Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2016 Kia Sorento — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2022 to Dec 2025
The most reported issue is engine problems (498 complaints). 28 complaints involved crashes. 46 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (8)
NHTSA Campaign: 18V907000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V446000
Component: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 23, 2014, to December 10, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt.
Risk: If the front passenger seat belt cannot be latched, an occupant sitting in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt buckle cover, free of charge. The recall began on August 18, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC123.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V770000
Component: SEATS
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as designed in the event of a rear-end collision.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the driver seatback frame could break and fail to restrain a seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds and replace the driver seatback frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 9, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC140.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V862000
Component: TRAILER HITCHES
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V480000
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded.
Risk: The improper weld may break, affecting the rear suspension alignment, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds at the rear suspension cross-member, replacing the rear cross-member assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2016. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service Department at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC137.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V089000
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to January 29, 2015. Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle.
Risk: If the vehicle is unable to be accelerated, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 19, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC115.
NHTSA Campaign: 22V612000
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.
NHTSA Campaign: 22V703000
Component: TRAILER HITCHES
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 1212)
Engine →5 issues
While driving your 2016 Kia Sorento, the battery, check engine, and oil warning lights all came on at once, and you heard a rattling noise with smoke coming from under the hood. A dealer diagnosed this as a connecting rod bearing failure in the engine. The dealer initially refused service because a knock sensor wasn't installed by the previous owner. Fixing this will likely require engine repair or replacement to address the internal bearing damage.
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My 2016 Kia Sorento with 2.4L GDI Theta II engine began consuming excessive oil despite regular documented oil changes. At approximately 86,000 miles, the engine failed and requires full long block replacement. The vehicle has been at a Kia dealership for 5 months while I went back and forth with Kia Corporate.
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The engine stalled while driving on the expressway. Myself and my daughter and her friend were in the car. The vehicle started right back up, and I was able to drive the car home (less than 2 miles away).
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3 times head gasket has been replaced and repaired and every time oil is changed, they say I am losing oil
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The vehicles is showing all this codes P0340, P0365, P0780, PO010.
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Unknown Or Other →5 issues
I was leaving my home and was pulling out of my driveway when my vehicle suddenly caught fire. I was able to exit the vehicle with no injuries and called the fire department to put out the fire. the vehicle was a total loss.
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On [XXX], our 2016 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX] ) caught fire while being driven on a public highway in Houston, Texas. The vehicle had been operating normally and displayed no warning lights, alerts, or diagnostic trouble codes prior to the incident. The driver was forced to pull over immediately for safety.
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Shifter Lock is engaged and would not shift from park unless I bypass the lock by pressing the release. It was a recall item, I had it replaced, but if failed a few days later. I called the dealership, I told them about the problem.
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2016 Kia Sorrento Ex paint is coming off in panels and different areas of car. I called KIa and they cant do anything about it
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The shifter is not working have to use shift lock release
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Unknown Or Other,engine →2 issues
Dear Sir or Madam, I am submitting a formal safety complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding my Kia Sorento. Over the past six months, this vehicle has required replacement of the engine, transmission control module (TCM), and the entire transmission.
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Our 2016 Kia Sorento had 96k miles on it, my 2.4 Liter, V4 GDI engine. I was driving it to my house on the streets, when the vehicle it completes died on me in the middle of the streets, it won't turn on, had it tow to my house. Made an appointment to take it to body shop on 2/12/2026, when it died while driving it to the auto shop, won't turn on, had it tow to auto shop.
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Steering →2 issues
3 to 4 months ago my truck steering wheel light with an exclamation point will appear and my steering wheel will lock up and it is hard to steer unless I cut the truck off and back on, it is so dangerous that it went out when I was in the middle of a turn that I almost ran into a truck. I cannot get this issue fixed because my warranty ran out. So what am I to do.
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Steering has a "sticky feeling". While driving, when you try to turn steering wheel a fraction to one side or the other there is resistance and then a release which results in in oversteering that has to be corrected. When trying to correct the oversteering, there is again resistance and then release with oversteering again.
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Power Train,seat Belts,engine →1 issue
My car totally stopped on me due to one of the 8 recalls I have undone related to my car. My insurance company verified that the recalls were open related to my car. I verified it to make sure by VIN number at NHTSA.gov.
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Air Bags,seat Belts →1 issue
On [XXX] I was in a car accident. When it happened the airbags did not deploy and the seatbelt not locking. This resulted in me hitting my head in on the dash and chest on the steering wheel multiple times and having to go to the er to receive care and be put out of work.
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Engine And Engine Cooling →1 issue
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, while driving to the residence, the coolant temperature gauge went from COLD to HOT. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that smoke was coming from the engine compartment.
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Electrical System,exterior Lighting →1 issue
All tail lights of SUV go in an out randomly.
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Power Train →1 issue
Gear shifter gets stuck. Car jerks back when trying to speed up
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Structure →1 issue
Pearl white paint has begun flaking, and peeling.
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