110 of the 626 complaints about the 2019 KIA Sorento are about the other systems — 18% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 11,000 miles.
110
Complaints
1
Crashes
5
Fires
3
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Engine burning oil Failed oil consumption test done by dealership - had to get engine replaced Still noticing stuttering and fluctuating power at times. Failure of Snow White Pearl paint delamination issue causing the top-coat to lift off of underlying primer. Rust has started in some of the spots
NHTSA complaint #11758613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The paint is peeling in sheets, especially above the windshield, leaving the vehicle unprotected and vulnerable to rust. There were no chips or damage in this area prior to the paint beginning to peel away and once it started it's been progressing very quickly. Other owners have reported similar issues with this paint color (I believe it's pearl white) in Kia other forums online
NHTSA complaint #11755415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My rear backup camera stopped working this year it's either a black screen or blinking screen no video will play. When I first started the video was foggy like moisture was in the camera and now it shows nothing. Other Kia sorento's my same model year have had a recall for the backup camera but mine is not on the recall list for some reason.
NHTSA complaint #11751075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have a 2019 Sorento my car was loud when I start it so I took it into my KIA dealership. They found that my muffler had come apart at the seam, but that it is not under warrenty. My concern is that if anyone is sitting in a parked car with the windows up they could be overcome by the exhault fumes.
NHTSA complaint #11750965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My Kia Sorrento 2019 model has dashboard cracks on the driver as well as the passenger side. I tried calling the KIA dealership that sold me the car to help me with the goodwill repair and they refused to do so. Its very expensive to replace or repair but most importantly it poses a grave risk to me and my family. Airbag Danger: Cracks near the passenger airbag can become shrapnel during deployment.Electronics: Dust and moisture can fall into the cracks and ruin hidden wires causing extensive damage to the car. KIA needs to take responsibility for this and either change the material used to make this for the future and repair the existing customers cars.
NHTSA complaint #11749499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2019 Kia Sorento suddenly began making loud knocking noises from the engine and immediately lost all acceleration while I was driving with my children in the car. The vehicle would not respond when pressing the gas, and the check engine light came on. This created a terrifying situation because I had no power to merge or move out of traffic, and I had my [XXX], [XXX] and [XXX] children with me.The engine now knocks severely and has almost no power at all. The oil level is full, so this is not due to low oil or lack of maintenance. This appears to be a sudden internal engine failure consistent with known Kia engine defects involving rod bearings, timing issues, and loss of compression.I am reporting this because the vehicle is unsafe to drive and put my children at risk. Kia is refusing to cover the engine failure even though this matches the same symptoms seen in other Kia engine recalls. I am extremely concerned that this defect could have caused an accident or left us stranded in a dangerous situation. I need this investigated as a serious safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11746864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my vehicle following service performed at a Kia dealership. My vehicle was returned to me on April 25, 2026, after being at the dealership for approximately one week. When it was returned, it had missing bolts/screws that were not missing prior to the service visit and were not related to the reason I originally brought the vehicle in. The missing components create a safety concern, and I do not feel safe operating the vehicle in its current condition. This issue was reported immediately. My husband left a voicemail with the dealership (Evans Kia) reporting the problem, and I reported the issue to Kia America that following Monday. Since then, I have made multiple attempts to resolve this issue through Kia America. I opened a case on April 17, 2026, and have followed up several times. The case has been escalated multiple times (including April 22 and April 28). I was informed that Kia America also reached out to the dealership, but despite this, I have not received any direct response from the dealership or instructions to bring the vehicle in for repair. Despite clearly stating that the vehicle may be unsafe to drive, there has been no urgency in correcting the issue. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed as a potential safety concern involving improper vehicle servicing and release of a potentially unsafe vehicle. I can provide photos and documentation showing the missing bolts/screws if needed.
