2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to exceed 30 MPH. The contact pulled over to the side of the road to avoid other vehicles. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,386.

NHTSA ID

11751110

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

Mileage

16,386 mi

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and failed to exceed 35 MPH before stalling and losing power. Emergency services were contacted and assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, who held the vehicle for two days but had not diagnosed the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

NHTSA ID

11749335

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

Mileage

11,000 mi

For an unknown reason when driving on the highway in heavy traffic the engine started to shake violently causing us to immediately pull over and when we opened the hood the engine was shaking violently. This was a dangerous situation because during this time the engine was not very responsive to input. No warning lights came on at all.

NHTSA ID

11746457

Incident

May 29, 2026

Around XXX the car was suddenly unable to accelerate properly. When pushing the accelerator, the engine would rev only after a long lag, would rev significantly higher than normal without shifting, and the acceleration response was dramatically less than usual. It felt as if the engine simply had no power, or at times almost as if something were resisting the engine. It made it nearly impossible to accelerate past roughly 40mph and the response in acceleration from the pedal was very unpredictable. A mechanic was able to replicate the issue and it was initially attributed to the high pressure fuel pump. Roughly a week after the pump was replaced in early August 2024, the issue occurred again and was again replicated by the dealer and attributed to the fuel sensor, which was replaced. The issue then re-occurred on June 14, 2026. The car is currently in the shop awaiting diagnosis and repair. At no point during any of these instances did any warning appear on the dashboard or anywhere else in the car. The parts are not available for inspection, it is unclear to me who from Kia or any other organization has examined them beyond the dealership (Kia of Riverdale in Riverdale, NJ). The safety of the car’s occupants and potentially other motorists was put at risk by acceleration performing radically differently than would be anticipated from a properly functioning car. The issue was noted several times, including while pulling out of a parking lot onto a busy road and while attempting to keep up with traffic on a busy divided highway.

NHTSA ID

11744327

Incident

Jul 20, 2024

1/24/26 -- While driving ~25-30mph (~2 miles from start of trip) car produced “Engine Management System error” and within a minute or so “Check Hybrid System. Stop Safely” warning and went into electric only mode, limp mode. Turning off the car and turning back on temporarily enabled the gas engine to run. Dealer reviewed fault codes and stated vehicle was now running correctly. ~800 miles and less than 30days later the same problem occurred again. 2/17 – While driving ~30mph (~1mile from start of trip) the car produced a “Engine Management System error”. At this point I was approaching a traffic light and stopped at the red light. Decided to return home and attempted to turn right on red at the light. When I hit the gas to turn, the gas engine did not engage, the car limped forward a few feet in electric mode, and the car started beeping with the “Check Hybrid System. Stop Safely” warning. If I had less less space when turning right, or the car would have a moved a few feet farther, I would have been hit in the intersection by an oncoming car. Thankfully I had left a lot of space and my car did not pull that far into the intersection. I turned the car off, when I turned the car on again, the gas engine engaged, and I was able to slowly drive the 1 mile home. Car was then towed to the dealer 2/18 for repair. As of 3/17 dealer still has the vehicle (so do not have a second repair invoice) and waiting on an Customer Care escalation from KIA as dealer recalibrated the Hybrid module but can't recreate the issue after driving 400miles. This issue leaves the car in a limp mode with a significant chance of causing a accident, I was almost hit, when there is loss of ability to accelerate at any meaningful rate or drive any sustained distance.

NHTSA ID

11725121

Incident

Feb 17, 2026

The vehicle experiences a sudden and complete loss of power while driving. Specifically, the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate. During these incidents, the battery indicator shows critically low battery levels despite there being sufficient gasoline in the vehicle. The exact component causing the malfunction has not been identified by the dealership, as they report no diagnostic codes are present. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue has occurred multiple times while driving on highways at speeds where surrounding traffic is traveling approximately 55 mph or higher. This has also happened while pulling out into traffic, causing near misses of an accident. When the malfunction occurs, the vehicle rapidly loses acceleration capability and slows down to approximately 20 mph. This creates a dangerous speed differential between my vehicle and surrounding traffic. It becomes extremely difficult to safely maneuver into the breakdown lane due to the inability to accelerate. This situation creates a significant risk of rear-end collision or multi-vehicle accident. The dealership has been unable to reproduce the issue during service visits. However, the vehicle has been brought in multiple times for this same concern. The dealership has stated that no diagnostic trouble codes are stored, and therefore they cannot identify or repair the root cause. I have multiple videos documenting the issue occurring while driving. The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by the authorized Kia dealership service department. This issue has been occurring since July of 2025. Video Link: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11721493

