RoadVitals

2007 Kia Sorento Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Jun 15, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 154 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Kia Sorento submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 15, 2020
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V088000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HOWEVER THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED SHE SAW SMOKE EXITING THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED A SHERIFF WAS ON THE SCENE TO ASSIST HER AND HE OPENED THE HOOD AND MORE SMOKE WAS SEEN HOWEVER, NO FLAMES WERE SEEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF VACAVILLE (651 ORANGE DR, VACAVILLE, CA 95687; (707) 392-4623), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CRACKED RADIATOR THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RADIATOR FAILURE WAS NOT ASSOCIATED TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 131,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *TR

NHTSA ID
11329061
Incident
Apr 1, 2020
Mileage
131,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 14, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN INTERIM LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE LETTER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD POTENTIALLY CATCH ON FIRE AND INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO PARK THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM BUILDINGS AND OTHER VEHICLES. THE VIN TOOL SHOWED NO RECALLS. THE LETTER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CATCH ON FIRE EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN. BATTLEGROUND KIA (2927 BATTLEGROUND AVE, GREENSBORO, NC 27408, (336)295-1542, STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE LETTER BUT WAS NOT GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURER ON HOW TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER TO REQUEST A LOANER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED TO PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO PARK THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM BUILDINGS OR OTHER VEHICLES. A CASE WAS FILED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.

NHTSA ID
11321057
Incident
Apr 13, 2020
Mileage
158,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 30, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

NHTSA ID
11098892
Incident
May 27, 2018
Mileage
134,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Aug 30, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ESC AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE MASSAGE "LIMP HOME" WOULD DISPLAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE'S SPEED WOULD SUDDENLY REDUCE TO APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER GRAND KIA OF DENVER CO. AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

NHTSA ID
11020595
Incident
May 1, 2017
Mileage
139,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Sep 11, 2016

MY ESC LIGHT WILL COME ON AND MY CAR WILL LOSE ALL POWER,STEP ON GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS, HAVE TO PULL OVER, STOP ENGINE AND RESTART, THEN CAR RUNS NORMAL, THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY DANGEROUS IF HAPPENS ON FREEWAY

NHTSA ID
10905589
Incident
Sep 9, 2016
Mileage
87,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Feb 13, 2016

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE HAD MY 07' SORENTO TO SEVERAL PLACES. I ORIGINALLY TOOK IT TO THE PLACE I BIOUGHT IT FROM. I WAS REFERRED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP, WHICH TOOK MY CAR APART TWICE AND RAN A CAMERA THROUGH IT AND REPLACED THE REAR CRANK SHAFT. THEN I REPLACED EVERY SENSOR AND SPARK PLUG ION THE THING AND ALSO HAD POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. IT SOUNDED LOUD AND WAS ALWAYS NEEDING PARTS BUT IN THE SPRING, I PULLED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND LEFT MY CAR RUNNING A FEW MINUTES WHILE I GOT THINGS OUTSIDE TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE IT WAS DARK,( THE CAR HAS APPROX.124,000 MILES ON IT) WHILE IT SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES IT SPIT AND SPUTTERED AND DIED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TRIED TO RESTART IT AND IT WOULD BARELY START RUNNING. I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT ONCE AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TIMING CHAIN, ELECTRICAL AND CRANK SHAFT AGAIN. NEEDS NEW ENGINE MOST LIKELY AND NO ONE WANTS TO WORK ON IT BECAUSE IT HAS SOME MANY ISSUES! SO , I AM PAYING A LOAN FOR THIS CAR THAT HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR MONTHS BECAUSE I WILL NOT AND CANNOT PAY FOR THIS VEHICLE TO HAVE ANYMORE WORK DONE!

NHTSA ID
10825926
Incident
Mar 24, 2015
EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 4, 2014

THE CAR MAKES A BAD TICKING NOISE MOSTLY WHEN START UP AND IT GETS SO BAD THAT SOUNDS LIKE MY ENGINE HEAD WANTS TO BLOW. AND EVERYTIME I START THE CAR THE BIGGEST CLOUD OF SMOKE COMES OUT THE EXHAUST CAN COVER AN ENTIRE PARKING LOT WITH SMOKE ITS VERY EMBARRASSING. THERE'S AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOWS AND THE SWITCHES. SOMETIMES IT WORKS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. I THINK MY CAR ALSO MISSING REAR SUSPENSION SHOCK ABSORBERS. MY OIL LEVELS GET SO LOW THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL SENSOR LIGHT DON'T EVEN COME ON TO WARM ME. I MEAN MY CAR LOOKS NEW BUT HAS INTERNAL DEFECTIVE PROBLEMS. I READ ONLINE AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ABOUT THE KIA SORENTOS THAT KIA SOLD WERE DEFECTIVE. I DO NOT WANT TO BE NEXT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WOULD LIKE MY MONEY BACK! HTTP://WWW.TOPCLASSACTIONS.COM/LAWSUIT-SETTLEMENTS/LAWSUIT-NEWS/3292-KIA-SORENTO-ENGINE-DEFECT-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT/ THE KIA SORENTO IS PRONE TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, ACCORDING TO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED IN NEW JERSEY. PLAINTIFFS ALLEGE IN THE KIA SORENTO CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT KIA MOTORS KNOWINGLY CONCEALED THAT ITS 2002-2009 SORENTO CROSSOVERS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DEFECTIVE ENGINE PART CALLED THE CRANK SPROCKET. THIS ALLEGED ENGINE DEFECT LEADS TO A CATASTROPHIC CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT STARTS WITH SEVERE HEAT BUILDUP, THE RELEASE OF DEBRIS, AND THEN LEADS TO LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, ENGINE FAILURE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS ACCIDENT, ACCORDING TO THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10608267
Incident
Apr 28, 2014
Mileage
132,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jan 14, 2013