NHTSA complaint #11735252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle starting 'eating' excessive amounts of oil about 95,000 miles. We are now about 115,000 miles and I am adding nearly 5 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles
NHTSA complaint #11720178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Shifter stuck in park
NHTSA complaint #11718415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BCM went out causing the shifter to not shift out of park. Reading online shows this is a very common issue with Kia vehicles
NHTSA complaint #11715840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I took my 2019 Kia Sorento to Alan Jay Kia 0n 12/05/2025 because of the 2 slits on the top of the dashboard. I spoke to the Service Manager, and he sent the General Sales Manager out to take pictures of the dashboard. He stated that the slits are outlines of the air bag. I asked if it would be ok to drive since I was going out of town for a month and he said it was ok to drive. I also showed him all of my rims that are peeling. The Service Manager said he would send the information to Kia and will contact me when he gets a response. I didn't hear from him, so I scheduled service om my vehicle on Jan. 9, 2026. I inquired about the dashboard and the Service manager said he couldn't find anything in the computer. On Friday, Jan 16,2026, I stopped back and spoke to the Service Manager, and he said he heard back from Kia, and they will not fix the dashboard or the peeling rims because of the age of the car and it's not under warranty. I researched the NHTS and found that it is a safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11715986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
A noisy steering wheel column while driving ,car suspension was check everything was ok
NHTSA complaint #11707323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Snow White Pearl Paint Color is peeling off my entire car, compromising the vehicle since the metal is no longer being protected. I took it into a KIA dealership and they acknowledged the paint defect but said they can’t do anything about it even though they know that there is a manufacture defect with this specific paint color. There was no warning, my car is parked in the garage and so it’s not even exposed to the elements all the time and the paint just started peeling. This paint color has a known defect for not adhering to the primer and KIA won’t do anything about it.
NHTSA complaint #11707140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The paint peeled off on my hood in several places and on the fenders, I was driving in the rain and a big sheet of the paint on my hood peeled off and flew up on my windshield on the driver side causing me to run off the road because I couldn’t see, I took it to the Jenkins Kia dealership in Ocala, Fl and was told by the service people there that they would not fix it that it was my responsibility, they were very rude even though I was really shaken after running off the road now I have small rust spots all over my car , can you please help me?
NHTSA complaint #11705940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have a huge paint peeling situation on the roof of my vehicle. I do have a white Kia Sorrento and there is about a 24" by 6" spot where the paint is either peeling or is gone. It's directly above my front window on the roof of the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11702763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When I purchased this car in 2020 it had approximately 30,000 miles on it and the paint was already flaking in one place. The paint is snow white pearl and it is now flaking in several places. I would like to request an investigation into this specific paint and flaking issues.
NHTSA complaint #11702415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Exterior paint (Snow White Pearl) has delaminated resulting in chipping in several places on the hood. This has been previously identified in 5 other NHTSA complaints (11663682, 11636915, 11630983, 11521467, 11498038). The root cause of the issue seems to be a known (but unconfirmed) manufacturer paint defect by Kia. Problems as far back as 2012 involving the paint (Snow White Pearl) have been reported on the Kia owner forum, Reddit, Facebook, and possibly other social media sites. I have always maintained my vehicle to the highest standard and my vehicle mileage is significantly UNDER the average annual mileage of 10K. I have just begun the journey to seeking remedy for this unfortunate situation and would appreciate an investigation by NHTSA on behalf of all who have filed complaints and told their stories. Thank you.
NHTSA complaint #11700960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My sorento started smelling like gas , inside & outside. Worse when I stop driving. The fuel pump pressure hose (that’s in a compartment under my backseat) is spraying fuel everywhere inside the compartment it in. The safety for myself and my grand sons that are all 2years old (3 of them) is we are inhaling the fumes from it separating steadily out under the seat their car seats are sitting on. I have not taken my vehicle to anyone but my friend after seeing a video of why a guys vehicle smelled like gas No inspection has been done by anyone I’m not even sure what steps I need to take or what to do now. There were NO messages, lights, etc., that flashed or popped up on my message center. It just all of a sudden one day started smelling like gasoline in my car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11689821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My car is consuming oil. I was two and a half quarts down when I checked it and the oil light never came on! I'm glad I checked it when I did! The car is consuming oil and has to be checked every day to every other day. I called the local KIA dealership and of course, NO RECALLS. What do I do now?
