2020 KIA Sorento Engine Problems
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2020 KIA Sorento, 48% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 61,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “burning oil” (14% of reports).
- 66engine complaints
- 61,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 60%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Burning oil: mentioned in 9 of 66 complaints (14%)
- Service center: mentioned in 6 of 66 complaints (9%)
- Spark plugs: mentioned in 5 of 66 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 6 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 66 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 1 an injury.
KIA Sorento engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | 7,000 |
| 2025 Sorento | 19 | 25% | 4,000 |
| 2024 Sorento | 5 | 12% | 31,000 |
| 2023 Sorento | 31 | 25% | 1,600 |
| 2022 Sorento | 52 | 27% | 50,000 |
| 2021 Sorento | 68 | 27% | 33,000 |
| 2020 Sorento | 66 | 48% | 61,500 |
| 2019 Sorento | 158 | 37% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Sorento | 107 | 42% | 72,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 387 | 48% | 64,000 |
| 2016 Sorento | 695 | 55% | 83,500 |
| 2015 Sorento | 363 | 48% | 87,780 |
| 2014 Sorento | 388 | 39% | 100,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 496 | 51% | 89,691 |
| 2012 Sorento | 461 | 52% | 99,612 |
| 2011 Sorento | 284 | 19% | 103,000 |
| 2010 Sorento | 1 | 33% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 4 | 7% | 140,000 |
| 2008 Sorento | 35 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 7 | 5% | 133,000 |
| 2006 Sorento | 67 | 28% | 92,700 |
| 2005 Sorento | 63 | 21% | 101,000 |
| 2004 Sorento | 46 | 21% | 112,000 |
| 2003 Sorento | 43 | 14% | 118,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2020 KIA Sorento. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle and the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance warning light was temporarily illuminated. The…
Driving at highway speed, the vehicle began to make a loud rattling noise that came from under the vehicle. A passerby pulled even with my car and began frantically gesturing. After a few seconds of confusion, me daughter said the she thought the man was saying "it's on fire." We pulled over to the…
My 2020 Kia Sorento stalled and shut off while driving and eventually stopped working completely, requiring it to be towed to a Kia dealership. The dealership first replaced the starter and then the high-pressure fuel pump, but the vehicle still would not operate. After further diagnosis, I was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 KIA Sorentos have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 66 owner complaints about engine for the 2020 KIA Sorento (48% of the 137 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2020 KIA Sorento engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 61,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2020 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “burning oil”, in 9 of 66 complaints, followed by “service center” (6).
See all 2020 KIA Sorento problems or engine problems across all Sorento years.