Vehicle speed control, engine and powertrain issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
There’s no question that SUVs are taking over America’s roadways. One popular option has been the 2019 Kia Sorento. This SUV boasts about plenty of style and lots of functionality. The newer models even claim to “bring on the adventure.” They couldn’t be any more honest in their description as this SUV brings plenty of excitement with it, just not the type that most owners want to deal with. The defective engine, malfunctioning powertrain and faulty vehicle speed control take consumers for a ride.
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The Kia Sorento isn’t a top of the line SUV, but owners still expect the engine to be durable and full of performance. The automaker is known to provide reliable vehicles, but something seems to have gone wrong with this model.
Just look at what this Edmunds review states. “There are serious problems with the transmission or engine misfire, especially when trying to drive at 25-30 mph, as is stutters back and forth. Stuttering is also very notable when accelerating. Usually skips a half second between shifts on acceleration onto the highway.”
What’s interesting about the manufacturer communications is that nothing addresses any engine problems of at all. While many automakers will have a long list of troubles that are discussed between the higher-ups and the technicians, Kia has nothing. Either they don’t prefer to talk to their dealerships or they are attempting to hide something. For anyone with any experience, it’s a clear sign that something isn’t right.
LEASED THE CAR IN MARCH AND BY END OF MAY IT WAS IDELING ROUGH AND CLICKING. GOT A MESSAGE ON MY SCREEN ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT ONTO THE DEALER AND WITH LESS THAN 2900 MILES IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. NOW IT WILL BE ABOUT 3 MONTHS (THEY ARE BACKLOGGED) UNTIL I GET IT BACK!!
WHEN PULLING OUT OR STARTING OUT THE CAR HESITATES MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE KIA SERVICE CENTER, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND UNSAFE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY.
LOUD ENGINE RATTLE NOISE WHEN STARTING ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN SHUT OFF OVERNIGHT.SOUNDS LIKE THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN HYDRAULIC TENSIONER IS BLEEDING DOWN.TENSIONER DOES NOT MAINTAIN A CORRECT INITIAL POSITION.NOISE DIMINISHES WITHIN A MINUTE OR SO OF STATIONARY ENGINE RUN.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Structure:body | |
| Power Train | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control |
Along with the engine, the powertrain is another essential system that must work well for a comfortable ride. When the transmission or other system components begin to malfunction, the ride goes from normal to out of control very quickly.
On Edmunds, a reviewer pointed out the initial trouble they experienced by saying, “After 1000 miles, it started being jerky when starting out and slowing down. Brought it back to the dealer 5 times. The dealer had a ‘transmission expert’ flown in from KIA. After 6 weeks I was emailed a poorly put together emailed from Kia corporate. It said that all 2019 Kia Sorentos with the new 8 speed tranny all exhibit this jerky operation and they would not fix it, buy it back or trade it for a different model. After consulting with a lawyer, I found that I would just trade it in for a different make car. Cost me a bunch of money. I hear there is a lawsuit being put together for this. I have never been so poorly treated by a car manufacturer. Never again!!”
Unlike the engine trouble, the automaker at least acknowledges that there are some issues with the powertrain. In Service Bulletin #TSBTRA082_R1, we see that the MIL comes on with DTC P0741. It requires an update to the ECU. While they don’t go into a lot of detail, it’s obvious to see that there are some serious concerns to work out. The SUV shouldn’t come off the line requiring updates to run correctly. These are things that should have already been worked out before selling the vehicle to consumers. How many car owners want to have their SUV sitting at the dealership waiting for repairs right after the purchase? That’s not the adventure most people sign up for.
MY 2019 V6 KIA SORENTO STUMBLES AND HESITATES UNDER PART THROTTLE, LOW RPM, ACCELERATION REGARDLESS OF SPEED. ITS MORE NOTICEABLE IN CITY DRIVING, BUT IS PRESENT WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. KEEPING THE TRANSMISSION IN SPORT MODE REDUCES THE SEVERITY, BUT DOES NOT ELIMINATE IT. WHEN I PLACE THE GEAR SELECTOR IN MANUAL MODE, AND LOCK IN A HIGHER (NUMERICALLY) GEAR, I CAN DUPLICATE THE HESITATION. I HAD MY DEALERSHIP REFLASH THE LOGIC CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION, PER A TSB, BUT THAT ONLY PARTIALLY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE SO IT MAY BE A COMBINATION OF FUEL DELIVERY/AUTOMATIC GEAR SELECTION. I BELIEVE ITS MORE OF A FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEM, THOUGH. SOMETIMES THE HESITATION IS SUCH THAT IT PREVENTS PROMPT ACCELERATION, POSING A SAFETY CONCERN. IVE USED VARIOUS FUEL SYSTEM CLEANERS DESIGNED FOR GDI ENGINES WITH LIMITED SUCCESS. MY VEHICLE HAS 13K MILES ON IT, AND IT HAS PERFORMED IN THIS MANNER SINCEI BOUGHT IT APX. 2K MILES, AND TWO MONTHS, AGO.
MY 2019 KIA SORENTO HAS HESITATIONS WHILE RAMPING UP IN SPEED. TOLD DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AFTER THE 1ST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP. TOLD IT WAS NOTHING SINCE IT DIDNT SHOW UP IN SPORT MODE. IM SEEING IN FORUMS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 8 SPEED TRANS. DROPPING OFF TO DEALERSHIP TODAY FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
TRANSMISSION STUMBLES / HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING UP HILL OR ON LEVEL SURFACE AT LOW SPEEDS. VEHICLE BRIEFLY AND REPEATEDLY LURCHES UNDER ACCELERATION AS IF DRIVING ON PATCHY ICE-COVERED ROAD SURFACE. NOTICEABLE TO DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. WORST IN COMFORT, SMART AND ECO MODES. NOT AS PRONOUNCED, BUT STILL PRESENT IN SPORT MODE. MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING SHORTLY AFTER START-UP. LESS NOTICEABLE AFTER 10-15 MINUTES DRIVING.
