2013 Kia Sorento: Blown motor
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2013 Sorento report: blown motor. CarComplaints.com lists 25 owner complaints, average mileage 83,550 miles.
NHTSA has 513 owner complaints for the 2013 Sorento in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11772250 (filed 10/19/2026): “The car is running rough, losing power and knocking. unable to drive it safely. the more you accelerate the less power it has. it has been sitting ever since the incident.…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11753810 (filed 07/30/2026): “The contact owns a 2013 kia sorento. the contact stated that there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle with the engine warning light illuminated. the contact used a diagnostic machine to retrieve dtc: p0136, p0172 system, to the rich bank, and p1326 c…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replaced motor (12 reports) replace engine (8 reports) engine was replaced (2 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Internal engine work (lifters, oil consumption, fuel dilution diagnosis) requires engine teardown or dealer software/tests. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $5,380 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .