Oil plug fell out
2019 Kia Sorento
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sorento years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
114 reports with mileage · 312 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 155 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
426 reportsUnknown- Paint is peeling excessively. Coming off and sheets.
Engine Trouble: 1. Throttle Actuator Control (past issue, not sure if problem still exists). 2. Combustion Issue: (past and present) engine consuming excessive amounts of oil. Needing additional oil between oils changes. Dealer claimed ‘Combustion Cleaning’ was performed April/May 2023 and issue was resolved. I have had to ad…
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Engine Trouble: 1. Throttle Actuator Control (past issue, not sure if problem still exists). 2. Combustion Issue: (past and present) engine consuming excessive amounts of oil. Needing additional oil between oils changes. Dealer claimed ‘Combustion Cleaning’ was performed April/May 2023 and issue was resolved. I have had to add oil twice since then. Oil Lamp indicator would signaled, or engine would sound loud and over worked. I would then check the oil and add oil as needed. 3. Driving Mode: The vehicle can on be driven in ‘Comfort’ mode. If I drive in ‘Sport’, specifically, the car will start to malfunction and stall. When driving in any of the other modes the engine will become sluggish and eventually malfunction and stall. All of these problems occurred this year, 2023. I have service documents from the dealership. My cell phone is old and doesn’t take clear photos so I can’t upload them. I can provide the documents later if requested. Please contact me by email as I am in the process of moving.
UNKNOWN, HEARD A POP WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, GOT OUT TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD, AND FOUND SMOKE AND THEN FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND INSURANCE CLAIM WAS MADE. INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS.
Paint is chipping and peeling off, we notified Kia and they did an estimate and told us it was out of warranty. We took the vehicle to another body shop who told us that they were seeing many of these Kia's with the same issue. They told us that it is due to UV rays penetrating the paint and causing the primer to get chalky, whi…
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Paint is chipping and peeling off, we notified Kia and they did an estimate and told us it was out of warranty. We took the vehicle to another body shop who told us that they were seeing many of these Kia's with the same issue. They told us that it is due to UV rays penetrating the paint and causing the primer to get chalky, which causes the paint to delaminate chip and peel. Their estimate was 6566.86, due to having to take the vehicle apart, sand down the vehicle reprime and paint. This estimate was from Stingray Chevrolet in Plant City, Florida
After a particular strong rainstorm I found 4 areas on the driver hood right above the headlight and 6 spots above the windshield that were cracked, bubbled and pealed off all the way down to the metal frame. The areas on the hood remain small. They bubble and chip off a little at a time. The areas above the windshield is com…
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After a particular strong rainstorm I found 4 areas on the driver hood right above the headlight and 6 spots above the windshield that were cracked, bubbled and pealed off all the way down to the metal frame. The areas on the hood remain small. They bubble and chip off a little at a time. The areas above the windshield is completely stripped 75% across the top and 4-6 inches deep. The paint continues to sheer off in large chunks all the way down to the metal. I purchased my Sorento in January 2019 brand new. Color is pearl white.
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. 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, and the contact was informed that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated t…
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The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. 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, and the contact was informed that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool showed no open recall.
Kia has a known excessive oil consumption issue. This issue has caused my car to suddenly stall while driving which is a huge a safety concern for myself, my passengars and other drivers on the road. If the oil is being sucked into the intake, it will eventually cause engine failure. The Engine Defect is life-threatening and da…
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Kia has a known excessive oil consumption issue. This issue has caused my car to suddenly stall while driving which is a huge a safety concern for myself, my passengars and other drivers on the road. If the oil is being sucked into the intake, it will eventually cause engine failure. The Engine Defect is life-threatening and dangerous. As a result of latent design, manufacturing, material, and/or workmanship defects, the Affected Vehicles are prone to excessive oil consumption and/or the restriction of oil flow through the connecting rod bearings as well as to other vital areas of the Engine, causing the Affected Vehicles to experience sudden vehicle stalling, catastrophic engine failure, and/or non-collision engine fires during operation.
Kia America sent me a letter on June 30, 2023, which alerted owners of 2018-2019 Kia vehicles of a possible low-pressure fuel pump leak and explaining a warranty extension. I am distressed and disgruntled, frankly, by this strategy t…
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Kia America sent me a letter on June 30, 2023, which alerted owners of 2018-2019 Kia vehicles of a possible low-pressure fuel pump leak and explaining a warranty extension. I am distressed and disgruntled, frankly, by this strategy to wait until there is a fuel leak before repairing the problem. My wife and I are in our 70s and travel in the car often on overnight and even two-month trips. We now have to worry that we’ll start to smell fumes while far away from home. This is unacceptable. Why is Kia waiting until owners experience problems before fixing it? I asked our Kia dealer how much it would cost me out of pocket to get the fuel pump replaced now before we are stranded on the road. The dealer would not give an estimate. In addition, I wrote to Kia America and their Customer Care Center about this problem and after a month they have not responded. Finally, I called the Care Center hotline and waited for an hour and finally someone answered, but the connection was lost or the person hung up on me before I could even explain the problem.
On a Sunday morning, approximately 168 miles away from my hometown of Fresno,Ca I was on a family road trip to Pismo, Ca when without warning I began to hear a loud knocking noise coming from the Sorento engine.Since the check engine light was not illuminating, I opened the hood of the Sorento to inspect for any obvious signs of…
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On a Sunday morning, approximately 168 miles away from my hometown of Fresno,Ca I was on a family road trip to Pismo, Ca when without warning I began to hear a loud knocking noise coming from the Sorento engine.Since the check engine light was not illuminating, I opened the hood of the Sorento to inspect for any obvious signs of what is causing this sound such as any loose part or oil lose. Nothing was apparent loose and full measured at full. I attempted to check the local area for a mechanic to assist but none were open due to the weekend. The vehicle was left parked at this time. Approximately 7 hours later, I attempted to drive the Sorento home when It started to loose power and began to shake while operating it on a heavy trafficked highway CA-101. I had to quickly exit the highway and park the Sorento on the side of the road. Due to the hour of the day, I left the Sorento on the side of the road in front of a GMC dealership in Paso Robles, Ca and received a ride back home to Fresno,Ca. The following morning with the local businesses open, I returned back to Paso Robles and had the Sorento towed to the local Paso Robles Kia by utilizing my roadside assistance towing through my insurance company, GEICO. After about a hour of being at Paso Robles Kia, I received a call from a rep stating that I would need a new engine because it is damaged. I then arranged a $400 tow from Paso Robles, CA to Coalinga, CA where I work to have the car more accessible for me to access during a repair and I could obtain a second opinion on the repair. They too informed me that I would require a new engine. I called Kia and discussed this issue with them due to this issue being a common occurrence, a partially with the 2019 Kia Sorento Model where a Class action suit was initiated. Kia informed me since my VIN was not part of the suit they would not cover the cost. I would like to note that this issued directly reflects the issues reported in the class action suit against Kia.
Official recalls
223V639000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Sep 15, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add additional water proofing to the camera harness, or replace the camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC282.
22V703000 · Trailer Hitches
Sep 19, 2022
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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