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 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the engine had seized; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2026
Feb 2026

1. The engine consumed its own oil and a rod bearing failed and destroyed the engine 2. This happened while my wife was traveling on I20 at 70mph and almost resulted in a wreck when the engine died and she lost power to the wheels 3. Nalley Kia in Lithonia, GA has confirmed that the engine consumed its own oil which cause a rod bearing to fail and ultimately led to the engine failure 4. No warning lights prior to this happening, just a knocking sound as she merged onto I20

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2026
Jan 2026

We do our oil changes routinely. We had one done not too long ago. We were driving to the store and all of a sudden the oil light came on, but the engine light never came on. And then about 30 seconds later, we heard almost like a thump sound like we had hit something but we didn’t. We pulled into the grocery store parking lot about a minute after that, and there was oil leaking out of my car. We tried to put more oil in, but it just kept coming out. We have tried to see what’s going on. We can’t tell. We plan to get it towed and looked at. I don’t know if it will turn back on because I didn’t want to risk it and my engine locking up, but this seems to be an issue as I have read some of the other complaints.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2026
Oct 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH with his son seated in the second-row middle seat, there was an abnormal sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local storage facility. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with seized bearings in the engine. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2025
Oct 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to accelerate above 35 MPH. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the engine had seized. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal bearing failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously in a crash and declined the warranty coverage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 103,274.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2025
Sep 2025

Crankshaft position sensors, codes P0018. Car does not get up to speed, knocking and rattling sounds heard. Oil is correct fullness, was changed less than 1,000 miles ago, O2 sensor changed 2 weeks ago, but car continues to have new codes and more issues.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2025
Sep 2025

Engine light was on about a week prior to taking it to the dealer for inspection. Was not time yet for an oil change. Had another 1000 miles before next oil change was due. After oil change they found metal shavings in new filter and oil. Told us we need to replace the engine. So we have a defective engine.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2025
Sep 2025

Out of no where engine light starts flashing and had it checked code P1326 Knock Sensor Detection System. Now need a new engine. This is a common issue for this make and model but somehow my vin isn’t on the recall. This isn’t right

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2025
Aug 2025

When start up there’s a clacking sound then it goes away, while the vehicle is warm you hear the clacking while driving vehicle

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2025
Jul 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine and low oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2025
Jul 2025 Fire

Unknown

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2025
Jul 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that on several occasions while making left and right turns, the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after each failure by wiggling the battery terminals and other engine components. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2025
May 2025

We financed this 2014 Kia Sorento LX AWD from a used car dealer, and there has been nothing but problems with this vehicle. From the water pump, to insanely high oil consumption. I have verified that it is not leaking. Gaskets have been replaced, filters have been replaced, O2 sensors have been replaced, the water pump housing unit, impeller and pulley have been replaced, Spark plugs have been replaced and their boots, fuses have been replaced and renewed, even the brake light switch has been replaced. The coolant thermostat has been checked and it is functional, the MAP sensor is functional, the catalytic/exhaust manifold has been replaced, the in tank fuel pump/fuel sending unit has been replaced and the HPFP has been replaced and this vehicle still wants to consume oil like crazy and is flirting with deaths door step. It goes through fits of loss of power during acceleration in times when it really matters most, like trying to pass a vehicle. So most of the time I dont, because its not safe to try to pass vehicles and suddenly lose power and end up in a collision. I have checked all 6 recalls that have been opened and closed on my vehicle and part of me wonders if they were falsely closed. One of them indicates I should have had a partial, if not whole engine replacement at some point and I still have a VIN original engine in my vehicle. I have had this vehicle in my possession since August of 2025, and have done nothing but pour money into repairs on it, and i STILL feel like its going to leave me stranded on the side of the road. KIA needs to make good on their own warranty with as many issues as this year and model of vehicle that it has, and reinvestigate this vehicle. I believe the recalls on this vehicle were closed by a shady mechanic. Mind you, before it bought this vehicle, I had a mechanic look over it with an OBDII and no codes popped, none were stored and to this day, there still are none, but this engine is not behaving the way it should.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2025
May 2025

I purchased my 2014 kia sorrento 3.3 SX in February of 2016. I was not informed at all about any issues with the engine or that there were any recalls concerning my vehicle. I have email correspondence from the dealership where years following my purchase of any safety recall notices. I had regular oil changes and normal maintenance. In March of 2024 my engine was stalling out and it smelled like burning plastic and wasn't turning over appropriately. I took it to the kia dealership and was told that the recalls had expired and that my vehicle had no oil, the engine was going to seize and I needed a new engine. Again I wasn't told at that time of any safety recall information that could lead to engine failure and or fire. I then took it to another local mechanic and had it diagnosed. I was told that I needed a nee engine that my hand gasket had blown due to premature bearing wear and severe leaks. I brought it home and I was too afraid to drive it. Then in 2025 I received another recall notice. I contacted Kia customer care and was advised that I might ne eligible for a engine rebuild, that I should have it towed to the local dealership for diagnostics to be ran yet again. The kia adviser in the service department said she was filing a claim with kia engineers and that she needed my registration and drivers license. After a week she contacted me saying my claim was denied and that my choices were to pay $13, 000 for an engine replacement or accept a trade in of $500. Again information was withheld from me concerning this vehicles recalls. At this point I am completely dumbfounded as to what to do next. My sorrento was paid off and only had 118,000 miles on it and they refused to cover anything under the 10temr or 150,000 miles extended warranty.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2024
Apr 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that days later there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that due to an unknown software update that was not performed, the repair was not covered under recall. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2024
Apr 2025 Fire

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH the check engine light suddenly illuminated and the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power and reduced speeds. Smoke and flames were also present coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was driven to the side of the road before it stalled. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was later towed to the home. Fire report information was unavailable. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 147,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2025
Mar 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made an abnormal clicking sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who discovered that there was no engine oil in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,145.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2025
Mar 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made abnormal knocking sounds. The contact stated that the failure occurred increasingly. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and attempting to drive later in the evening, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to Peacock Auto, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall, and that a diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related to the failure to Kia Campaign Number: WTY039. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2020
Feb 2025

Catalytic converter . Check engine light stays on

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2025
Feb 2025

kia motor sized up after an oil change at a little over 80,000 miles.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2025
Jan 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at approximately 40-45 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the engine oil was a quart low. There was no indication of an oil leak or low pressure. The vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The local dealer was informed that the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Kia of Irvine (45 Oldfield Building B, Irvine, CA 92618); but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2024
Jan 2025

Burning Oil

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2025
Jan 2025

Engine stopped working at a red light. I was told the timing chain shattered inside the engine. This vehicle only has 150k miles on it and has been well maintained.

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

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The VIN was included but had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

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

The contact owned a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it had caught fire causing the entire vehicle to burst into flames, from the front end to the rear end. The fire department was called and extinguish the fire. The fire department determined the fire had started from the engine. A police report was filed. There were no injuries and no medical attention needed. The fire caused damage to both vehicles on each side of the vehicle, the parking space, and the building the vehicle was parked in front of. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 101,430.

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

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

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