U.S. public vehicle records

2014 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

983 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 497 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 386 of 983 complaints (39.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	127	12.9%
Electrical and battery issues	85	8.6%
Engine operation	76	7.7%
Steering behavior	59	6.0%
Fuel system concerns	24	2.4%
Transmission and shifting	19	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

386

Structure:Body

153

Unknown Or Other

146

Electrical System

144

Exterior Lighting

Power Train

Air Bags

Fuel/Propulsion System

Engine: 386; Structure:Body: 153; Unknown Or Other: 146; Electrical System: 144; Exterior Lighting: 79; Power Train: 67; Air Bags: 51; Fuel/Propulsion System: 46

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

100

75,000 to 99,999

104

100,000 to 149,999

142

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 70; 25,000 to 49,999: 52; 50,000 to 74,999: 100; 75,000 to 99,999: 104; 100,000 to 149,999: 142; 150,000 and above: 29

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (142). 486 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

116

2020

136

2021

123

2022

119

2023

112

2024

109

2025

2026

2013: 15; 2014: 27; 2015: 19; 2016: 17; 2017: 46; 2018: 69; 2019: 116; 2020: 136; 2021: 123; 2022: 119; 2023: 112; 2024: 109; 2025: 43; 2026: 32

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 127 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 85 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 76 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10550512 · 2013-11-01 (November 1, 2013)

SINCE BUYING THE 2014 KIA FWD 4-CYL VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD ABOUT 5 INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN THE IGNITION SWITCH. KIA AND HYUNDAI HAD BRAKE SWITCH ISSUES IN MODELS CIRCA 2011 AND EARLIER, BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ABOUT WHETHER KIA FIXED THE PROBLEM IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. DURING MY INCIDENTS I HAVE REPEATED THE ABOVE STEPS TRYING TO START THE NON-RESPONSIVE VEHICLE UNTIL IT INEXPLICABLY STARTED UP; TOOK OVER 10 RE-TRIES EACH TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE INTO THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10550512 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10577695 · 2014-04-09 (April 9, 2014)

2014 KIA SORRENTO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE DRIVER SEAT, ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VERY LARGE SEATS WERE A PROBLEM FOR HER, AS THEY WERE HARD TO ADJUST. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, IN THE MOST FORWARD AND HIGHEST SEAT POSITION, WAS SO GREAT, SHE WAS ONLY ABLE TO ENGAGE THE PEDALS WITH HER TOES. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE COULD BARELY SEE THE HOOD AND COULDN'T SEE OR DISTANCE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, SHE WAS FORCED TO USE BOTH A MANUFACTURER'S VEHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10577695 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10566975 · 2014-03-04 (March 4, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, A STRONG BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, SMALL FLAMES IGNITED FROM THE REAR TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS AND DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWENTY DAYS AFTER THE NEW TRAILER HITCH WAS INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED …

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10566975 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10643560 · 2014-10-09 (October 9, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE ENGINE REVVED WHEN THE CONTACT LIGHTLY DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BACKED INTO A STEEL POST. THE FRONT PASSENGER HAD TO HELP THE CONTACT SHIFT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD INTO A FIELD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PRESS THE IGNITION START BUTTON IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. …

Owner-reported narrative. 12,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10643560 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10568105 · 2014-03-10 (March 10, 2014)

ON JANUARY 2014, I BOUGHT A KIA SORENTO, 2014. ON THE SAME DAY I NOTICE A STRANGE NOISE ON THE ENGINE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MEDINA AUTO IN CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO (DEALER) AND THEY SAID THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE GDI MOTOR TYPE. I TOOK THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES BACK THE DEALER, WITH THE SAME FEEDBACK. "THE NOISE IS DUE TO THE GDI MOTOR TYPE". MY WIFE TOO THE CAR BACK TO MEDINA AUTO FOR IT FIRST OIL CHANGE AND I AGAIN ASK TO CHECK THE STRANGE NOISE ON THE ENGINE... THEY IMMEDIATELY SAID TO HER THAT THE NOISE WAS BECAUSE THE ENGINE TYPE (GDI). THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10568105 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10678653 · 2015-01-23 (January 23, 2015)

I BOUGHT A 2014 KIA SORENTO IN NOV. 2013. 2MONTHS I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND THE BLUE TOOTH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND TOLD THEM ABOUT IT AFTER 3-4 TRIPS AND BEING TOLD EACH TIME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG THEY FOUND THAT THE RADIO SYSTEM WAS BAD. STILL NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING. THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT STARTING, AGAIN 3-4 TRIPS OF BEING TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG THEY SAID YOU HAVE A BAD BATTERY! I STARTED GETTING A WARNING FROM THE UVO…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,873 miles reported. Look up ODI 10678653 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10652399 · 2014-11-04 (November 4, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10652399 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10678699 · 2015-01-24 (January 24, 2015)

AUG 5 2014 WAS DRIVING HOME ENGINE JUST STOPPED, WHICH MAKES BRAKING AND STEERING VERY DIFFICULT. GOT ENGINE STARTED AFTER A FEW TRIES ,DROVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLED KIA, HAD TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY CODES OR PROBLEMS. MILEAGE 9500. ON JAN 7 2015 CAR WOULD NOT START IN PARKING LOT AT WORK. MANAGED TO GET STARTED, DROVE 500 YARDS AND ENGINE QUIT AT A STOP LIGHT. RESTARTED ENGINE, STARTED UP A HILL AND AFTER 500 YARDS OR SO ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. RESTARTED AGAIN CONTINUED HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON JAN 7 2015 LEFT…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10678699 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10626499 · 2014-08-20 (August 20, 2014)

THE SPECS FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF HID LIGHTS ARE REQUIRING THE LIGHTS BE SET TOO LOW (NOT SHINING FAR ENOUGH) THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS ILLUMINATED FOR A FEW YARDS ONLY, AND THE HIGH BEAM LIGHT SHINES ONLY AS FAR AS THE LOW BEAM OF ME PREVIOUS VEHICLES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF ONE DRIVES ON A FREEWAY AT THE ALLOWED SPEEDS (IN SOME STATES THIS IS 80 M/H). IN MY INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING ON I 80 IN NEBRASKA AT ABOUT 12 AM AND DID NOT SEE A CHUNK OF TRUCK TIRE LAYING ON THE ROADWAY. I DROVE OVER THE PIECE WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY WAS PROPELLE…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626499 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10726832 · 2015-06-23 (June 23, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA SORENTO. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR FIVE HOURS, THE FUEL TANK CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL TANK CAUSED THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10726832 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10627393 · 2014-08-22 (August 22, 2014)

THERE HAS BEEN A VERY HARD JERK FORWARD AFTER A STOP (OR STOP AND TURN I. E. AT STOP SIGN) WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE GENTLY. THIS JERK HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED AFTER A STOP WITHIN 75 - 150 FEET. THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AROUND 10- 15 MPH. JERK FORWARD SEEMS TO BE A SLAM FORWARD OF DRIVE SHAFT AFTER JUST STARTING TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT THREE TIMES A MONTH AND USUALLY AFTER CAR HAS RUN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE POWER TRAIN ISSUE WITH DRIVE SHAFT, BRAKES AND/ OR TRANSMISSION INVOLVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10627393 at NHTSA ↗