2022 Kia Sorento PHEV

22 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.

1. Filed Sep 4, 2026Failure Aug 1, 2026Ney, OHElectrical system

   On XXX, during a 13 hour return trip from [XXX], while traveling at speeds of approximately 80 mph on the interstate in mountainous terrain with my family in the vehicle, the instrument cluster displayed a message instructing me to stop driving and take the vehicle to service due to a battery problem. After the message cleared, a warning light remained illuminated until the vehicle was shut off and restarted. This occurred three separate times during that trip, beginning approximately five hours from home. I attempted to reach a Kia dealership in [XXX], and was unable to get anyone on the phone. Having no alternative, I continued driving home. On XXX, during a two and a half hour highway drive on flat terrain, the vehicle displayed "Battery system hot: switching to HEV mode." Separately, and for several months, charging at home on a Level 1 charger repeatedly stops approximately ten minutes into the session. A check engine light appears and clears after two restarts. The vehicle was at an authorized Kia dealership from XXX, for fifteen days. Their scan at 90,776 miles found diagnostic trouble code P1B9700, High Voltage Battery Temperature Deviation, stored in the Battery Management System with freeze frame data captured. The dealership drove the vehicle 387 miles, primarily in EV mode in 40 mile increments, and returned it with the notation "no repairs attempted at this time, unable to duplicate concern at this time." No Kia Techline case was opened and no field technical specialist was involved. The freeze frame data has not been provided to me despite written requests. The dealership described its procedure as clearing the history code before attempting to duplicate the concern. No repair has been performed. The vehicle remains in daily use by my wife. Kia Consumer Affairs case 26352951 is open. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

   NHTSA complaint 11762127
2. Filed Jun 4, 2026Failure May 30, 2026westminster, COElectrical system

   Engine wiring is covered in soy based products which attract rodents as a source of food. Rodents then chew various wires and damage the electrical system. The check engine light has popped on twice in one year with both times requiring service repair for the chewed wires. There is a potential for electrical fires or other various failures due to rodents chewing through the wires. Kia has known about this problem for over a decade and continues to use soy based coverings in their engine without any mitigation for rodents.

   NHTSA complaint 11742016
3. Filed Mar 11, 2026Failure Mar 11, 2026Tolar, TXEngine, Power train, Vehicle speed control

   The drive train and motor slow to a near stop in traffic when trying to clear a lane and makes it very dangerouos for other traffic to have to wait for me to clear a lane. There is something wrong and we complained about this before the warranty ran out, but they could not find anything. The car stops in traffic unexpectedly. I am not sure if sensors are causing this or what, but it has put me in danger of collision many times. We have to plan an exceedingly long time to pull into traffic so we don't get run over. Anti slip also doesn't turn off even though it says it is off. The car will slip a little bit and then shut the motor down to a crawl making it very dangerous in traffic. The 4x4 doesn't seem to work as we turn it on to try to eleminate slipping. The slipping mostly occurs because of the motor becoming doggedly slow and then decides to speed up. The 4x4 on and the turning of the anti-slip do not work because it still slips and shuts down. The other tires don't seem to slip or do anything. Please help!!!

   NHTSA complaint 11723548
4. Filed Aug 3, 2025Failure Jul 29, 2025Chubbuck, IDElectrical system, Power train, Service brakes

   My Sorento PHEV popped a P0c4e code and now the car is gutless on electric power. Kia cleared the code in an attempt to fix it but now the code is gone and it’s still weak. When I let off the brake it rolls when it used to have the power to hold it. I used to be able to get on the freeway and now I can’t get up to speed in town (35mph). It’s running in some sort of limp mode and Kia can’t see any codes. It’s loud, too. Each gear whines. It whines when I hit the brake and it regenerates electricity. It regens so little now that it doesn’t hardly slow me down anymore until I stand on them and use the brake pads. Kia said that it might be a sensor in the electric motor but it’s not replaceable and you have to replace the whole motor. Even though it’s under warranty, it’s 15 hours labor to replace it. I have family with the same car and theirs has done the same thing in the past and had to be replaced. My dealer said that they have seen a bunch of these throw that same code and have to have the motor replaced. She said she is expecting Kia to start replacing them for free or possibly recall them because of how many she has seen all doing the same thing.

