With zero recalls and just around 90 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration complaints, the 2019 Sorento seems to be a reliable midsize SUV that packs plenty of comfort and safety. Still, there are a few issues to consider, including malfunctioning power windows and faulty headlights.
Key Points
- The 2019 Kia Sorento has no recalls but around 90 owner complaints registered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- Several owners mention powertrain-related issues such as hesitation, jerking, and engine stall.
- One of the most common causes of complaints about the 2019 Sorento is its electrical failures, including internal wiring burning, malfunctioning power windows, and faulty headlights.
- Although not as common, some owners have complained of power steering problems such as stiff steering, or the cruise control causing the vehicle to surge or rev higher.
- The 2019 Kia Sorento holds a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety and a perfect five-star rating with the NHTSA.
Powertrain Issues Lead the NHTSA Complaints, With the Biggest Concern Over the Transmission Surging and Jerking
There are two available powertrains in the 2019 Kia Sorento: a 185-horsepower four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, and a 290-horsepower V6 that is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 2019 Sorento has just around 90 complaints registered with the NHTSA. About half of them are for powertrain problems, specifically engine and transmission issues.
The key concern is over the transmission hesitating, jerking, and surging, not allowing the driver to maintain consistent speed and acceleration.
On this thread from Kia Forums, owners discuss the Sorento’s jerky transmission, with one owner mentioning Kia has issued a software update for the eight-speed transmission that seems to have solved the problem.
Several drivers have reported that these problems have happened during acceleration at low speeds and gears and are more pronounced when the vehicle is cold.
2019 Kia Sorento Engine Issues Include Stalling, High Rpms, and Rough Idle
The 2019 Kia Sorento registers owner complaints over engine-related problems such as loss of power, stalling, the engine failing, high rpms, and rough idle.
Also, several consumer complaints registered with the NHTSA mention the car lurching forward, engine knocking, and the vehicle shaking under various driving conditions.
Additionally, drivers report engine noise when starting the vehicle, especially in cold weather areas.
Several owners claim that Kia dealerships couldn’t replicate or identify these issues. Therefore, some owners repeatedly experience the engine failure symptoms. One owner said, “The car lost power while driving, and a semi-truck almost ran into me. I took the car to the Kia dealership, and they replaced the throttle body. A week later, the same problem.”
There are also reports of engine misfires or the vehicle stumbling through the low gears during acceleration until reaching 45-50 mph.
Reports of Faulty Electricals are Among the Most Common Complaints by 2019 Kia Sorento Owners
Problems with the electrical system and exterior lighting are mentioned in a quarter of the nearly 90 owner complaints registered with the NHTSA. One of the most common relates to the factory design of the low beam headlights causing a dark shadow-line across the field of vision and resulting in poor visibility.
Other reports point to internal wiring burning, knock sensor failing, malfunctioning power windows and steering wheel buttons, and loss of all electrical power, preventing the car from operating.
Flawed Vehicle Speed Control and Steering Add to the Sorento’s List of Problems
Another frequently cited problem with the 2019 Kia Sorento is the vehicle speed control causing the car to surge, jerk, and hesitate. In some instances, the surging would cause the front tires to spin.
Owners claim that the car would stall or jump without warning when the vehicle control is set, and the rpms would rapidly increase.
The Car Complaints website registers several reports of vehicle speed control problems in the 2019 Sorento, with one owner claiming he experienced some of these problems as early as 45 miles.
Regarding steering issues, owner complaints suggest the 2019 Sorento can experience problems as early as 10,000 miles.
Problems include a stiff steering wheel, the auto lane correction warning light constantly illuminated, the vehicle swaying or the steering wheel failing completely.
Kia’s 2019 Sorento is a Compelling Option in the Compact SUV Segment
The 2019 Kia Sorento has been a solid and mostly dependable vehicle despite some reliability issues that raised safety concerns.
The Sorento’s 2019 model year holds a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety and a perfect five-star rating with the NHTSA.
In addition, Kia’s market-leading 10-year/100,000-mile warranty can address the most significant problems described in this article.
This warranty covers manufacturer damage or defects in all the vehicle’s essential systems, including the transmission and engine, which gives potential buyers the confidence to get a used Sorento over comparable SUV models.
Photos: Kia
