2019 Kia Sorento engine problems
169 of the 428 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Sorento name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 44 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 169 reports a crash · 11 a fire · 4 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 10 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 21 · 2024: 36 · 2025: 50 · 2026: 36
Half of the 48 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 28,000 and 112,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
428 complaints in all about the 2019 Kia Sorento, 36 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Sorento engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Stumbles horribly through the low gears during acceleration until hitting ~45-50mph on cold start-up (after sitting several hours or overnight). After engine warmup the effect begins to moderate, though it remains present at all times. Worse in eco and comfort drive modes.
Purchased vehicle new with 12 miles on it back sept. 2019. I noticed almost immediately that it feels like the car is lurching forward, or skipping like when I accelerate. I took to dealership to have them check it out. Before I could get it into service dept. tech told me that they all do it.
My sorrento started to ride very rough and felt like engine was knocking and mthe vehicle would start to shake. I pulled over turn vehicle off checked all my levels everything was ok except low washer fluid. Proceeded home no problem. Next day after working and running errands same thing happened this time engine light came on.
Our new 2019 Kia Sorento ex v6 engine and new 8 speed transmission surging and hesitation really bad, especially in lower rpms. We have had it into service 5 time now but nothing has worked to fix the issue. When pulling out onto the highway it will hesitate and surge, this is very dangerous!
Purchased car in jan 2019. Car studders on acceleration of car under all conditions. Acceleration is always rough. Two time and several calls to dealer has been of no help. I keep getting told by dealer that Kia is working on software fix for the problem and that all Kia sorento's have same problem
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- DP22003 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
- 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 i…
44 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SC340_TSB_R5 EmissionsApr 4, 2026
- VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS: ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340 REVISION 5) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module ‘ECM’ system software for certain 2016-2020MY Optima, 2016-20
- TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletinApr 3, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
- TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletinFeb 28, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w
The 3 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2019 Kia Sorento names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2019 Kia Sorento
Source: the same files- electrical problems 68 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 51 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2019 Kia Sorento?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 169 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (39% of everything owners filed about it), and 44 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2019 Kia Sorento?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 2 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2019 Kia Sorento?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 83,537 miles; half of them between 28,000 and 112,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.