I think I have the same issue for my 2021 HEV. The clunking sound started after 2.5 years of use and the official service center could not fix the issue until now. I was there with the issue at least four different times. Once they replaced the shock absorber. Second time some joinning parts at the top part of the suspension. Next time they unmounted the internal trim and fixed some loose electical module on the right side of the luggage compartment. The noise is still there. I feel that it is louder in warmer weater. My car is not under warranty anymore so I decided not to spend money in vain to fix this issue until it is surely confirmed what is causing it.
I could reproduce the clunking noise with locked parking brake and slowly swinging the chassis in reverse speed. If you push the throttle a bit, it raised the back side of the car and the noise was audible when releasing the throttle. If you have electronic parking brake then you need to keep the seatbelt unfastened for this test so the parking brake is not released automatically. I hope this helps to find the problem and please keep me posted if there is any news.

 

I’ll post something if service finds anything, it’s amazing how deaf they get when diagnosing a car lol. But in the meantime, do not test your car by stressing the drivetrain in that fashion, you could do serious damage to the engine and transmission mounts. Thanx for the response.

 

Interesting theory, but in my case it happens when I drive normally on city streets, hot or cold lol But thanks for your response.

 

Okay, will do. Thanks!

 

Might not be related, but my wife bought a 2021 Telluride a few years back brand new. Last year she reported that she heard a noise in the back. Kia had it for a couple days and couldn't find anything. Recently we received a letter from Kia about an issue with the self-leveling rear shocks. She bought the Prestige Trim with the Nightfall package and towing package. Kia recently replaced the rear self-leveling rear shocks. They finally had another service person ride in the back of the vehicle while testing. Noise is gone.

Not sure if these shocks only come with the towing package and/or Telluride model.

 

Thanks, Don’t know if this car has self-leveling shocks, but worth checking out when I take it back in.

 

Now I am wondering - I've had a 23 Telluride SX Prestige for 16 months with 13,500 miles on it. This past weekend, we heard a strange noise like you're describing while driving on the expressway - it has happened several times since........... Thank you for posting. I'll have to take it in to the dealer.

 

In my case it only makes noise on inner city roads, I can drive over the same bumps and get the same noise everytime. Drives great on the highway, no noise there

 

My brothers grand cherokee made a noise over bumps and everything checked ok finally we replaced the rear shock absorbers and the noise was gone

 

Yeah I think it could be the right rear shock, the hard part is convincing Kia service something isn’t right lol

 

Any updates on this? You are describing the same noise I've been experiencing in my 24 sorento sx prestige for the past 2 weeks, and I only have had the car since September 6th.


My other issue, and perhaps the worst, is that for the last 2 weeks I feel a really annoying play in the break pedal that also makes a mild noise, almost as if it was loose. It feels like it travels a centimeter in the air, and that's while breaking or releasing the pedal.
I did an unexperienced inspection and the pedal seems to be fine. That little play/wiggle/mild clinking noise that I can't describe, and that also feels like when you squeeze the safety mechanism of a pistol's trigger, seems to be coming from the cylinder looking piece behind the pedal's arm, it kinda looks like a little shock absorber.
I understand that my car is not even a month old and I should take it to the dealership. But I need some advise if you guys have had any experience with a similar issue. Knowing the cylinder name would also help better describe it. I will also open new thread with this concern.
I have videos and pictures, will attach if i find a way to do it.

Thanks in advance

Video of the issue

Video of the cylinder i mentioned

 

bpaps, This is an update to my issue to you and others on this thread - went to Kia service a second time yesterday and went for a test drive with yet another service advisor and confirmed the noise in the rear suspension. After a brief conference they agreed that it might be a bad shock, and took the car in. Their mechanic removed the shock and said (per service report) "Shock is blown and you can hear the liquid in the cylinder" and mentioned "it doesn't feel right". The catch is they had to order and Fedex a new shock absorber for the rear, because apparently there is only a small handful of these in the country that are available, due to the fact that the car is so new. Not sure why they can't use a new one from an older model. So now I'm waiting for delivery and installation, and hopefully that's the end of it.