NHTSA complaint #11685249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I bought this car back in January 2024. I had it for about a week and the check engine light came on. When I had it read it was a torque converter clutch solenoid. I took it to Kia they said it needed reprogrammed, it was fine. Then a few months go by and I take it back in and they told me I needed to spend $5,000 for a new Transmission at less than 100,000 miles. When doing research a lot of others have had this issue as well. They said there maybe a recall eventually but until then I had to pay for it. I paid for it there is still no recall. Also the rear cross traffic goes off as a car is behind you, there’s not really a warning before the car is behind you
NHTSA complaint #11679293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Pearl white paint peeling off doors, hood, roof…less than 40,000 miles
NHTSA complaint #11669118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Pearl White Paint has suddenly begun flaking off from roof of my 2019 SorentoSXL. It is running above the length of the driver side door. Paint should not be doing that. Looks like a factory defect. Noticed many other complaints for the exact same issue. Kia defers to the warranty but Kia should fix this regardless of warranty timeline since this is not as a result of external forces or owner error.
NHTSA complaint #11669348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
HI, MY CAR HAS INCREASED OIL CONSUMPTION.EVERY WEEK, IAM TOPING OFF THE OIL, 1 QRT EVERY WEEK NOW.I BROUGHT THIS TO KIA'S ATTENTION, HAD THE TEST DONE AS THEY SUGGESTED.THEY OFFERRED ME ONLY THIS: A/C EVAP CLEAN, COOLANT FLUID EXCHANGE, SPARK PLUG REPLACE, 3 PT INDUCTION SVC, WHICH DOESNT FIX THE PROBLEM. I ALSO WANTED THE EXISTING RECALL TO BE ADRESSED, BUT THEY IGNORED.
NHTSA complaint #11663132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I’m contacting you regarding my 2019 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX] ), which was completely destroyed in a fire on [XXX]. I had gone for a run at the city park, and as I was walking back, I saw my vehicle in flames. Police were already on-site, and just as I approached, the back windshield exploded. The fire department arrived shortly after and extinguished the flames. The vehicle is a total loss. After reviewing the VIN, I found the vehicle is subject to Recall SC249F / NHTSA 22V703 for a fire risk related to trailer hitch wiring. I want to emphasize that this vehicle did not have a trailer hitch installed, which raises concerns that it may have been pre-wired at the factory or otherwise contained faulty components. Additionally, I had previously brought the vehicle to the dealership twice for electrical problems, including complete failure of all lights, the windshield wiper motor, and power outlets. These issues were never fully resolved and may have been early signs of the defect that led to the fire. I am requesting: 1.A factory build sheet or Monroney label to confirm if any recall-related components were installed. 2.Guidance on how to initiate an official claim or investigation with Kia. 3.Clarification on whether Recall SC249F applies to vehicles without a hitch but with related electrical systems. Photos of the fire damage are available INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11660585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Paint is peeling. Only have 100,000 miles. Paint is peeling off badly.
NHTSA complaint #11652081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My oil level in my car keeps going low. Service department at Kia states they cannot find another problem. I’ve had regular oil changes. I met someone at the dealership experiencing the same problem.
NHTSA complaint #11649301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We have received the security update for the ignition system over a year ago for the recall. Even with this recall fix our vehicle was still stolen, so this solution clearly didn't work.
NHTSA complaint #11649128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle has frequent oil consumption issues. It’s burning oil way too fast and causing a potential issue with the engine. According to the staff at the car shop, there is no way to fix it. You have to just kind of deal with it. It seems to be a defect that has not been addressed and is only for first owners. Bought my vehicle from a dealership and apparently this isn’t covered. This is a Lemon and it’s clearly unknown issue based on the workers at the car shop that have not been addressed and is causing an issue with my engine.
NHTSA complaint #11645267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
A crack on my dashboard by the airbag above glove box. I use a windshield screen and armor all it to protect it I’m afraid if there’s an accident the airbag will not work as designed and it could cause injury or death Kia said after 5 years it’s normal wear and tear I bought car new oct 2019
NHTSA complaint #11636269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The forward collision system warning system the warning that it's not working stays on for a couple of days then goes off but then it comes back on. My other problem is the Pearl White paint is peeling off the hood and roof of my Sorento. Kia said not their problem because it has 80,000 miles. I have read thousands of complaints about this problem. There seems to be a problem with the paint they are using.
NHTSA complaint #11634853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.