2025 Kia Sorento

My vehicle repeatedly fails to recognize the key fob even when it is in my hand or inside the vehicle. Because it is a push-button start system, proper fob communication is required for unlocking and driving. When recognition fails, the vehicle will not start and I have been stranded. During the first of these failures, I called the dealership because I was stranded and needed immediate assistance. They instructed me to remove all passengers, close the doors, and then hold the unlock button on the key fob for 10 seconds and press lock/unlock six times in sequence. They also advised me not to use the door-handle lock/unlock button and to use only the fob buttons. This temporarily restored function, but a new vehicle should not require a manual reset procedure to start and operate normally. On two separate occasions, this problem also triggered the vehicle alarm, which was extremely difficult to silence. This does not happen every time, making the vehicle unreliable. One incident occurred while transporting special-needs children and an elderly passenger, and removing them from the vehicle to perform the reset was difficult and unsafe. The dealership later ran diagnostics and found no fault codes. I also replaced the key fob battery, but the issue continues. I have seen other owners online describing the same key-recognition failures, indicating that I may not be the only person experiencing this. This is a safety concern because the vehicle can fail to start without warning, and the alarm activation increases confusion and stress. The issue remains unresolved.

While operating the vehicle and utilizing the cruise control, the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the Antilock Braking System (ABS) warning lights turn on. These lights will remain on until the vehicle is turned off and a new drive begins. They only activate during the use of cruise control and at times it has caused the brake pedal to become extremely tough to press. This is a concern if maintaining cruise control and an emergency braking situation arises, the brake may not engage it is designed to do and cause a vehicle accident.

We have a brand new 2025 Kia Sorento and suddenly the AC stopped working. Took it into the service center who could not identify the problem but didn't see any damage. They got it working again and we drove it for a couple of days and it stopped working again as anticipated. We brought it back in and they now report debri damage, now not covered by kia warranty. I searched online and this seems to be a common issue with the unit and that the grill design does not protect the engine and is prone to significant damage to the vehicles engine components that Kia will not cover under warranty.

Transmission concern. Randomly rolls forward (about 1-2 feet) when placed in reverse. It rolls forward before it finally catches to reverse. I have rolled into and tapped another vehicle when exiting a parking spot. I have taken it to two different Dealers and they said basically it does that and I need to account for it. This car is a liability.

August 18, 2025 at 3pm PT; My 2025 Kia Sorento X-Line was parked in my driveway facing the street. I had the engine on, and in Park mode, AC on, back hatch door open. No one was in the vehicle. I was standing behind the vehicle when it then started to go in reverse, then stopped for 2 seconds. It then proceeded to go into reverse again. The garage door was open. The vehicle pushed me into the blades of our lawn mower (it is stored in the garage on its end, so the blades face the garage door), and continued to push me and the lawn mower into our gardening tool supply rack. I did all I could to stop the vehicle with my body and yell for help. I was trapped. The vehicle eventually stopped because the back hatch door was open and caught on the upper part of the garage frame. I got myself unstuck and got out to the right, and went straight to the passenger front door to check out the gear shift. It was still in Park mode. All was captured on our Ring camera. I called Kia corporate customer service and received a case number (25476533) and was told I would hear back in 10 business days. This was after calling the dealership twice directly (Elk Grove Kia) leaving a detailed message with no response.

While driving my 2025 Kia Sorento on the highway, I noticed a coolant leak and an overheating warning. I immediately pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to a Kia dealership for inspection. After diagnosing the issue, the dealership claimed that small pebbles had damaged the radiator, leading to the coolant leak. They stated that this was considered an accident, not a defect, and therefore was not covered under warranty. Why This is a Concern: After researching online, I discovered that many other Kia owners are experiencing the same issue, suggesting that the radiator may be vulnerable to road debris due to poor design or insufficient protection. A radiator should be durable enough to withstand normal highway driving conditions. A failure like this could cause engine overheating and sudden breakdowns, posing a serious safety risk to drivers and passengers. Request for Investigation: Since this issue is affecting multiple Kia Sorento owners, I believe it should be investigated as a possible design flaw. If the radiator is too fragile to handle everyday road debris, Kia should issue a recall or Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to address the defect and ensure driver safety.