254 complaints reported

2014 Kia Sorento Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
254
Crashes
0
Fires
17
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2024

The contact’s girlfriend owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact pulled over and checked the vehicle. The coolant reservoir was low on coolant, the engine oil level was low, and there were metal shavings in the oil. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,842.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2024
Feb 2024

My car was at Kia for a key fob issue. A day later the engine started ticking. I’m told I need a new engine. My car had no issues. I want to know if it can be related to this recall or if my car should’ve been recalled for the 2017 engine recall sc147. I am not convinced that they didn’t cause this when they had it as it started the next day it was driven. They will not take responsibility for it of course.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2024
Feb 2024

Engine died with no sign. Was told engine had no oil

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2024
Jan 2024

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the speed odometer was inoperable, and the vehicle did not accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that while stopped at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after attempting to start the vehicle several times, the vehicle started and operated without failure. The contact stated that the vehicle displayed no issues for several days however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed crank shaft position sensor. The contact was informed that the crank shaft position sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2023
Jan 2024

Engine seized while driving. Had to be completely replaced.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2023
Jan 2024

No lights went on the dash. N warning that the engine was damaged. Now 2 mechanics have agreed that the engine is bad Just got the car used from dealer in March and no one knew anything about it. I’m devastated

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2024
Jan 2024

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal ticking sound. The contact was able to pull over safely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined there was a hole in the engine block. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repairs were not covered under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. The VIN was not available.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2023
Jan 2024

With no warning the Kia suddenly started shaking and shuddering and white smoke started coming out of the exhaust while driving down the freeway. There were no symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. Took it to a mechanic and he said the car has a blown head gasket. A second mechanic confirmed the diagnosis.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2022
Dec 2023 Fire

ENGINE FIRE, NO WARNING, VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND OFF WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
Dec 2023

Engine was replaced in 2021 due to oil consumption issues. After copays and having a rental car for 2 months while waiting for repairs I shelled out about 7k. Now catalytic converter has failed, about one week after last oil change. Extended coverage is just over by mileage according to dealership and unsure if Kia will cover, awaiting response. After researching this issue with my vehicle, I found other owners who had the same issue and suggested it should have been replaced with engine as there was a past recall for this. Others stated that Kia is not covering even though there was a recall. Even if they covered the parts that would help substantially. Car currently at service center at Kia dealership awaiting to see if Kia will assist at good will or cover under the recall.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Nov 2023

The engine randomly around 45,000 miles started using large amount of oil. The engine started ticking. It is available for inspection, upon request. The safety of myself and others is put at risk as the engine is a ticking time bomb to blow up. When it first starts happening, you do not notice, as you get regular oil changes at the dealership and they never once say that your oil was dangerously low when you brought it in. The problem has been expressed to me by independent service shops as a gdi issue. I called the dealership and they said the only thing they can do is an oil consumption test for $600. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. There are no warnings lamps that come up at all, not for low oil or anything.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Nov 2023

Car timing failed on the 3.3 and stalled car in the road. This is a very common problem and these need to be fixed. These cars randomly jump timing with no warning what so ever. Kia knew these were an issue and should replace the engine in my car along with everyone else that has this issue. Car is at a shop now with a confirmed jumped timing.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2023
Nov 2023

The vehicle shows that it is running hot but when I check there is coolant in the reservoir but then when I check the radiator there is little to no coolant in it

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Oct 2023

Engine seized again after the last recall and engine replacement leaving me stranded in an intersection and $416 in towing expenses transported to the mechanic and back home when told engine is seized

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2023
Oct 2023

I have a 2014 Kia Sorento with a 3.3l engine. There was a catastrophic blow of the head gasket that resulted in engine temperatures spiking while driving on the interstate. This led to excessive deceleration and stopping on the side of the interstate. After researching, this is an ongoing problem with this vehicle. It even has a nickname, "Soft Block", from KIA using substandard materials to build their engines. I submitted a complaint against Kia through the NHTSA website on November 10th. Since that time, I have come to realize that Kia has issued a warranty extension for 2016-2017 Kia Sorento's with the 3.3l Lambda engine for cooling leaking and head gasket issues. What would be the process for expanding your open investigation (NHTSA Action Number: PE23019) to include the 2014 and 2015 model years of the Kia Sorento with the 3.3l engine? This is the exact same engine, and these exact same issues are prevalent in these years as well.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2023
Oct 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact was able to coast off the nearest exit onto the side of the roadway. The vehicle failed to accelerate and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2022
Sep 2023

Engine continues to leak oil. Cannot be driven. 2014 Kia Sorento SUV which is under recall for engine fires yet they state her particular vin is not under the recall.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021
Sep 2023