In your case, could be a bad shock as well, have them check it out. Might be a bad batch of shocks out there, and make sure they report it to corporate. As for for your brake pedal, sounds like something is out of adjustment between the brake pedal mechanism and master cylinder. Take it back to them, might take a couple of tries. It also helps if you get several people involved, including the sales rep that sold it to you. I'm on a first-name basis with 7 people now. Good luck.

 

Quick update guys, secured an appt this upcoming Wednesday to address both of my issues, they claim they can diagnose the same day but parts availability may be a challenge since it's a the 2024 model.
At least they guaranteed me a loaner and the guy seemed nice and committed to help.
I'll update Wednesday again.
@DaveG66 hope you don't mind me continuing posting in this thread, I thought I keep posting here since we are having the same issue.

Thanks!

 

Quick update guys, secured an appt this upcoming Wednesday to address both of my issues, they claim they can diagnose the same day but parts availability may be a challenge since it's a the 2024 model.
At least they guaranteed me a loaner and the guy seemed nice and committed to help.
I'll update Wednesday again.
@DaveG66 hope you don't mind me continuing posting in this thread, I thought I keep posting here since we are having the same issue.

Thanks!

No problem. I asked the parts dept. today what the timeframe of the replacement shock, and he said it’s in transit, which means it’s coming from Korea. Apparently there’s a shipment of 14 shocks for my year coming to the US, and 8 of those are on back order. He explained that “in transit” means it could be on a dock in Korea waiting to depart or on its way. So, could be a week, or a month lol. Could be worse, some cars are still in their lot waiting parts for the steering column ignition after a recent wave of stolen Kia’s. All are on back order.

 

Europe as well.

 

Dropped off my Sorento today, the advisor listened carefully to my complaints and told me it may take 2 weeks for a resolution if anything comes back needing parts. They provided an Sorento S as a loaner.

-Regarding the dull clunking in the rear right side:
The advisor said he'll look for loose parts, loose spare tire, blown shocks, etc. I was please with that explanation until I rode the S trim they gave me... same issue as mine, same dull clunking coming from the same area. I do hope they can fix mine but at this point I'm starting to think I just need to learn how to ignore it...
-The dead spot in my break pedal:
He tried it for a few minutes, played around with it, promised to do a comprehensive diagnosis and then processed to explain that all the Sorentos he has tried have the break pedal behavior... I got to try 2 Sorentos, my S trim loaner and another SX trim. Felt a bit tighter than mine but that could have been me on denial because after 100 miles in a day I feel the same thing in my loaner.

I do hope they fix it though.

 

Dropped off my Sorento today, the advisor listened carefully to my complaints and told me it may take 2 weeks for a resolution if anything comes back needing parts. They provided an Sorento S as a loaner.

-Regarding the dull clunking in the rear right side:
The advisor said he'll look for loose parts, loose spare tire, blown shocks, etc. I was please with that explanation until I rode the S trim they gave me... same issue as mine, same dull clunking coming from the same area. I do hope they can fix mine but at this point I'm starting to think I just need to learn how to ignore it...
-The dead spot in my break pedal:
He tried it for a few minutes, played around with it, promised to do a comprehensive diagnosis and then processed to explain that all the Sorentos he has tried have the break pedal behavior... I got to try 2 Sorentos, my S trim loaner and another SX trim. Felt a bit tighter than mine but that could have been me on denial because after 100 miles in a day I feel the same thing in my loaner.

I do hope they fix it though.

My 2025 goes back next Thursday, fingers crossed, if they don’t do anything I will do it myself and deliver there poor absorber we have a 2021 Santa Fe and my daughter has a 2023 Sorento EX Plus, rear shocks look identical, both those vehicles are nice and quiet.

Mod: Edit your own posts.

 

I know, my 2022 sorento sx is a jewel, too bad I'm not keeping it... that lease is up end of this month

 

Took my 2025 in today and dealer agreed it was the right rear shock, ordered one, will keep you posted.

