2012 Kia Sorento Fuel System Problems

You noticed a fuel smell inside and around your vehicle and found a cracked fuel rail that leaks significantly when the engine runs. You discovered that a 2012 Kia Sedona has a recall for the same fuel rail leak issue, but your Sorento's VIN isn't included in that recall even though it has the identical problem. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the cracked fuel rail.

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he smelled an abnormally strong gasoline odor. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle and unlatched the hood, only to discover gasoline flowing on top of the engine. The contact stated that he had made it home safely and ran water through the engine to clean the gasoline off. The contact researched the failure online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine). The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 65 MPH, an abnormal fuel odor began to emit from the vehicle without warning. His wife was then waved down by a fellow motorist that alerted her that the vehicle had caught fire. The contact stated that his wife had difficulty stopping the vehicle as depressed the brake pedal. Once the vehicle was stopped, an unknown color smoke filled the vehicle's front cabin as she and the other occupants exited the vehicle. No occupants were injured and no medical assistance was rendered at the scene. The vehicle was extinguished by the fire department and a fire report was filed. In the fire report, the investigator linked the cause of the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000(Fuel System, Gasoline; Engine); however, his vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and an investigator was sent to diagnose the cause of the failure; the contact had yet to hear back from the manufacturer. The dealer was also notified about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel cap needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the fuel cap; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with NHTSA. The failure mileage was 17,272.

UNDER THE RECALL, A FUEL LEAK WAS REPAIRED. THE SAME LEAK IN THE SAME PLACE AGAIN WITHIN 7 MONTHS. DEALER SLOW TO CALL BACK AND ARRANGE AN INSPECTION. CANNOT DRIVE CAR AS IT IS UNSAFE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, GASOLINE BEGAN LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE ODOR WAS PRESENT. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE SEAL FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, THE RPM GAUGE DID NOT MOVE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE FORWARD AT ENGINE IDLE SPEED (REACHING ABOUT 20MPH ON A LEVEL SURFACE). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW KIA SORENTO ON DECEMBER 14, 2011. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR COUPLE DAYS, I NOTICED MY AIRBAG LIGHT. IT HAD CONTINUED TO STAY ON SO I HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALER I HAD PURCHASED IT FROM. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE A PASSENGER WAS NOT SITTING THERE AND ONCE SOMEONE SITS THERE AND BUCKLES THEIR SEAT BELT, THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF. IT WAS NOT TRUE AT ALL BECAUSE I HAVE HAD PASSENGERS SITTING THERE AND THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. SO AFTER FINDING SOME TIME, I TOOK MY CAR IN TO A DEALERSHIP NEAR MY HOUSE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE AIRBAG CUSHION WAS MISSING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE WORKER WAS VERY WORRIED AND DID NOT WANT ME DRIVING THE CAR AROUND UNTIL THEY HAD INSTALLED THE AIRBAG CUSHION. I ALSO STARTED TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY FUEL SYSTEM. THE FIRST TIME IT EVER HAPPENED, THE TANK OVERFILLED AND STARTED LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR. I DID NOT KNOW THAT MY TANK WAS FULL BECAUSE THE GAS PUMP NEVER CLICKED OFF AND KEPT ON GOING. THEN THE NEXT FEW TIMES I WENT TO PUT GAS IN, THE PUMP KEPT STOPPING AS IF THE TANK WAS FULL. SEVERAL TIMES I HAD TO MANUALLY STOP THE PUMP, OR HOLD IT SO THE PUMP WOULD KEEP GOING. AFTER FINDING SOME TIME (AGAIN), I TOOK MY CAR IN. THE SERVICE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM SO I HAD TO TAKE THEM TO A GAS STATION AND SHOW THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AFTER SEEING THE PROBLEM, HE WAS ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS EXACTLY WRONG WITH IT AND WAS ABLE TO FIX IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM IS BACK AND I HAVE TO HOLD THE PUMP WHEN I AM PUTTING IN GAS. I NEED TO TAKE MY CAR IN FOR THE THIRD TIME; NOT TO MENTION THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES I TOOK MY CAR IN, IT WAS NOT FIXED IN ONE DAY, AND I EVEN HAD TO RENT A CAR. I HAD NOTIFIED THE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT MY PROBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE NOT INFORMATIVE AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE SERVICE AT MY DEALERSHIP, AND NOT CONTACT THEM. *JS