The engine on my 2014 Kia Sorento has failed. I brought the vehicle in to Bob Sight Kia to have them diagnose the problem. They claimed that when they drained the oil, they only found 3/4 of a quart of oil and for that reason, Kia was denying the claim for a new engine. I find it hard to believe that there was only 3/4 of a quart of oil in the car as we conducted regular maintenance on the vehicle and provided all service records. When I contacted Kia, they stated that they had not received any documentation from Bob Sight Kia, and specifically no technical details why the engine had failed, or provide an estimate for repair costs. In the last three weeks that our Sorento has been at Bob Sight Kia (brought to dealer on 9-9-23), when I call to speak with the service center point of contact, I get his voicemail or someone says he is away from his desk or on leave and nobody responds to my voicemails or emails, even though I have volunteered to provide more information if necessary. There is a Facebook page with 976 followers stating why Kia has denied their claims for replacement of failed defective engines. Fortunately, in my case, I was able to drive the car to the dealership before the engine stopped working but in many cases the engines failed while people were in busy traffic, exposing them to dangerous situations. In my case specifically the engine light started flashing and the vehicle was being very sluggish, struggled to make it up hills and would occasionally stall.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

My son was driving the vehicle and was luckily stopped in traffic at a stop light. All of a sudden the RPM's dropped and the engine shut off. The car would not start and had to be pushed to the side of the road in heavy traffic. While waiting for a tow truck, we noticed the engine oil was completely dry. There had been no warning such as oil lights, engine lights, burning oil smells or leaking oil. The oil had just disappeared without warning. After the vehicle was towed to the local KIA dealer, we were told that the engine had seized. This vehicle has been maintained consistently since the day it was bought brand new. We have records from all maintenance that has been done on this vehicle. The local dealer told us it would cost $11,000 to replace the engine. Unfortunately, that was an expense that we could not afford so the car sits in non working order.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
Sep 2023

On 5/8/2023 I was driving on the freeway going about 70 to 75 MPH. All of a sudden the car stopped accelerating and the engine just stopped working. I costed somehow to the side of the freeway until a tow truck could arrive. There was no warning, until this happened. Car was running perfect up to this point. By the grace of God, I wasn't hit and no one was hurt. I honestly thought I was going to die and or take others with me. There was quite a bit of traffic and everyone had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting me. This is a 2014 Kia Sorento that has been well cared for with 140K miles. Now I have no car. Being told I need a new engine that could cost up to $ 10K. This car is not worth that much.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2023
Sep 2023

The oil light started to turn on and I still had 2000 miles to go to my next oil change. When we checked, we had no oil in the pan and had to add our own oil. I went to Kia Willowbrook dealership to file a complaint and get my oil changed. I was told that Kia will not do anything for oil consumption or engine replacement unless the engine seizes or stops working. This is telling me that I need to wait until my family is injured in a car accident when my car fails or my car starts on fire in order for Kia to do anything. I was also told, that I will need to get oil changes more frequently. That is the workaround. When I asked if an oil consumption test can be done, I was told that it will not help. This car is a safety risk to myself, my family and the public on the road if this is the advice I am getting from Kia.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
Aug 2023

After work, a severe dust storm hit. I drove to the grocery store and then home (30 miles) in the dust storm. The next morning, as I was driving to work, I heard a weird knocking noise, but no engine lights came on. My car would not start during my lunch break, nor when I got off work. My boyfriend tried to jump it off. When that didn’t work, we traded the battery out since it was still under warranty. That did not work. We went back the next day and checked my oil levels and other fluids - all were good. My boyfriend then hooked up his small code reader which didn’t read any problems. The next day my mom started the car by putting the spare key up to the start button. She took it to Gene Messer Kia about 5 miles away. She said no engine lights came on, but the engine was knocking. Once she turned it off the mechanics were not able to start the car again. They looked over it and said they could not find any reason for my engine to have died. I asked them if it could have been the dust storm. They said no; the engine was well sealed, block was not cracked, oil levels were good, etc. They quoted me $11,521 for a new engine. However, I did not want to pay that because my car was only worth $5,500-7,000 (trade-in verse private sale) according to Kelly Blue Book. I called my insurance and had an inspector come look at it hoping he would be able to say the storm caused the issue and total my car so I could pay off my loan. However, they also could not find a cause for what happened to my engine. We sold it to Peddle.com.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Aug 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine oil light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with excessive oil consumption and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the engine would not be replaced until the rod bearings had failed unless she wanted to pay for the replacement of the engine. The contact stated that she had recently experienced an additional failure with the vehicle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service engine light, ABS, traction, and tire pressure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed rear wheel speed sensor. The contact was informed that the rear wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that soon after the repair the check engine warning light illuminated and had been illuminated for several weeks. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,530.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2023
Aug 2023

The contact’s son owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his son was driving 65 MPH, the vehicle shuddered, and the engine seized. The check engine and the low oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The contact’s son was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,089.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2023
Aug 2023

I'm still having problems with the engine after replacing it. Have had 1 fender bender, which cost me a lot of money. When it was replaced, I don't believe Kia paid for towing or car rental nor fix the other recall with the brakes. I also get a shock nearly every time I get out of the vehicle. Now facing the problem again after the engine replaced will now be the 3rd time my car needs repair due to engine. HELP!!!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023

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Quick Summary

The 2014 Kia Sorento has 254 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.