2019 Kia Sorento Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 72,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

I read about some 2019 Kia Serento with V 6 engine have recall for leaking oil sensor. Yet when I look up my vin it is not listed ? Looking for any recourse for why some vin numbers are not covered when this is a problem ??Owner complaint, filed 2026

My Car started to have extreme oil consumption around 100,000 miles I was able to keep it maintained by adding oil frequently but finally part of my motor stopped functioning and I was forced to replace my motor. I got my car back June 22,2026 but the new motor also has had the same issue. I did purchase a warranty for 3 years but…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

There is a recall for the HAVOC system foe the years 2021-2023, 25V649 recall. My car is a 2019 kia sorento and I m having the same issues, I have already replaced blower motor, resistor, air filter replaced, fuses, air compressor clutch relays, 3 times. Coolant is fine. After reading this recall my car same issues, please add my car to…Owner complaint, filed 2026

On December 16, 2025 at approximately 0830 hrs. EST my wife attempted to start the above vehicle. There was an "odd" odor in the garage by the vehicle at the time. She was unable to start the vehicle, there were not functional lights and no other accessories were functional. I perfomed a test on the battery later in the afternoon using a…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (55).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

About 1 month ago, i noticed on the hood, several areas (10-12) of bubbling and peeling of the paint. On the Side upright panel next to the windshield on the passenger side, there is a big area of peeling and bubbling paint. Paint is called Snow white Pearl. On the driver side panel above the handle, there is more bubbling of the paint.…Owner complaint, filed 2026

after purchasing from carmax 6 months later the paint above the windshield is peeling off in huge chunks. the color is snow pearl white. having large chunks of solid paint flying around can decrease visibility for both the driver of the vehicle and others should the pieces go on the windshield obstructing full view, this is a safety…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 13,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The oil pressure switch is faulty. The oil indicator light comes on when I'm idling, and I'm also losing 1 quart of oil every 1,000 miles. This was reported on previous Kia models of this make and model, which extended the warranty to 15 years/150k miles. Kia isn't honoring this anymore, even though my switch was diagnosed as bad. Seems…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Car has 77,593 miles. The oil light came on only at idle. Immediately hauled to dealership and was told it was a faulty pressure switch and not covered by the warranty even though its part of the powertrain and the earlier models had the same problem and were extended. Should I expect every 77,000 miles or so to have to spend $1700? The…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles. Parts named most: Sun / moon roof assembly (5).

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

Leaking windshield. Water dripping into cabin. Headliner soaked with water. Windshield possibly not sealed or adhered properly. (Similarly to NHTSA Campaign 22V158000 and Kia Recall SC232 for the Kia Cadenza)Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the panoramic sunroof failed to properly close. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an inoperable motor and fractured cables. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been taken to the dealer for the same…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 48,900 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 75,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Gasoline smell is coming with the left side of vehicle. Gasoline is leaking from the fuel pump causing the gas to puddle creating the gasoline smell.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The fuel odor was also outside the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. An appointment with the dealer was scheduled for the vehicle to be inspected. The vehicle was…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 71,000 miles

Parts named most: Warnings (15), Blind spot detection (6), Automatic emergency braking (6).

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while reversing in rainy weather, the rearview camera image was distorted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V639000 (Back Over Prevention), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where additional water proofing to the camera harness was added, but the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 49,000 miles

Warning lights for ABS, Traction Control, and Forward Collision-Avoidance (FCA) appear simultaneously. The FCA system may fail to engage or display warnings. Causes: The issues are frequently tied to a faulty ABS module, malfunctioning wheel speed sensors (often the rear), or corroded connectors. Unsafe to drive. Also paint is just…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 15,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the ABS and the stabili-trak warning lights were illuminated but eventually turned off. The contact stated that the warning lights illuminated intermittently but had gradually illuminated more frequently. The contact had taken the vehicle to a…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 13,040 miles

I made a hard brake when first got car. Warning lights for ABS and traction control came on. Battery disconnected. Battery reconnected and codes cleared, but warning lights remained. Code 2400201 on OBDII read. I didn’t check ABS pump for leakage as I don’t know where that is. I can see the ABS Pump module unit aka ABS Hydraulic Control…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

On august 25, 2019, while driving home to new york, my wife sat in the front passenger seat and my daughter sat in the second row seat behind my wife, I stopped at a rest stop for gasoline at about 12:15 pm as I pulled into the area with my foot on the break to slow down, the car surged forward and I pressed hard to stop the car. It…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 7,500 miles

The contact owns a 2019 kia sorento. While attempting to accelerate from a complete stop, the vehicle did not respond and then suddenly [VIN]. The contact stated that the failure occurred all the time ever since the vehicle was purchased in april of 2019. The vehicle was taken to steve hann auto group (1730 s 1st st, yakima, wa 98901) on…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 10,500 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 7,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 64 MPH, the contact detected a shimmy and knocking coming from the front wheels. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a common failure with similar vehicles. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and an…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 122,222 miles

Steering wheel "sticks" at higher speeds, making it difficult to make fine adjustments. When steering un-sticks, it then overcompensates and you end up zig-zagging down the highway. It is very uncomfortable and it feels unsafe.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The 'Gear' on the drivers seat towards middle of car (right hand drivers seat) snapped in some fashion and the seat rocks. I hear this is quite common in this car and that it costs upwards of $2,000 to repair because the entire seat has to be replaced.Owner complaint, filed 2026

While my 6 year old was attempting to put on his rear right seat belt, the belt gave way and tore in half completely unhinged at the seams. We were leaving so we move our child to the left rear seat that has hardly ever been used. As he was putting this seat belt on it also became completely torn in half at the seams . My child’s life…Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owned a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH the vehicle crashed head on into a second vehicle. During the crash the vehicle was destroyed but the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained multiple rib fractures, lower back, and right knee injuries and was transported to the…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 60,000 miles

The contact owned a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a lamp post. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact's wife later received medical treatment for a fractured vertebra, right hip, and groin injury. No police…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 50,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

I purchased my 2019 Kia Sorento with 7,000 miles on it. A few moths after purchase, I began having suspension issue with it. My rear tires were being worn out very quickly and a tire repair shop suggested that I have Kia dealership check out the shocks, which I did. Kia Service Center diagnosed the vehicle and replaced the shock…Owner complaint, filed 2024

I purchased my Kia Sorento in 2020. It was a used 2019 with 7,000 miles. I immediately noticed that it would squeak rather loud and bounce high when driving over very small humps on the roads. Being that I'm no mechanical savvy, I assumed this was normal for SUV's because I've driven sedans all my life. Anyways, I was informed of the…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento equipped with Kumho Tires, Tire Line: Crugen Premium, Tire Size: 235/65/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated. Upon inspecting the passenger’s and driver’s side rear tires, the contact noticed that the…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 30,845 miles

There has been a droning noise coming from the left front tire at speeds over 15 MPH for a couple of months, and it continues to get louder.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 31,289 miles