Incident

Feb 28, 2026

Currently at a Kia dealership for the 3rd time since the end of December. While driving the electric refuses to switch to gas after the battery drains, it is a hybrid. Maxes out at 18 mph and then an alarm goes off for Hybrid System error. First two time check engine light also came on. Have had vehicle towed to Kia dealerships all three times. Never the same thing repaired or replaced but problem stops for a few days to two weeks and then happens again. They vehicle has been examined and the issue has been replicated or examined by the Canton Kia dealership in Canton, MI two times. Currently at Taylor Kia Toledo, OH. This is a safety issue due to the lack of speed and acceleration. So far I have been in relatively low speed areas but what if it happened on the expressway or in heavy traffic. I normally have my kids in the car and now feel that my vehicle is unsafe and I have only had it 11 months.

NHTSA ID

11718991

Incident

Dec 26, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, and the vehicle decelerated to 35 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence and was later towed to the local dealer. While at the dealer, the cause of the failure was not determined, and the failure had self-corrected. The vehicle was retrieved; however, approximately 1,500 miles late,r the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,300.

NHTSA ID

11716775

Incident

Jul 9, 2025

Mileage

2,300 mi

Incident #1: Car suddenly and without warning had complete loss of power, with gas engine shutting off and only using battery power. Car was traveling at 45mph in morning traffic. Pedal was pushed to the floor, but car would only go a maximum of 20mph. Warning dash lights then appeared saying "Hybrid Malfunction/Pull Over Immediately/Turn off car". I was able to pull off road and turn off car and then turn back on. Car ran normally the 2 miles back home. Incident #2: 2 days later, while driving my kids to school the car again, suddenly and without warning had complete loss of power, with gas engine shutting off and only using battery power. Again, warning dash lights: "Check Hybrid System. Stop Safely!". I did so and car ran normally back to my house (distance approx: 2.5 miles). I immediately called KIA of Beaverton and they said to have it towed right away. Once at dealer, they were unable to diagnose any issues and said that no codes showed up, but also said that the car "deleted codes". Car was in shop for 2 days and determined "car operates as designed." I picked up the car. Incident #3: 7 days later, with kids in the car, again car had complete power loss with no warning. Warning lights again told of "Check Hybrid System. Stop Safely!" Pulled over (in heavy Friday rush hour traffic) and turned off car. Turned on again, but this time car drove for less than a quarter mile before complete power loss happened again with all warning lights. This time we took video of the car not having power, all the warning lights etc. as evidence. We turned off the car and upon turning it on, it instantly had no power. We pulled car over and had to park it that night at a local business for towing. Car was towed again to Beaverton KIA. Again, dealer said they were not able to replicate problem after driving 250 miles on it. Insisted we pick up car, despite numerous comm's saying how unsafe we felt taking it. Dealer claimed KIA told them to remove .5 Qt of oil.

NHTSA ID

11715726

Incident

Jan 13, 2026

While driving, have had the engine of my 25 Sorento Hybrid stop working. An emergency notice comes on the screen (see photo) stating to pull over safely. The hybrid system error message has come on 4-5 times in the last month. The vehicle will not drive more than 15-20 miles per hour and has virtually no acceleration making it very dangerous to drive in or around high speed/traffic areas. Took it to a local Kia dealership where I was told nothing was wrong and their only guess was that it was related to the battery and cold weather. The same messaged/incident has happened 2x since bringing it into the dealership. With the most recent being 1/22/26. Problem first arose on 1/9/26. There are dozens of reports of this in online threads over the past few months with Kia hybrid engines

NHTSA ID

11712750

Incident

Jan 9, 2026

My wife first drove the vehicle and started noticing intense fumes entering the cabin which required rolling down the windows. There were no alerts from the car at this time or engine lights. We checked to see if the exhaust got plugged and it was not. I later drove the car that same day and it would not accelerate when I tried to right turn onto a main road. The check engine light then popped on and loud alerting from the vehicle cause me to have to pull over and shut the vehicle off. We had it towed by the dealer and the last thing we heard was that gas and oil had leaked together and it would take 5 days to get the part to fix it.

