most typical Kia engine issues
bulletins for numerous vehicles that have had engine issues. among the most
Owners and tenants frequently report the following Kia engine issues:
- power loss or stalling
- A knocking noise
- Seizing
- Overheating
- Leaks
- Non-collision flames
- Unpredictable engine failure [1]
In This Article...
Which model year Kias suffer engine issues?
Nearly 485,000 Hyundai and Kia owners in the United States are being advised to park their vehicles outside because they still risk catching fire even when the engines are off.
The two Korean automakers’ recalls are the latest in a lengthy line of fire and engine failure issues that have plagued the businesses for the last six years.
This time, contamination in the antilock brake control module is the issue, which may result in an electrical short. This raises the possibility of a fire occurring while the cars are being driven or parked.
Affected models include some Kia Sportage SUVs from 2014 to 2016 as well as the K900 sedan from 2016 to 2018. Certain Santa Fe SUVs from 2016 to 2018, Santa Fe Sports from 2017 to 2018, the 2019 Santa Fe XL, and Tucson SUVs from 2014 and 2015 are among the Hyundai models that have been recalled.
According to documents published on Tuesday by American safety officials, owners should park the cars outside and away from buildings while repairs are being completed.
What year Kia shouldn’t you buy?
Customers have experienced a number of issues with the Kia Sorento since it has been advertised and sold by Kia. These models share costly issues with one another. The following model years should be avoided: 2004, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.
Common difficulties include those with the engine, the electrical system, the airbags, the seat belts, the lights, and the body or paint.
Engine failure is the most serious problem that these Kia Sorento models have. When most consumers have traveled an average of 62,000 miles, something happens. They could end up costing you more money in repairs, so we advise avoiding them.
Which Year Models of Kia Sorento Are Safe to Buy Used?
Production of the Kia Sorento has been going on for approximately 20 years. Not all of the models that are released, like many other cars in its market class, are flawless right out of the factory. Some people have flaws. Despite this, you have a selection of others. This is particularly true if you want to stay away from those already listed.
The following list of reliable Kia Sorento model years includes:
- Kia Sorento 2003
- Kia Sorento from 2005
- 2007 Sorento Kia
- Kia Sorento 2008
- Kia Sorento from 2009
- Kia Sorento 2010
- Kia Sorento 2015
- Kia Sorento 2017
- Kia Sorento from 2018
- Kia Sorento for 2019
- Kia Sorento 2020
- Kia Sorento 2021
The years 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 are among the safest Kia Sorento model years to purchase. Compared to the earlier mentioned model years, these have minimal complaints.
The worst issues with many of them were engine issues, a broken air conditioner compressor, electrical issues, light issues, and AC/heater issues. Most of them are also inexpensive to fix minor problems. However, they are among the minority of car owners.
The worst car troubles in early generations include crankshaft problems, frequent lighting system failures, and broken parts. It’s important to remember that these issues only occur in cars with more than 90,000 miles on the odometer.
A few owners are also affected by the problems. They are less likely to happen in a Sorento with little mileage and good maintenance. The models from 2007 to 2010 and 2015 to 2021 are the least problematic. The year 2016 is an outlier; it is less dependable than the other years in the following years.
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Which Kia Sorento Years to Avoid
The aforementioned Kia Sorento model years should easily accommodate your family’s needs and daily driving requirements. You need a dependable automobile in addition to one with excellent handling, a luxurious interior, and lots of attractive amenities. Here, we go into greater detail regarding the model years that weren’t chosen.
Steer clear of the following Kia Sorento model years:
- Kia Sorento from 2004
- Kia Sorento from 2006
- Kia Sorento from 2011
- Kia Sorento 2012
- Kia Sorento 2013
- Kia Sorento 2014
- Kia Sorento 2016
These model years frequently experience issues with their engines, electrical systems, lighting, seat belts and airbags, and body and paint. These affect everyone, and numerous users have noted concerns that are essentially the same.
You should steer clear of the 2011 Kia Sorento the most. It tops the list for having the most owner complaints. It is most likely to experience brakes issues, drivetrain issues, airbag and seat belt issues, and engine issues.
An engine failure at 77,000 miles cost the most money of all issues reported for the 2011 model year. Fixing this issue will cost $4,600. Other serious issues include an airbag problem that cost $2,000 to fix at 92,000 miles and a door issue that cost $400 to fix at 94,000 miles.
You might not be particularly knowledgeable about your car’s brakes unless you’re a mechanic or a super-committed auto enthusiast. How much time do they usually last? How frequently should brakes be replaced? We have solutions.
The 2016 Kia Sorento is another vehicle you should completely avoid. In comparison to other models with lower mileage, it has more issues and costs more to repair. The most common issues are with the engine, then the steering, body/paint, and lights.
The engine has experienced the worst reported failure at 62,000 kilometers. Repairing this cost $6,100. Other owners reported having to pay up to $600 to fix wiring that rodents had gnawed. At 22,000 miles, one user’s car stalled while accelerating.
Common Kia Sorento Problems
One of the greatest warranties for cars is offered by Kia. But that doesn’t mean you should be any less critical, especially when it comes to reliability concerns. The most typical Kia Sorento issues, spanning all model years, are listed below:
- Engine issues – The Sorento’s engine frequently fails, which is a common dependability problem. The engine failure, which was primarily reported in 2011, 2016, and 2017 models, was caused by a leaky head gasket, which mixed engine oil and coolant. These liquids when combined can seriously harm engines.
