91 distinct owner reports with a transmission-specific component in this snapshot.
General power-train reports are not automatically counted as transmission problems. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.
VEHICLE MODEL: KIA SORENTO EX; THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING AND THE AIRBAG MODULE KEEPS BREAKING AND DISPLAYING RED LIGHT EVEN AFTER FIXING AT A DEALER SHOP "BILL DODGE KIA , WESTBROOK, ME. THE SYMPTOMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE AND ONLY A GRINDING SOUND OCCURS, THEN YOU MOVE THE TR…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE MODEL: KIA SORENTO EX; THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING AND THE AIRBAG MODULE KEEPS BREAKING AND DISPLAYING RED LIGHT EVEN AFTER FIXING AT A DEALER SHOP "BILL DODGE KIA , WESTBROOK, ME. THE SYMPTOMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE AND ONLY A GRINDING SOUND OCCURS, THEN YOU MOVE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT UP AND DOWN AND AFTER A FEW MOMENTS IT GENERALLY GOES INTO GEAR.WE ALMOST HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AND THE CAR IS BACK IN THE SHOP. THIS CAR IS A NIGHTMARE CAR -- PLEASE DO NOTIFY MANUFACTURER. *TR
2ND EVENT, UNCOMMANDED DOWNSHIFT FROM 6TH GEAR TO 4TH GEAR AT SPEED. TRANSMISSION THEN LOCKS IN 4TH GEAR UNTIL SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED. VERY VIOLENT EVENT WHEN IT OCCURS, WITH AN INSTANTANEOUS BANG AND CORRESPONDING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF SPEED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO 4TH GEAR UNCOMMANDED FROM 6TH GEAR. LARGE BANG AND SUDDEN DECELERATION. THINK OF HITTING A FOOT DEEP POTHOLE..WITHOUT THE POTHOLE. TRANSMISSION LOCKED IN 4TH GEAR UNTIL ENGINE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED. *TR
I HAD JUST LEFT WORK AND DROVE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS, STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, THEN PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN A GRINDING NOISE. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE SAYING I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE DOORS UNLOCKIN…
Read full complaint
I HAD JUST LEFT WORK AND DROVE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS, STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, THEN PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN A GRINDING NOISE. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE SAYING I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE DOORS UNLOCKING BY THEMSELVES AS I DRIVE. THIS HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY TO 3 -4 TIMES A WEEK. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH AND MY TACHOMETER STOPPED WORKING AND I STARTED LOSING SPEED. THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO MANUAL SHIFTING AND RESUME MY SPEED. BUT THE TACHOMETER CONTINUED TO READ "0". *TR
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH AND TRANSMISSION IN THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DOWN-SHIFTED INTO 4TH GEAR AND HELD THAT POSITION WITHOUT SHIFTING MANUALLY OR AUTOMATICALLY. THE SUDDEN SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE SIMILAR TO REVVING AN ENGINE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE WITH THE…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH AND TRANSMISSION IN THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DOWN-SHIFTED INTO 4TH GEAR AND HELD THAT POSITION WITHOUT SHIFTING MANUALLY OR AUTOMATICALLY. THE SUDDEN SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE SIMILAR TO REVVING AN ENGINE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE WITH THE RPM'S VERY HIGH AND THE SENSATION WAS A LOUD THUD/THUMP SOUNDING LIKE I JUMPED A CURB, WITH A SIMILAR SENSATION FROM THE DRIVING POSITION. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE, BUT COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 4TH GEAR EVEN WHEN I STOPPED AT A SAFE LOCATION A FEW MILES UP THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY PUT THE VEHICLE IN N, R AND P. I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I WAITED 15 SECONDS, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION AND SHIFTED FINE. NO UNUSUAL NOISES OR CHANGES WERE NOTED. I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE SALES PERSON WHO SOLD US THE VEHICLE AND HE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A COMPUTER GLITCH THAT HANDLES AUTOMATIC SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS APPROX 3200 MILES ON IT AND THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE EXPERIENCED. *TR
2011 KIA SORENTO. PUSH BUTTON START. INTERMITTENTLY YOU HEAR A THUD AND SOMETIMES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD. ALSO HAVE NOTICED WHEN I TURN VEHICLE OFF A SHUTTERING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SIDE CAR. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MILEAGE ON THIS VEHICLE ALSO. HAD TO DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE MY …
Read full complaint
2011 KIA SORENTO. PUSH BUTTON START. INTERMITTENTLY YOU HEAR A THUD AND SOMETIMES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD. ALSO HAVE NOTICED WHEN I TURN VEHICLE OFF A SHUTTERING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SIDE CAR. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MILEAGE ON THIS VEHICLE ALSO. HAD TO DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINT. *LN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUTTERED, STALLED AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING, BUT COULDN'T ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH. THE VEHICL…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUTTERED, STALLED AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING, BUT COULDN'T ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE FAILED AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWO MORE TIMES SINCE FILING THE COMPLAINT. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CLAIMING THERE WERE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK AND UNLOCK AND ALSO THE DOME LIGHT WASN'T WORKING. THE DEALER FOUND THE DOOR LOCKS WERE DISABLED AND THE DOME LIGHT CONNECTOR WAS NOT CONNECTED. UPDATED 03/30/11