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Controlling speed is a common aspect handled by today’s technology. When something is defective, it can lead to a rough ride and a potential crash.
One Edmunds reviewer stated, “Steering alert at speeds above 55. Steering recalibrated 6 times in 4 months.Parking brake issues & slipped out of parking gear while in my driveway. Poor shifting between 35 and 45 MPH .electronic steering feature shuts off and on. Would not buy again. Electronic and computer issues since buying in 11/18 service department favorite quote ‘not showing any error codes.’”
Again, the company chose not to discuss vehicle speed control systems through the manufacturer communications. They did, however, release another notice regarding other advanced safety systems, which are just as important. Service Bulletin TSBELE154 states that the Blind Spot Collision Warning malfunctions with a DTC C270254. To reassure those reading the statement, they make sure to mention that there isn’t a real issue or defective part. How reassuring that is. The vehicle is alerting that there’s a problem, but there really isn’t one. There’s nothing to see here, is what they want consumers to believe. After all of the problems experienced with the Sorento SUV and the lack of transparency from the automaker, many owners have become concerned. It doesn’t seem wise to purchase a vehicle in search of an adventure. Instead, the car-buyer might do better to go on vacation instead.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA SORENTO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ALL THE TIME EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL OF 2019. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE HANN AUTO GROUP ON THREE OCCASIONS, BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED
WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS SET THE VEHICLE WILL WITHOUT WARNING SURGE , JERK AND JUMP. THE RPM NEEDLE WILL SHOW ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT NOTICE AND NOT ON ANY INCLINE OR DECLINES, ON STRAIGHT AWAYS. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS SET.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Kia pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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Anyone have problems with 2019 kia sorento with burning oil causing engine to cease due to sludge in engine and warranty will not cover it trying to start a class action lawsuit please let me know
My Kia Sorento 2019 has an engine Knock and a transmission problem.
My 2019 Kia Sorento has the same issues with transmission as other people are stating. Clunking and jerking. Slow acceleration and lagging acceleration through intersections. Kia Canada won’t help out under basic warranty even though I’ve taken it in and complained that it started at 7,000km. Now I have to fight for the issue under extended warranty. This is not right!!
My sorento in pakistan is 3.5 Lamda II V6. I m facing issue of AC comprossor grinding noise which only heard when u switch off the Ac button. Company has replaced the Ac compressor twice, but problem keep on reoccurring. If any expert may share email address. I can sent the video of griding sound I noted
My 2019 Sorento SX V6 had a sudden down shift at highway speed, luckily I was coming to a traffic light. Has anyone else had same issue. Truck only has 42,700+ miles on it.
Has anyone had problems with the camera’s not sensing objects? I’ve had it going in on 3 times now with a different reason each time.. If I put it in reverse it will notify me I’m to close to something.
Maybe 10 times or so, after coming to a complete stop and while waiting to proceed with my foot on the brakes, I have felt it drop into first gear. Three or four of those times it was such a distinct thud I could feel in the steering wheel, the seat and the floorboard. Either it hadn’t fully downshifted into 1st by the time I stopped, or it downshifted all the way into 1st then into to neutral, and what I’m feeling is it fall back into 1st. Other times were more subtle but still detectable. That stopped after a couple thousand miles.
Power is still not smoothly transmitted to the wheels. It stumbles when cold and sometimes I feel it on a long drive on the freeway. Got an Uber ride from the airport once. Driver had the identical car and said he experienced similar problems. Three times, when cold and only having driven a mile or less, it has bucked while accelerating in 3rd or 4th gear hard enough to rock my head forward. It’s tempting to think fuel system, but the above items and the uneven delivery of power to the wheels at high speeds also, is more like transmission surge from a lack of consistent fluid pressure being maintained in each gear. I’m thinking valve body, torque converter, if lucky maybe just a bad PCM. In ECO mode it’s downright dangerous and more than once I thought I’d get killed trying to turn onto a busy road. Less noticeable in comfort mode.
I take it easy on a car and my last one lasted 12 ½ years. I researched the hell out of SUVs and chose the Kia over the Accord RDX and Ford Edge. I’m not happy with the driving experience to date. Dealer said “mechanic couldn’t duplicate my surge problem so I agreed to go back test drive with the mechanic. Went to a smooth part of a nearby road where he said he “could feel it some but it’s not bad enough for KIA to replace the transmission. Let us know if it gets worse“. The flip side of this statement is: Gee, too bad your anticipated new car joy isn’t going to happen, but KIA is happy with it’s anticipated profit, and won’t act on this unless it gets worse. Multiple attempts by both to say Costco gas is the problem. BS!
2019 Kia Sorento V-6. Stumbles and jerks, especially when cold or climbing a hill. It will then down shift and jerk the passengers hard.
MY 2019 V6 KIA SORENTO STUMBLES AND HESITATES UNDER PART THROTTLE, LOW RPM, ACCELERATION REGARDLESS OF SPEED. IT’S MORE NOTICEABLE IN CITY DRIVING, Cold start car is rough on start. I have brought this to the deal TWICE they did the recall but car is still doing it, brought it back a second time deal said it doesn’t do it. I plan to bring it back again.
2019 Kia Sorento misfires. took to shop several times. They said they fixed and i agreed to settle and except payment but have emails that say i can lemon car if continues. Vehicle is still doing it and Kia. took to shop again tech said it was misfiring. Tech responded didn’t find misfire. Kia refusing me service now.