming cylinder wall scoring, oil-fouled pistons, and worn honing patterns across multiple cylinders. Findings are consistent with Kia TSB ENG235 (January 2022), which documents a defective PCV check valve on 2021–2022 Sorento 2.5T engines allowing oil to contaminate combustion chambers. Vehicle was serviced exclusively at Mark Kia for all 17 visits since 2021. TSB ENG235 does not appear in any service record. PRIOR SYMPTOMS: No warning lamps or messages before failure. A certified 36-point inspection one week prior showed zero cautions. Spark plugs replaced at 74,534 miles (Jan 2025) were found fouled at ~102,000 miles, only 28,000 miles later — indicating silent, progressive oil contamination. The defect is undetectable by the driver until catastrophic failure. Kia America has not responded to two formal written dispute requests (Case #XXX, April–May 2026). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 50-60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to Firestone, where the spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to Firestone, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel injectors were replaced, and the transmission oil pump was replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); however, the failure recurred after driving 6,000 miles. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the transmission oil pump was replaced under warranty; however, the failure worsened. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the roadway. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to another dealer for a second opinion. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

My windshield randomly cracked from driver side top edge and down in a diagonal direction. There is no visible impact from an object hitting my windshield, which might be a manufacturer defect. This is my daily drive vehicle but the crack is in my line of sight while driving and is not safe. This crack happened yesterday while driving and I contacted KIA service department and left a message since it was on a Saturday afternoon.

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Sorento and the repeated lack of resolution from the dealership where the vehicle was purchased and serviced. I have taken my vehicle to the dealership multiple times to address ongoing and serious safety concerns. Despite having active warranties on the transmission and powertrain, I have continually been told that there is nothing they can do, and my concerns have not been properly addressed. The vehicle is experiencing persistent issues, including: The transmission jerking and jarring when shifting gears The dashboard and center display screen intermittently go completely black while driving These issues do not occur constantly, but they happen frequently enough to pose a significant safety risk. I regularly have my grandchildren in the vehicle, and their safety, as well as my own, is my highest priority. Each time I have contacted the dealership to report these problems, I have been met with excuses and resistance to even scheduling an appointment. Due to the lack of cooperation, I felt I had no choice but to drop off my vehicle on April 13, 2026, without an appointment in order to have it addressed. I am extremely disappointed in the level of service and treatment I have received. As a loyal customer—this being my third vehicle purchased from the same dealership—I have never experienced this type of disregard. I also feel that I have not been treated fairly and, at times, have been dismissed in a way that is concerning and unacceptable. I am requesting the following: A full and thorough diagnostic of my vehicle, specifically addressing the transmission and electrical issues Proper repair under warranty Clear communication regarding findings and next steps Immediate attention to these safety concerns I purchased this vehicle with the expectation of reliability and safety. At this time, I do not feel safe driving it, and I am requesting that Kia take this matter seriously

Our 2021 Kia SORENTO has been to Elmhurst kia service numerous times . The chief complaint is the Kia Sorrento keeps losing power while in drive reverse middle traffic even on the highway but yeah every time we take it in, they say either it’s the battery .you can’t use it in the Eco mode .turn off the shut off while in drive mode when at stops ! always a different excuse, but yet no recall and it’s not showing up on their computer, but yeah it’s happening and Kia does not want to take ownership. The vehicle has been left there for numerous weeks at a time leaving us without a vehicle no loaner . But because cannot duplicate issue release vehicle back with no repairs or maintenance. Kia prefer you taking the car getting into a car accident before they decide to do anything or even a lawsuit because not enough people having same issue with the 2021 kia SORENTO s model ! If you also have these issues please report them here so they can be forced to open a recall !!! Before someone gets seriously hurt my SORENTO has loss power on highway and in the middle of train tracks with my little ones in SORENTO and we drove the vehicle from day one original owners not a used SORENTO

The system that failed is the high-pressure fuel pump and the intake fuel pump. The fuel system pressure is too low, and the cold start fuel pressure is too high. This is defective because I purchased the car used in November 2023. The car is a safety risk as it stalled immediately yesterday while I was driving with my children and it began smelling like gas fumes from exhaust. The vehicle has been diagnosed by a certified mechanic at Mike and Nick's Tires and Services in Canyon Country, California No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the failure. The engine light came on as soon as the car began to stall and shake/lose power.

I am submitting a complaint regarding a 2021 Kia Sorento SX that experienced a premature and catastrophic transmission failure at approximately 76,000 miles. The vehicle developed loss of power, hesitation, and erratic shifting at low speeds (0–30 mph), creating a potentially dangerous condition when attempting to accelerate into traffic or cross intersections. A Kia dealership diagnosed the issue as TCM code P193B79 and determined that the failure involved an internal high-pressure oil pump within the transmission, requiring full transmission replacement. This failure occurred despite proper maintenance and completion of Kia’s SC250 software update, which appears to address transmission-related drivability concerns. My maintenance records confirm compliance with manufacturer recommendations. The symptoms and failure mode closely align with the type of transmission issues addressed in Kia service campaigns and recalls (including SCN-520), yet Kia has refused to provide coverage or reimbursement, stating that my specific diagnostic code does not exactly match the recall criteria. As a result, I was forced to pay approximately $5,300 out of pocket for a full transmission replacement on a vehicle with relatively low mileage. This raises serious concerns that: * The underlying transmission issue may extend beyond the narrow criteria defined in the recall * Software updates may not fully address an underlying mechanical defect * Consumers may be experiencing similar failures without coverage Additionally, the loss of power and hesitation at low speeds presents a clear safety risk, particularly in normal driving conditions. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether transmission failures in the 2021 Kia Sorento are broader than currently recognized and whether affected consumers should receive expanded coverage or reimbursement.