TRANSMISSION - VEHICLE TURNS ON, WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE A LOUD/HARD JOLT OCCURS. WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE, VEHICLE WILL HARDLY MOVE WITHOUT PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. ENGINE ROARS AND HARDLY MOVES FORWARD. HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WAS RECENTLY FIXED TWO MONTHS AGO BUT HAPPENED AGAIN. *L…
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION - VEHICLE TURNS ON, WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE A LOUD/HARD JOLT OCCURS. WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE, VEHICLE WILL HARDLY MOVE WITHOUT PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. ENGINE ROARS AND HARDLY MOVES FORWARD. HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WAS RECENTLY FIXED TWO MONTHS AGO BUT HAPPENED AGAIN. *LN
I HAVE HAD MY KIA SORENTO FOR 10 MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES. ON THE THIRD TIME THAT IT WENT BACK, THEY DECIDED TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN IT. IT WORKED FOR THREE MONTHS. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM KY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING. THIS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A NEW TRANSMISSIO…
Read full complaint
I HAVE HAD MY KIA SORENTO FOR 10 MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES. ON THE THIRD TIME THAT IT WENT BACK, THEY DECIDED TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN IT. IT WORKED FOR THREE MONTHS. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM KY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING. THIS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A NEW TRANSMISSION. ARE THERE OTHER ISSUES WITH OTHER CARS??? *TR
Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Related NHTSA investigations
1
PE11010 · Transmission Intermediate Driveshaft
Opened Apr 7, 2011 · Closed May 10, 2011
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:driveline:driveshaft
On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to NHTSA regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-258).The recall addresses a defect with the external shape of the engine block which can prevent the intermediate shaft bearing bracket from mating evenly with the engine block.This can cause a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.Resulting damage could cause a loss of motive power.Additionally, on April 27, 2011, Hyundai Motor Company submitted a defect notification (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-261) for the same issue in approximately 6,169 MY 2010 Sante Fe 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines that use the same components as the recalled Kia Sorento vehicles.This investigation is closed.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to NHTSA regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-258).The recall addresses a defect with the external shape of the engine block which can prevent the intermediate shaft bearing bracket from mating evenly with the engine block.This can cause a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.Resulting damage could cause a loss of motive power.Additionally, on April 27, 2011, Hyundai Motor Company submitted a defect notification (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-261) for the same issue in approximately 6,169 MY 2010 Sante Fe 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines that use the same components as the recalled Kia Sorento vehicles.This investigation is closed.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to NHTSA regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-258).The recall addresses a defect with the external shape of the engine block which can prevent the intermediate shaft bearing bracket from mating evenly with the engine block.This can cause a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.Resulting damage could cause a loss of motive power.Additionally, on April 27, 2011, Hyundai Motor Company submitted a defect notification (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-261) for the same issue in approximately 6,169 MY 2010 Sante Fe 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines that use the same components as the recalled Kia Sorento vehicles.This investigation is closed.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft
On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to NHTSA regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-258).The recall addresses a defect with the external shape of the engine block which can prevent the intermediate shaft bearing bracket from mating evenly with the engine block.This can cause a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.Resulting damage could cause a loss of motive power.Additionally, on April 27, 2011, Hyundai Motor Company submitted a defect notification (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-261) for the same issue in approximately 6,169 MY 2010 Sante Fe 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines that use the same components as the recalled Kia Sorento vehicles.This investigation is closed.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft
On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to NHTSA regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-258).The recall addresses a defect with the external shape of the engine block which can prevent the intermediate shaft bearing bracket from mating evenly with the engine block.This can cause a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.Resulting damage could cause a loss of motive power.Additionally, on April 27, 2011, Hyundai Motor Company submitted a defect notification (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-261) for the same issue in approximately 6,169 MY 2010 Sante Fe 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines that use the same components as the recalled Kia Sorento vehicles.This investigation is closed.
Kia Sorento Transmission Problems | Skip That Year