NHTSA ID

11709405

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

Will be driving when it switches to EV mode it will have no power and go into limp mode. Can't go over 30 mph. This is now the second time this has happened. Dealership tried to say it was because of temperature. Come on.

NHTSA ID

11708773

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

Beginning at approximately 750 miles on a brand-new 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX, the vehicle experienced a flashing Check Engine Light accompanied by severe shaking while driving, rough idling, loss of power, and loud engine/exhaust noise. The vehicle became difficult and unsafe to operate due to the vibration and reduced drivability. These symptoms appeared suddenly on November 22, less than three weeks after purchase. The vehicle was taken to the dealership on November 24. Their technician retrieved diagnostic codes P0300 (Random Misfire) and P0304 (Cylinder #4 Misfire) and identified a failed ignition coil on Cylinder #4. The coil was replaced, and the dealership reported the issue resolved. However, less than 24 hours later, with the vehicle still under 800 miles, the exact same symptoms reoccurred: heavy shaking while driving, vibration while idling, loss of power, and unstable engine operation. This indicates the underlying issue may be more serious than a single coil failure. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership, and the vehicle is currently back in their possession for further inspection. A loaner vehicle was issued because the vehicle was not safe to drive. The sudden shaking, engine misfire, and loss of power created a significant safety risk, especially if this failure were to occur at highway speeds or while turning across traffic. Given the extremely low mileage and recurrence immediately after repair, this may indicate a broader defect affecting engine performance or ignition components in this model. The vehicle remains available for inspection by NHTSA, the manufacturer, or investigators.

NHTSA ID

11702272

Incident

Nov 22, 2025

Safety Concern – 2025 Kia Sorento Prestige Hybrid (VIN [XXX] ) Around October 13, 2025, my leased 2025 Kia Sorento Prestige Hybrid experienced a sudden and severe loss of power while I was driving on the highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealership, where the High Power Control Unit (HPCU), part number 36601-3DPG3, was replaced. No clear explanation of the root cause was provided. Less than a month later, on November 6, the same failure occurred again—this time in heavy highway traffic—creating a serious safety risk and increasing the chance of a collision. The vehicle is primarily driven by my wife, who regularly uses highways to transport our son. The recurring and unpredictable nature of this issue has made us feel unsafe and anxious. We are deeply concerned that another failure could lead to a serious accident or fatality. We respectfully request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigate this matter as a potential safety defect. Without a clear understanding of the cause, we are documenting these incidents to encourage action. It is critical that Kia resolves this issue to protect families and maintain trust in its brand. Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11698214

Incident

Oct 13, 2025

Dad, driving back with Daughter, noticed a brief and unusual delay between shifts, but was able to make it home fine. A few minutes later, Mom left for picking up Son after school. On the way there, she noticed sluggish acceleration, louder engine sounds/effort on acceleration and mild slopes, and there was a lag in acceleration response. After powering off the vehicle and sit in idle to recharge battery, restarted trip home and was unable to get acceleration response up the hills, doing only 20 MPH. Engine was struggling and not getting any acceleration response. No check engine lights were generated as usual. Dad called Service Manager at Kia Temecula and he said to call Kia Roadside Assistance to come tow the car to them. He also said that likely we'll be out of pocket to do any car rentals until they have a car to loan to us.

NHTSA ID

11681718

Incident

Aug 19, 2025

While driving my 2025 Kia Sorento SX Hybrid on a normal hot day, I experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of power. I had briefly exited the freeway to pick up my children and left the vehicle running. After re-entering the freeway, the car failed to accelerate despite pressing the gas pedal to the floor. It felt stuck in first gear, with the engine revving but no response. The hybrid battery showed nearly empty, and the car would not switch properly between electric and gas modes. A warning appeared instructing me to “park the car and leave the engine on to charge the battery,” which I did. After idling for several minutes, I slowly drove—with hazards on and speed under 25 mph—to the nearest Kia dealer 1.5 miles away. This incident could have been catastrophic if it occurred while merging into traffic. The dealer has been unable to replicate the issue and is offering no fix. This was a sudden hybrid system failure with no warning lights or prior symptoms. It severely affected drivability and put my family at risk. After researching, I found that multiple other owners of 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrids have reported similar power loss incidents since May 2025, especially during warm weather. This is a serious safety issue. A car that unexpectedly loses propulsion—especially while merging or accelerating—can cause a major crash. I urge NHTSA to investigate this defect in the hybrid system and issue guidance or a recall before someone is injured or killed.

