Problems · by component

2014 Kia Sorento engine problems

388 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Sorento cite engine, 39% of all 988 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
388
39% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
29
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Driving down the road and all of a sudden the red oil pressure light appeared then the engine light appeared. The car engine power then reduced and ultimately ended up stopping, turning the car off. The car now has a loud ticking and knock coming from engine. From previous recalls i see that this is a common problem on these cars. This was without warning and occured a couple of days after a oil change. Oil was in good condition and full. The car is drivable but not safe to do so. There's a loud rattling noise while accelarating. Leads me to believe possible lifters and rod knock.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2026Power train, EngineODI 11767088
“The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. There was no warning light illuminated. A local dealer was contacted, and the contact was advised to continue driving the vehicle until the engine was blown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 204,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2026EngineODI 11764804
“I am filing an official safety complaint against the manufacturer for refusing to perform federally mandated safety recall repairs on my vehicle. My vehicle is impacted by critical safety recalls involving high-severity fire risks, specifically the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) electrical short circuit risk. Corporate Customer Care and my local authorized dealership have officially refused to schedule or perform these safety recall repairs. The representatives explicitly stated that my vehicle is denied service because I purchased it used from a third-party private owner, and because I do not possess complete historical maintenance records. The manufacturer is conflating civil class-action lawsuit requirements with federally mandated safety recalls. Under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, a manufacturer cannot legally condition or deny an active, free safety recall repair based on a vehicle's third-party purchase history or maintenance records. Due to poorly trained employees at both the dealership and customer care offices, I have faced constant misinformation that has wasted an immense amount of my time. Because this non-compliance…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2026Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineODI 11760502
“On XXX, the 2.4L Theta II GDI engine on our 2014 Kia Sorento (current mileage: 160,000) catastrophically seized without warning while my [XXX] was driving at interstate speeds at night. This caused an immediate and sudden loss of power, power steering, and braking assist, creating an extreme traffic hazard. No one was injured and the driver was able to safely coast to the shoulder, but it created a highly dangerous situation on a busy interstate. We had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who pulled the starter and confirmed a total mechanical engine seizure. The vehicle was then towed to a Kia dealership. This vehicle has suffered from the well-documented Theta II factory manufacturing flaw where debris destroys the connecting rod bearings, leading to high oil consumption and sudden highway seizure.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2026EngineODI 11748521
“The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle to the dealer for an inoperable air conditioning system, the vehicle failed to start unless the hood was opened. The check engine and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2026EngineODI 11747153
“For 1 week the check engine light came on today 6/13/26 the oil light came on at 55 mph when pulling up to a stop sign the oil light went off when back up to speed the light came back on at 55 then the car engine shut off completely costed to drive way and turned in”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2026EngineODI 11744071

Showing 6 of 388 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.