PLEASE READ MY TESTIMONY My 2024 KIA Sorento X-Line XS Prestige which I bought off the…read moreshowroom floor for $53,000, has been sitting in my garage for 6 months inoperable, due to it going into LIMP MODE on Interstate I35, in the middle of rush hour traffic.
On September 12, 2025, my KIA was going 75mph, and within 30 seconds it went from 75mph to 20mph - LIMP MODE, and then 20 seconds later, it shut off. It was a terrible situation. Other drivers were yelling at me, honking, and flipping me off. I believe my life was in jeopardy; not just my life, my grandson's life who was 6 months old at the time.
Simultaneously, the malfunction indicator light (MIL) and the check engine (CE) light were luminated. I was terribly frightened by this LIMP MODE situation, and in just seconds, my KIA created a backup on the highway. I had a fear I was about to get rear ended or involved in a wreck. The KIA was unsafe to drive so it was towed by KIA Roadside Assistance to the dealership, Dennis Eakin KIA in Killeen, TX. I received a voice message that my KIA was ready to pick up.
On Friday, September 19th I took an UBER to the dealership to pick up my KIA. Once I arrived, I got the keys and the service ticket from Terry. The service ticket had notes from the mechanic; it showed a stored code of P1C2D03 came up on the scanner; instead of making the repairs, the dealership reset the adaptives. Dennis Eakin KIA cleared the stored code from my KIA's history, then, they claimed it was operating as designed!
The dealership had it for a week (09/15/2025 to 09/22/2025). I told several people at the dealership I was not driving it home because it was not repaired. What did the dealership do? The next Monday, September 22, 2025, Dennis Eakin KIA had an employee from the dealership drive my KIA to my house, and park it in my driveway! She drove it with the MIL and CE lights on, AFTER, I had it towed to the dealership and no repairs were done.
There is a NTSA recall for my exact model but for the 2022 year vs. 2024. My KIA has an 8-Speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), 2.5L Turbo - GDI / Engine THETA-III. Everything the NTSA mentions in the recall was/is happening with my KIA. I believe I could have the same issue; as a stored code of P1C2D03 shows the KIA needs replacement of the DTC assembly and for the A/T system software to be updated.
That was the last time I drove my KIA because I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT EVER AGAIN! I requested KIA America either replace or repurchase my KIA, so that I would not have to suffer a huge financial loss; they refused.
I only have 8,137 miles on my KIA, and it was not conforming to the manufacturer's warranty. I followed all protocol found in the "2024 WARRANTY AND CONSUMER INFORMATION MANUAL" page 101. The dealership had a final opportunity to make the repairs and instead of making the repairs, they removed the stored code from the memory (P1C2D03), and turned off the MIL / CE light.
I have been to Mediation with the BBB Auto Line, then Arbitration. In my opinion neither were neutral and to date, 04/05/2026, this situation still has not been resolved! Although the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TXDMV), Lemon Law Investigator accepted my case under the Texas Lemon Law, the hearings for the State of Texas Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) are being scheduled for September 2026.
By the time of the hearing, it will be a whole year since it was driven. KIA America forces you into trading it in (making it someone else's problem and causing a huge financial loss), or selling it and I am unwilling to do either one. KIA America needs to stand behind their vehicle and repurchase it from me along with my related expenses.
While under Mediation with the BBB Auto Line, KIA America sent a subject matter technical expert (TE) to my home to conduct a full inspection of my KIA. He spent 45 minutes inspecting it; then he drove it. I have his written report; he found more things wrong with it than I was aware of. I was not allowed to talk to him during his inspection, but I did ask him one question as he was leaving; I asked, "If this was your KIA would you drive it", he said "no" and then, "definitely NOT on the highway".
This situation has put havoc on me physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually! I was first in contact with the dealership, Dennis Eakin KIA, Killeen, TX, then, have been in touch with Sky Cato, Sarai Espinoza with KIA America Customer Care, Christina Sakhleh with the BBB Auto Line, and KIA Executive Officers; Greg Silvestri, Vice President of Service and Aftersales Operations, Eric Watson, Vice President of Sales Operations, and Russell Wager, Vice President of Marketing, NO ONE CARES!
All they talk about on their social media is how many cars they have sold; what about all of us out here with a LEMON KIA! When something goes severely wrong with your KIA, get ready to go more in debt, because no one cares!