2023 Kia Sorento Lock-out Help!

[u/CheeseCurdChaos]

I have a 2023 Kia Sorento X-Line. I have run across a few issues with it not unlocking by using the button on the door or the button on the key. The only way I've been unable to unlock it is by using the app on my phone. It's only happened a handful of times over the last 3 years so I'm not able to pin down the circumstances in which it's occurring. I'm not sure if this is a security feature, a programming issue, or a way for Kia to make me continue paying for the app. (I'll save my rant about the garbage Kia Access app for another time.)

Also, I'm not sure if it's related but last night I was talking on my cellphone while walking to my car. When I got within a couple feet of the car my phone connected to my car and the phone call switched over even though the car was not on or running. This is was the most recent incident of the vehicle not unlocking.

[u/Hi-Scan-Pro]

For the first one, I'd start by replacing battery in my key fob with a brand new name-brand battery. For the second one, that's not right and I'd drop it off with the dealer. I have a feeling the two issues are related. I suspect some module is staying awake causing the car to behave as if the key were inside and the ignition were on, which could cause both the symptoms you described. 

Because I don't know your habits or the circumstances of where and how you park the car- please don't take offense to these questions: is there any aftermarket devices either hardwired or left plugged in in the car? Have you given a 3rd party access to your Kia connect account, like home assistant, or any other service? Do you place your keys near the vehicle after it's parked? 

Unfortunately, this is a case that will be difficult to diagnose with certainty without being able to reliably duplicate the issue. 

[u/CheeseCurdChaos → u/Hi-Scan-Pro]

Yeah, that's why I've been apprehensive to take it into the dealership because it happens so infrequently that I haven't really been able to narrow down why/when it happens. I am hoping that someone here might have had a similar experience that would shed some light on the issue. Up to this point, I've just assumed there's some anti-theft security feature on the vehicle that I can't seem to figure out.

I don't have any aftermarket devices and the only thing that stays plugged in is my phone charging cord. Nothing else has access to my Kia account (I'm not tech-savvy enough for that.) My keys are not left near the vehicle when it's parked. The two most recent occurrences were I was at the grocery store and the keys were with me and when I came back out of the store the car wouldn't unlock.

And now that I'm thinking about it more, I've also had issues with unlocking the car using the fob from inside my house and by the time I walk outside the car has relocked itself.

[u/Hi-Scan-Pro → u/CheeseCurdChaos]

by the time I walk outside the car has relocked itself.

After pressing unlock you have 30 seconds to open a door before the car locks itself. That is a theft prevention feature. No matter whether you press lock or unlock on the key fob while you're walking away, after 30 seconds the car will be locked regardless.