2025 KIA SORENTO Complaints

The central ccNC infotainment display screen on my 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid intermittently and now permanently failed (blank/black screen). This total display blackout completely disables the backup camera system (FMVSS 111 non-compliance) and critical vehicle setting controls. The issue first began while under the 36,000-mile factory warranty (documented at 12,000-14,000 miles). Despite providing timestamped video proof and taking the vehicle to the dealership for diagnosis (Case #26311712), Kia America has delayed and refused to authorize a goodwill repair/replacement. This issue mirrors official NHTSA safety recall SC361 / 26V046 for 2025 Sorento display defects.

My 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid SX-Prestige has repeated issues with the engine and drive train. On December 30th, 2025 it was diagnosed with a blocked breather hose sensor, causing the check engine light to come on. On July 1, 2026, the car rapidly decelerated while driving on the highway (limp mode), creating an unsafe condition, with an alert to charge the battery. The car also seemed to struggle getting up to speed, and shifted gears less smoothly, and at higher engine RPMs than it had previously. The deceleration behavior was confirmed by the Kia Technician. On July 21st, 2026, the car again rapidly decelerated while driving on the highway (limp mode), creating another unsafe condition, but no alert to charge the battery was received. This time the fuel rail pressure sensor was replaced. The car is now sitting in my driveway, completely dead. I drove it 2 days ago, and nothing appeared amiss. Yesterday morning, the doors would not unlock using either key fob, so I used the physical key to enter the car. It would not start. My husband measured the voltage from the battery terminal (inside the fuse box under the hood) to the bolt on the wheel strut at ~3 Volts. No settings were changed in the car and I verified the headlights remain in "Auto" mode. As it is Sunday, I will contact the Kia dealer tomorrow for directions. Due to the repetitive nature of issues with this car, I would like help from the NHTSA to ensure this is promptly and permanently fixed.

VEHICLE: 2025 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX]) KIA CORPORATE CASE #: XXX SAFETY DEFECT DESCRIPTION: The central ccNC infotainment display screen suffers from recurring, thermal-induced flickering and complete blackouts while driving and parking. When the screen blackouts, the FMVSS 111 federally mandated Backup Camera, navigation, and critical vehicle safety displays are completely lost, posing an immediate collision and safety hazard. EXTENSIVE SERVICE & REPAIR HISTORY (2 FAILED DEALER VISITS): 1. VISIT #1 (XXX - Healey Kia, Newburgh NY): Reported intermittent display flickering and blackout. Dealer claimed unable to duplicate on quick drive and requested video proof. 2. EVIDENCE DOCUMENTATION: Clear video was captured demonstrating screen flickering and total blackout after ~20 minutes of driving, while audio continued playing. 3. VISIT #2 (XXX - Kia of Middletown, NY, Invoice #XXX at 4,951 miles): Dealer performed a 2-hour manual CCNC software update via KGIS and released the vehicle as "operating as designed." 4. FAILURE RECURRENCE (XXX): Less than 24 hours after the software update, the display experienced another complete failure and blackout while driving (captured on secondary video). CURRENT STATUS / REFUSAL TO REPAIR: Despite TWO separate dealership visits and conclusive video evidence proving the software update failed, Kia Customer Care (Case #XXX) refused to authorize a warranty Head Unit / Display Assembly replacement and instead instructed me to repeatedly surrender the vehicle for indefinite dealer visits. This is an unresolved, chronic safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

About a minute into my drive, I heard an explosion. I looked back thinking something happened to my twin toddlers and saw nothing. I heard the sound of glass cracking and looked up to see the front glass of my moonroof shattered. I pulled over to safety and closed the sun cover for the moonroof before any more glass could fall into the car in fear of my toddlers getting injured. The car itself had been on for maybe 5 minutes prior to driving away from my house.

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the rear windshield wiper was moving with the switch turned off. The contact turned the rear windshield wiper to high, then low, and the wiper finally turned off. The contact continued driving and the vehicle suddenly stalled, and the message Press Button to Start Engine message was displayed. The vehicle continued to coast in neutral, and then decelerated to approximately 65 MPH. The contact pressed the start button and the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle failed to move immediately. The contact stated that after several attempts, the engine revved as needed. The contact stated that while continuing to drive, the steering wheel was hot, the radio screen was blacked out, and the horn failed to sound. When the radio screen was illuminated and displayed the information on the screen, the contact became aware that the GPS had reset to an erroneous location. The rear windshield wiper independently activated again. The contact noticed a burning odor while continuing to drive the vehicle. After the contact arrived to the destination, the contact had to press the button four times before the vehicle turned off. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issues. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

During highway trips the info cluster starts chiming and a coffee cup light comes on the dash saying I should consider taking a break! This happens frequently and is distracting as I need to look down from the road to access what the warning is. I'm being told now that it is not able to be disabled. It's distracting and there's no way I would have bought the car with such a distraction during highway driving.

This report concerns a repeating loss of power in the 2025 Kia Sorrento-Hybrid that forces the engine into "limp-mode". This issue has occurred when traveling at speeds exceeding 55mph on highway as well as when accelerating to merge into traffic. The vehicle does not flash any warning lights on the dashboard and shuts down in the middle of traffic which presents a serious safety issue for oncoming traffic as the vehicle must coast to the side of the road. This has occurred multiple times and twice I have had the vehicle towed to the dealership. Initially a fuel pressure sensor was replaced and the second time the dealership indicated they could not find any relatable cause. Since that time there have been two additional occurances that I have had. I believe the issues are related to either a fuel pressure sensor or a sudden loss of power within the EV system that causes the vehicle to protect itself by enetering into the limp-mode. I have discovered a short term resolution is to disconnect the 12-V battery and let the car sit for 30 minutes to clear the system codes, but sitting on a busy roadway and the loss of power at speed is a serious safety issue. I have spoken to other owners who have experienced similar issues so this appears to be a wider spread issue.

The dashboard has a screen display. I couldn’t see my fuel tank information. Every time I would use my turn signal a large green circle would take over the screen. Followed by loss of the screen, meaning no speedometer, rpm, etc. As the problem continued the speedometer started displaying incorrect numbers. Saying I was going 70 miles an hour when I was actually going about 55. Gage for fuel and heat (notifying if car is overheating, was lost for the entirety of my drive).

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost drive power. The vehicle decelerated and was coasted over to the side of the road. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel while the vehicle was decelerating. While on the side of the road, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, the message "Hybrid Power Control Unit" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed because the dealer was unable to reproduce the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while the dealer was attempting to duplicate the failure, the vehicle was not being driven at highway speeds like when the failure had occurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

I am writing to report a safety concern with my 2025 Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid. On multiple occasions, after starting the vehicle, the instrument panel appears normal, but the vehicle does not enter the ready state. The ready indicator does not illuminate and the vehicle will not shift into drive or reverse. The vehicle will however, unfortunately, shift into neutral and roll, but with no power. The only way to restore normal operation is to completely turn the vehicle off and restart it. This intermittent condition creates a safety concern because it can leave the vehicle unexpectedly immobilized, with no power, and allow the vehicle to move/roll with no control. I respectfully request that Kia investigate this issue for a possible software or hybrid control defect. Please document my report and inform me of any software updates, improvements or service recalls.