- Frustrated owners reported that the Sorento’s doors won’t open when reached from the outside, which is more unpleasant than dangerous. Additionally, defective door handles made users of the child-lock feature even more irate. Owners of 2011 Sorentos make up the majority of the complaints.
- Burning out of headlight bulbs: Numerous customers noted that the headlight bulbs on Sorento models from 2002 to 2009 were particularly prone to premature failure. Additionally, several stories claimed that additional headlamp component parts were also melted. There should have been a recall for this dependability problem, but there wasn’t one. Owners were required to purchase replacement bulbs for between $100 and $600.
Kia Sorento Problem Counts by Year
Young and experienced drivers equally are impacted by winter driving. To help you get from A to B as securely as possible, we’ve put together a list of the best automobiles for snow.
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Do Kia automobiles have engine issues?
The fact that engine problems frequently occur while a Kia is being driven makes the issue even more concerning. Diane, a 2011 Optima owner, claims that the car’s engine failed while traveling at roughly 65 mph, almost killing two persons.
What model year Kia is the recall for?
According to Consumer Reports, the following vehicles have been recalled: the 20162018 Hyundai Santa Fe, 20172018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL, the 20142015 Hyundai Tucson, 20142016 Kia Sportage SUVs, and the 20162018 Kia K900 sedan.
What models of Kia engines are on fire?
According to Brooks, “the recall did not address the fundamental faults with the engine design that gave rise to these difficulties in the first place.”
Brooks informed the I-Team that a consumer alert is unavoidable in light of the most recent allegations from the I-Team as well as the continued complaints of flames and engine failures that the Center for Auto Safety is receiving.
We’ll start notifying consumers, he said, and work to spread the news to others looking at used autos.
The 4 million Kia and Hyundai vehicles produced between 2011 and 2019 that could be included in the consumer advisory all feature the Theta 2 engines that have been involved in multiple recalls.
- Hyundai Sonata 20112019
- Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 20132019
- Hyundai Tucson, Models 20142015, 20182019
- Kia Optima, 20112019
- Kia Sorento, 20122019
- Kia Sportage 20112019
According to Brooks, the only way to avoid these complaints from coming in “is to warn people to prevent them from owning one of these vehicles in the first place,” as stated by ABC Action News.
Regarding the announcement from the Center for Auto Safety, we contacted both automakers.
Hyundai’s reaction was
In order to solve engine problems, Hyundai has taken a variety of proactive measures, such as carrying out a number of recalls, introducing a new engine monitoring and diagnostic technology, offering extended warranties, and improving our customer service response. Hyundai promotes a culture of openness and responsibility because customer safety comes first in all we do.
Kia answered:
The safety of our cars is our first concern at Kia America. We promote an environment of openness and accountability, and we take great pride in the reliability of our products and our excellent safety record. As part of ongoing monitoring efforts, we regularly assess our vehicles, and we submit quarterly reports to NHTSA detailing any consumer complaints, notices, or claims for any safety issues. Every Kia car marketed in the US complies with or surpasses all requirements for vehicle safety set out by the federal government.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration declared in December that it would look further into the extent of the recalls and the efficacy of its remedies. NHTSA reported 158 injuries and over 5,000 fires as of December. Two deaths involving on-fire Kia Souls were covered by the I-Team.
Multiple flaws are linked to the fires in recent recalls. They include fuel line leaks that can cause vehicles to catch fire while moving, electrical issues with the anti-lock brake system, and defective recall repairs.
Thousands of Kia Optimas from 2011 to 2014 were recalled in 2018 as a result of the I-exposure Team’s of subpar recall repairs. The 2011 Optima owned by Mathias was exempt from the recall, though.
We requested Meier Fire Investigations’ Richard Meier, a fire investigator, to look over Mathias’ car. He came to the conclusion that there was a fuel pipe gas leak.
The fuel line connector coming off and spilling gasoline is the most likely reason, according to what Meier has seen so far.
According to Mathias, “You must correct those. That only increases the risk to more people.”
Several Kia fire victims, like Yolanda Lawson, informed us that their brakes failed after their cars caught fire. Both the conventional and emergency brakes, according to Yolanda, failed. To get the automobile to stop, she forced it into the median.
Fourteen months after his leased 2019 Kia Soul caught fire, Jordan Carlton passed away in 2020. Becky, his mother, who was in the car with him, got away. Jordan’s father, Robert Carlton, claimed that the brakes failed and kept his son from exiting the car in time to save himself.
The I-Team discovered that Yolanda’s 2017 Sportage was recalled by Kia in March 2021 due to a potential electrical fire hazard. Yolanda said that she was never notified of a recall.
Kia was requested by The I-Team to inspect Maureen Huckler’s 2015 Soul. According to a report that Kia gave to Maureen, the engine’s catastrophic failure, which left a hole in the engine block and caused engine oil to spill over the exhaust system, was what started the fire.
However, records indicate that the car was recalled in 2020 for an engine inspection to check for flaws that can cause a fire. In March 2021, the examination was carried out by a Kia dealer. After six months, the Soul caught fire.
2020 saw a $760 million settlement between Kia and Hyundai in a class-action lawsuit involving engine fires. As a result, Mathias and Yolanda might be eligible to receive funding to make up for their losses. Regarding the Kia Souls, litigation is still going on.
Which used Kia is the best?
The Five Best Used Kia Models
- #1: Kia Niro Under its hood, this sporty crossover is hiding a rather awesome surprise.
- 2. Kia Sportage. Who doesn’t adore a sweet, compact SUV?
- 3. Kia Sorento.
- Kia Optima #4.
- #5: Kia Sedona
- For drivers in New Jersey, used Kia cars are ideal.