2014 KIA SORENTO Complaints

HAD SOME RAIN COME THROUGH, I GOT IN MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT THE SEATS WERE DAMP AND THE DASHBOARD WAS DAMP AS WELL. SO I DID A LITTLE INVESTIGATION, LOOKED ON TOP MY ROOF , AND IT APPEARED THAT PART OF THEPANARAMIC SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ROCKS HIT MY CAR, I LITERALLY DRIVE MY CAR FROM HOME TO WORK. I HAVEN'T HAD THIS CAR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION WITH ALL THE DINGS AND WHISTLES SO TO SPEAK AND ONLY 58,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT USED. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW ON EARTH THIS COULD SHATTER OUT OF NO WHERE? I JUST HAD TO PAY A $500.00 DOLLAR DEDUCTIBLE, FOR SOMETHING I DIDN'T CAUSE TO MY CAR. I AM GLAD THE WHOLE THING DIDN'T SHATTER WITH ME AND MY CHILD IN THE CAR.

KIA SORENTO OWNER FOLLOW-UP LETTER ON SAFETY RECALL. *BF UPDATED 09/26/2017*JS

WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START THE CAR,IT HAS POWER BUT WILL NOT START YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON TURNING THE SWITC UNTIL IT INGAGES OR PUT YOU FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ON AND TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT IN GEAR THEN PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND IT WILL CRANK.THIS IS ALWAYS WHEN YOU FIRST CRANK IT .IT IS ALWAYS SITTING STILL.

VEHICLE FREQUENTLY WILL NOT START AND A MESSAGE POPS UP SAYING: " BATTERY DISCHARGE WARNING" "PLEASE USE THE SYSTEM WHEN THE IGNITION IS ON". IT TAKES ANYWHERE BETWEEN 10-20 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR FINALLY STARTS. KIA SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY.

MY CAR STARTING TO BEGIN TO SHOW LACK OF POWER AT FIRST, WHICH I HAD MENTIONED IN ADVANCE IN SERVICE APPOINTMENTS. TWO DAYS BEFORE MY ONE YEAR OF OWNING IT, THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL OUT WHEN I STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS WITHIN THE SAME DAY A OIL LIGHT WARNING FLASHED, AND THE CAR STARTED TO HAVE A KNOCKING NOISE. I WENT AND ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL. ONCE THE OIL LIGHT DISAPPEARED BUT THE KNOCKING CONTINUED . I TOOK THE CAR TO MY REGULAR KIA SERVICE PROVIDER THE SAME DAY AND IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THERE THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT DAY, THE ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT HE COULD HEAR THE KNOCKING, WHICH SOUNDED CONCERNING. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK THE NEXT DAY AS INSTRUCTED AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP AT END OF DAY. TIME PASSED BY AND IT WAS GETTING LATE TOWARDS CLOSING, SO I CALLED THE SHOP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINES HAD SEIZED AND THAT THE OIL BAY WAS DRY. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING HAPPEN SO FAST. I HAD NO WARNING OF ANY KIND OF OIL ISSUES UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE, AND I HAD BEEN TAKING THE CAR IN FOR IT'S REGULAR SERVICES. THE CAR WAS IN THE KIA SERVICE SHOP, AND MOVED BY THEM. IT WAS RUNNING WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN BUT I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE ENGINE IS SHOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER (THE KIA STORE, 5325 PRESTON HWY, LOUISVILLE, KY 40213, (888) 214-1809) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN THE DEALER REPLACING THE PART. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE CONTACT HAD TWO KEYS AND THE DEALER LATER PROVIDED ONE KEY, STATING THAT THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE SECOND KEY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

1ST OCCURRENCE: ON JULY 10, 2017, AT ABOUT 11:30 A.M., I MADE A LEFT TURN ON A CITY STREET IN LAS CRUCES, NM, WHICH TOOK ME THROUGH AN UNDERPASS. IT WAS A 'WIDE' TURN AND I WAS PROBABLY MOVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH. ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN I LOST POWER STEERING AND BY BRUTE FORCE, WAS ABLE TO TURN MY CAR AND AVOID THE WALL OF THE UNDERPASS. HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER CAR TO MY RIGHT, I WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE HIT IT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I BROUGHT MY SORENTO TO A STOP AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. I AM UNSURE WHICH CAME FIRST, THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING OR THE ENGINE STOPPING. LATER THAT DAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL KIA SERVICE FACILITY WHERE NO PROBLEM(S) COULD BE FOUND. I WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF MY SORENTO AT THE TIME OF THIS FIRST INCIDENT. 2ND OCCURRENCE: ON JULY 27, 2017, AT ABOUT 2:00 P.M., I MADE A RIGHT TURN ON A CITY STREET IN LAS CRUCES, NM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN AND JUST BEGINNING TO MOVE STRAIGHT AHEAD AT ABOUT 30 MPH, I ONCE AGAIN LOST MY POWER STEERING. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING LOT, ONCE AGAIN USING BRUTE FORCE TO STEER. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING WHEN I BROUGH MY SORENTO TO A STOP, BUT I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE SAME KIA SERVICE FACILITY. NO PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND THIS TIME EITHER. THOUGH I AM NOT 100 PERCENT CERTAIN, I BELIEVE THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER PRECEDED THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. MY WIFE WAS WITH ME WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.