 

Did you get a loaner?
The loaner i got has the same issue 😤

 

Hi I have 2022 EX hybrid and noise from right back side starts two weeks ago decided to lift car check don’t see anything wrong when put back on tires slowly, noise coming. When drive two times make noise even on highway but now only if I turn or go on speed bumps or any cain road imperfections.

 

My 2022 SX doesn't have this issue, just the 2024.
It's interesting what you are explaining if I understood correctly

 

Same sound in our '24 Sorento X-line Limited. It's not too bad and I think mainly when we have passengers in the second row, more weight.

 

My appointment is next Tuesday for the shock replacement will keep everyone posted fingers crossed

 

This really sucks! It can't be the shock unless we all got fooled and it was never replaced...
Did any of you check underneath, the spare tire assembly or something? I wish I had x ray vision to look inside the body of the car and point out the issues to these incompetent advisors.
I'm considering/willing to have a 3rd party take a look at it and diagnose it. There's no way I'm going to deal with this nonsense for the l8fe of my lease

 

Nothing loose, has been inspected twice, only 2700 klms !

 

My car is MY21. I had my shock replaced, the parts on the top of the shock, and akk the interior trim was taken apart and they cannot find the source of the noise.

 

Weird, isn’t it? Mine sort of sounds like they left a tool sealed up somewhere during assembly lol

 

Weird, isn’t it? Mine sort of sounds like they left a tool sealed up somewhere during assembly lol

we test drove again today, if you are in drivers seat sounds like right rear, if you are passenger sounds like left rear ! if you sit in the back sit sound is directly underneath, amazing.

Friend of mine went with me for a test drive. When he sat in back, he could hear it a bit under the floor. When he drove the car, he said it’s louder from right rear, from the driver’s seat. When I was in back, it sounded like it was directly under the floor in front of the third row seats on right side. But I hear it only occasionally from the left, like the sound travels. So, stabilizer bar? Rear sub-frame? ???…Lol

 

I'm trying it tomorrow!

 

Hello Kia family!
Any news?
Not sure if i asked before, but have any of you gotten a 3rd party opinion? I may run a 3rd party diagnosis just to find out what's the real issue. I will make sure they understand, of course, that my intention is pay them for the diagnosis but that I would have Kia address the issue, therefore avoiding any warranty problems... good or bad idea?

 

Bpaps, Not yet, after I come back from a trip I’ll have to take it in for a software glitch with the dash control panel, it goes too dim a night compared to the gauge panel lol. Always something. Anyway, if you do take it to a 3rd party, take to a specialist, and make sure they leave no evidence (new part or something), and if they do find anything, only suggest to Kia what you think it might be based on a “friend’s” advice.

 

Mine was very dim at first, I manually adjusted it but it doesn't get that much brighter.

 

Yeah it’s like the control panel setting is dimmer than the rest, gonna try a reset later. I think it’s a software issue. When you cover the sensor on the dash, it goes to night mode and all displays dim as they should, but the control panel almost disappears. Uncover the sensor and it comes back on.

 

Interesting. Can you share where is that sensor located?
BTW, have you noticed that metal cover over the muffler? I feel like that's a bit loose, unless is required wiggle room... not sure if that has to do with the suspension clunking sound/noise but I can tell you is getting worse.

 

The ambient light sensor on mine is that round bump/cap in the middle of the center speaker grill on top of the dashboard. All cars have them on the dash somewhere facing up towards the windshield.

 

I respect they admiting the design has its flaws but im not buying their excuse. If this was the case you'd hear the clunking noise in both side and just the right side.

 

I agree, this cant be a normal thing. Its not a wind noise or some cheap insulation sound. This definitely something that need to be fix, time will tell what it will turn out to be. I am inclined to say that they already know what it is, but it takes time to admit things and change it.

 

3rd time in to dealer and nothing, they have started a file with KIA engineering, as a side note, put my winter tires on this weekend, so went form 20 rims to 17 with the taller snows, absolutely no difference in the rear suspension noise !

 

oh, i was hoping that winter tire/swap whatever would help finding out something. Today it was so bad, it was being triggerred with every manhole on the road ! but thanks for the update ..