"My Kia Sorento Is Burning Oil Like Crazy, But Kia Could Deny Me A New Engine, Because I Didn't Always Keep Up With The Oil Change Intervals"

My curiosity regarding the experience of fellow Hyundai and Kia owners prompted me to scout out the Kia Forum, and my latest find did not disappoint. While some would say that Hyundai and Kia are, currently, doing what Toyota did some 20 years ago, there are also known issues that plague some of the Korean models. One Kia Sorento owner finds himself in an interesting predicament as his 2017 SUV consumes abnormal amounts of oil. Here's what he says: 

"I have a 2017 Sorento with the 2.4L at 115kish miles. I was reading the TSB from Kia on the oil consumption and I am may be over their limits for how fast it's losing oil, but I was wondering if I don't have rock solid history of oil change, will Kia basically deny a new engine even if my oil consumption is over the limit? I know I went over the mileage a few times at least, but nothing crazy like 5k over. I have never gotten any work done at the dealer besides a few oil changes, so I doubt they'll do it as a courtesy without more history there. 
 
If Kia does not provide a new engine, is my best course of action to just keep topping off the oil every week until I end up getting a new car? Can this realistically last for a few years if I keep adding oil and make sure it never runs low/dry? Is there any other preventative maintenance I can do to keep this going till 150-200k?"

I see a problem right away in the owner's description of the problem. Going 5,000 miles over the recommended oil change interval a couple of times is no joke. In my experience, regardless of the engine or what the manufacturer says, change the engine oil no later than 6,000 miles or 12 months. Yes, some engines are less susceptible to problems related to irregular oil changes, but eventually, problems occur. 

The NHTSA investigation 

The 2017 Kia Sorento in question comes equipped with a 2.4-liter gasoline engine from the Hyundai/Kia Theta engine family. All of these engines are known to be very problematic, due to poor manufacturing, causing a significant number of engines to develop abnormal amounts of noise and to seize. The Theta engine family has been burning a hole in Hyundai's pockets and continues to plague even newer models.

Over 1.7 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles are affected by this. Still, I have to give credit to Hyundai for issuing its latest mass recall that affects over a million vehicles, some of which over 10 years old. Then, there is the issue of high oil consumption, which, from what I found out, isn't being handled in the best way.  

According to the technical service bulletin, if the engine's oil consumption is less than 1 quart per 1,000 miles, the engine will not undergo repair. If the oil consumption is more than 1 quart per 1,000 miles, the engine will be subject to a repair.

In my experience, a problem-free normally aspirated engine shouldn't consume more than a quart of oil per 6,000 miles. To put things in perspective, the Lambda V-6 engine in my Hyundai Genesis Coupe was losing about a quart of oil every 6,000 miles due to a leaky front main seal and valve cover gasket.

Turbo engines tend to burn a bit more by design, because of the turbocharger's lubrication requirements and the fact these engines generate more heat. Also, turbo engines traditionally use thinner piston rings for reduced drag. 

Some fellow forum members have chimed in with potential solutions to the problem, but it may be too late at this point. 

Rhysoul says: “I don’t think they’d give you a new engine right away, they’d do the oil consumption test first (you come back every 1000 miles 3 times) and if that fails, they’d try a top end cleaner (fancy piston soak). 
 
But if they deny all that, I would try at least three or four 4,000-mile oil changes with Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30. It’s designed to clean up the engine and specifically the oil control rings, and may help reduce your consumption. Been hearing pretty good reviews on it so far. I’d try that before dumping the car.” 

Missingcurlybracket says: “It’s a Kia direct injection 2.4L, it could very well sh*t the bed tomorrow as they’re known to do and it wouldn’t necessarily be your fault at all. 
How many miles are we talking anyway? 8000+ is pushing it. You’ll probably want to do 3,750-mile intervals according to the manual’s severe schedule which likely applies to you. 
The manual probably says 7,500 normally, but don’t exceed 5,000 for this. you can do it in other cars, but not these. 
Just monitor oil level, keep receipts, hope for the best. 
 

There are others like coolant, brake fluid, trans fluid, rear diff/transfer case if you have an AWD, but the coupler itself is destined to eventually fail and that’s a couple grand if you want to keep AWD. (@118k for me) 
PCV valve change might help consumption. 
I don’t bother with the fancy oils personally unless given a specific reason but worth a shot. 

Ensure the KSDS engine update was applied by the dealer in the past for the warranty on the bottom end. 
And remember, if you do everything right, you might still have to pull teeth at the dealer. There have been terrific and less-so experiences, so just hope for the best.” 

Final thoughts 

While there is no definitive proof that the oil-change intervals have not been religiously kept up with (aside from the owner's confession), any sludge buildup, found upon inspection, could be used by the dealer as an excuse not to replace the engine. If we take the owner's word for granted, it sounds like the 2.4-liter engine in this 2017 Sorento is consuming more than a quart of oil per 1,000 miles.  

While the 150,000-mile goal is not unrealistic, it may be time to think for an engine overhaul or a replacement engine. Some variants of the Hyundai/Kia Theta engines are still in production, on some markets, but they are gradually being phased out in favor of the new Smartstream engines.  

If you have a similar experience or any insights, I would love to hear about them in the comment section below, so we can provide a more informative article for future reference. 

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: 2017 Kia Sorento