   NHTSA complaint 11678045
5. Filed May 20, 2025Failure Dec 12, 2024Woodland, CAPower train

   I have gotten the notice Refill Inverter Coolant and Hybrid System Failure and lost acceleration and the all power. The first time this happened was in Dec 2024 with about 60,000 miles on the car. Dealer flushed system and it worked fine until April 2025 at about 71000 miles Hybrid system failure alert again, barely able to accelerate from stop light, made to a parking space just as I lost power steering. After about 2 hours to cool off car started and could be driven home. Got Refill inverter coolant alert.

   NHTSA complaint 11662012
6. Filed Feb 6, 2025Failure Jan 11, 202522,500 milesUniversity Place, WABack over preventionCrash

   The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle, the rearview camera failed to display a clear image, and the grid lines were not properly aligned. The contact crashed the vehicle into his mailbox. There were no injuries sustained and no police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V610000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,500.

   NHTSA complaint 11641051
7. Filed Jan 24, 2025Failure Jan 24, 2025Santa Clarita, CAAutomatic emergency braking, Service brakes

   Several times over the past 12 months, the car has applied emergency braking when a car approaches me from behind in the lane to my left. The dealer was not able to replicate the problem but I have captured it twice on my dash cam. I was only able to intentionally replicate the problem once on my own but it has happened 15-20 times. If I do not press the accelerator, the car will come to a stop without me pushing the brake. When the emergency brake is applied, the warning sound is heard in the car and the dash lights up with the emergency braking icon and emphasizes the left rear of the vehicle. I have been to the dealer twice for this issue. The first time they told me it was due to a faulty camera mount under recall. It was replaced but the issue continued. The second time they told me they decreased the sensitivity of some sensor. The issue continued.

   NHTSA complaint 11638383
8. Filed Nov 26, 2024Failure Nov 21, 2024Moore, OKElectrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system

   While driving down the highway the EV side of my PHEV wouldn't switch to gas. The car wouldn't accelerate past 40-50 mph and drained the remaining battery till my car shut off and forced me to the side of the road. Been to the dealer multiple times (over 4) for the same issue. They claim they recreate it and no resolution has been done.

   NHTSA complaint 11627399
9. Filed Jun 11, 2024Failure May 11, 202220,000 milesMarshall, MIEngine, Power train

   The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact stated the upon starting the vehicle, an abnormally loud revving sound was coming from the engine while the vehicle was idling. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated upon the depression of the accelerator pedal while traveling at various speeds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to Seelye Kia of Battle Creek (791 W Dickman Rd, Battle Creek, MI 49037) where the contact was informed that the acceleration issue was normal vehicle operation due to the Hybrid feature. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer where the contact was provided the same issue as the dealer. The contact stated that the hesitation had worsened and had become more frequent. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

   NHTSA complaint 11593737
10. Filed Apr 9, 2024Failure Feb 13, 2024Folsom, CAWarnings, Automatic emergency braking, Power train

    When accelerating to pull out of driveway and enter traffic, while struggles to find correct gear causing tires to spin and loud clunking noise. Forward collision detects objects that are not there causing vehicle emergency breaking to engage

    NHTSA complaint 11582034
11. Filed Dec 17, 2023Failure Dec 8, 2023Cornwall ON Hudson, NYElectrical system, Engine

    My 2022 KIA Sorrento PHEV periodically gives a "Check Hybrid System, Stop Safely" emergency warning. When this happens the vehicle will not accelerate and can only be limped to a stop. This has occurred 4 times in 18 months. In three instances the vehicle was limped to a safe stop but on the other occasion it left us stranded in an intersection. This problem creates imminent danger and potential peril. KIA maintenance looked at the vehicle after the last two events and reported that they can't do anything because there aren't any recorded fault codes. From a technical perspective, it appears that an electronic problem occurs where the hybrid control either fails to recognize the low battery status or fails to command the engine to run when needed. Once stopped I can see that the hybrid electric battery charge has depleted and the engine failed to start. Cycling power off and on a couple of times appears to reset the circuitry allowing the engine to restart and the hybrid battery to begin recharging. Unfortunately, the KIA OBD is not detecting this particular failure.

