2012 Kia Sorento Engine Problems
- 278
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 278 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 2 indicate injury
- 28 indicate fire
What owners report
- check engine · 18 records
- engine light · 13 records
- engine seized · 11 records
- side road · 11 records
- warning lights · 9 records
- without warning · 9 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 91 |
| 100–150k mi | 90 |
| 1–30k mi | 37 |
| 30–60k mi | 26 |
| 150–400k mi | 13 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia sorento. While driving at 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure only occurred once. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, but there was no failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000.
ODI 10712198
Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia sorento. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle restarted, but the failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the throttle engine sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for unknown repairs;…
ODI 10704987
Electrical System · Engine
The first incident occurred at a traffic light. I went to accelerate and realized that the car had shut itself off. I put it in park, and restarted it without incident. When i brought it into the dealership, they said there was nothing they could do and that i should bring it in as soon as it happens next time. The second time, march 28, 2015, i was trying to pull into a parking spot when i was unable to turn the…
ODI 10702402
Engine · Power Train
Vehicle began leaking oil, oil light came on. Refilled with oil to try and find the leak without success. Mechanic found a bad oil pressure switch. The oil pooled up in a valley in the engine. This valley had a manufactured hole in the top of it and that's were the oil was dumping out onto the ground. Made it appear that it was a rear main seal leak. *tr
ODI 10658815
Electrical System · Engine
I was driving to work at 55 mph and all the lights on the dash came on and my head lights shut off. My car restarted right after that and now it has done it three times since then. I am nervous when i drive because, i fear i will be stalled somewhere and it will be winter. I drive [redacted] to work. I am seriously thinking of trading the car off. I know i won't get anything for it but, at least i will be safe. We…
ODI 10652890
Engine
I used mobile one 5w30, i used kia oil filters (2 generic), i had 44,516k miles on it on august 7, 2014. I did 8 oil changes. My car was running perfectly fine. No white or black smoke, no dashboard lights, not sluggish, nothing and the engine seized without warning. I was on the highway doing about 65 when i heard a fluttering noise that very quickly turned into a knocking noise. I could barely pull over without…
ODI 10971238
Engine
My car shut off while driving on the highway (doing about 70mph) back in the summer of 2013. Luckily, there was no traffic so i was able to coast over to the side of the highway to restart my car (push button start). They said it was the crankshaft sensor. On august 7, 2014 (44,516k), 8 oil changes using synthetic oil and kia oil filters (2 generic), my engine was making a fluttering noise and then a knocking…
ODI 10904193
Engine
My 2012 kia sorento was running fine, no warning whatsoever. I was on the highway when i heard a flutter noise that turned into a knocking sound. Had the car towed to dealer. Tow truck driver started the car and drove it approximately 60 ft to a parking spot. I was told by the dealer i had catastrophic engine failure and that the engine was seized tight (which was not true at all) due to neglect. I have provided kia…
ODI 10732492
Electrical System · Engine
I was driving my car in a parking garage and without warning as i was making a left turn the car shut down completely, no lights, no engine, no power steering, stiff brakes. I was unable to even turn on my hazard lights. Someone was kind enough to help push my vehicle to the side and eventually i was able to restart the car. When i took it to the dealer, they found nothing and were unable to recreate the problem.…
ODI 10604920
Electrical System · Engine
I was in traffic and the engine stopped running. I noticed that engine stopped with all the indicators on including the check engine light on but my car was not running anymore and will not drive even when i pressed the gas pedal. I put it on park and turned it off and restarted. It started. This happened twice within 10 minutes of each other. *tr
ODI 10596222
Electronic Stability Control · Engine · Steering
For the third time in a 2 month span, my 2012 kia sorento has completely shut down as we have been driving it. We are at the 60k miles mark. This is very dangerous. Two of the three times we have been doing around 40 mph on very busy streets and thank god, we did not hit another car or get hit. The vehicle with zero warning, will just die and we will lose all power steering, we can't shift gears, and the brakes do…
ODI 10594876
Engine
Wife driving from ny to conn, vehicle losing power, extreme shaking, grinding/rattle noise, engine light came on, stayed on, then blinking on and off, vehicle really running bad at this time. Following day, engine light still on, need to pump gas peddle to get started. Idle very rough. 2012 kia sorento with 38;000 miles. Very concerned that vehicle will shut off completely, as is common per numerous complaints, at…
ODI 10594090
Electrical System · Engine
Kia recall. On may 22, 2014, my 2012 kia sorento caught fire and was totaled. There was no explanation at this time, but now it is coming to surface that these vehicles are spontaneously catching fire.
