NHTSA Complaint #10472936 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

VEHICLE STUCK IN DRIVE WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE BUT ENGINE KEPT RUNNING. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I MANAGED TO FORCE IT INTO NEUTRAL AND THE CURB MAINTAINED MY CAR STATIONARY SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO PUT IT IN PARK. BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK, IT IDLED IN NEUTRAL UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED (20 MIN LATER) BY WHICH TIME IT HAD BEGUN TO OVERHEAT. THE INCLINE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT I WAS NOT ON AN INCLINE. THE TRACTION LIGHT WAS ON AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHY SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION. I ALSO CALLED THE KIA DEALER AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE IN THE MAINTENANCE DEPT. WHO DIRECTED ME TO REPEATEDLY PUMP ON MY BRAKES AND AT THE SAME TIME TO KEEP TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT INTO PARK BUT THE TRACTION LIGHT AND THE INCLINE LIGHTS REMAINED ON AND THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING. I ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER INCIDENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WHEN I WAS ON A ROAD TRIP. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 35,000. I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON HWY 281 S HEADING TO SAN ANTONIO WHEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA. THEY WORKED ON IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF BUT SINCE THEN I'VE EXPERIENCE ODD THINGS SUCH AS THE CAR JUMPING OR POPPING WHEN IT CHANGES GEARS. ALSO, IT TENDS TO OVERHEAT WHEN THE CAR IDLES FOR MORE THAN 10 MIN. AS WELL AS CRUISE CONTROL ISSUES. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED MY KIA SORENTO AND I TRULY FEEL IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR