2015 Kia Sorento · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 36owner reports
- 91,000median miles
- $8,500median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Aug 28, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
363 of the 738 complaints on this car are about the engine. 36 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 36 reports
Engine rattle on other Sorento years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the engine (7 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Sorento
Loss of motive power. Closed jul 23, 2024.
Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.
Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.
Engine oil pressure switch leak. Closed jun 26, 2023.
Scope and timeliness. Closed dec 22, 2021, led to recall 17V-224.
What owners paid
7 of the 36 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $6,000 to $9,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 80,000 and 99,702 miles, from the 26 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 Kia Sorento that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
TSB REV4: CHATTER/RATTLE NOISE FROM ENGINE AFTER COLD SOAK THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACEMENT ON SOME 2014~16MY CADENZA (VG), PRODUCED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2013 THROUGH JANUARY 7, 2016, AND SOME 2014~2015MY SORENTO (XMA) VEHICLES, PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 17, 2012 THROUGH ...
CHATTER/RATTLE NOISE FROM ENGINE AFTER COLD SOAK THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACEMENT ON SOME 2014~16MY CADENZA (VG), PRODUCED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2013 THROUGH JANUARY 7, 2016, AND SOME 2014~2015MY SORENTO (XMA) VEHICLES, PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 17, 2012 THROUGH ...
What owners wrote
“Engine started making rattling sounds during startup and when accelerating. Kia dealer said the engine failed and needed replaced. Repair cost were around $9000.00.”
Filed Jul 30, 2025
“I had an oil change and then went on a road trip, The trip consisted of two days driving and 1300 miles driven. the engine sounded different so I checked the oil and it did not register on the dipstick. Since then I have been checking the oil once a week and have noticed is will be low. The oil can be a quart to a quart and a half low after just 500 miles.”
Filed Jun 23, 2023 · 1,300 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 36 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 209 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 138 reports
- Paint peels or body rusts 88 reports
- Headlights too dim or fail 81 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 78 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 37 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 35 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 31 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 30 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 27 reports