Fire reported
ODI 11170588
Engine
I have only recently seen articles regarding the hyundai/kia engines catching fire. I had a 2012 kia sorento that the engine caught fire in 2014 hence totalling the vehicle. I have tried for years to discuss this with people but since it wasnt an active recall no one would pursue the case. On may 22, 2014, my detailer went to turn the car on and to move it and the whole engine caught fire. Obviously i do not still…
Fire reported
ODI 11112362
Engine
While driving on the freeway, through traffic, my vehicle seized up on me. I was going about 30-35mph and the vehicle wouldn't accelerate. The music was playing, but when i looked down at the dashboard all the dashboard lights where on, i lost control of my powersteering and brakes. I had to put the vehicle in park and press the start button again. This is the 3rd time on the freeway it has done it, in additional to…
ODI 10588494
Electrical System · Engine · Power Train
I never received a recall notification for my vehicle. I was deployed from 2013-2015 and didn't have a physical address and i would like to get the issue fixed.
ODI 11143412
Electrical System · Engine · Unknown Or Other
At the time of the incident the vehicle was being driven about 15 mph making a right turn. At the time of turning the vehicle's steering wheel the car shut off unexpectedly shutting the engine off. Loss of control then occurred of the steering wheel (to stiff to turn) along with a difficult breaking process causing the car to veer off the roadway. Fortunately, the vehicle was brought to a stop by placing an extreme…
ODI 10582898
Engine
On 3/25/14, my 2012 sorento just shut off while driving. The car was put in park and it started fine. Took it to the dealer and it spent 2 days at the dealer. The problem could not be recreated , no fix, no issue they kept stating & there was nothing to fix. Now we're in may 2014 and the car shut off again. I was at a light and the car just shut off. I put the car in park and it started again. The is a huge safety…
ODI 10593137
Engine · Power Train
My 2012 kia sorento completely stalled in a parking lot. I had just gotten off the highway(speeds of 55-60) pulled into my jobs parking lot and all the lights electronics stayed on but the brakes locked up, the steering wheel locked up and the car would not drive. Put the car in park after a few minutes and it turned on fine. Now its at the dealer and they can not duplicate the problem and the car is driving fine.…
ODI 10574904
Engine
On march 14, 2014 while driving approximately 60 mph on a highway i heard a noise in my engine. I was attempting to maneuver off the highway so i could have my vehicle towed to the local kia dealership. I was in the middle lane of a three lane highway during rush hour when my engine shot one of the engine rods through the bottom of my engine block. This caused a larger than a silver dollar sized hole in the bottom…
ODI 10578244
Engine
A few months ago i was driving my daughter to her volleyball practice and upon leaving the parking lot and driving into the street i lost all power and control of my car including my power steering etc. I almost crashed the car into the side of a house but lucky i was able to press the brakes hard enough to finally get the car to stop. I then pushed the power button and all of the lights came on the display but no…
ODI 10593494
Engine · Power Train
My kia sorento stalled in the middle of road while crossing a stop sign. The engine shutoff and all the lights on the panel lighted on. This has now happened three times. Last two times we went to the dealer and they said they could not find anything wrong. There are not error codes saved in kia so they don't have a proof that this condition happened. This is very serious. We were lucky that this happened on the…
ODI 10596302
Electrical System · Engine
On 12-25-2013, noticed that the side market lights remained on for several hours after the engine was shut off. Couple of days later, car wouldn't start after pushing on the key-less entry push button start. Car finally started after several push button attempts. Next day the car wouldn't stop after pushing on the key-less entry stop button. Engine finally turned off after several attempts by playing with the gear…
ODI 10558734
Engine
While driving home from work traffic was heavy and for no reason my car just stalled i managed to coast to the shoulder put it in park and restart it . *tr
ODI 10556012
Engine · Steering
I was driving on the freeway, there was a lot of traffic so we weren't driving very fast, and the car just shut off, the engine light went on and the steering wheel locked. I was able to put on my hazard lights and then i turned the car off and tried restarting it. The car started without any problems and drove normal after that. *tr
ODI 10556621