KIA SAFETY RECALL (#17V224) I HAD PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA REGARDING AN ENGINE FAILURE. PLEASE SEE COMPLAINT #10993259. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPLAINT IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE PREVIOUSLY FILED COMPLIANT. AS YOU ARE AWARE, KIA FAILED TO TIMELY NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS THAT THEIR VEHICLE MAY HAVE AN ENGINE DEFECT. AS YOU WILL SEE FROM MY PREVIOUSLY FILED COMPLAINT, I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST ENGINE FAILURE ON APRIL 1, 2017. BETWEEN APRIL 1ST AND MAY 31ST, I HAD EXPERIENCED THREE TOTAL FAILURES. HOWEVER, AS A RESULT OF THE APRIL 1ST FAILURE, I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MIDAS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL RECALL AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE TIMING GEAR AND CLEANED THE ENGINE, BUT INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE WORK. THE COST FOR THESE SERVICES WAS $1,488.50. I ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TIMING SOLENOIDS (I DID NOT HAVE THIS DONE AT MIDAS AT THE TIME BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY). I PURCHASED THESE AT AUTO ZONE FOR $123.42. THEY WERE INSTALLED BY A DIFFERENT MECHANIC AT THE COST OF $125. ONCE THE INTERIM RECALL INFORMATION WAS DISSEMINATED, IN JUNE, AND ONCE I RECEIVED MY VEHICLE BACK, WHICH WAS JUNE 25TH, AFTER HAVING THE ENGINE REPLACED, I FILED A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT. KIA HAS DENIED PAYMENT BECAUSE THEY STATE THE ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED AS PER THEIR "LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENTION." I LATER APPEALED AND THE REPRESENTATIVE LEFT ME A VOICE MESSAGE (THAT I STILL POSSESS) WHICH STATES THAT IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED AND THE WORK WAS NOT DONE BY KIA. PROBLEM: IF I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL AT THE TIME OF FAILURE, WHY AM I BEING PENALIZED FOR THEIR FAULTY ENGINE? ADDITIONALLY, THE REIMBURSEMENT IS NOT UNDER A WARRANTY PROGRAM BUT IT IS FOR A SAFETY RECALL. WHY AM I BEING PENALIZED. KIA NEEDS TO PUT FORTH A GOOD FAITH EFFORT AND MAKE ITS CUSTOMERS WHOLE.

AIRBAG SAFETY INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ON WITH PASSENGER SITTING ON THE SEAT: AT 80,000 MILES I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SAFETY INDICATOR LIGHT. WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED, THE WARNING AIRBAG LIGHT, COMES ON AND REMAINS ON. I CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS HAPPENED AT FIRST FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND NOW IT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY. SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. SINCE 60,000 MILES I HAVE HAD A SHORT IN THE ELECRICAL SYSTEM OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 DIFFERENT PLACES TO HAVE IT INVESTIGATED AND NEITHER MECHANIC COULD TRACE THE CAUSE OF THE SHORT. I HAVE HAD BLOWN FUSES, NON-WORKING HEADLAMPS, FRONT AND BACK. NO ONE COULD FIND THE SHORT. I KEEP SPARE FUSES WITH ME AT ALL TIMES NOW, AND 100% OF THE TIME, THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT OPERATIONAL. I CONTACTED KIA CAR PROS IN CARSON, CALIFORNIA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE HAD EXPIRED AT 60,000 MILES. DEFECTIVE AUTO LOCKS MY RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WILL NO LONGER OPEN AND WILL NO LONGER PERMIT INGRESS OR EGRESS INTO THE BACK SEAT. THE KEY FOB WILL TURN THE LOCKS TO THE OPEN POSITION BUT YOU STILL CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. PERIODICALLY, THE DOOR LOCKS WILL GO CRAZY AND MAKE UP AND DOWN MOVEMENTS WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN. OCCASIONALLY, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WILL LOCK AND NOT OPEN, BUT THEN IT OPENS. NOW THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR IS PERMANENTLY STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION. KIA CAR PROS ALWAYS FINDS SOME EXCUSE FOR NOT REPAIRING THE DOOR UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE IT IS DEFECTIVE AND THEY SHOULD BEAR THE EXPENSES.

CAR BEGAN RANDOMLY NOT STARTING. NEW BATTERY INSTALLED IN NOVEMBER 2016. REPEATED ISSUE 6 DAYS LATER AND AGAIN 6 DAYS AFTER THAT. REMEMBERING BACK TO FIRST TIME I PUSHED THE START BUTTON TWICE, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND BACK INTO PARK. CAR STARTED. FIRST TIME ON A RELATIVELY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ALL OTHER TIMES ON FLAT GROUND. ALL INCIDENCES IN A DRIVEWAY/GARAGE. TOOK TO SOUTHWEST KIA ROUND ROCK (TEXAS) WHERE IT WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. REPLACED BRAKE SWITCH SINCE DIAGNOSTICS WAS SHOWING A HISTORY. ALSO FIXED A RECALL ITEM (REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR) WHICH I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR. TOOK CAR HOME AND THAT EVENING IT WOULD NOT START. PERFORMED THE WORK AROUND AND IT STARTED. IT HAS BEEN WITH THE DEALER 7 DAYS NOW AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE IT. CLAIMED THEY OPENED A TECH LINE BUT WHEN I CALLED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO OPEN MY OWN FILE CASE I WAS TOLD THEY SHOW NO RECORD OF A TECH LINE BEING OPENED. MY CONSUMER AFFAIRS CASE NUMBER IS 12421090. I HAVE NOW EMAILED THE GM, SERVICE MANAGER AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR AFTER HAVING NO COMMUNICATION FROM THEM AT ALL FOR THE LAST WEEK. I AM CONCERNED IT WILL FAIL WHILE DRIVING AND FEAR THE SAFETY ISSUE THIS COULD CAUSE - BEING HIT BY ANOTHER CAR, ETC.THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS 40K MILES ON IT AND I'VE OWNED IT FOR 3 YR AND 8 MO.