NHTSA ID

11678353

Incident

Aug 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The message "Check Fluids. Fluids Are Low" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart but failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that an inverter coolant component had sustained a hole from a pebble or a bug, causing the coolant leak. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,000.

NHTSA ID

11677253

Incident

Jul 14, 2025

Mileage

2,000 mi

On June 5, 2025, I was driving my 2025 Kia Sorento. I proceeded to get onto the highway from an on ramp. At that moment, the engine stalled. The car would not accelerate. I could not go faster than 20-25 mph. This was a huge safety risk to me, to my passengers, and to others on the highway. Eventually I exited the highway and drove home very slowly, since the car would not accelerate beyond 20-25 mph. I was pressing the gas pedal as far down as it would go. I even tried turning off the car and restarting it. The check engine light was on. The car was towed to a Kia dealer. The Kia mechanics noted that the fault log in the car's computer system noted that the stalling/failure to accelerate event did occur, but that they were unable to reproduce it, even after several attempts driving it around in various conditions. The Kia mechanics told me there was nothing they could do or fix, since they were unable to reproduce the stalling event. Then just yesterday, on July 6, 2025, the Sorento stalled again while it was being driven on the highway. I am having it towed tomorrow to the same Kia dealership to have the same mechanics look at it again. At this point, this is an extreme safety issue for anyone driving the car, in the car while it is being driven, or on the highway when the car is on the highway. Imagine if the car stalls again and another car behind us traveling at a high speed slams into us. We could potentially suffer mortal or grave physical injury.

NHTSA ID

11671685

Incident

Jul 6, 2025

I pulled out of my subdivision and immediately received an error check engine light warning and initially didn't think much of it. As I pressed the accelerator I noticed there was no engine power at all just electric (this is a Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige) so I immediately pulled over and turned the car off for two minutes. Upon turning it back on the engine did rengage so i decided to proceed. About a mile further the same check engine error occurred with the engine not responsive at all and only electric power available so I made a u-turn and proceed back to my house. Prior to arriving at my house another warning error appeared warning me the electric battery was dangerously low and to stop the vehicle immediately. I believe the error was a Hybrid system error with code P112000. Once again I turned the vehicle off and waited 2 minutes with the engine reengaging. I had the car towed to the dealer where it sat for 3 weeks. Their response was they couldn't reproduce the error so had no idea how to proceed to fix the issue. That is unacceptable to me since Kia programmed the car in the first place they should be very aware. I have had two cases open with Kia where they are refusing a solution and my request to buy back the vehicle. I have had another case with KBB Auto and they likewise refer to the WI state lemon law. I have clearly communicted to them that I don't feel safe driving this vehicle any longer and they need to take action for all consumers but that is falling flat. My safety and that of others is being put at major risk here as if this error occurs in situations such as pulling into heavy free flowing traffic or on a busy freeway where the engine doesn't engage many lives are at risk. There was no attempt to fix the vehicle at all. Just reset the error and told me to come get it. Let me make it clear here...the vehicle is working but hidden somewhere in the software is a major programming glitch. Please help!

NHTSA ID

11668693

Incident

Apr 7, 2025

Incident #1 ([XXX]) - while driving on [XXX} at 70 MPH in Sarasota I experienced and complete loss of engine power. The car coasted from 70 MPH down to 35 MPH until the EV kicked in. I was very fortunate as were the other driers not be involved in a serious accident. I reported this situation to Kia NA and was assigned this case number [XXX] Kia had the car from [XXX] until [XXX]. They told me the problem was a defective fuel rail pressure sensor . The assured us the car was fixed Incident #2 ([XXX]) [XXX] days later with four passengers in the car we experienced the exact same problem while driving on [XXX], a complete loss if engine power. Kia has the car now and assigned a case number of [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11645012

Incident

Jan 29, 2025