    NHTSA complaint 11560570
12. Filed Jan 31, 2023Failure Jan 30, 202317,000 milesPort Huron, MIElectrical system, Power train

    The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH up an incline in inclement weather, the vehicle rolled backward. The contact stated that the AWD failed to lock the wheels. The contact then stated that all four tires started to spin while in AWD. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to turn on the heat, she smelled a burning odor through the vents. The contact also stated that there was an alert indicating to activate the heat in hybrid mode; however, the vent was blowing cold air. Additionally, the contact stated that previously the sensor malfunction warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.

    NHTSA complaint 11504669
13. Filed Jan 23, 2023Failure Sep 19, 2022Belle Vernon, PATrailer hitches

    The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the contact was informed that the remedy was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

    NHTSA complaint 11503236
14. Filed Dec 26, 2022Failure Dec 26, 2022Anderson, SCEngine, Fuel/propulsion system, Power train

    Multiple times I have experienced weirdness with the Transmission in my 2022 Sorento PHEV. One specific situation has happened to me multiple times and is a safety risk. Occasionally while stopped at a red light or stop sign with a reasonable incline it seems the electric motor fails to engage and it never switches to the ICE engine either. Step by step 1 - Stopped at Stop Sign or Red light 2- Release Brake an Hit Gas 3- Vehicle does not move forward no matter how hard you hit the gas (Doesnt seem to engage electric or traditional engine) 4 - Instead the vehicle seems like its in neutral and starts rolling backwards 5 - I slam on the brakes, and then try the gas again and everything is fine. I took it to the Anderson, SC kia dealer and they just told me they couldn't replicate it. It has happened to me or my wife probably 4 times over the last year. Just wanted to report it because it feels like a good chance this is eventually going to cause a wreck.

    NHTSA complaint 11498899
15. Filed Nov 28, 2022Failure Sep 19, 2022Danville, KYTrailer hitches

    The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

    NHTSA complaint 11495184
16. Filed Sep 28, 2022Failure Apr 10, 2022500 milesBothell, WAElectrical system, Power train

    The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV. The contact stated that upon depression of the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would hesitate without warning. The contact also stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter remained stuck in neutral(N) and the vehicle could not be moved or turned off. The contact called the dealer and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. A diagnostic test was performed; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer had also been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 500.

    NHTSA complaint 11486970
17. Filed Aug 26, 2022Failure Aug 26, 2022Brookhaven, GASeat belts

    I received a recall notice for a problem with the front seat seat-belt pretensioners, which apparently deploy abnormally and may project metal fragments into the passengers. Despite being told the repair should only take 1 hour, I cannot get an appointment for 2 months to get it fixed. I have also called Kia corporate but they were unhelpful as well. I do not think 2 months to get a safety recall repaired is reasonable or safe and want to lodge a complaint.

    NHTSA complaint 11481343
18. Filed Aug 17, 2022Failure Aug 12, 2022Sunnyvale, CAVisibility/wiper

    While driving our brand new car from dealership, a small stone must have hit. It made a 2-3 inch crack and by the time we were home it was already 12 inch crack. It had happened to me in my Audi and the only thing I could see is a small point in the windshield which I was able to fix. Googling around it seems like I am not the only one who is facing this issue and there was in fact some recall too in the past with Kia cars.

    NHTSA complaint 11479782
19. Filed Jun 30, 2022Failure Jun 23, 2022Windsor, COPretensioner

    This has been recalled after the car arrived to the dealership but before I purchased (it was a special order). I have not been able to purchase for over a week while I wait for the part. My complain is the timely action on this recall.

    NHTSA complaint 11471905
20. Filed May 31, 2022Failure May 31, 2022Jamaica, NYService brakes

    Breaks failed to engage while driving on the highway, which almost caused us to have an accident. The car was leased a few months ago so very concerned and will be taking it to the dealership. The autonomous emergency breaking system engaged and prevented the accident.

    NHTSA complaint 11466724