THE ESC LIGHT TURNS ON CAR STALLS, STOPS. MECHANIC DIAGNOSIS SHOWS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. CAR CONSTANTLY STALLS, OR STARTS TO BEGIN STALLING AND LIGHTS ON AFTER 10 OR MINUTES OF DRIVING. MECHANIC CANT FIND PROBLEM. THIS HAS HAPPEN SINCE I PURCHASE CAR AT DRIVE TIME 10-31-12. MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAME PROBLEM NOT FIXED CLASS ACTION SUIT IS CONSIDERED BUY ALL. PLEASE HELP ASAP. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE A DEATH WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE!!!. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10492842
Incident
Nov 3, 2012
Mileage
75,835 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 15, 2011

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE POWER FROM ACCELERATOR GREATLY REDUCES. APPEARS TO GO INTO 1ST GEAR, AND VEHICLE ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE AT 5MPH. STOPPED CAR ON SHOULDER, TURNED ENGINE OFF AND PARKED. RESTARTED VEHICLE WITH NO POWER OR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. AFTER 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING, REPEAT IN ACTIVITIES. OCCURRED 5 TIMES WITHIN 20 MILE DRIVE. VERY UNSAFE TO HAVE OCCUR ON HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10430318
Incident
Oct 15, 2011
Mileage
15,500 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 13, 2011

DURING ACCELERATION, THE "ESC OFF" LIGHT COMES ON, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON, AND I LOSE POWER SIMULTANEOUSLY. WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT, THE ESC OFF LIGHT DOES NOT COME BACK BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES ON DURING MY HOUR COMMUTE TO WORK. IF I WAS IN A PASSING SITUATION OR WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF CROSSING TRAFFIC, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10425220
Incident
Sep 13, 2011
Mileage
75,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 26, 2010

2007 KIA SORENTO ENGINE BLOWN UP. NO WARNING SIGNS HAD OCCURRED. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. UPON AN INSPECTION THE OIL HAD TURNED TO SLUDGE. OIL ONLY HAD APPROX. 900 MILES. NEEDED TO HAVE NEW ENGINE INSTALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10357711
Incident
Jul 17, 2010
Mileage
94,000 mi
AirbagsEngine
Filed Mar 1, 2010

OUR 2007 KIA SORENTO, PURCHASED NEW, AND NOW WITH 20,000 MILES, HAS, SINCE PURCHASE, HAD THE PASSENGER AIRBAG NOT ON SIGNAL GO ON, ALMOST EVERY TIME WE USE IT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY MUST SEE IT HAPPEN, AND CANNOT REPLICATE IT. WHEN WE MADE OUR WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHILE THE SIGNAL WAS LIT, THEY SAW IT, VISUALLY IT, AND MADE A NOTE, HOWEVER, THE "COMPUTER" DID NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM, SO THEY WILL NOT CORRECT THE "PROBLEM". WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF THAT IS LIT UP AND SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT DURING AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. I AM TOLD THAT KIA AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND COULD REPLACE THE SEAT BOTTOM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, YET NONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS WE HAVE TAKEN IT TOO, WILL REPLACE IT, UNLESS THE MAIN OFFICE MAKES IT A RECALL. OUR SECOND COMPLAINT THAT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IS THE STRONG ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE, WHICH LITERALLY MAKES ME SICK ON MY STOMACH WHEN IT HAPPENS, WHICH IS NOT ALL OF THE TIME. I AM AFRAID THESE FUMES COULD BE HARMFUL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10315271
Incident
Sep 15, 2007
Engine
Filed Jul 13, 2007

WELL BOUGHT THIS NEW KIA SORENTO ON 01-06-07 WELL NOTICED ON 01-07-07 A TCIKING NOICE COMMING FROM ENGINE BROUGHT IT BACK I ON MONDAY 01-08-07 SERVICE MANAGER AT WORLD KIA IOF LAS VEGAS SAYS ITS NEW NEEDS TO E BROKE IN THEN I GET A RECALL NOTICE FIX ON 02-23-07 FRE OF COURSE NOW ON 4-23-07 BROUGHT BACK IN THE TICKING NOICE GOT WORSE REPLACE LIFETERS TENSINOR ASSY ALMOST A COMPLETE OVER HAUL ON ENGINE AT 1843 MILES FIXED THEN ON 6-29-07 THE UPPER RAIDATOR HOSE BLOWS AT 3049 MILES ASK WHY SERVICE MANAGER KEVIN BLACKWELL AYS THEY DONT KNOW I BROUGTH THIS BACK NOT EVEN ONE DAY TO GET MY OTHER VECHILE BACK WELL THEY SAY YOU SIGNED THE NEW CAR NOTE THIS SUV HAS 3350 MILES ON NOW AND WITH THIS AMOUNT OF WORK ALREADY THAT HAS BEN DONT I CANT EVEN GET A GOOD GEAL ON A TRADE ONCE THEY RUN A CARFAX REPORT IT WILL SHOW THIS IS A PROBLEM SUV SO WHO WANTS IT MY OPION THE DEALER GIVES ME BACK MY MONEY IN FULL OF WHAT I PAID FOR IT LET HIM HAVE HIS PROBLEM SUV

NHTSA ID
10196330
Incident
Jan 7, 2007
Mileage
1,843 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .