PITSTOP - INTERMITTENT LACK OF POWER OR HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION - RESTRICTED FUEL LINE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. Customers may experience an intermittent lack of power or hesitation upon acceleration. The malfunction indicator lamp may not illuminate or DTC P0087 may be stored (history). This is possibly due to a restricted low pressure fuel line.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Kia Sorento cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2014 Kia Sorento have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 70,000 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Sorento | 32 |
| 2012 Sorento | 23 |
| 2013 Sorento | 14 |
| 2014 Sorento (this page) | 19 |
| 2015 Sorento | 13 |
| 2016 Sorento | 47 |
| 2017 Sorento | 14 |
| 2018 Sorento | 6 |
1crash
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
PITSTOP: SMART PEDAL FEATURE - THE SMART PEDAL IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS) FUNCTIONALITY WHICH MONITORS AND PREVENTS THE SIMULTANEOUS ACTIVATION OF ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS. WHEN ENGAGED, THE FEATURE REDUCES ENGINE POWER TO IDLE. MOST CUSTOMERS WILL NEVER NOTICE THE SMART PEDAL FEATURE WHEN ACTIVE, HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS WHO TEND TO REST THEIR FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE DRIVING MIGHT DESCRIBE A HESITATION OR DELAY SYMPTOM AND NOT REALIZE THAT THE EMS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE IS INTERVENING, AS DESIGNED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Cruise control on the 2014 Sorento fails to engage properly—some owners can't set it with the dedicated button, and when it does work, it speeds up on its own without driver input. One owner reports the deceleration button caused acceleration instead. Separately, all steering wheel control buttons stopped working on that vehicle.
Engine power loss dominates the complaint set. Multiple owners describe sudden loss of power during highway driving or acceleration attempts, with the car decelerating to 40 mph or below despite flooring the pedal. Check engine lights illuminate; some vehicles stall completely, others enter a limp mode that won't let them accelerate safely. One owner's pregnant wife faced oncoming traffic doing 5 mph after the engine lost power in rush hour. Mechanics identify bearing rod failure as the root cause in several cases, requiring engine replacement.
Oil burning without visible leaks is pervasive. Owners report adding oil every 2 weeks or within 4,000 miles of an oil change, with dipsticks showing dry after routine service. One engine checked during a stall-out had zero oil. Kia's own consumption tests return "standard range," so dealers won't act.
Accelerator pedal sticking occurs in at least one complaint—pedal stuck, vehicle raced uncontrollably, brakes ineffective. One owner watched her car shoot into a parking lot incline on its own.
A knock sensor safety system, installed after an earlier engine failure, activated without warning during a critical left turn in traffic, forcing the car into limp mode and nearly causing a collision. The safety fix created danger instead.
Same Kia Sorento cruise control reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Cruise control malfunction
Cruise control does not engage reliably, fails to set with the set button, occasionally activates on its own without driver input, and speed increases uncontrollably. In one case, pressing the deceleration button caused acceleration instead.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control does not turn on reliably; Cannot set cruise with set button; Cruise control activates and speeds up on its own without driver input; Deceleration button causes acceleration; Steering wheel control buttons (volume, radio tuner, cruise control) stop working
Engine stalling with loss of power during acceleration
Engine loses power suddenly during highway driving or acceleration, decelerating to 40 mph or below despite flooring accelerator. Check engine light illuminates. Vehicle may stall completely or limp home at reduced speed. Some instances show no warning lights beforehand.
When: 70,000 miles reported in one case; varies across narratives
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power during acceleration; Vehicle decelerates despite pedal to floor; Check engine light illuminates; Engine stalls completely; Vehicle enters limp mode and will not accelerate; No warning lights in some cases
Codes mentioned: Check engine
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required in multiple cases; bearing rod failure diagnosed; knock sensor safety software activation triggers limp mode
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Knock sensor safety software installed after engine replacement in at least one case; Case number 13201482 provided to manufacturer; Recall 17V224 exists but may not cover all affected vehicles
Engine bearing rod and internal component failure
Engine bearing rod fails, causing severe internal damage. Accompanied by knocking or clanking noise from engine. Multiple narratives indicate this is a known issue across 2011–2014 Kias involving oil burning and catastrophic engine failure.
When: 70,000 miles in one documented case; occurs at varying mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Knocking or clanking noise from engine; Engine stalls; Check engine and oil lights illuminate; No oil in engine despite regular maintenance; Engine completely fails
Codes mentioned: Check engine, Oil light
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement necessary; mechanics report bearing rod failure; owner reports metal in oil and on dipstick
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Known issue in 2011–2014 Kias related to oil consumption; Recall 17V224 mentioned but coverage unclear or insufficient
Excessive oil consumption without visible leaks
Engine burns or consumes oil at alarming rate despite no visible leaks. Oil level drops to dangerously low levels (completely empty in one case) between services, sometimes within 4,000 miles after an oil change.
When: Can occur 4,000 miles after oil change
Symptoms owners cite: Oil level drops rapidly; Dipstick shows no oil despite recent oil change; No visible oil leaks; Oil consumption test returns in standard range per dealer; Stalling concerns arise as oil depletes
Repairs/costs cited: Oil consumption testing performed but returned standard range; no repair implemented by dealer
Accelerator pedal sticking or unresponsiveness
Accelerator pedal sticks and does not release, causing vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably at high speed. In other cases, pedal shows no response or sluggish response when depressed to the floor.
When: Can occur during normal driving or parking lot maneuvers
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal sticks and will not release; Vehicle accelerates at high speed uncontrollably; Brake and emergency brake ineffective while pedal stuck; Vehicle enters reverse uncontrollably; Sluggish acceleration response or no acceleration despite pedal to floor
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle owner scared to drive after incident; no repair documented
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall for accelerator pedal assembly exists for 2016 Sorento (built Oct 27, 2014–Jan 29, 2015); affected owner's 2014 model just missed recall window by a few months
Knock sensor limp mode activation without warning
Knock sensor safety software activates abruptly without advance warning while vehicle is accelerating in traffic. Puts vehicle into limp mode, severely restricting power and preventing safe acceleration.
When: 139,505 miles in documented case; can occur during critical driving maneuvers
Symptoms owners cite: Knock sensor activates without warning; Vehicle enters limp home mode; Cannot accelerate to safety; Loud knocking noise from engine noted in some cases
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle required towing to dealership to exit limp mode
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Knock sensor safety software was installed as a corrective measure after prior engine failure
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2014 Kia Sorento?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2014 Kia Sorento?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 14 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 30,000 and 98,000 miles, with the median around 70,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 30,000; a quarter make it past 98,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Kia/Sorento.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.